N2.1Bn ARMS PROBE: Buhari won't interfere in Jafaru's case

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62667

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Ebola survivors recount journey to parenthood •Dr. and Mrs Adejoro

•P.42&43

•Dr Ada Igonoh

$2.1BN ARMS PROBE:

Buhari won’t interfere in Jafaru’s case — Presidency •Metuh spends another night in EFCC cell, family kicks •Ex-PDP chairman, Bello, son get N600m bail 16

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor & Henry Umoru

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BUJA—THE Presidency said, last night, that it would not interfere with the probe of a close associate o f P r e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari, Continues on Page 6

COLUMNISTS: P.19

OWEI

LAKEMFA Saudi Arabia: Terrorism as state policy

Managing success with •P.17 grace

Mr & Mrs OSHODI MARKET DEMOLITION LATEST —Traders of demolished Owonifari Market, Oshodi in Lagos trying to Salvage some of their goods, yesterday. Inset: Isopakodowo Market, Oshodi, where the Lagos State Government plans to relocate the traders. Photo: Akeem Salau.

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FG to probe Army/Shiite 8 clash

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POCKET CARTOON said he wrote a letter to the EFCC through his lawyer, seeking a postponement of his appearance date on the grounds of death of a relative.

Metuh spends 3rd night in EFCC cell

IDPs—Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara (M), cuddles baby Ahmad Adamu, after distributing relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at their Wasa settlement in Abuja, yesterday. With him are Rep. Mohammed Munguno (L) and an internally displaced woman, Fatima Danmawu. Photo: NAN.

Buhari won’t interfere in Jafaru’s case—Presidency Continues from Page 1 Jafaru Isah, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged involvement in the Dasukigate scandal.

Mr. Isa, Military Administrator of Kaduna State from December 1993 to August 1996, during the military regime of General Sani Abacha and one-time governorship candidate of the defunct CPC in Kano State, is the first chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to be arrested by the EFCC since the beginning of a sweeping probe into the alleged diversion of $2.1 billion meant for arms purchase by officials of the immediate-past administration.

An aide of the President told Vanguard in confidence that although Jafaru Isah was a close political ally to President Buhari, the first citizen would nonetheless remain neutral in the matter, in line with his avowed position to deal decisively with corruption.

While describing Isah as a political ally, who had been with Buhari from the days of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, to the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, the aide made it clear that the long relationship did not in any way suggest that Buhari was associated

IT'S UP TO YOU

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BY AYO ADIO

HERE is nothing noble about being superior to your fellow men. True nobility is being superior to your former self.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved — Thomas Monson

I

F you are too busy to help other people, then you have missed the mark. Taking the time to spontaneously, as well as plan events that helps other people, maybe one of the greatest joy in life you. Helping others helps open you up to new side of yourself. It helps you connect deeper with those you help and humanity in general. And for most, it makes for meaningful existence in a world that is self-focused.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE A stuborn grasshopper rests in the belly of a bird.

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with the alleged collection of N100 million from the Office of the National Adviser, ONSA, by the embattled politician.

The aid said: “It is true that Isah has been with Buhari from the days of the ANPP and CPC and was equally a member of the Transition Committee and actually headed the Defence Committee.

That does not mean that Buhari knows anything about the N100 million said to have been collected by the man from the ONSA.” Jafaru is also described as a close friend of the embattled ex-NSA, Dasuki, who is facing multiple charges over alleged money laundering and breach of public trust in three courts.

It could not be established last night whether Jafaru was given the N100m by Dasuki for some contracts or because of his closeness to the former NSA or both.

Jafaru was arrested at his Abuja residence located on Ajayi Crowther Street, Asokoro by operatives of the anti-graft commission around 9pm on Wednesday when he failed to honour an invitation to clear the air on some payments traced to him from the ONSA. Jafaru is said to have resorted to writing a letter to the commission asking for more time to attend to a family burial instead of reporting to the EFCC. Rather than honouring the invitation, sources

Meanwhile, there was no word on how soon the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, would be released.

Checks by Vanguard, last night, revealed that the EFCC, which arrested Metuh on Tuesday, was not in a hurry to free him. A source in the commission confirmed that Metuh was still being questioned by its operatives.

Release or charge our son to court, Metuh’s family tells FG Four days after the arrest of Chief Olisa Metuh by officials of the EFCC, his family has cried out that he should be released or charged to court.

In a statement signed, yesterday, by Chief Gilbert Metuh for the Obi-Ezeani-Nnewi, the family said that the charges for which the PDP spokesman was arrested have not been made known to him, the family and the public.

The family also raised alarm that it was worried about the health and safety of Metuh.

The family’s statement read in part: “Metuh family - the Obi-EzeaniNnewi- has noted with grave concern the continued incarceration of their Diokpa and spokesperson of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh (Ugochidebelu Nnewi) since his arrest Tuesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“Whereas the charges for which Chief Metuh is being detained for over 48 hours now have not been formally made known to the family and the general public; we have noted some sensational publications in a section of the media claiming that our son collected the sum of N1.4 billion from the arms deal cash and has been collecting N4 million monthly from the Office of the former National Security Adviser.

“We have confronted our son with this allegation and he

assured us that they are completely false.

“However, he acknowledged that in the course of his duties as the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, the then leader of the party and President of the country directed him to carry out some urgent national assignment relating to his office, which the former President duly funded and which he duly carried out to the satisfaction of the former President.

“The family, therefore, views the publications bandying the figure of N1.4 billion and alleged collection of N4 million stipend from the Office of the NSA as deliberate blackmail aimed at inflaming public sentiments against our son.

“Our biggest concern for now is the health and safety of our son, who even before his arrest has alerted the nation about various threats to his life, a stance that is not unconnected to his position as the spokesperson of the opposition. Our position is more so as he has refused to eat following fears of intentions to poison him in detention.

“In view of the above therefore, we DEMAND that the EFCC immediately release our son, Chief Metuh (Ugochidebelu Nnewi) from detention or charge him to court.”

Also on Tuesday, the National leadership of PDP had warned that Metuh must not be killed by the government, using the arrest by EFCC as a vehicle, just as the party has demanded for an immediate release of Metuh.

In a statement by PDP National Secretary, Prof.

Adewale Oladipo, the party noted that the arrest of Metuh by officials of the EFCC did not come as a surprise, just as it warned that his arrest would be the last straw that may break Nigeria’s democracy.

Oladipo’s statement read: “This development, which did not come to us

as a surprise given series of threats to our party’s spokesman by the APC and the Federal Government, who are obviously not comfortable with our stance on the confused state of the nation under their watch, is a continuation of APC’s grand design to silence and decimate the PDP. “The arrest of Chief Metuh today underscores the growing political intolerance in our country and the foisting of a police state which was last Wednesday underscored by the President and Commander-in-Chief himself, who defended why a government in a democracy should flout constitutional provision and brazenly disobey court orders.

“This onslaught against our spokesman, according to intelligence report available to us is part of a larger script by the government to ensure that PDP's wings are finally clipped in their mission to install a dictatorial one-party state in the country.

“The excesses of security agencies under this government, especially the Department of State Services (DSS) and the EFCC, in abridging the human rights of PDP members have become worrisome and a threat to our democratic evolution.

“Nigerians and the international community will recall that on a number of occasions, the PDP, through its spokesman has been outspoken on some u n d e m o c r a t i c proclivities being exhibited by the APC-led Federal Government in the last seven months.

“The PDP insists that for whatever reason Chief Metuh was arrested, his rights as a citizen under the law must not be trampled upon. We therefore demand his immediate release and that due process of investigation and prosecution concerning him should be strictly adhered to."

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8—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Sanni, Imam A.R. Ahmad, Mr. Abubakar Tsav (retd), a former Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN).

El-Zakzaky moved to Abuja

VISIT: Former President Goodluck Jonathan (left) and Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma during Jonathan's visit to the organisation's secretariat in London.

FG to probe Army/Shiite clash — AGF As Sultan's delegation pleads for release of El-Zakzaky El-Zakzaky moved to Abuja 700 of our members still being detained by army—Shiite

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor, Ben Agande & Luka Binniyat

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BUJA — BARELY a month after a violent clash between soldiers in the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Major-General T. Y. Buratai, and members of the Shiite Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, the Federal Government has opted to probe the incident, which has heightened tension in the religious circles.

This is just as Vanguard authoritatively gathered that the leader of the sect, Sheik ElZakzakky, may have been moved to Abuja for further medical attention even as the sect claimed that 700 of its members were still being detained by the army The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, who gave the indication of the investigation while receiving a 10-man delegation from the President, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Sultan of Sokoto, said the unfortunate incident was avoidable.

This was contained in a statement made available to Vanguard by Mr. Salihu Othman Isah, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

Malami said it was not clear yet whether the probe would be instituted by the Federal Government or the Kaduna State Government but said the investigation was necessary to prevent a future recurrence.

Educate your followers on

good conduct

He further said that though he would not engage in blame games, it was necessary for clerics to educate their followers on good conduct and how to coexist with their neighbours, especially the teachings on the right of way which the Muslim Ummah are compelled to respect.

According to him, “as Muslims, we know what is obtainable in Islam, especially in the area of individuals rights, especially rights of way. As Muslims, we have a collective responsibility to create awareness through our preaching on tolerance and compliance according to the dictates of Islam.”

Sultan's delegation pleads for release of El-Zakzaky

The leader of the delegation, Professor Daud Noibi, chairman of the NSCIA Contact Committee, had earlier pleaded with the Federal Government for the release of Sheikh Ibrahim ElZakzaky, the leader of the Shiites and his followers who were injured for adequate medical treatment while the bodies of the dead should be released for burial.

Noibi said: “We want to request that those injured in the clash should be given adequate medical attention, while those who are dead should be released to their families for proper burials,” In his response, the AGF said:

“I will do whatever I can within the confines of the law to see how an amicable resolution can be achieved. So, when your demand is formalised, I will treat and facilitate it to the appropriate quarters accordingly.”

Other members of the delegation included the National Secretary of the Council, Professor Ishaq Oloyede; Malam Yunus Ustaz (SAN), Professor Dahiru Yahaya, Mallam Musemil Hanga, Professor Ibrahim Suleiman, Alhaji Ibrahim Jega, Malam Ishaq K.

Meanwhile, according to a highly placed official of the Shiite sect, who spoke with Vanguard, yesterday evening, the sect leader was moved to Abuja to treat injuries he sustained during the encounter between the army and members of the sect in Zaria on December 13, 2015.

The official, who does not want to be named because of fear of being targeted by security forces, said he gathered from "highly placed, credible sources" in the security services that the Sheikh is alive after battling with multiple gun shot injuries.

“I have been told by highly placed, credible multiple sources in the security services that the sheikh is alive and has been moved to Abuja. I was told that the security services had to battle to save his life because of the multiple gun shots inflicted on him. I do not have any reason to doubt my sources” the source, who is a highly placed government official, told Vanguard.

He explained that but for the intervention of Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, the sheikh would have been killed alongside with many of his followers during the encounter with the military.

According to the source,“we were told that el-Rufai had to intervene by calling on a higher military authorities for the life of the Sheikh to be spared. He knows the implication of killing the Sheikh bearing in mind what happened to Boko Haram.

"After killing the second and third in command of the Shiites

sect, it would have been disastrous if the Sheikh was killed too. ElRufai’s intervention was very important because the reaction of his followers would have been out of control.”

A senior official of the Department of State Services, DSS, who spoke with Vanguard confirmed that "the Sheikh has been moved out of Kaduna State but I can’t confirm definitely that he is in Abuja. What I know is that he is no longer in Kaduna State."

700 of our members still being detained by army—Shiite

Also, the sect said, yesterday, that 700 of its members were still being detained by the Nigerian Army.

The spokesman of the movement, Ibrahim Musa, in a statement he signed in Kaduna said contrary to the claim of the Nigerian Army the detained sect members were yet to be handed to the police.

The sect in the statement said: "General Officer Commanding, GOC,1 Mechanized Division, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade stated unequivocally in his address announcing the arrest of the revered leader of the movement, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky that the members of the movement were not armed but were carrying sticks, machetes and catapults.

“We also categorically refute in strong terms the claims of the GOC that none of our members is currently with the military. We have a list of about 700 of our members that are currently missing, some of who are in detention with the Army at Basawa Barracks, Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria, Jaji Cantonment and 1 Mechanized Division in Kaduna.

“We challenge the GOC to come up with a single occasion when the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the leadership of his Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky ever threatened the peace and stability of Nigeria or engaged in any form of violence throughout its 38 years of existence."

2015 polls: Commonwealth scribe lauds Jonathan over peaceful transition

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HE Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Mr Kamalesh Sharma, has paid tribute to former President Goodluck Jonathan for the peaceful transition to a new government in Nigeria after the last elections.

Sharma paid the tribute when Jonathan visited him at Marlborough House, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Welcoming Jonathan to Marlborough House for the first time, Sharma thanked him for his able leadership of the recent Commonwealth Election Observer Group (COG) to Tanzania, and subsequently, for his services to the Commonwealth as his Special Representative following the annulment of the elections in Zanzibar.

The former President briefed the Secretary-General on the activities of the Observer Group in Tanzania. He lauded the Commonwealth Secretariat for supporting him with a team that displayed a high level of team spirit and professionalism.

Jonathan further welcomed the opportunity to be of service to the Commonwealth as the leader of the COG, describing it as "a great honour, both for him, and for Nigeria."

Jonathan expressed concerns about the persisting uncertainty in Zanzibar following the cancellation of the October 25 general elections.

However, he was hopeful that the leaders of the country would put the national interest and the people of Zanzibar

first, as they seek a sustainable and peaceful solution to the impasse in the ongoing national dialogue.

Jonathan assured Mr Sharma that he would continue to take an interest in developments in Zanzibar as his Special Representative.

He commended the Commonwealth for its efforts in promoting peaceful and credible elections globally, and especially in Africa and pledged to work with the organisation in the promotion of democracy and good governance, and in countering violent extremism on the continent.

The Commonwealth has a longstanding and historical engagement with Zanzibar where it played a key role in resolving previous crisis, leading to the Muafaka agreements in 1999 and 2001.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016 — 9

NLC CRISIS: Court to hear suit next month

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—A faction of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, led by George Kaiserye and Tubotamuno Alalibo in the ongoing crisis in the union, has told the National Industrial Court sitting in Lagos, that effort to settle out of court in the suit challenging Wabba Ayuba’s eligibility to contest election as President of NLC, has proved abortive.

Ayuba was elected as NLC President on March 14, 2015 in Abuja, but his election was not recognised by 23 of the 43 affiliated workers’ union, thereby spitting the congress into two factions.

Two members of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, Akuku-Toru and Degema Local Government Areas branches, Rivers State, Kaiserye and Alalibo, who instituted the suit against Ayuba, told the court that the NLC president had failed to attend any settlement meeting in person.

“We are not against settlement,” Kaiserye said.

Kaiserye, Alalibo and MHWUN Akuku-Toru and Degema LG branches, as first to fourth defendants, are asking the court to determine among others whether by virtue of rules 6(c) and 7(x) of the constitution of the NLC, Ayuba’s term of office as president of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria had not lapsed in March 2013, two years before he put himself up for nomination, contested and won the election that brought him into office as NLC president.

The applicants are praying the court for an order, restraining Ayuba from further parading himself or continuing to act as president of the NLC. Co-defendants in the suit are MHWUN, NLC, Minister of Employment, Labour and Productivity and Registrar of Trade Unions.

The claimants are also asking the

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BRIEFING: From left: Lagos Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr Muslim Folami; Commissioner for Environment, Dr Samuel Adejare; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde and Commissioner for Physical Planning, Mr. Wasiu Anifowose, at a press briefing on demolition of Owonifari Market, in Oshodi, at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos yesterday. Photo by Bunmi Azeez. court to declare that, having The claimants’ through their of the National Industrial Court, completed his tenure as counsel Mr. Sola Iji asked the Justice Babatunde Adejumo, president of the second court for time to file for a granted the claimants counsel’s defendant since March 2013, it subpoena order against Silas request for an extension of time was unlawful for the third to fifth Adamu, acting Secretary- to enable the applicants reply defendants to continue to deal General of MHWUN, and Mrs. to the counter affidavit and with, relate with or recognise Nwanyieze Mbogu, the written addresses and adjourned further hearing till the first defendant as president Registrar of Trade Unions. of the second defendant.

The trial judge, and President February 16, 2016.

BRT: Lagos terminates agreement with operator

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AGOS—THE Lagos State Government has terminated operations of the first BRT cooperative run by the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, from the Mile12 to CMS BRT corridor with immediate effect.

This is contained in a statement signed by the state’s Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Dayo Mobereola, yesterday in Lagos.

“The termination of the franchise agreement with the operator is sequel to breaches of the BRT operations Service

Level Agreement, SLA, it signed with the state government, despite years of discussions and engagement to ensure SLA was adhered to.

“Though the SLA requires a one month notice prior to its termination, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA, custodian of the agreement, had indeed given a three-month notice which the operator failed to honour,” he said.

The commissioner said the government’s decision had been communicated to the operator on Thursday.

Mobereola said the decision was premised on the inability of the operator to offer good public transport services to commuters on the all-important BRT corridor.

According to him, this has led to incessant complaints by members of the public over poor services provided by the operator.

He said that the state government was against the non-operation of stipulated frequency schedules and operation of buses below 50 per cent fleet capacity contrary to the agreement.

My wife’s the rock behind my success – FAYOSE

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OVERNOR Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has described his wife, Feyisetan, as a great source of support and God’s grace he enjoys as a politician and the leader of the current administration in the state.

In a congratulatory message by the governor yesterday to mark his wife’s 52nd birthday, Fayose described his wife as the positive force behind his political successes.

According to a press

Lagos plans Mobile Courts in councils

By Dayo Benson & Abdulwahab Abdulah

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AGOS State Government yesterday announced plans to establish functional Mobile Courts in the State to facilitate prompt trial of violators of the law, especially environmental and traffic offences.

Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, who disclosed this in Alausa, said the Mobil

Mrs Osinbajo, Saraki, Belgore, others to grace Airtel Touching Lives premiere

Courts will operate in full compliance with the rules of natural justice, equity and good conscience.

He said citizens appearing before the Courts would be afforded their constitutional rights and fair hearing.

Specifically, Kazeem said the Mobile Courts will, among others, address the prosecution of violators of the State Environmental Law and Traffic Offences, among others.

statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said of his wife, “She has distinguished herself as a role model. A person who believes in modesty and totally reserved.

“Her prayer life has made a difference and has impacted positively on me. Any woman that marries a man like me, who is generally seen to be fearless and courageous and who is vulnerable to attacks by political opponents, cannot afford not to have a woman with her sterling qualities as wife. Only a virtuous, Godly and resolute woman like her have what it takes to stand firm in the face of attacks.

“I appreciate her as she adds another year and also appreciate her care for our children. God has brought her to this kingdom at this auspicious time when many

supposed men of honour have disappeared into the thin air.

“I want to assure her that her labour of love will not be in vain.

AGOS—WIFE of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo and former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice S.M.A. Belgore, among other high profile invitees, have confirmed they would attend the premiere of Airtel Touching Lives Season Two billed to hold next Thursday, at the Congress Hall, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

Also expected at the event are the Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara; Minister of Works, Power & Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola; Minister of Information & Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu and Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, among other top government functionaries.

Captains of industry, heads of agencies, NonG o v e r n m e n t a l Organisations (NGOs), philanthropists and notable media proprietors are also expected to grace the occasion.

Airtel Touching Lives is an inspiring corporate social responsibility initiative that seeks to offer practical relief, succour, hope, opportunities and credible platforms to liberate and empower the underprivileged, disadvantaged and hard to reach persons in the society.

Speaking at the launch of Touching Lives Season 2,Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya said the telco rolled out the second edition of the revolutionary programme based on the monumental success recorded with the first season.

SYNAGOGUE: Group wants charges against Joshua dropped

By Iyabo Aina

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OLLOWING an ongoing court proceeding against Prophet T.B Joshua over the collapsed sixstory building which led to the death of over 100 persons, a union known as the Pan African Congress has called on the Lagos State Government to drop charges against the leader of Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet T.B Joshua.

The representative of the

group, Mr. Soronnadi Nwabueze Ezebuiro yesterday told Vanguard; “We are appealing to Lagos state Government in other to raise public and global awareness about what we consider as a clear case of persecution of the church. “ The Lagos State Government should discontinue its probe into the collapsed church building.”

The association said that after the building collapse, the cost and moral responsibilities were left for the church to bear.

10 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 , 2016

By Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—TRADERS from the demolished Owonifari Electronic Market, Oshodi yesterday rejected the Lagos State Government's plans to relocate them to Oshodi Resettlement Market (former Isopakodowo market), citing structural instability and several spiritual activities associated with the structure as their reason for the rejection.

They added that the available space in the market cannot accommodate them.

Meantime, a fire outbreak occurred at the site of the demolition earlier in the day, stopping the traders from further salvaging any valuable left in the rubble. However, scavengers had a field day.

The refurbished Isopakowodowo Market, where the affected traders were asked to move to was commissioned by the former governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola, now Minister for Works, Power and Housing. It was commissioned two years ago on January 7, 2014.

When Vanguard visited the market yesterday, none of the market stalls had been opened for business since it was commissioned.

Inside the market, officials of the Lagos State Public Works Commissio, LSPWC were sighted rehabilitating the floor.

In an interview with Vanguard , a resident, Mr. Mustapha Adekunle said that the market had never been opened to commercial activities since the former governor commissioned it, saying; “You can see that the entire market is dusty. The government had abandoned the market to rodents.”

A security official, who chose to speak under condition of anonymity, in an interview, confirmed that the market had been under lock since it was commissioned.

His words “I cannot give you my name but all I can tell you is that the state government

OSHODI MARKET DEMOLITION: Affected traders reject alternative •Say they prefer Arena Shopping Mall; Govt states case commenced the renovation works on the market on Wednesday morning after the demolition of Owonifari market. And as you can see, the officials of public works department are rehabilitating the floor.”

Meanwhile, a notice was pasted at the security post for displaced traders of Owonifari and other traders, on the procedures to apply for market stalls.

Relocation notice

The procedure reads: “This is to inform the general public/ Owonifari electronic traders that all applicants of shops and KleeKlamps at Isopakodowo electronic market (Oshodi Resettlement Market) should submit their registration forms with allocation letters, Lagos State Resident Registration Agency, LASRRA registration slip and two passport photographs.”

On the features of Isopakodowo, Vanguard gathered that there are 571 shops in the market; established by the previous administration and originally built to accommodate trader traders dislodged from the rail lines.

Sources said that the market has 64 Closed Circuit Television Camera, CCTV and 22 toilets.

And it was expected to serve saw millers and electronic dealers in the state.

It was further gathered that the essence is to attract business to the area and change the face of Oshodi to the mega city standard.

He emphasized that the modern market was fully funded by the state government and will be managed and maintained by a facility manager.

Why we shun relocation plans — TRADERS

Mr. Rasaq Adeyemi, one of the affected traders, said the

STALEMATE! The new market, which the traders refused to move into.

PHOTOS BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO. government did not allocate Isopakodowo market to anyone.

His words “No one is interested in the market because of the incident that happened two years ago when a part of the market sunk. ‘’Up till now, we have not heard anything from the state government. Do they want displaced traders of Owonifari to also suffer what happened two years ago. I doubt if the foundation is strong because if it is, that incident shouldn’t have occurred.”

Another trader, Mrs. Halimah Dosu, who had been trading in the demolished market for over 20 years, said she was not ready to go to the new market.

She stated that since it was commissioned, no trader had used it adding that she is scared to move there because of the incident that happened two years ago.

According to her, “People lost their lives. They had families just like we do. If such thing occurs when we move in, what will be the fate of our families? Can the place accommodate us? This week has been bad for every one of us. Most of the traders here are landlords, few are tenants. Everyone is at a loss. We want another place not that market.”

Another trader, Micheal Uzor, said “I am not going to that market.

Rather, I will be going to Arena Mall. I believe it can contain all the displaced traders. Also, the it is structurally sound.”

Relocating to shopping mall

Repair works ongoing at the new market

Arena

A trader, Mukhtar Atoyibi, said; ‘’As at yesterday people paid

N180,000 per annum for a shop but this morning, it has increased to N300,000 and light is not stable there. ‘’May be we will have to speak with authorities at the market because we don’t have that kind of money to rent a shop.

Government did not think well about this before they did it. ‘’They don’t have mercy on the masses. At least if you want to displace people, you have to provide another place. Is this democracy?”

A trader, Uche Chukwuemeka, said; ‘’Desmond, my co-trader who deals in Video Games, rented a store in the Arena Mall for N1.2 million last week but last Saturday, they refused the N3 million offer.’’

We’ve not accepted govt offer—TRADERS EXECUTIVE The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the market, Obinna Nwosu, said that the executives of the market were yet to meet on the State government relocation plans, saying “It is after our meeting that we can decide if we will accept it or not.”

He however lamented that there was no notice, no official letter except oral messages that they were coming.

According to him, “There is a court injunction that the government shouldn’t disturb traders in our market because since its renovation in 1999 where the market got burnt, traders voluntarily re-built the market with N750 million and

every shop was decked. Does a seal order look like a quit notice. They assured us everything was going to be settled that was the reason most of us returned our goods.“

Fire engulfs demolished market

When Vanguard visited the market at about 9pm, Wednesday night, scores of scavengers were sighted carting away property of the displaced traders.

Sources said that they sold the undemolished property at giveaway prices.

Few hours later, an eyewitness alleged that some policemen who arrived the scene, set fire to the property at the scene.

Another account said that the officials of the Lagos State Government set the property on fire earlier in the day.

A victim, Justus Eze, lamented “I woke with the hope of salvaging my property but when I got here, I discovered that the market was on fire. And even with the fire, I saw scavengers everywhere. I couldn’t believe I was late at 5am. I am hopeless.”

Fire official confirms inferno

An official of the Lagos State Fire Service, said that the fire was ignited by government officials at the scene to reduce the number of scavengers trooping to the scene to source for goods.

Read government's reaction on Page 41.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016 —11

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12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Edo 2016: Don’t see Oshiomhole’s preference for Obaseki as imposition —State APC Chair

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—AHEAD of the 2016 governorship election in Edo State, the Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Mr. Anslem Ojezua, has warned party members against misconstruing Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s seeming preference for Mr Godwin Obaseki as candidate of the party as an imposition.

He explained that it was the governor’s right to state who he prefers as his successor, “but that will not stop the party from conducting primaries and providing a level playing field for everybody.”

He warned that the party may sanction those threatening and abusing the governor over his preference for Obaseki.

Ojezua who addressed newsmen in Benin City, yesterday, said that it will be naive and unthinkable not to expect a sitting governor to have interest in who succeeds him in the governorship election.

He said: “It is not true that the governor decided not to conduct primaries or whatever processes that may lead to the emergence of a candidate. I took it upon myself and I told the governor that we cannot leave this process open without managing it and that it is the job of the state executive to ensure stability.

“Now we have almost 20 people parading themselves as aspirants in this party. If you don’t manage such a situation well you will be creating crisis. I pleaded with the governor to invite leaders of our party to consult with them and do an assessment of all the aspirants as we know them. The guidelines are not

farfetched. How much contributions have they made to the upliftment of our great party?

“The leaders will ask which role have you played, what have you contributed to the party materially and in terms of effort? Those who should know are the leaders and they are currently doing the

assessment. I am not aware that any statement has been made in terms of endorsement.

But I can tell you now that if an endorsement is made, it will be legitimate. Endorsement is not imposition, it is a statement of expressing preference without prejudice to the processes of our party,” he stated.

INAUGURATION: From left: Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu; Works, Power and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola and Health Minister, Prof. Issac Adewol, at the inauguration of National Research and Innovation Council, NRIC, by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the State House, Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Amnesty Office to pay ex-militants directly

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT—THE Federal Government has said it will pay all ex-militants their monthly stipends directly, thus bypassing leaders who hitherto paid their boys after collecting bulk money from the Amnesty Office.

Chief of Staff in the office of the Special Adviser to the President and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Colonel Dedis Abel (retd), who spoke on the development, yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said that discoveries showed that some of the ex-agitators got as low as N20,000 monthly from their commanders instead of the N65,000 they were entitled to.

He said that he was in the state to make direct payments covering the months of October to December 2015, owed the ex-agitators.

He said: “The Amnesty Office took the decision to pay the exagitators directly following reports of complicity and short-changing of some of them by their leaders.

Reports revealed that some of the ex-agitators were paid as low as N20,000 out of the N65,000 which does not conform with the mandate of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

“Henceforth, payment of the

monthly stipends would be made directly to each beneficiary with focus on eliminating cases of fraud and short-changing by their leaders. Similarly, this exercise will enable us collect biometrics of beneficiaries and to create Bank Verification

Numbers to enable government make future payments through their individual bank accounts.

“However, the number of those trained increased by 5,000 since Retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari

to head the Presidential Amnesty Programme five months ago.

“The 5,000 newly trained beneficiaries were sent to local and foreign institutions to acquire knowledge and skills to become self-reliant.”

Wike's former aide pledges loyalty to Amaechi, Peterside

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— FORMER Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Rivers State governor, Mr Opunabo NkoTaria, has declared support for the efforts by the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the April 11, 2015 governorship election, Dr Dakuku Peterside and the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, to wrest power from Governor Nyesom Wike.

Nko-Tariah in a statement yesterday, in Port Harcourt, said he was in support of Peterisde because he had seen the need for change.

He said: “Some persons may ask why I am supporting

Peterside. It is simple. There comes a time when time itself needs change. For me this is that time.”

He promised to work for Peterside's victory if the

Supreme Court orders a rerun election in the state, expressing the hope that Peterside will put smiles on the faces of people of the state.

Extend hand of fellowship to Amori, Omo-Agege urged

By Lucky Oji

T

HE senator-elect for Delta Central senatorial district, Obarisi Ovie OmoAgege, has been urged to extend hand of fellowship to Chief Ighoyota Amori who was sacked by the Appeal Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State.

A group, Oyivwi Rebirth Congress, made the appeal in Asaba while commending the

Apeal Court ruling that sacked Chief Amori and declared Ovie Omo-Agege as winner, saying his victory cuts across political parties and urged him to carry Amori along.

The group, in a statement by its National President, Mr. Wilson Avwero-Dodo, expressed confidence that the senator-elect will reposition the Urhobo through better representation to usher in positive development.

No security risk for investors in Okpella, community leader assures

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—ONE of the leaders of Okpella community in Estako East Local Government Area of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Eshieshi, has assured prospective investors in the community that there was no security risk to their investments.

Eshieshi, former Chairman of Estako East council, gave the assurance in Benin, yesterday, in an interview with Vanguard, while reacting to media reports that there would be security risk for investors, especially the Dangote Group coming to set up a cement factory in the town.

He said: “To most of us, I am also in the investment world.

We believe that any investor, whether Chinese, Germans or Indians, can come and invest in the rich mineral deposits in Okpella. Investments in Okpella are not restricted to any one and there is nothing like security risk for any person coming to invest in the town.

“In fact, the Germans have signified their interest to establish a cement plant in Okpella and they will be visiting the town soon. The Chinese are also interested in coming to the town to invest.

So, any one with interest in establishing an industry in Okpella community is welcome."

Uvwie PDP faults call for dissolution of Delta Pilgrims Board

T

HE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State, has dismissed calls for the sack of the recently constituted Delta State Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board due to the inclusion of non-Deltans, saying that the call was from non-PDP faithful who were out to scuttle the chances of party faithful benefitting from Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration.

Speaking to newsmen after a party meeting, the PDP Chairman in Uvwie, Prince Kelly Otuedor, said religion was not a political party, noting that one of the members of the Delta State Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board, Alhaji Suleiman Jauro, is a leader of PDP Ward 8 in Uvwie, who worked tirelessly for the success of the party in the last general elections.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016 —13

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14—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 , 2016

MTN to retrain Visafone staff,ready for LTE 4G roll out

By Prince Osuagwu

L LAUNCH: From left: Chairman, Board of Directors, Bunmi Adedayo Foundation, BAF, Babatunde Akinleye, Funso Philips, Registrar, National Post-Graduate Collage, Ijanikin, Prof. Wole Atoyebi, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, baby Morola, his mother, Yemisi, little girl, Yimika Olayinka, Chairman, Board of Trustee, BAF, Olayinka Pamela, her husband, Kunle Adedayo, Doyin Abiola, Dr. Obi Ezekweseli, Justice Oguntade and Sen. Daisi Dajuma, at the lunch of Bunmi Adedayo Foundation in Lagos.

FOREX RESTRICTION: 99% businesses may

die by March, if... —Leo-Stan Ekeh ...urges Buhari to engage private sector to save the economy

L

By Prince Osuagwu

AGOS—CHAIRMAN of Zinox Group of companies, Mr Leo-Stan Ekeh, yesterday advised President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently engage the private sector to ease the stifling economic situation in the country.

Ekeh while addressing a cross section of newsmen in Lagos yesterday said that Nigerian businessmen are going through harrowing times to sustain their businesses now due to the forex restrictions imposed by the present administration, adding that perhaps less than one per cent of Nigerian businessmen will still be standing if current realities remain till March this year.

He lamented that not being able to source adequate foreign exchange to transact business has made a lot of businesses lose credibility in international market and if that continues the entire economy may shut down.

However, he also expressed optimism that the Nigerian economy can never shut down totally but warned that “the shocks and gaps in the economy at the moment represent our current realities and we must find creative ways to navigate this harsh economic climate. The unprecedented fall in the price of crude oil is a global phenomenon which even the smartest economist couldn’t have predicted. The only regret is that successive governments failed to save for the present rainy day we are experiencing when prices were at their peak.

“Having said that, we must always look forward. I

sincerely believe that the current administration has the requisite political will and capacity to see the country through this storm and the new mindset of Nigerians to get things done properly also helps.

"I also believe that the organized private sector holds the key to a way out of the present quagmire. As a

matter of urgency, President Buhari should engage the private sector to save Nigeria.

The three levels of the sector drives over 80 per cent of Nigeria’s economy and certainly, we can only move forward when the government carries them along.

"Recall that in the run-up to last year ’s elections,

President Buhari met with representatives of the private sector in Lagos to present his party’s economic plans. This and other engagements certainly went a long way in contributing to his victory at the polls.It is my considered opinion that the time is right for the President to enlist the support of the sector in finding a way out of the current economic challenges,” he added.

OPEN HEART SURGERY: Anenih

returns to UK for check-up

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

L

AGOS—CHIEF Tony Anenih, former chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is returning to the United Kingdom for further medical attention following open heart surgery in that country last month.

Associates of the former BoT chairman who confirmed that he had the surgery, however, rebuffed insinuations that he was gravely ill, claiming that he is in good condition and had recovered substantially from the surgery.

News of the open heart surgery was broken yesterday by the online medium, The Cable, which disclosed that his heart condition was discovered shortly before he was to commence his return to Nigeria following a visit to the United Kingdom.

“The ambulance arrived within five minutes and he was taken out on a stretcher, with paramedics giving him oxygen support. It was at the hospital that it was discovered that he had some heart issues which he had not experienced before,” a source familiar with the

development told the online medium.

The surgery the medium reported was done shortly before Christmas, The Cable reported.

An associate of The Leader as Anenih is fondly called by his political associates told Vanguard yesterday that substantially most of the news reported by The Cable was correct saying, however, that Anenih had returned to good health.

He also confirmed that Anenih is returning to the UK for further

consultations with his doctors this weekend.

Another close associate of Anenih who also claimed to have seen him since after the surgery said Anenih had substantially recovered.

He said: “Yes it is true but I can tell you that after the surgery he hosted all his children and grandchildren and was able to thank God for his mercy on him. I can also assure you that the leader has a longevity gene as his senior brother lived more than 100 years and I know we will still have him for many, many years of meritorious service to the fatherland.”

AGOS—AFTER formally concluding the acquisition of leading Code Division Multiple Access, CDMA network, Visafone recently, there are fresh indications that MTN is planning to retrain a good number of Visafone staff in order to get them properly equipped for the roll out of the 4GLTE technology very soon.

This is also as the telecommunications company is also said to be planning to migrate the over two million existing Visafone subscribers onto the MTN Nigeria network, to enable them use their voice and data services, anywhere there is MTN network coverage.

The acquisition is expected to provide MTN with the robust voice and data platform of Visafone and cater for booming internet population of Nigeria.

It was gathered that staff of Visafone are likely to commence the retraining immediately ahead of the launch of the new data service. The aggressive launch of 4G LTE services by the MTN and Visafone is also expected to drive the broadband penetration in the country from under 10% now to the targeted 30% by 2018 according to the national broadband plan of the Federal Government .

The 4G LTE technology is particularly good for the country and economy because it will create a conducive platform for enhanced product/service innovation which will ultimately lead to the creation of even new jobs.

Abia appeal tribunal judgment, an aberration —PDP chieftain following morning. Otti had

U

MUAHIA—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain and a former Special Assistant to Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Mr. Ben Onyechere, has said that the judgment delivered by Abia governorship election appeal tribunal can best be described as a fall-out from a filthy panel, who were determined to sell the collective mandate of Abians on the instruction of the party in power, because he who pays the piper dictates the tune.

According to him, the members of that panel had carried out an instruction to the letters by not only delivering the “judgment from hell” on the eve of a long holiday, but also running away with the details in order to frustrate any appeal against their conspiracy.

He said: “The politicisation and monetization of appeal court judgments is curious as it has eroded the last vestiges of hope in the judiciary. It can be likened to the cry of a strange bird at night and the death of a baby the

declared himself winner before the panel’s judgment.

“The appeal panel was certainly working to please a certain leader of APC, who is well known to collude and pervert judgment, particularly when the panel emanates from the Lagos area.

“The partisanship of an appeal panel portends what can only be said to be an ugly trend capable of creating anarchy and insubordination in an obviously fragile democracy like we practise, albeit in pretext.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016—15

Nnamdi Kanu, others' detention: Rights groups want boycott of courts •Kanu played into the hands of his persecutors —Chief Odukwe

By Innocent Anaba & Chimaobi Nwaiwu

T

HE SOUTH-EAST based Coalition of Human Rights Organisations, SBCHROs, has called on the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, the umbrella body of lawyers in Nigeria and other rights groups in the country, to direct their members to boycott courts in Nigeria in protest over President Muhammadu Buhari’s disobedience to orders of courts.

Leaders of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and Director, Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), former National Security Adviser, NSA, are still being held by the Department of State Security, DSS, despite being granted bail by courts of competent jurisdiction.

CSBHROs is comprised of Emeka Umeagbalasi of International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety); Aloysius Attah Anambra State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO; Peter Onyegiri of Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy, CHRPA; Samuel Njoku of Human Rights Club, HRC, (a project of LRRDC); Justus Ijeoma, of Forum for Justice, Equity and Defense of Human Rights, FJEDHR; Chike Umeh of Society Advocacy Watch Project, SPAW; Obianuju Igboeli of Anambra Human Rights Forum, AHRF; Alex Olisa of Southeast Good Governance Forum, SGGF; Jerry Chukwuokolo of International Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights Initiative, ITERSOLIDARITY; Evlyn Eze of Street Law Africa, LawAfrica, and Tochukwu Ezeoke of Igbo Ekunie Initiative (pan Igbo rights advocacy group) Chained democracy CSBHROs in a statement, said: “It is no longer a subject of debate whether or not Nigeria of Buhari’s civilian presidency is tyrannical-cum-dictatorial; as the country is fully back in dictatorship or chained democracy. Nigerians should also not lose sleep or express surprises over recent or ongoing public antics and pro-dictatorial

MEETING: Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (left), with the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, during a meeting with the minister in Abuja, yesterday. comments of the Attorney General media chat of December 30, 2015. Courts of State and FCT and other of the Federation, Mallam The online petition signing, which subordinate courts, shall be Abubakar Malami, SAN, and the has since exceeded its target, was obeyed and enforced in any part likes of Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, met with a counter online petition of Nigeria by all authorities and and Senator Ali Ndume, Senate project, launched by Buhari’s persons including President Majority Leader; rather all laptop activists and funded by the Buhari and his AGF. “Disobedience to court Nigerians, particularly the NBA Presidency. While counsel Carol and other democratic forces Ajie’s online petition targets at decisions is one of the dimensions should concern themselves protecting and preserving rule of of corruption and a gross abuse sleeplessly with how to rise up law, constitutionalism and human of office; contrary to Section 15 (5) endlessly against the resurrected rights in Nigeria, the of the 1999 Constitution. The AGF dictatorship and its destructive Presidency’s sponsored online utterances under reference are petition targets at protecting and worse than his principal’s forces.

“Our coordinating partner: preserving rule of lawlessness, blundered.

“Protection of public interest can Intersociety had severally argued un-constitutionalism and gross expertly and seminally that the disrespect of human rights and never be equated with obvious presidential threats to citizens’ emergence of dictatorship or fundamental freedoms.

"In other words, the former sovereignty; enshrined and tyranny and its sustenance under a civilian administration, is not the represents agents of change entrenched in Section 14 (2) (a) sole activity of a dictator or tyrant; while the latter represents chain of the 1999 Constitution; to the but a hatched conspiratorial agents. Counsel Carol Ajie’s effect that sovereignty belongs to project involving other dictatorial advocacy step is deeply the people of Nigeria from whom or tyrannical elements. It further commendable, exemplary and government through this Constitution derives all its powers observed that the first victims of emulative. and authority. The inflammable dictatorship are the judiciary and and defenseless utterances of the the legislature, leading to instant Welcome development “It further gladdens our heart AGF are therefore not surprising; death of rule of law, separation of powers and checks and balances. to note the recent public position which explains why English “Further attestation to the taken by the national leadership Language professors also hold existence of the two forces of of the NBA against the Buhari’s that liars use passive voice while opposite direction under the recent justification to his truth tellers use active voice."

Meanwhile, one of the persons Buhari’s dictatorial presidency is disobedience to court orders in the recent launch of online Nigeria, particularly as it that contested for the throne of Obi signature project spearheaded by concerns the duo of Nnamdi of Onitsha, Chief Godwin a risen constitutional lawyer and Kanu and Sambo Dasuki. Its Odukwe, has said that the leader Georgetown University law insistence that court orders and of IPOB, and Director, Radio scholar, Ms Carol Ajie; for the judgments must be obeyed and Biafra, Mr. Kanu personally put purpose of compelling President enforced to the letter in Nigeria himself into the trouble he is Buhari to obey court orders and by all authorities and persons; is currently going through, saying other judicial consequential a welcome development. In that he does not have the right to pronouncements or resign or be Section 287 (1) (2) (3) of the 1999 breach the norms and the unity Constitution, the decisions of the of Nigeria. impeached.

The Onitsha chief spoke as “This followed President Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Buhari’s blundered maiden Federal High Courts, High Nigerians continue to react to the continued incarceration of Kanu, despite the protests for his release, in South East and South party noted that the arrest of the opposition and not band of looters South states by pro Biafra Metuh “is only being made of the common patrimony. They agitators. convenient by the issue of money must not be wreckers of Nigeria and not partakers in the 50 years of marriage allegedly involved.”

The PDP accused the APC of its destruction of everything we hold Speaking during the celebration resolve to “clamp down on the dear.” of his 50 years of marriage, the Igbokwe added: “PDP can be Obi stool contestant, who is still PDP publicity office superintended a real opposition if it chooses to pursuing his case for the stool in by the now arrested Metuh.” be, but you cannot give what you the court, said he felt very bad do not have. The APC is not over the agitation for Biafra PDP must re-examine itself stopping PDP, but it must first of actualization.

—Joe Igbokwe Publicity Secretary of the APC all, redeem itself. PDP must re“I personally believe that Mr. in Lagos, Mr. Joe Igbokwe said examine itself and call a spade, a Kanu personally got himself “opposition must be real spade. The PDP needs our help." incarcerated, his coming back to

Lagos PDP, APC trade words on Metuh’s arrest

By Dapo Akinferon

T

HE LAGOS State chapter of the Peoples Demcoratic Party, PDP, has accused the All Progressives Congress, APC of instigating the persecution of the PDP publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.

But in a swift reaction, the APC in Lagos State described the PDP’s allegation as unfounded.

In a statement by its publicity secretary, Mr. Taofik Gani, the

Nigeria, the abusive words and speech by him through Radio Biafra was unnecessary and uncalled for, it amounts to fanning the embers of war.

“I feel very bad over their agitation for a sovereign state of Biafra. Igbo suffered during the war, younger men who never knew what war looks like, are the people who have started talking about war by agitation for sovereign state of Biafra,” he said.

Admitting that the South East zone was marginalized in all ramifications, he advised that dialogue and round-table discussion should be used, instead of being confrontational over the poor condition of the zone.

Chief Odukwe stressed the need for the Igbo to be at the same level with other ethnic groups and states, adding that the infrastructure decay was a source of worry that prompted the agitation.

“We have to be at par and on equal level with other parts of the federation. Look at the condition of South East roads, this country belongs to all of us, the money in this country belongs to all of us, and therefore, we should not be going through the marginalization we are seeing now,” he said.

He thanked God for making it possible for him to attain the level of celebrating golden jubilee, adding that it was achieved through prayer, perseverance, love and hard work.

Mama Isabella Mekwunye dies at 106

M

AMA ISABELLA Mekwunye has passed on, aged 106.

Until her transition, the late centenarian was a renowned community leader and devout Christian, the Golden Mother of the Anglican Communion, as well as the Nne di Ora Mma and Ezinne respectively.

She is survived by three children, 17 grand-children and four great grand children, among who, is Dr. Emmanuel Mekwunye.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Late Mama Mekwunye

16—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Arms deal: Ex-PDP chairman, Bello, son get N600m bail As

A

court fixes Feb 16 for trial

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

BUJA — THE Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, granted bail to the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Haliru Bello and his son, Abba, to the tune of N600 million.

In a ruling, yesterday,

Justice Ahmed Mohammed ordered the duo to pay N300 million each as well as produce two sureties each, in like sum.

While the court stressed that one of the persons to stand surety for Bello must be a Director under the employment of the Federal Government or

any of its agencies, it ordered his son to produce someone not below Grade Level 12 to stand as his surety.

The court maintained that the second surety for each of the accused persons must be an owner of landed property in Abuja, the value of which must not be below N300 million, adding

that the title deed of such property must be verified and surrendered to the court registrar throughout the trial.

Both sureties are required to swear to an affidavit of means as well as tender their recent passport photographs to the court.

Besides, Justice Mohammed ordered the accused persons to surrender their international passports to the court.

According to the court,

pending when all the bail conditions are perfected, the 1st accused person, Abba, should remain at Kuje prison, while his father should remain at the Abuja Clinics situated at Maitama, were he is currently undergoing treatment.

The court, however, directed the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to place the former PDP boss on constant police watch, even as it adjourned full

blown trial of the accused persons till February 16.

The ruling

In his ruling, Justice Mohammed noted that charges against the accused persons are ordinarily bailable and do not attract capital punishment.

He said: “In law, granting of bail pending trial of an accused person is at the discretion of the court, though such discretion must be exercised judiciously and judicially. The issue to be determined is whether the applicants have placed sufficient material before this court to warrant the exercise of its discretion in their favour.

“The complainant has not denied the fact that the charges are bailable and there is nothing before the court to show that the offence attracts capital punishment,” adding that it would have denied them bail if there was “strong and weighty evidence suggesting that the accused persons will not be available to stand trial.”

The trial judge said the prosecution did not establish any of the conditions listed under section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which he said the court must consider before refusing bail to a defendant.

He noted that the prosecution already deposed an affidavit to the effect that it has concluded its investigations and established a primafacie criminal case against the two accused persons.

The judge held: “That being the case, there is no part of the investigation likely to be affected by the defendant/applicants if released on bail.

M o r e o v e r, the complainant has not shown that the claim of ill-health by the defendant is false or that the medical reports attached to the bail applications were false.

“In the circumstance, it will be most unfair to refuse the applicants bail. I am satisfied that the 1st and 3rd defendants are entitled to bail based on the facts and circumstance of this case.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016 —17

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A S T y e a r, I w a s a p proached by a young man who was looking for a job. When I checked out his CV and references and heard his intelligent answers to the difficult questions I asked him, I concluded that he had a good character and sophisticated brain…and would be very useful to anyone who hired him.

So I contacted a VIP friend – who was always telling anyone who would listen that he didn’t have enough competent staff – and told him that I’d come across a young man who was definitely talented. Strangely, given his constant complaints about the “inadequate” human resources he had at his disposal, my friend reacted very unenthusiastically. But I managed to persuade him to meet the young man.

When the youngster went to the VIP’s Abuja office on the agreed date, he waited all day but didn’t see the Oga, even though he was in. The secretary told him to return the next day. But the same thing happened the next day. And the day after.

When the youngster told me that he wasn’t making any progress, I advised him to be patient. So he kept going back to that office, again and again, for 2 weeks.

At this stage, I called the VIP, to beg him to see the youngster. But he did not take my call, so I sent him an email and text. He did not respond to my text or email, so I told the youngster to forget about the VIP, reimbursed the money he’d spent on transport and apologized for wasting his time and raising his hopes.

Shortly afterwards, I bumped into the VIP at a function and asked him why he had treated the youngster – and me - so shabbily.

C M Y K

Managing success with grace He shrugged unrepentantly and coldly informed me that he had been busy. I shook my head in disgust and walked away.

This incident didn’t particularly surprise me because it is normal for Nigerian VIPs to misbehave and lavish arrogance and unkindness on those who approach them!...even when they owe favours to those

The inability to manage success graciously is a serious moral flaw. As we embark on a brand New Year, one can only pray that more Nigerian Big Men and Big Women learn how to overcome this flaw, control their egos and become less obnoxious

who have approached them.

Yesterday, a businessman I know sadly told me that a Governor he had helped was totally ignoring him.

They had been classmates at school and the businessman had donated N5 million to the Governor ’s election campaign fund at a time when the Governor had been a mere gubernatorial aspirant who was very short of cash.

I hear depressing stories like this almost every week from various people and have had several bad experiences with Nigerian VIPs myself. And all I could do was wearily console the distraught businessman and tell him that philosophically accepting this betrayal and moving onto pastures new was the best way forward.

But I do wonder why so many Naija VIPs are unpleasant. Most of them are OK when they are doing ordinary jobs, then suddenly change when they achieve success.

I have VIP friends from other countries. Some have become senior officials of their home governments or international organisations like the United Nations and European Union. Others have risen to the top of the private sector and are now running banks, oil compa-

nies, etcetera. And NOT ONE of them has changed.

The British historian, Lord Acton, pointed out, as long ago as 1887, that “power corrupts…” So this thing about people changing for the worse when they become powerful is nothing new and isn’t country-specific either and must be universal.

But some nationalities are more prone to the power/corruption syndrome; and ALL of the foreign VIPs I have known for years are the same now as they were when they were less successful. And, to be fair, some Nigerians also don’t change when they do well and continue to be nice to their friends and the world at large.

But the majority of Nigerians who have acquired VIP status quickly become grandiose, inconsiderate and ungrateful when opportunity knocks.

It’s as if they undergo personality transplants as soon as they cease to be regular citizens and get their hands on money and influence.

This is why a Nigerian sage (whose name I don’t know) once wryly observed that “A friend in government is a friend lost!”

There are exceptions to this rule. But not many or enough!

As a matter of fact, even

the sidekicks of VIPs – Personal and Special Assistants, for example - often b e c o m e m u c h n a s t i e r, alongside their masters and madams.

Even modest amounts of power drastically change some dignitaries or dignitaries’ aides beyond recognition; and they totally rearrange their social circles and conduct. Even when they retain old chums, they rarely treat them with respect.

And because they treated so many people so shoddily when they were riding high, they are ruthlessly and contemptuously deserted when they leave office.

Sure, Nigeria being the kind of place in which former VIPs are allowed to doggedly cling onto defunct titles ad infinitum, they will always be known as Senator This, Honourable That, His or Her Excellency and so on. And they will forever be acknowledged, to some extent, and invited to sit on high tables at weddings, etc.

But the Homes of Has Beens who weren’t gracious when they were powerful – homes that were once full of desperate supplicants, sychophants and “ wellwishers” – rapidly empty out and quit being thriving, crowded meccas when the individuals concerned quit working at the pinnacle of our society; and the only company they can count on when they have been booted out of office is their families and REAL friends (who’ve been woefully neglected but choose to forgive and forget).

The inability to manage success graciously is a serious moral flaw. As we embark on a brand New Year, one can only pray that more Nigerian Big Men and Big Women learn how to overcome this flaw, control their egos and become less obnoxious!!!

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18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016 ALL eyes are on Bayelsa State as a section of the state returns to polling stations to cast their ballots in tomorrow’s run-off governorship election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had rescheduled the inconclusive December 5, 2015 governorship poll between incumbent Governor Seriake Dickson of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and his predecessor, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress, APC. The election is taking place in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and some pockets of polling units.

Tomorrow’s run-off election in the oil-rich state is crucial for some reasons. The result will be a game changer because South Ijaw is expected to deliver the bulk votes.

Apart from the political stature of the two gladiators, former President Goodluck Jonathan is a Bayelsan. For the electoral umpire, INEC, it is yet another litmus test of its ability to conduct a free,

Plea ffor or peace in Ba Bayyelsa’s go govv run of offf poll fair and credible election. The poll provides another opportunity for PDP and APC to affirm their political superiority.

The circumstances that compelled the run-off were tempestuous. Not only was the December 5 election marred by violence, the two contenders were engaged in open recriminations.

There were exchanges of wild criminal allegations and malicious name-calling from both camps.

Lives were reportedly lost and victory was already being claimed even when the exercise was inconclusive.

Ahead of the run-off, the politi-

cal temperature in the state has leapt skyward as the two sides are still talking tough. That is why we are calling on INEC to ensure a hitch-free exercise. Sensitive and non-sensitive materials should be deployed early enough to stave off the kind of controversies that characterised the December election.

Other logistics and personnel required should also be in place.

There should not be excuses for avoidable inadequacies.

In our plea for peace, we urge the candidates to shun tendencies and utterances capable of inciting their supporters. Irrespective of what is at stake, no electoral vic-

tory is worth the blood of any Bayelsan no matter how lowly placed. We appeal to the political class in the state to desist from making inflammatory and tendentious statements that may further hike the palpable tension in the air.

Similarly, we enjoin the electorates in Southern Ijaw and other polling units across the state to be of good and orderly conduct. Any incitement to an orgy of violence or call to arms should be ignored outright. If governance is indeed rendering service to the people, no politician is worth dying for.

From the security agents, including the police DIG, AIG, three commissioners and five thousand men deployed by the Inspector General of Police, we demand absolute neutrality. Other security agents such as soldiers, naval as well as air force personnel and plain clothes operatives should maintain the peace and avoid being compromised or tainted.

OPINION An election odysse odysseyy

By Patrick Cole

I

RAN into a group of youth corper members who were engaged in the last election exercise. What follows is their story unedited. This is not meant to undermine the legitimacy of Muhammed Buhari’s presidency. I believe that if the election had been free and fair he would have won.

President Goodluck Jonathan was a tired man in 2014. In my estimation, Mr. Jonathan abdicated. After an abdication, the most worthy heir or person with the best claim, usually succeeded. So, Buhari obviously had a better claim and succeeded.

Secondly, Prof. Jega has been gallivanting around receiving praise for an election that was fatally flawed; it’s like Ben Johnson winning the Olympic 100 metres race pumped up on drugs. The only thing left to be done to Ben was to strip him of the gold medal and to ban him for many years from ever competing. Jega cannot go on a victory lap after imbibing illegal stimulants in the 2014 election.

Here is the story of the corper members who conducted the election. The point about their story is that it was repeated throughout Nigeria and if you meet honest corper members they would collaborate this story.

There may be parts of Nigeria where this was not the case. “We are youth corpers posted to a state in Nigeria. We were billeted near an army barracks and the soldiers had general supervision over us. INEC officials came to our station and employed over 200 of us to go out for permanent voters card exercise. While we were there was some

tension and on the third day; some young men accused us of having moved the polling booth; they seized all the materials and the computers. An opposition group rallied and after the invention of the soldiers peace returned. We neither saw the computers or supporting documents. On the following day both sides met, resolved their disputes, returned some captured PVCs but again, no computer. We had explained to them that without the computers, the documents they presented to us could not be accepted. Later in the afternoon, the computers arrived and we were able to “finish” what had been channeled to us. The political parties were responsible for our feeding and travelling.

On voting day, we were deployed to different parts of the state from the INEC office. My colleagues and I were taken by car to the waterside because our polling booth was on the other side of the river. All electoral materials were present. I was given five booklets of voting papers (like cheque books). We were asked to do accreditation first but this was rowdy. Most of us did not speak the local language but one of us did.

He became the leader. He tried to explain the accreditation processes in pidgin but he was continually interrupted by the voters who claimed they did not understand what he was saying. INEC however, had attached another fellow to the two of us. He spoke the local dialect. And explained the accreditation processes. Less than 50 people were accredited as late as 4pm. The village had no electricity. The INEC official approached me to give him the 4 ½ booklets

left. I refused. He spoke to my colleague in their language. We had an impasse. We would not leave the village without some accommodation to their request. My colleague bargained to hand over two booklets for a price. Money soon appeared.

I am not sure from where but the INEC official was at the centre of the whole transaction. I do not know how much he made: he gave some money to this third man who was attached to us. He gave N71, 000 to my colleague (he spoke the local lingua) and N56,000 to me. I knew I should not take the money but so much was being given to nearly everybody- INEC officials, policemen, security agents, the voters,- that I thought; ok this was my due. We left the village at about 10pm by boat. In the middle of the river the boat stopped. I was scared, the place was dark. After 15 minutes or so the driver started the engine and we took off to town.

When we got to the collation centres we found INEC officials and party agents thumb printing ballot papers with both thumbs.

On return to my abode, among 200 or so billeted, there was money everywhere and we shared our experiences. No one took less than N50, 000; some got as high as N90, 000. This was no small money for the youth corpers. INEC had promised to pay us N24, 000 or so but we got only about half of that.

When we asked for the balance we were reported to the commandant for insubordination and asked to frog jump”.

Is this a unique story or is it what happened in the rest of Nigeria? I do not know. What I do know, because it been reported widely, is that on Election Day, food, rice, bread, money, beans etc were freely distributed, did that affect the result, I cannot say. As for

money, before the election tons of money changed hands; at the primaries there was nothing like a fair election. All you have to do is to speak to bankers to tell you just how much were floating around. The centres of electoral corruption remain what they have always been- INEC official, the Police, the state security agents- and Jega failed to do anything about these groups: in fact he added to them- two more layers of corrupt officials- the Permanent Voters Cards and the unreformed collation centres.

These NYSC members on arrival at the collation centres witnessed ballot papers being thumb printed by both hands in front of everybody. People may deny this as much as they like but this is a fact.

I have written about the election again because all the avenues of corruption remain untouched; the cost of governance continues to escalate. The House of Representatives cannot possibly need that number of committees except for the fact that each Chairman or Deputy is redefined as a public servant and therefore entitled to certain perquisites including the use of cars and supply of police protection. The Senate of 109 members cannot need 60 committees except for the same fiction- the purchase of cars for every senator and members of the House of Representatives. These are the men and women who are supposed to slow down the cost of government. How can they, given their perchant for percadillos? Nothing has been said about reforming the Houses, about reforming the political parties or the electoral system. In Nigeria since nothing is said, the mistake will continue.

•Dr. Cole, a former ambassador, wrote from Lagos.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016— —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

err orism as Saudi Arabia: TTerr errorism state policy

I

N the days of innocence, the preachment was ‘Blessed are the peace makers’. In these days of globalisation, rather than make peace, nations tend to stoke the fires of conflict. So is it with the Saudi Arabia-Iran spat which began with the January 2, 2016 mass execution of forty seven persons after trials which even the usually complacent United Nations described as raising "serious concerns over the nature of the charges and the fairness of the process” At least four of the victims are Shiite. These included Sheik Nimr al-Nimr who had been identified with peaceful protests. Nimr, a known anti- gun cleric was shot before being arrested, held for eight months and then charged with nebulous crimes like “breaking allegiance with the ruler”. Forty three of the men were beheaded while three faced the firing squad.

The execution of Nimr was a clear message to the Shiite minority - which constitute fifteen percent of the Saudi population that the authorities will not tolerate any dissent.

Not unexpectedly, there were

negative reactions . In Iran, protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic buildings. On Sunday, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic relations with Iran, and interestingly, rather than seek to deescalate the rising tension, a number of countries are stoking the fires. Taking the lead is Bahrain which broke diplomatic relations with Iran on Monday. This is understandable as that country has been ruled since 1783 by a Sunni minority. When, following the Arab Spring, the populace, which is seventy percent Shia, took to the streets demanding political reforms, Saudi Arabia on March 14, 2011, sent one thousand troops supported by five hundred Emirati soldiers into Bahrain to crush the protests. So for the monarchy in Bahrain, this is the time to show solidarity with its benefactor.

The reason Sudan decided to join the fray by severing diplomatic links with Iran is unclear. But Sudan realises that Saudi Arabia is one of the favourite sons of the master in Washington; so what better time to show loyalty to the big boss than now? That may mitigate the unfair and thuggish attempts by America and its allies

to hurl President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir before the international Criminal Court.

Saudi Arabia with its interventions in Bahrain and Syria, and bombings in Yemen, has become the new policeman of the Middle East, a role Israel had played over the years. Indeed, one of the major beneficiaries of the crises and wars in the Middle East, is Israel, which will have more time to concentrate on the theft of Palestinian lands and denying them an independent homeland while simultaneously, occupying Syrian lands like the Golan Heights.

However, it will be a mistake to assume that the Saudi monarchy offensive is a defence of faith. In truth, it is a sustained attack on all Saudi citizens, denying them basic rights, masking economic incompetence while maintaining its infamous profligacy. Most of the victims of political crackdown in the kingdom are the majority Sunnis. Saudis are jailed for making critical analysis, and, are candidates for beheading if they

So a Saudi who petitions the United Nations or Amnesty International over human rights abuses, or complains to the International labour Organisation over labour practices, is guilty of terrorism!

Religion, holy hatred, and Nigeria

By Clement Udegbe

W

HETHER religion is a force for division rather than unity remains a strong point of argument among specialists.

A group of researchers from the Department of Peace Studies at the Bradford University, in the United Kingdom commissioned by the British Broadcasting Service at the turn of this century, was to provide a sound answer to the question of whether religion is a force for peace or for war. In a published report, the researchers said: “ After reviewing historical analyses by a diverse array of specialists, we concluded that there have been few genuinely religious wars in the last one hundred years” adding that “some wars often painted in the media and other places as wars over religion, or wars arising from religious differences , have in fact been wars of nationalism, liberation of territory or self defence.”

Many have however argued that the clergy, by their actions or by their silence have condoned and actively supported many armed conflicts. This position is supported by some expert opinions from the publications. For example, in an article titled Terror in the mind of God-The global Rise of Religious Violence, the writer concluded that “Religion seems to be connected with violence virtually every where…..In recent years, religious violence has erupted among right-wing Christians in the United States, angry Muslims and Jews in the Middle East, quarrelling Hindus and Muslims in South Asia, and indigenous religious communities in Africa, and Indonesia.., The individuals involved in these cases have relied on religion to provide political identities and give rise to

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vengeful ideologies.

The encyclopedia of global warfare and civilisation, under the title The Age of Wars of Religion, 1000-1650, noted that “Religious motivation to combat has been located by historians in most eras and among virtually all the world’s diverse peoples and cultures, and usually on both sides in any given war. The hoary cry that ‘the gods are on our side’ was among the earliest and most potent of incitements to battle.

In a Baptist theological journal- Review and Expositor, the writer said “ Baptists are much better known for fighting than for peace making…. When the America slavery issue and other developments divided the denominations and then the nation in the nineteenth century, Baptists north and south supported the war effort as a righteous crusade and assumed that God was on their side. Baptists also identified with the national effort in wars with England (1812), Mexico (1845) and Spain (1898), justifying the last two mainly ‘on the grounds of bringing religious liberty to oppressed peoples and opening new areas for mission work’. The point is not that Baptists desired war rather than peace, but for most part,

The recent Muslim Shiite-Army confrontation in Kaduna State, again takes religious irresponsibility too far

demand freedom.

A major crime is for a Saudi to be accused of “breaking allegiance with the ruler”. For this, a number of human rights activists are either in jail or on trial. For instance, activists like Mohammed al- Qahtani and Abdullah al-Hamid, are serving ten and eleven years respectively for such nebulous charges.

Now, the monarchy has manufactured a number of “antiterrorism” laws which is being used to terrorise Saudis into complete submission.

Summarised in eleven paragraphs by the Interior Ministry, a terrorist and treasonable felon is any Saudi who engages in the “Abuse of other states and their leaders”.

In other words, a Saudi cannot insult America or Barack Obama, Russia or Vladimir Putin, Pakistan or Nawal Sharrif, South Africa or Jacob Zuma. But I wonder if this also applies to Syria or Basir alAssad. Also classified a terrorist, is an atheist or anybody who says anything that can cast doubt on Islam. Any Saudi who participates in, calls for or incites combat anywhere in the world, is classified a terrorist. Any Saudi who in the social media or through any means, supports, affiliates or expresses sympathy with any group in the world considered a terrorist organisation, is guilty of terrorism.

Also declared a terrorist is any Saudi who communicates with any group or individual considered to be terrorist. By Saudi definition, a Saudi is guilty of terrorism and therefore, treasonable felony if he is found “Inciting other states or associations or international organisations against the Kingdom”. So a Saudi who petitions the United Nations or

when war became a reality Baptists supported and participated in the effort.”

It would therefore seem correct to conclude that religious leaders need to reflect more critically on their own failure to provide more effective leadership and witness to the true fundamental values of their respective faiths, and much as it is also true that all religions aspire to peace, it remains questionable whether religion has fulfilled that role in the world.

Through out history, the clergy of all the major religions of Christendom, (Catholic, Orthodox, and protestant) have provided an endless supply of priests, and chaplains to raise the moral of troops and pray for the dead and dying, on both sides of any conflict, and this support have condoned the bloodshed and given their blessing to all military forces.

Back home in Nigeria, political wars for control of people and power have been incited on the platform of religion.

The first signs of a political situation being overtaken by religious hatred manifested in 1966 during the genocidal massacre of Igbos who were predominantly Christians in northern Nigeria.

In 1980, hundreds of Christians, majority of which were Igbos were again killed dispossessed and displaced from their property and settlements in some parts of the north, during the Maitatsine riots.

Killing, destruction, burning of houses, rape of women, and displacement of families mostly of Christian communities continued even till date in parts of Plateau and Benue States respectively, by their Muslim neighbours wielding AK47 rifles. This was followed in 2013 of the Ombatse Cult killings of Nigerian law enforcement personnel in Nasarawa State of which we heard very little about later, perhaps because as a nation we condone religious killings in some parts of our country.

Just about seven years ago, out of holy hatred, a group that claimed to fight against western education emerged again in the

Amnesty International over human rights abuses, or complains to the International labour Organisation over labour practices, is guilty of terrorism!

With such sweeping laws, Saudis will not be able to question the mismanagement of their country’s enormous oil resources and huge income from pilgrimage. Nor can they protest the imposition of austerity measures which have seen a freeze on appointments, promotions and new projects. They cannot question the infamous profligacy of the monarchy nor the huge resources frittered away shoring up the wars in Yemen and Syria.

The monarchy does not also think highly of pilgrims and their safety. Known for its incapability to efficiently organise pilgrimages which has resulted in horrendous loss of lives like the 1990 loss of 1,426 people, it is quick to blame the victims. For instance in the last pilgrimage, first a construction crane collapsed at the Grand Mosque killing 109 persons.

Thirteen days later, on September 24, over one thousand pilgrims were killed in Mina City with a number yet to be accounted for.

The immediate reaction of the Saudi authorities was to blame the dead and injured for allegedly “ not following established guidelines”. Following criticism especially from the Iranians, it agreed to investigate the incident including the police closure of some roads in the area immediately leading to the tragedy.

Ironically, the democratic West and America are comfortable having as a major ally, a country which employs terrorism as state policy and is allergic to fundamental human and democratic rights.

North East of Nigeria. Instead of carrying clubs, machetes, bows and arrows, they carried rifles, bombs, and instruments for mass killings, wore clothes and rode on vehicles made from western civilisation which they professed to be fighting against.

We call them Boko Haram.

They started with killing Christians and burning church houses, and because some northerners condoned and really supported them, they grew and waxed strong till they desired a caliphate of their own, and started killing every body. A plan to flush them out at that time by a Christian South Eastern Chief of Army Staff was vehemently resisted by many vocal North East leaders and stakeholders. It was expedient for the north at that time as an instrument of blackmail for political power negotiation to edge or push out a Southern Christian President from a minority ethnic group.

Although the defeated Christian President made terrible miscalculations, the chilling revelations from the investigation of his National Security Adviser, as shameful as they are to our National Security System, takes us to one conclusion; it was a northerner who redistributed money meant to fight insurgency in the north, a very complicated situation which can only be fueled by religion.

There may be many more who still support conflicts in the north using religion.

The recent Muslim Shiite-Army confrontation in Kaduna State, again takes religious irresponsibility too far.

Some have reasoned that for one to find conditions that are safe, decent, orderly, and civilised, we should avoid places with intense religion, but there is no such place in Nigeria.

Nigerian leaders must therefore learn to manage religion without violence and conflicts

*Mr Udegbe, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.

20—Vanguard, FRI DAY FRIDAY DAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016—21

Nigeria losing N80bn daily to petroleum products smuggling — NISA boss

By Godfrey Bivbere

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HAIRMAN of the Nigeria Shipowners Association, NISA, Capt. Niyi Labinjo, has said that the country is losing N80 billion daily to petroleum products smuggled into the country.

In an exclusive interview with Vanguard, Labinjo explained that half the 1.8 million litres daily national need of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, is smuggled into the country.

The NISA boss noted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, said the daily PMS need of the country is 1.8 million litres and that it (NNPC) only supplies half the quantity while the other half is smuggled into the country. He pointed out that this is done through the offshore Lome and off-shoreBenin. Giving a breakdown of the loss, Labinjo pointed out that a 5,000 ton vessel laden with Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, costs N600 million.

He said half of the 1.8 million litres comes to down to 900,000 and if divided by 5,000 equal 108 (5,000).

Should this be multiplied by N600 million, it comes down to N108 billion and a large chunk of this amount is lost daily through smuggling of the product, he said.

He advised that the smuggling of petroleum products through the off-shore Lome and off-shore-Benin must be stopped because of the effect

From left: Head, Business Development, Med-View Airline, Mr. Na’Allah Isiaq; Head, Flight Operations, Capt. Godfrey Ogbogu; Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. Abdulhakeem Abdullateef and Head of Engineering, Med-View Airline, Lookman Animashaun, during the airline’s inaugural Lagos-Kano-Jeddah, Saudi Arabia flight at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. on the nation’s economy.

This is outside the revenue that should have been collected by the various government agencies like the NPA, NIMASA, NCS etc should these ships have berthed at the nation’s ports.

He said that the sector is more than capable of providing the N2 trillion needed to fund the budget.

He said the economic crime

against the nation is being committed by foreign vessels that ship in these product informing their countries that they are headed for Nigeria, only for them to stop on the high seas where these products are discharged into smaller vessels and moved into Nigeria.

He noted that 68 percent of these products get into the country unaccounted for and

this costs the nation huge revenue losses in terms of capital flight, since the transaction is done in cash, (not captured in the economy), creation of employment for foreign countries, crew of each of the ships and negative effects of balance of trade.

He said that Nigeria presently has no control over about 200 vessels involved in this illegal trade outside the nation’s

territorial waterways and that alone poses a security risk to the nation, especially with the security situation in the country presently.

The retired Navy officer, stressed that government must as a matter of urgency stop the smuggling of petroleum products into the country, as well as ensure that the Cabotage Law is enforced fully.

Panasonic sets up assembling plant in Nigeria $118.35

-1.60

$2,955.00

-26.00

$14.89

+0.47

$34. 71 -1.71 $34.28 CURRENCY SELLING US DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA

196 287.238 210. 8176 194. 2325 1.6554 0.3056 270.7026 29.9086 52.204 28.2592

-0.05 BUYING

196.5 287. 9708 211.3554 194. 728 1.6596 0.3156 271. 3931 29.9854 52.3372 28.3313

197 288. 7035 211. 8932 195. 2235 1.6639 0.3256 272. 0837 30.0621 52.4704 28.4034

CBN Exchange rate as at 06/1/2016

By Franklin Alli

J

APAN based electronics giant, Panasonic has established an assembly plant in Lagos to complement its manufacturing plant in India. In a statement, Shinichi Wakita, Managing Director of Panasonic, Middle East and Africa, said the company is extending the manufacturing of its air-conditioners and TV sets to the shores of Nigeria.

He disclosed that the company is making this commitment in partnership with SIMS Nigeria Limited, an electronics and home appliances marketing/distribution company in Lagos. “As a contribution towards the society which is based on our basic business philosophy, we are establishing our local manufacturing unit for air-conditioners and TVs in Lagos. We believe this will make a small contribution towards job cre-

ation and the economy of Nigeria.

“Africa is one of the fastest growing economies with a rising consumer class; setting up this manufacturing base in Nigeria is our strategy to deal with the business challenges in this market. We will be working closely with the Nigerian population with an aim to provide products which are ‘locally-fit’ and in accordance with their demands,” he said.

Andrew Uwazuruike, an electronic dealer, commended the company for its decision to establish their assembly plant in the country.

“This is a welcome development. A lot of people have been making demands for Panasonic products but we don’t really have it in the market. But now that the company has partnered with SIMS for distribution, we are very happy that we can purchase their products and sell them without stress,” he said.

An Oyo-based dealer, Dayo Fagade, described the return of Panasonic as a huge relief that will enable him provide his customers quality products offered by the company. He revealed that he has always recommended the Japanese products to its customers due to their durability, innovation and quality.

“Panasonic is a big brand that needs no further introduction. We just want to appeal to Panasonic and SIM to make the products available all across the country, especially at the beginning of the year where people buy more electronic items,” he said.

Also, a consumer in Ikeja, Suliat Farouk said she has always loved Panasonic products because of their easy-to-know features. She urged the company to further consolidate their presence in the country and also make the product available in the North where, according to her, ‘there is a big market for electronic products’.

22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Market rebounds as investors gain N94m

By Nkiruka Nnorom

T

From left: Head, Diagnostics, Automedics, Mr. John Quincy; Head of Sales, Oando Plc, Mr. Babafemi Olabiyi; Managing Director/CEO, Oando, Mr. Abayomi Awobokun and Head, Lubes, Oando Marketing, Mrs. Lilian Ikokwu, during the Free Car Oleum Syn Diagnostics for Car Owners by Oando and Automedics, in Lagos.

Lagos to finance budget deficit with N43bn bonds

By Nkiruka Nnorom with agency report

T

HE Lagos State Government yesterday revealed plans to float N43 billion bonds this year to finance its budget deficit.

Out of the N662.588 billion budgeted for this year by the state government, N542.873 billion will be sourced through internally generated revenue, while the balance of N119.715 billion will be funded through borrowing.

Lagos Commissioner for Finance, Mustapha Akinkunmi disclosed that the government would float N43 billion bonds as part of move to finance the N662.588 billion budget.

Akinkunmi spoke in Lagos, while answering questions on how government would finance the deficit.

“Very soon, the N43 billion bonds will be floated to raise money to fund the deficit,” Akinwumi said. He noted that interest payment for the bonds would be on long term basis, adding that the government has earmarked N12 billion to service part of the N119.7 billion to be borrowed.

Already, Akinkunmi disclosed that as part of plan to service the over N432 billion debt owed by the previous administration, the state government would pay about N78 billion this year to the creditors. He said the debt profile of the state is sustainable according to international rating, adding that adequate plans has been put in place to pay back the state’s debt which is a long term debt.

Also, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Akinyemi Ashade disclosed that to raise the N622.588 bilC M Y K

lion budget for this year, the Lagos Inland Revenue Service, LIRS, has been given the marching order to generate N300 billion, which is equivalent to 78 per cent of the total

Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. “We do not intend to introduce new taxes in 2016 but rather bring more citizens into the tax net, especially the

NASD OTC pledges to upscale performance in 2016

By Nkiruka Nnorom

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ASD OTC Securities Exchange Plc has assured of its commitment to scale up its operation in the New Year. This was contained in the Weekly Newsletter of the NASD OTC market obtained by Vanguard titled: “Highlights: The Year 2015.”

In his comment, the Chief Executive, Mr. Bola Ajomale, said, the year has been that of achieving milestones at the NASD OTC market, adding that the significant events experienced in the market were of a developmental nature.

According to him, the NASD “ will continue to op-

The exchange achieved market capitalisation in excess of N600 billion in January 2015 and in February launched private equity initiative via a conference

erate on an accelerate momentum into the New Year. ” He noted that the Exchange achieved market capitalisation in excess of N600 billion in January 2015 and in February launched private equity initiative via a conference.

He listed other milestones covered by the exchange during the year 2016 to include: release of SEC Rule on trading unlisted public securities through registered Exchanges in April, 2015; introduction of two securities to trade on the NASD OTC market within a week using shares of Spring Mortgage Plc and ARM Properties Plc as take-off stocks.

During the year, NASD Plc also launched the Unlisted Securities Index (USI) for calculating market indices; granted ISO 10383 MIC (Market Identifier Code) for the OTC market; facilitated N40 billion Friesland Campina Wamco stake increase by the Parent Company, and facilitated N2 billion securities deal in the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) and at the end of the year introduced+-10% price band and minimum volume of 50,000 units for price movement in the market.

he losing streak on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) was reversed yesterday as investors recorded N94 million gains at the close of trading.

Specifically, the twin market measurement indices – the market capitalisation of listed equities and the All Share Index (ASI) – rose by 0.94 per cent apiece.

Specifically, the market capitalisation rose by N94 million to close at N9.851 trillion as against N9.757 trillion recorded the previous day, indicating 0.94 per cent increase.

Also, the All share index was down 271.93 basis points from 28,370.32 points on Wednesday to 28,642.25 points.

All the NSE indices closed in the red with the exception of the NSE Industrial Index which rose by 2.06 per cent to 2,176.52 points from 2,132.59 points on the back of gains recorded in cement manufacturing giant, Dangote Cement Plc. The new listing platform – Premium Board Index – was also up 3.0 per cent from 1,446.62 points from 1,490.18 points. Six gainers emerged during the day as against 30 losers in the day. The shares of e-transact Plc led on the

gainers’ list, rising by 4.93 per cent to close at N3.19, followed

by Okomu Oil Plc with 4.83 per cent gains to close at N33.00 per share. Dangote Cement Plc closed as the third gainer, rising by 4.27 per cent to close at N159.98 per share.

On the hand, the share of Skye Bank Plc, Unity Bank Plc and First City Monument Bank Plc led on the losers chart with 8.82 per cent, 8.82 per cent and five per cent in that order.

Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has invited BGL Securities Limited, BGL Assets Management Limited and their sponsored individuals to appear before the SEC Administrative Proceedings Committee (SEC APC).

The invitation, according to the SEC, followed the receipt of ten (10) new complaints, with total monetary value of over N2.9 billion, against them, received between 20th May, 2015 and 10 th November 2015 from various investors.

The investors alleged several violations of the Investments and Securities Act 2007, SEC Rules and Regulations as well as the Code of Conduct for Capital Market Operators including, amongst others: performance of a capital market function without due registration; promoting and marketing products not registered by the Commission.

Aniocha Micro Finance Bank posts N19.6m profit

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

A

niocha Micro Finance Bank Limited, has announced a net surplus of N19,628,569.00K, representing 69.1 per cent increase as against the preceding year.

The Issele-Uku in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, based finance house, said the profit recorded in the financial year ending 2014, as against N11,604,310.00 recorded in the previous year, 2013.

Senior Director on the Board of the bank, Mr. Cyprian Echemunor, made the disclosure during the bank’s 23rd Annual General Meeting, AGM, while presenting a report on the performance profile of the bank on behalf of its bank’s Chairman, Mr. Ifeanyi Moemeke.

Echemunor noted that the bank’s profit before tax as at 31st December, 2014, was N21,128,569.00K as against N19,191,706.00K that was recorded in the precious year

representing 10.09 per cent increase.

According to him, the bank’s deposit base, loan porttfolio and investment in fixed deposit exhibited increases during the year under review as it recorded a gross income of N72,454,907.00 compared with N53,103,521.00 that was obtained in 2013 representing 36.4 per cent increase.

While appealing to shareholders of the bank to redouble their efforts by increasing their shareholding in the bank, he said “it is gratifying that our bank (Aniocha Micro Finance Bank Limited) is becoming a preferred bank in our environ as many traders in the locality now patronize us couple with the existing patronage from the public sector”.

Speaking with newsmen, Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Francis Juwe, attributed the success of Aniocha Micro Finance Bank Limited, to prayers, prudent management of resources, support from Directors and shareholders of the bank as well as commitment of of staff.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016—23

Ibom industrial city’ll open up maritime development — Etido Inyang Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Special Duties, Engr. Etido Inyang, spoke with Vanguard’s GODFREY BIVBERE on plans by the state government to focus on refineries and related products to benefit from the availability of crude oil in the state. He also disclosed the Ibon industrial city will include other industrial activities and completion of a Deep Seaport by 2018. He also spoke of plans and strategies put in place and the consultant engaged to ensure completion as at when due. Excerpts:

T

HE planned development of Ibom deep seaport by the state has been on the cards for years now, what is the situation of the port?

Before I go into details I must thank his Excellency Udom Emmanuel, who has kept faith with this project even when he was Secretary to the State Government, SSG, he was a member of the ministerial project delivery team comprising the Federal Government, Ministry of Transport, Nigerian Ports Authority and the Akwa Ibom State government.

When he became governor, he knew exactly what to do and the technical committee on the realisation of the Ibom Deep sea port realisation was the first technical committee the he set up on the 15th of July, 2015 and the selection of members was an excellent effort on his own part when he brought different heads, ICT, Maritime, Surveyors, Engineers etc.

The leadership of the team, Mfon Usoro, you know you cannot have a better person than her to lead the team. She knows the maritime world, she knows the port developers and visually everything in maritime. So, we began work immediately.

Transaction advisers Thank God there was an Outline Business Case, OBC, approval by the last administration. I will like to say this because I know the importance of the OBC. There are states that say they want to build port and have not come around to get the OBC. The government of Godwill Akpabio was able to get it and Udom Emmanuel is following up on this to get the Full Business Case, FBC, is awesome. That is why through the permission of the NPA we were able to get the Transaction Advisers, TA for this particular development which is mile stone. We are really in it because we set time lines for ourselves, when do we get the TA, when do we commence the re-evaluation, data gathering, developing of data base and then going to procurement of the operators. So this is the journey that we have began, the second phase is the FBC realisation by getting a TA who will now look at all the fears, look at the

environmental impact Assessment, look at the design, how do you do the final design, you do the final design when you have gathered the necessary data, spanning from surveys, different tyres of surveys, Hydrographic survey, Topographic survey. After that you do your wreck survey and then you do your moulding (The level of mould in the area) and so many other things before presenting it to the bidders to become operators.

We are able to get GMAPS who are known all over the world because of their capabilities to get designs on deep sea port development and they have agreed to do these within 12 months. They are supposed to do the FBC and for you to be able to do the FBC, it includes financial closure for a particle operator which means the cost for the development of the deep sea port.

Developer of the port You must also have a name, name A or name B, after A-Z must have contested or bidded for the port, you have come up with either name A or name B as the developer of the port and that is the process we have started from yesterday (10/12/2015). The people have been engaged that means that they have agreed with the terms and conditions. So if you asked me what the journey is so far, I will tell you that the government of governor Udom Emmanuel is ready to deliver a deep sea port for the people of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria as a whole. At this time where port development is catalysts to economic development, not only port development but a deep sea port that Nigeria is yearning for.

We are not only looking at Nigeria, we are also looking at the region. We are strategically located; if you are looking at the strategical location that I am talking about, the eastern flank of the country do not have a deep sea port. Yes, you can look at the Western flank you can talk of Lekki, they can struggle on their own there but when you come to the east where you take up goods and run straight to the north, there is no deep sea port.

So we are the first, we are the best located and we are not contesting with anybody because the other players do not have a

FG can diversify economy through maritime — Bello

By Godfrey Bivbere

E

Etido Inyang, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Special Duties.

deep sea port capability. We are naturally endowed with a 15 meter draft; we just clean the sea bed to 18 and then you able to bring ships of 15 meters into the region.

You realise that I am talking about the region because the advantage is not just for Nigeria but for the region. We are looking at Cameroon, Senegal, Angola etc. Yes, they may have their own port but this is going to be humongous. We will be able to carry out trans-shipment within the region and again Nigeria has suffered a lot for so many years without industrialisation.

Governor Udom Emmanuel is not only looking at creating a deep sea port, when we did the feasibility study of this deep sea port with 14,400 hectares of land, it was identified that for you to have a viable industry estate there is need for a deep sea port which will be the catalyst to drive the development. For you to be able to bring in raw materials and take out finished products, you need the deep sea port. As a result of the importance the state government place on the

There will also be an array of marine activities that is going to be planned because we have the low side, the sea side area which is about 11 or 12 meters which we will create jetties around

development of the industrial city as well, apart from other commercial merchandise that are from Nigeria, it engaged the services of industrial estate planners, Dan Anderson; they are responsible for the development of Dubai World Central using the new technology in development all over the world.

They are developing the airport; they are developing the industrial city, they developing estates. So we are bringing acclaimed international planners and of cause they are going to come with their investors who will take up the land and the advantage we have because I say for the survival of any industry, you need the drivers.

Sir you talked about the deep sea port having the capacity to develop the industrial area, what area of production is the state targeting?

Good question. Yes, apart from the petro-chemicals, the industrial estate is going to be in clusters. You will have high level clusters, middle level clusters and low level clusters, which helps an intending investor to know where to position their industries with proximity to the deep sea port.

So if you are looking at refineries, petro-chemicals, methanol, ship building etc, you will have clusters that will be suited for each.

There will also be an array of marine activities that is going to be planned because we have the low side, the sea side area which is about 11 or 12 meters which we will create jetties around.

Intending investor can locate things like flourmill factories, tank farms and so on that will not interfere with the deep sea port operations.

X E C U T I V E Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, Hassan Bello, has said that the Federal Government can easily diversify the economy from oil and gas based through the maritime industry.

Making this known in Lagos when he played host to a team of Vanguard Editors in his office, Bello explained that the government can generate more revenue than what it is getting from the oil and gas sector as well as create a lot of jobs for the army of unemployed youths in the country through the maritime sector if properly harnessed.

The NSC boss pointed out that all the government needed to do was to provide the necessary infrastructure and do the right things to make the industry work in accordance to international standard.

In his words: “We have to make hard and painful choices if we want to make money from the maritime industry the government must invest in maritime infrastructure, we have to do things right also.

“There are so many things wrong with port operations, there is so much corruption. ”Through automation we could see what goods are coming and therefore they would be no need for physical examination because we have the International Cargo Tracking Note, ICTN, and we have a command and control system where we can see the whole operation that is going on at the ports. ”A month before the ship comes, we know that this ship is coming and this is what it is carrying. Customs already knows what the duty on the cargo will be and you can even pay for the cargo before it arrives.

“The shipping company already knows that it is iron or steel that is coming one month before time and know the kind of truck that would carry it and this is the destination.

“This will cut out the wastages, cut out the corruption, the cargo dwell time will improve but the ICTN is just one of the systems, we are migrating to a port community system and of course the Nigeria single window which the Customs is advancing.”

24— Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY

By Jimoh Babatunde

A

SKING him to tell you how he got into the hospitality industry puts a childish smile on his face as he gladly tells you that he was born into it as his parents were both chefs back in their native country of Sweden, “my parents had restaurants in Sweden where I had to do anything from moving the lawn, washing the dishes and peel potatoes to get some extra pocket money from about the age of 12.”

Magnus literally grew up in hotels and restaurants. These early childhood experiences ignited a passion for food in the young Magnus. It was therefore not surprising that like his parents, Magnus developed an uncanny passion for food leading to an early career in the field, he equally saw in the profession an opportunity to be able to travel to different countries of the world.

Enrolment in college Not wanting to loss such opportunities, he needed to sharpen his skills before moving out so he enrolled in a college , “after 2 years in college I got thrown in the deep end of restaurants and was working 16 hours a day to learn as much as I could.

“Most days it was one restaurant in the morning and then another in the evening.

Looking back there was no hard times in being screamed at by the senior chefs , its only good, fun memories that built up the old

8, 2016

Being a chef is not about glamour — Chef Magnus school generation of chefs. It was all though but fun.”

He knew early in life that being a chef is a life style which goes with pressure and he was fully prepared for such life.

Magnus said he realized that as a chef one needs to work long hour for low pay for many years as “It’s not the glamour you see on TV.” So, Magnus started his career early, working his way through some of the top restaurants in Sweden, including training at the word famous “Johanna’s” a Michelin Star Restaurant.

In 1994, Magnus decided to take his career “on the road” and moved to London. Here he worked at the famous “Mogens Tulstrup” and “Sir Terrence Conran” where he focused on honing his ala Carte’ and exclusive catering skills.

Magnus then decided to try his hand at managing his own restaurant in London. Although successful, after five years, he decided it was time for a new chapter in his career and moved to China as the Executive Chef at the Dalian Hotel.

‘This was a very exciting period in my career,” says Magnus, as he recalled his sojourn in China. “Asian cuisine amazed me both in its complexity but also in its simplicity. It is an experience which remains part of my repertoire.”

Following a successful couple of years in the Far East, Magnus returned to the United Kingdom to work for the famous “Chef Christian Sandefeldt”. He assisted Chef Sandfeldt with

Don’t over complicate. When you have good ingredients let them speak for themselves

*Chef Magnus several projects, ranging from Chef Sandefeldt’s world famous fine dining restaurants, to the innovative “Gastro Pub” concept.

During the three years, Magnus was part of several new openings, under the “Sandfeldt” banner.

At the start of the new millennium, Magnus decided to follow his heart to Africa. He joins the world famous Irish Chef, Conrad Gallagher, the youngest three Star Michelin Chef in the World, here he assisted Conrad, who was Group Executive Chef for Sun International, the leading Hotel and Casino Operator in South Africa.

Focusing on redesigning the food concept for the group, Magnus’s travels took him across Sub Sahara Africa, from the world famous Sun City, to the Royal Livingstone at the Victoria Falls in Zambia, to one of the top

Govt urged to pay attention to zoos, wildlife

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EMBERS of the Nigeria Association of Zoological Gardens (NAZG) has called on government at all levels in the country to pay serious attention to the funding and maintenance of the zoos and wildlife especially with a view to introducing basic technology given their economic and environmental importance.

The group noted that the recent lion escape from Jos Wildlife Park and Zoological Garden and its subsequent killing by a group of people has brought the poor state of wildlife parks and zoological gardens across the country to the spotlight. Speaking with journalists on the fact finding panel into the incident by the group, the National Secretary of NAZG, Andy Ehanire, revealed that the result has shown that weakness in the enclosure of the lion may have led to its escape.

“In the course of our preliminary investigations, it became obvious that materials fatigue in the construction of the lion enclosure is prime suspect as to the main cause leading to the escape,” disclosed Ehanire who is also the manager of Ogba Zoo, Benin City, Edo.

He added that the incident has revealed the underbelly of zoos and wildlife parks in the country, which he said have become obsolete due to their ages and the lack of maintenance and modernisation through advanced technological improvement as is the case in other climes where these tourist centres are taken seriously.

Tourist centres “It was equally necessary to unravel the circumstances of the lion escape, as to getting the precise explanation for the incident. There is always the need to know if the incident was avoidable and the lessons to be learnt by both the management of the facility in question as well as other practitioners in the same line of duty, or as far as stakeholders would seek to know.

“Once the panel’s report is made available to us, the Executive Committee of NAZG would request to schedule a meeting with the authorities of the park to discuss the issues arising therein. In the final analysis, the urgent repositioning of

Jos Wildlife Park, along with other zoos in the country, remains the continuing focus of NAZG.” Ehanire said with the neglect visited on these natural centres that NAZG is calling on the government to implement some of the recommendations, which were presented through a memo in 2012 to the National Council on Tourism meeting held in Ilorin, Kwara State, “where it was advocated for priority to be given to these recreational centres through the national tourism master plan and the national tourism intervention fund in order to ensure a front-line attention and funding for them.”

Furthermore, Ehanire explained that there is need to include conservation study or awareness in the curriculum of schools and seek for ways to engage the teeming population of youths in the country even as he insisted that “this incident in Jos Wildlife Park is thus another wake up call for the authorities in conservation and tourism development to engage the developmental challenges in this key sector that also provides a veritable parameter for measuring a humane society.”

Leading Hotels of the World, the famous Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa.

It was from South Africa that Magnus moved to the west region, this time to Nigeria where he pitched tent with the Federal Towers in Victoria Island, Lagos and later to Abuja Sheraton Hotel where he presently entices the people with his delight of some culinary skills.

“I relish the opportunity to be part of a dynamic management team,” says the culinary expert of his Abuja Sheraton Hotel move.

Nigeria has always been close to my heart and I think it will be difficult to find more eager to learn and receptive people anywhere in the world than it is here. I think African cuisine is on the verge of joining the main stream cuisines across the world and I am privileged to play my small part in it.”

Fried herring Asked what his philosophy is when it comes to food, Magnus will tell you he belongs to the school of thoughts that believes the food should speak for itself.

“Don’t over complicate. When you have good ingredients let them speak for themselves.”

To him food is all about being together, so anything that is cooked at home with the family is his favourite. So, he tells you happily that his favourite home cooked meal is fried herring with mashed potato and lingonberry. Though not an early morning eater, Magnus’ ideal breakfast is coffee.

On a lighter note, asked him what his funniest kitchen incident was, he answered “ when we had an outside function for 1000 people in a game reserve 7km from the unit and the rain start and we have to move all food and set up to the unit again and be ready in time for their dinner.”

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016— —25

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26—Vanguard, FRI DAY FRIDAY DAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

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VOL. 1: NO. 17

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 , 2016

By Dapo Akinrefon

Lagos’ budget

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n Lagos State, the governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode may have a herculean task executing the 2016 budget.

Having submitted a budget proposal of N665.588billion to the House of Assembly, with a pledge that his administration would not only implement the budget faithfully, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, made it clear that he would ensure that the budget work in the best interest of Lagosians.

The governor, who christened the 2016 budget, “The Peoples Budget”, said it was an improvement of 26 percent over the budgets of 2014 and 2015 respectively which stood at N489.6 Billion individually.

Aside this, governor Ambode has the task of tackling the renowned war on insecurity and the persistent traffic gridlock that has bese the state in recent times.

The ongoing construction of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway has been the talk of the town for sometime perhaps for the wrong reasons. The numerous deaths witnessed on the road has raised dust.

With N66 billion approved for the completion of the road, people from the South-West are waiting to see if the government is really sincere in fixing the road.

Two roads that continue to give Lagosians sleepless nights are the Lagos-Badagry expressway and the OshodiApapa expressway.

It is expected that both the federal and state government should pay attention to these roads.

Guber polls: All eyes on Ondo State

The reason being that its gladiators especially from the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will be battling to occupy the Alagbaka House in the Sunshine state of Ondo.

Already, political activities are gearing up ahead of the next Governorship election scheduled to hold in October, 2016.

Being the only oil producing state in the South West, the respective parties will be at

•Mimiko

•Ambode

2016: Issues that 'll shape South West I

NDEED, 2016 will be packed with so many activities in the polity. The South-West geopolitical zone will not be left out of unresolved issues from the previous year.

Also, some personalities in the zone are gearing up to shape the socio-economic and political landscape in the region across the respective states.

each other’s throats to control the resources of the state.

While the PDP currently holds

sway in the state, the APC is trying to put its house in order to wrestle power from

Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s PDP. Formerly known as the Fountain of Knowledge but the state has consistently been in the news due to the governor of the state.

Ekiti waits on Army probe of Fayose’s election

For governor Ayodele Fayose, this may not be the best of times. This may not be

IN THIS EDITION

ONDO 2016: Who succeeds Mimiko?

•Page 25

Fayose remains big factor in Ekiti •Page 26

unconnected to the step taken by the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Gen. Tukur Buratai, to constitute a five-man board of generals to investigate alleged partisanship of members of the Nigerian Army during the 2015 general elections.

Allegations were made by the public on the governorship elections conducted in some states such as Ekiti, Osun, Rivers and Akwa Ibom among others.

Perhaps, this informed the constitution of the panel.

But Governor Fayose has since kicked against the move which he described as a witch hunt. Fayose accused the Federal Government of plans to use a military panel to upturn his victory.

Only time will tell how far this will pan out.

C M Y K

28 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

OSUN STATE Governor Rauf Aregbesola may this year conduct elections into the 30 Local Government Areas, LGAs and Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, including Ife-East Area Council, Modakeke

By Gbenga Olarinoye Bye Election YE election in Ife Central following the death of Hon. Samson Makinde after six months in office is expected to determine the shape of events politically in the state in 2016.

Ife has not been a good hunting ground for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the town produced the two opposition members in the House of Assembly in the last general assembly polls.

It will be recalled that the loss of a rerun election held in 2003 to fill the vacant seat of Ife Central in the assembly after the death of Mr. Odunayo Olagbaju, marked the steady decline of the then ruling Alliance for Democracy, AD, before the party later surrendered power to the PDP. Therefore, intense political fireworks is expected to characterise the rerun poll that may come up before Osun the first quarter of 2016.

B

Local Government Elections Governor Rauf Aregbesola may this year conduct elections into the 30 Local Government Areas, LGAs and Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, including Ife-East Area Council, Modakeke. If this is done, it will be the first time the Aregbesola administration would conduct election into the

Events that may shape Osun •Gov Aregbesola council areas since he came into office in November 2010.

Massive Agricultural Production Owing to glut in crude oil globally leading to shortfall in revenue to the government, Osun State Government has signed $50 million Agriculture Investment with the United States of American (USA) Firm

for the provision of modern agricultural Technological Services as an alternative to the dwindling allocation from the federation account.

The signing of the partnership with US JIL Firm Limited which took place in Osogbo, Osun State Capital was aimed at giving fresh impetus to its agricultural sector revolution drive in the state.

The MoU covered the development and infrastructure upgrade of a breeding, fattening and processing of beef cattle ranch and the establishment of agricultural equipment leasing and hire centres to be managed by JIL Farm Limited.

Speaking shortly after the signing of the agreement, Ogeni Rauf Aregbesola, Osun

State Governor expressed appreciation to the investors for their interest in the state. He assured them that no contribution will be spared in ensuring that the venture comes out a success that will become a benchmark for the nation.

The aim is to boost agricultural production in the state by engaging the youths in the state to reduce unemployment and boost Internally Generated Revenue.

Taxes The state may witness payment of all forms of taxes as never experienced since the creation of the state. It is through this means among others that the state could be able to complete some of the on-going projects and continue with its programmes.

Pacesetter state expects interesting 2016

By Ola Ajayi

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HE year 2016 will no doubt be an interesting year in the Pacesetter State with the array of events lined up.

Residents in the state will likely face some challenges in the supply of the premium motor spirit as a result of the slight reduction in the pump fuel price from N87 to N86.

The marketers of the product both major and independent have been giving motorists in the state serious nightmares as they hoard the product to create the impression that it is scarce. Except for one major marketer, Conoil at Celestial Church bus stop, Mokola and an independent marketer, BOVAS, who sell at the official pump price, people in the state have been lamenting about the excesses of the marketers.

Expectedly, the administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi which has been seemingly docile since May will certainly spring surprises.

The governor has just presented a budget of N165.

1 billion to the state House of Assembly for the year.

To prove its resolve to bring out the state from the

economic doldrums, the All Progressives Congress ruling government has increased its IGR from N1.2b in 2015 to N5b representing a 400 per cent increase. This will no doubt take its toll on the people of the state.

When compared with that of the 2015 budget which was N77.16 billion, there is an increase of N87.94 billion and this is still subject to upward review after the legislative arm must have worked on it.

The breakdown of the budget shows that capital expenditure will gulp N72.73b representing 44.10 per cent and a total recurrent expenditure of N92.37b representing 35.88%.

To boost food production in the state, Ajimobi said that preference will be given to the Agriculture sector and Agro allied industry and that government will try in its efforts to reduce the cost of doing business.

The governor also promised that the 2016 budget will lay emphasis on physical infrastructure and improvement in education in which all on-going projects such as construction and furnishing of classrooms and model schools will be completed in 2016.

The governor will certainly resume his urban renewal programmes which residents of the state complained

•Ajimobi bitterly about.

Given the irregular way by which salaries of workers are paid, they should be prepared to face the harsh economic realities as the selective

payment of salaries which the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the representatives of the government agreed to, will continue until the economy of the state improves.

Political activities which are at the lowest ebb in the state will also shape events in the new year as some political juggernauts will dump their parties and seek greener p a s t u r e s elsewhere. It is no longer news that a former governor in the state, Otunba Adebayo AlaoAkala who had called the APC various names like ‘panadol, ‘aspirin’ in the heat of his political campaign will now use the same ‘drug’, APC to ease his political pains and use the broom-symbol of APC to sweep all ‘dirts’ and remnants of his former

parties, PDP and Labour Party away.

Senator Rashidi Ladoja, also a former governor in the state who contested on the platform of the Accord Party , is yet to hand over the baton to other political subordinates.

Also, the Social Democratic Party in the state is about to experience shake up as a faction in the party has finalised plans to suspend the benefactor of the party. The chieftain is numerous to be defecting to the APC. With the rate at which fire disasters happen towards the end of the year, there may be few others, especially in markets within Ibadan metropolis. It is recurring decimal for markets to catch fire easily and this which has prompted Governor Ajimobi to set up a probe panel to look into it. Some traders have alleged sabotage in the recent fire occurrences in the city.

Members of the panel, according to a statement from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, are the state’s Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Mr Wasiu Gbadegesin, who is the Chairman of the panel; while

Continues on page

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016 —29

ONDO STATE

By Dayo Johnson

O

F the states in the South West Region, attention would be shifted towards Ondo state next year as the governorship election is scheduled to hold latest by October.

The two term tenure of the incumbent governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko will lapse and a new chapter in the polity of the state would be opened.

On- going alignment and realignment within the two leading political Parties APC and PDP will definitely shape events in the new year.

While the ruling PDP in the state is losing some of its chieftains to the opposition APC ahead of the coming governorship election, the opposition party itself is bedevilled with serious internal squabbles which may spell doom for it at the polls.

Interested aspirants in the two parties have kick started their campaigns across the 18 council areas of the state an indication that they meant serious business.

During the last Christmas and the New Year celebrations the serious and the not so serious amongst the aspirants gave out food stuffs to members of their political parties in preparation for the polls.

As at last count 15 aspirants in the opposition APC in the state have shown interest to succeed the incumbent governor.

However, in the ruling party no fewer than six have been bold enough to openly declare their intention.

There is no doubt that the incumbent governor holds the ace as regards to who succeeds him. But his body language on this sensitive matter is not known by anyone. He is keeping this joker close to his chest.

He has refrained from speaking on who will and will not succeed him and more importantly he is not seen as grooming anyone at least openly to take over from him.

This unpredictable style of Dr Mimiko has been his strength in his seven years in the saddle and this has continued to destabilize his political foes.

However, the defection of some

•Oke: In the race

•Ajayi: Also in the race

ONDO 2016:

Who succeeds Mimiko?

of the political sons of the governor to the APC in the last few weeks will shape the outcome of the coming polls. His former “boys” are forming an army against him come October.

Would they succeed in flooring the maverick Iroko, that is the sands of time.

While some are of the opinion that they will add value to the opposition party others described them as “ fair weather “ politicians who wants to eat from both sides. They are however

Pacesetter state expects interesting 2016 Continues from page the Director, Administration and Supplies in the Governor ’s Office, Mr. Paul Oyekunle, will serve as secretary.

Other members are the Permanent Secretary, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Lekan Busari; Permanent Secretary, Land, Housing & Survey, Mr.

•Mimiko: Race to succeed him hots up

Babatunde Ladipo; Acting Perm Secretary, Environment and Habitat, Mr. M. J. Akinlabi; and Director, Fire Ser vices, Mr. Kareem Oyekunle.

The panel has been mandated to examine the immediate and remote causes of the fire incidents, assess the extent of damage and loss to the traders and to recommend appropriate action (s) to stem a recurrence.

finding it pretty difficult to be fully integrated within the party in the state as many of them prefer discussing with leaders of the party in Lagos.

Now that many of the former chieftains of the PDP in the state have pitched their tents with the APC it is believed that the coming election would not be an easy ride for Iroko as the incumbent is fondly called.

The gang up against Iroko’s candidate succeeding him next year is increasing on a daily basis and this is gradually depleting his defence.

Observers however are of the opinion that those jumping ship to APC are doing so solely for their survival and would be treated as opportunists who wants to reap where they have not sowed when the chips are down in October. Majority of the chieftains that left the PDP for the opposition party in the state are eyeing the governorship seat.

Those who defected to APC and wants to succeed Iroko not minding those they met in the party include Chief Olusola Oke, Hon Niran Sule and Dr Pius Osunyikanmi amongst others.

Some of those who defected especially of recent however are

seen as a moles and are not trusted by the leaders of the APC who they have gone to pay allegiance to outside the state.

Also, if the rumour of the former Avaition Minister, Dr Olu Agunloye planned defection to the Social Democratic Party SDP and the Business Mogul Jimoh Ibrahim to Accord party to realise their individual governorship ambitions are genuine then the October elction may not be a two horse race between the PDP and APC but a four horse race.

This is an indication that 2016 will be an interesting year politically in the sunshine state.

There is no doubt that the incumbent governor holds the ace as regards to who succeeds him.

But his body language on this sensitive matter is not known by anyone

What would also shape 2016 in the state is the completion of ongoing projects across the state by the present administration which would become a campaign issue before the election.

Government decisions to upgrade some Obas in the state by the setting up of Chieftaincy commission may also give it a political leverage in the coming year as some communities will throw their support behind the government while others who are not pleased that some lesser Obas are upgraded to First class will kick against it.

Also, the budget of the state which was yet to be presented will also be an issue that will shape next year in the state as its likely that on-going projects would gulp the bulk of the budget provision to enable government complete them and deliver to various councils in the state.

The completion of the projects would be a campaign issue during the run up to the elections.

By February this year, where the two political parties would pick their governorship candidates and their deputies from, would equally be an issue.

The outc ome of the last general election in the state would play a major role in this particular issue of where the flag bearer of the two parties would emerge from.

While the APC seems to be stronger in the Ondo North senatorial area, the ruling PDP in the state is firmly rooted in the southern district while the two parties would divide the votes in the central Senatorial district.

Suffice it to say that the APC may be looking towards the North for its governorship candidate while the PDP searches through the South for its flag bearer while both parties would pick their deputies from the center which would be the battle field.

The promise by the governor to conduct the local government elections early next month would equally be an issue.

If the paucity of funds do not abort the promise, as the governor said over N500m would be needed for the conduct of the elections, then it may be used to test the waters ahead of the October governorship election.

But from the look of things in the state there seems to be no preparation on ground to show that the election would hold under this outgoing administration.

Governor Mimiko may prefer to use the funds for the conduct of Council Polls to clear the two months outstanding salaries of Workers to save face and be able to convince the civil servants to vote for continuity.

The ruling PDP in the state would need to pamper the civil servants in the coming year if it would need them to win the October election.

30— Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

EKITI STATE

Fayose remains big factor in Ekiti

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

E

KITI State has been in the news for several reasons since the second coming of Mr Ayodele Fayose as the governor of the state in October 16, 2014.

Ekiti, like every other state in the federation depends on federal allocation for survival and as a matter of fact, eighty percent of its revenue is derived from the federal allocation, thus if the federal allocation sneezes, Ekiti would definitely catch cold and in-truth since the major Nigeria revenue earner, which is oil started experiencing dwindling fortunes, from the olympian height of $140 per barrela few years ago to its present low of $34, the effects on Ekiti has been very profound.

Presently, the state is owing its workers two month arrears of salaries, pensioners three months and four years of arrears of gratuities Ekiti, which occupies 33rd position in the Federal allocation table, for several years oscillate between N3bn and N2.5bn, but is now dangling between N1.4bn and N1.9bn.

2016 Budget size and tax war The 2016 appropriation of the state stands at N67bn and its source of financing rests solely on the Federal allocation with little support from the internally generated revenue but with the deep in Federal allocation, focus is now on internally generated revenue. Already, taxes imposed by the government have been drawing the ire of the public, from the traders in the market, tipper owners, landlords, butchers, sawmillers to private schools owners have had cause within the past year to agitate against what they described as arbitrary and unjust taxation.

Some of the tax laws and levies are expected to take effect from the very first month of the new year.

Despite, the dwindling revenue profile of the state, Governor Fayose, at every fora, has always impressed it on the people his inviolable commitment to the payment of the N18,000 minimum wage and his aversion to workforce downsizing is common knowledge to all.

But the Governor may need more than this to pacify the angry workforce, who like their colleagues every where are not

•Gov Fayose

ready to listen to excuses when it comes to the payment of their salaries. With the government two months arrears into the new year, the Governor would need more than its usual mass appeal to address workers' restiveness in the new year.

Military probe into Ekiti Governorship election Another issue that may cause ripples in Ekiti in the new year is the much expected report of the

military ’s panel on the involvement of his men in Ekiti June 21 2014 Governorship election. The signs emanating from the probe are ominous. The former Secretary of the party and a confidant of the Governor, Dr Tope Aluko, who has since parted ways with him, was one of the principal witnesses at the probe panel.

Perhaps the Governor coming and this may have informed his

Another thorny issue that cannot be brushed aside is the imminent implosion in the state PDP, there is a groundswell of discontent among party members

recent outburst, when he alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari was plotting his removal through the military probe.

Possible implosion in Ekiti PDP Another thorny issue that cannot be brushed aside is the imminent implosion in the state PDP. There is a groundswell of discontent among party members, who are not happy at what they described as a one man show of Governor Ayo Fayose.

Today, the party is a ghost of its old self, its Secretariat deserted, as every party activity emanates from the Governor’s office. Also, many members of the party are seething with anger over sharing of appointments. Their complain is that only those in Fayose group, who had returned with him from Labour party were largely favoured in the sharing of appointments than those who have remained in the party.

There is also discontent among members of the state executive councils over running grants and usurpation of their duties, which

rendered them mere figure heads in their various establishments.

In March, the state congress of the PDP would take place and the outcome would determine who would fly the flag of the party in 2018 governorship election.

It is instructive to note that the congress may not be smooth sail for the governor because of the deep seated discontent.

Alignment and re-alignment of forces The current alignment and realignment of political forces, especially among members of the APC which is the major opposition party in the state would definitely set Governor Ayo Fayose on his toes. Most of the time he would have to watch his back, the rumoured defection of the former Secretary of the party to APC would definitely affect the succession plan of the apostle of stomach infrastructures.

2016: Issues to watch out for in Ogun

By Daud Olatunji

East, Senator Buruji Kashamu, who successfully installed his loyalists as the party executive in the state.

The aggrieved parties seem to have launched a come back move with a view to participating in the coming congress.

Some leaders of the party such as former governor, Gbenga Daniel, former minister of finance, Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye, former Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole among others may lock horns with Kashamu and his team to wrest the power from the current executive .

T

HERE are some issues that should be watched out for in 2016 in Ogun State. They include the 40 years anniversary, PDP congress, local government elections, implementation of this year budget among others.

40 years anniversary of Ogun State Come February 3, 2016 , Ogun State would be 40 years and the state government seems to be planning for the celebration of 40 years existence of the State. It was created February 3, 1976 .

The State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has pledged he would commission not less than 40 major projects as part of activities to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Ogun State in February 2016.

N200.2bn 2016 budget Ogun State House of Assembly has passed the 2016 Appropriation Bill of N200,200, 453, 352.00 reflecting a marginal reduction of about N74m from the total of N200,274,453,352 presented to the lawmakers by the State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun a month ago.

Amosun had proposed a total budget of N200.27billion as Appropriation Bill for 2016 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.

Governor Amosun had said the budget tagged ‘Budget of Optimization’, represented a moderate reduction of 4.79% compared with that of 2015, assuring that all avenues to ensure completion of projects would be vigorously pursued such that no project would be left uncompleted by the end of his tenure in May, 2019.

•Gov Amosun

OGSIEC budgets N1.3 billion for LG polls The state government is planning to hold local government elections in 2016 and a sum of N1.3 billion has been budgeted for it.

The State Independent Electoral Commission has proposed a sum of N1.3 billion for the coming local government election and others scheduled this year.

Alhaja Risikat Ogunfemi, who disclosed this at the Budget Defence before the Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation, reassured the people of the State of its determination to conduct free and fair elections across the 20 Local Government Councils in the State.

PDP state congress The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will hold congresses in some states in the country including Ogun State. Sequel to this, there seems to be tension in the party in the state as the current executive would be replaced.

The party was being controlled by a Senator representing Ogun

Lecturers strike Currently, lecturers of the Olabisi Onabanjo University(OOU), Ago - Iwoye had embarked upon a strike action over the alleged worsening under - funding of the university and unpaid salary owed them by the state government.

The strike action which was “immediate, total and comprehensive” in all the institution’s campuses, followed the resolve of the Congress of the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), OOU branch, to down tools at its

THE TEAM EDITOR: Adeleke Adeseri 08054682557 (sms only) CORRESPONDENTS: Ola Ajayi Gbenga Olarinoye Dayo Johnson Dapo Akinrefon Daud Olatunji Olasunkanmi Akoni Rotimi Ojomoyela Monsuru Olowoepejo

Ibadan Osogbo Akure Lagos Abeokuta Lagos Ekiti

Vanguard, FRIDAY , JANUARY 8, 2016—31

Education: Quick fixers on the prowl Dear Sir,

S

UCCESSIVE administrations in the education seemed to be experts on education and were not willing to listen to the advice of the trained line staff rather employ so- called advisers from outside the system.

With the frequency of change of baton between the Ministers at the Federal Ministry of Education, none stay long enough to muster enough courage and political will to initiate action on where the nation ought to be in this 21st Century as far as education is concerned.

Every new Minister of Education came into the ministry with a pre-conceived agenda.

When replaced by another Minister after eighteen months, the new expert on the block rather than pursue the programme of his/her predecessor continues his own agenda as if there was nobody in the system when he got there. What is killing the Education system is poor quality leadership . Those at the helm of affairs in education over the years have continued to use 20th Century equipment and tools to solve 21st Century problems expecting to get different results.

The recent statement of new Minister of Labour, a Medical doctor, in the Punch Newspaper of Wednesday, December 16, 2015 emphasised this point. AccordingtoDr.Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour, " We have capturedunemployedgraduates.Wearedoing two things; we get those who read Law, Engineering and other disciplines but do not have jobs.

We would train them for nine months and covert them to teachers". He continues " Most of our schools have half-baked teachers. We want to redefine our schools and make them what they are. " This suggestion from the Minister of Labour as plausible as it may seem, does not fly in my professional opinion. It is one of what I call a " quick fix" solution which adds more headache to the system than provide a sustainable solution to an identified problem. How does the Minister of Labour think that replacing the current crop of teachers in public Schools, whom he said are "half-baked" with a crop of unemployed and uninterested class of graduates to be trained for nine months will automatically become teachers ? You cannot substitute one " half- baked" with another.

The Minister used the pronoun "we " in his statements on this issue. Does it mean he is on the same page with his counterpart in the Federal Ministry of Education? If so, then,

there is a bigger problem in the Sector.

Solving the unemployment problem of the nation in one swoop using education ministry is,tosaytheleast, howlowthenationappreciates education and those in the service of education - a dumping ground for all those who cannot find positions in their chosen profession. It is not only in government circles that such impression exists but also among the general public. An educationist once said that no nation can rise above the quality of its teachers.

In this era of "Change" Education Ministers and Commissioners of Education should go from thinking in quantitative terms and focus on the quality. Building more and more physical structures to provide access for more children in school does not make any economic sense if children will leave school and do not have basic skills to make them useful to themselves and society.

Many commentators on Education in their passion to provide solution have recommended an " emergency" or put more money into education etc. I do not understand the meaning of “emergency" in education but I do know that throwing more money into educationcannotgetthenationoutofthewoods in the provision of education. If it means more money to do more of the same thing, then the nation is bereft of ideas.

Can our Education policy makers take time to reflect on what they are marketing today and ask some pertinent questions : what sort of education does the Nigerian child of the 21st century need? How do we get there ? Who takes us there ? When do we get there ? What resources do we need to get there? With all the answers available, a well articulated , cost strategic plan can be worked out.

Implementation plan is worked out in short, medium and long term periods as well as a yearly operational plan with appropriate budgets. Monitoring instruments can be developed together with measurable indicators to tell policy makers, how well the system is working and the outcomes in terms of teaching and learning.

If education is to survive, there is a need for a paradigm shift within the system on how teachers are recruited, trained, rewarded and retained. Quick fixes may be adhoc in nature but they can't lead any system to a sustainable solution of its problems.

Dennis C.U. Okoro, Magodo G.R.A, dennisokoro1936@gmail.com

Army/ Shi’ite clash: Need for caution Dear sir

T

HERE is no gain saying the fact that the Islamic movement in Nigeria has no regard for constituted authorities. In fact, Zakzaky is notably and constantly on a collision course with the constituted authorities for his intransigence and inciting messages.

The Shi’ite symbolic Arba’een trek where major parts of roads are seized in defiance of the law and convenience of other road users is the height of Shi’ite disdain and insubordination to the constituted authorities.

The penchant for blockage of access to public roads or restriction of free movement of people by the Shi’ite sect in whatever circumstance is unruly, uncalled for and in contravention of the law. It is condemnable also.

However, this cannot be a licence for the army or anybody for that matter to send innocent citizens to their early graves.

It would be recalled that there was no love lost

`

between the army and to some extent the military and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria before and after the massacre of the three sons of Sheik Zakzaky and some Hussainiyya faithfuls on that same spot during Pro-Palestinian protest known as Quds Day Procession in July, 2014.

In effect, who would not think like the Shi’ite that this attack was provocative and one too many aimed at testing their will. It was another unforgettable scar in the life of a religious group who sees the army as their arch enemy and has accused them of extrajudicial killing of its members.

The number of casualties recorded in this mayhem has rubbished the claim by the army that it applied minimal force to ensure the safety of COAS. If the army could not apply restraint in the face of minor provocation; who else would? There is an alternative route for the COAS to pass aside of that contentious one. The

number of lives lost would have been preserved if he had taken advantage of that route. The fact that one bent down to greet a dwarf does not make one a dwarf either.

Suffice it to say according to Albert Einstein that, “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” What was the role of the police in a situation of this nature?

From various accounts of the incidents there was no place the soldiers called in the police to intervene in a matter so civil. Differing positions taken by Iran and Saudi Arabia on this matter point to the struggle for religious supremacy, superiority and relevance among the Sunni and Shi’ite sects around the world.

Nigeria has had enough crises and should not be a testing ground for this religious experiment or superiority.

Sunday Onyemaechi Eze, sunnyeze02@yahoo.com

Uncommon governance and uncommon critics: The story of Akwa Ibom RIGHT OF REPLY

By Jackson Udom

A

NYONE who read last Sunday Vanguard of January 3, 2016 column of the former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mr. Tonnie Iredia, entitled: “Uncommon governance: The bane of Akwa Ibom State” would be left with more questions than answers. Iredia had, in the piece, cast aspersion on the Akwa Ibom State government; Senate Minority Leader and former governor of the state, Senator Godswill Akpabio and his successor in office, Governor Udom Emmanuel.

According to Iredia, the uncommon governance in Akwa Ibom, which he summed up to mean mere celebrations, is the bane of the state. One would have loved to ignore Iredia’s opinionated and contemptuous reduction of the good governance provided by ex Governor Akpabio in his eight years in office, which the people of the state still remember and respect him for and the continuity in human and physical development, which Udom stands for, to mere celebrations of landmark events such as Christmas Carol and the state’s founder ’s day.

However, not responding would have conceded too much to sophistry and irresponsible journalism.

Irresponsible journalism For instance, one is bound to ask, are all the statements made by the erstwhile media chief sacred truths based on empirical evidences or hearsays? Was Iredia objective enough given his confession that most of the things he wrote were “based on what he read in the media and based on media reports?” For a media professional in the class of Iredia, making statements of facts based on “ what we hear ” and “media reports” should have been an anathema to the ears and eyes of those who had the unfortunate opportunity of reading the trite, given the fact that he spent his productive years as a media manager.

The former NTA DG had clearly shown his disdain for the Akwa Ibom state government and Akpabio from the beginning of the writeup, thus when he said there were “media reports”

Senator Godswill Akpabio

that people were unhappy with Akpabio’s teleguiding of the governor, which he said “ results in huge expenses on cosmetic matters which do not impact in the strict sense on the living conditions of the people,” it should not have come as a surprise. And when he went ahead to mention the Christmas Carol and the celebration of the 28th anniversary of the creation of Akwa Ibom State as examples of such cosmetic matters, his “mission to destroy ” became clear. Did Mr Iredia ask Akwa Ibom sons and daughters their view about the celebration of the state’s 28th anniversary, which signifies the end to hard labour and bondage of decades and gave them a state of their own, where they could truly develop and aspire for greatness like real people?

Did he ask the view of the people on what he described as Christian extravaganza? One doubts if he did or would ever do that; hatchet writers don’t need real views from real people. For the purpose of clarification, the 9999 Christmas Carol was established by Senator Akpabio in 2008 while he was governor and at the time of its establishment, there was only one goal in mind; praising God and celebrating Christmas.

Now, it is one thing if Iredia’s posturing is about the propriety of Akwa Ibom State organising an event for its people to, in one accord, praise God and

The question is simple, who is Iredia working for?

celebrate at Christmas; it would also have made perfect sense if his argument had been about the need to praise God at all in a state largely dominated by Christians but where the rights and privileges of minority worshippers have never been ignored. Iredia would have saved himself and his “them say” column the embarrasment he has brought to his fans in his days in the NTA, if he had taken time to visit Akwa Ibom State to have a first hand information on human traffic through the well tarred roads into the state and the airport, just to attend this landmark event which he mischievously tagged a monumental waste.

Largest carol on earth I am quite sure in the thinking of columnist Iredia, the airport he flew into during his visit, which was constructed by Senator Akpabio is also a waste.

To criticise such landmark event that annually brings Akwa Ibom indigenes together to praise God and pray for their state, distinguishes Akwa Ibom from others in Nigeria and made it an attraction for the world, having entered the Guinness Book of Records for the largest carol on earth as a waste of public money only exposed Iredia as either an atheist or a paid agent of the opposition in the state. But the question is simple, who is Iredia working for?

Even some of those in the opposition cannot openly come out to criticise the carol because Iredia in his jaundiced submision failed to realise the amount of revenue that accrued to indigenes of the state, through the provision of support services at the venue of the event with the presence of tourists who were largely from outside Africa.

•Udom is Special Assistant Media to Senate Minority Leader

32 —Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Davido, babymama, Sophia Momodu ready to cease fire!

•Ras Kimono

Ras Kimono cries out:

*Davido and Sophia...when the going was good.

By Benjamin Njoku

H

IP-hop singer, David Adeleke a.k.a Davido and his Baby mama, Sophia Momodu, have finally agreed to sheathe their swords after a week of long drawn media battle.

A source from the Na- tional Agency For the Prohibition of Trafficking In Per- son,NAPTIP, confirmed this development yesterday to WG. The source, however, did not confirm whether the warring parties signed any peace accord or not. News went viral on the internet yesterday that the families of the former lovebirds have signed a peace agreement.

“I am not aware of the parties signing any peace agreement. I know

that they were in our office and they have made their statements and have agreed to ceasefire,” the source said.

It was gathered yesterday that Davido and his estranged lover, Sophia Momodu after their meeting at the instance of NAPTIP which was attended by Sophia, the musi- cian’s father, Deji Adeleke, Mr. and Mrs. Dele Momodu, Adeleke’s lawyer, counsel to Dele Momodu, Gbolaga Ajayi, Mr. Ajayi Famakinwa, and NAPTIP’s representatives, agreed to stop the ongoing media war.

NAPTIP’s representatives, who took Sophia and Dele Momodu and his wife’s statements, was said to have advised the Adelekes to allow the child’s mother have access to her child, currently in custody of Davido’s halfsister, Ashley Adeleke. However, it was also gathered that the warring parties met somewhere in Lekki, Lagos, again yesterday after their previous meetings could not yield any fruitful result due to certain conditions in the agreement.

Recall that the 23-year-old pop

singer stormed the Lagos State office of NAPTIP, Wednesday, on the invitation of the agency. His father, Dr. Adeleke was said to have visited the NAPTIP office earlier in the week. So also were Dele Momodu and Sophia. The outcome of the meeting, however, is this call on the parties to stop the media war.

Davido, last Sunday, rebuffed claims by his estranged lover, Sophia Momodu on the circumstances surrounding the removal of their daughter, Imade, from Sophia’s custody. The singer had alleged that a pathology test was conducted, in which it was determined that his daughter, Imade, was fed with breast milk contaminated with cannabis.

Sophia fought back through her lawyers, when she requested the original copy of the alleged medical report that Davido published during the week from Clina Lancet laboratory.

Cossy Orjiakor ready to settle down?

Q •Cossy C M Y K

ueen of boobs, Cossy Orjiakor is at it again. The controversial actress who is known for flaunting her boobs indiscriminately has revealed that she will be getting married this year.

Cossy took to her Instagram handle Wednesday, to declare her intention to walk down the aisle this year. She shared a close-up picture of her face and

captioned it “Hello 2016...I started this year with work... Helping out...

Almost like charity.... That’s when I know It’s gonna be a good year.... This year I will finally become Mrs. Cossy Ojiakor...” Recall that last September, Cossy spoke about her ideal man in an interview.

According to her, “I love hot men, really hot...” The question is, whether Cossy is ready to settle down?

I didn’t collect money from Okowa M

onths after touring the nooks and crannies of Delta State in support of Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, candidates for the April 2015 general elections, reggae legend, Ras Kimono has refuted the allegation that he was paid handsomely to perform at the campaign venues. Kimono who was reacting to a story published by some online newspapers that he, alongside other musicians including Orits Willik, Stella Monye, Righteousman were well settled told newsmen in Lagos, after performing at Ndudi Elumelu’s companies’ end of the year party that he did what he did for PDP because of its governorship candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.“I did what I did because of Okowa whom, I believe was the right man for the job then... I did what I did because I believed that it was the turn of Delta North to produce the governor of Delta State and since Okowa is from Delta North, I had no option but to support PDP and its candidate then. So, it is absolutely malicious for anybody to allege that I was compensated financially for doing that. I challenge anybody to show proof of how I was paid. Was it in naira or dollar. Let them show it the way they are showing documents of how Dasuki shared money for PDP bigwigs,” he said. Though, he said he has no regret campaigning for Okowa and PDP in April, he however, wondered if he would readily pass that route again if the situation presents itself.

The reggae legend expressed disappointment that during the inauguration of Okowa as governor, none of the musicians that were on the campaign entourage was invited to witness the ceremony. According to him, “Instead Dr. Festus Okubor, who was one of the campaign committee arrowheads told us that the governor said he wanted gospel musicians who incidentally, never participated in the campaign.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016—33

Most celebrated films that rocked Nollywood in 2015 The year 2015 may have come and gone but lovers of Nigerian films will continue to talk about some of the great films and events that made 2015, a memorable one. It is not only that the expired year was a witness to many great movies, but that it struck a responsive chord among industry watchers. Here, we prove list of some of the films that raised the bar in Nollywood in 2015.

By Benjamin Njoku

O

CTOBER 1 Release date: October 1, 2014: Kunle Afolayan has always proved to everyone that he is a genius. After the success recorded by his second film, “Figurine”, Afolayan returned to reckoning with his romance comedy drama film,”Phone Swap” which he released in 2012.

He made his fans throng the cinemas again to see his cinematic account of the country’s dark history, “October 1”when he released the film late last year. The film came strong in 2015, winning laurels at AMAA, AMVCA and BON as well as enjoying rave reviews.

It is believed that the amazing story-line and the ability of the producer to strike a chord with every movie buff makes the film a must watch in 2015.

Dry Release Date: August 14, 2015 Stephanie Linus bounced back with the release of her advocacy film, ‘ “Dry,”which many described as a “heart-opener.”

Starring the likes of veteran actress Liz Benson, William McNamara, Darwin Shaw and Paul Sambo,this film showcases a couple of true life stories about child marriage controversy in Nigeria, abandonment and rejection.

This thematic thrust, however, makes the narrative compelling and endearing as one of Nollywood’s best films in 2015.

The acting is outstanding just as the story evokes a lot of emotion.

Already , the film has started winning awards, and it is predicted that it will be one of the films that will rule the big screens this year.

Oxford Garden Release Date: December 4, 2015 Obi Emelonye’s “Oxford Garden” is completely enthralling to watch. The film, which premiered early December, saw the celebrated

•Stephanie Linus on the set of Dry film maker taking a clue from Hollywood trend,and leaving no one in doubt of his ability to strike a balance between Hollywood and Nollywood. With the likes of former boxing champion, top model and actor, Ngoli Okafor playing a lead character, Emelonye’s collaborative film project was one of the films that helped to deepen the Nollywood brand in 2015. As Emelonye noted, “”Oxford Garden is

purely fictional including all the characters. But the message of the film is fight. Figuratively, metaphorically, categorical and otherwise, the idea is that you have to fight for your place in the society, you have to fight to stay alive, fight for love and everything.”

Invasion 1897 Release Date: December 6, 2014

Lancelot Imasuen has never failed to make his fans happier each time he releases a new film.

And his historical film, “Invasion 1897”is a case in point. The film, which is unique for its historical values, broke new grounds during the second quarter of 2015, when it toured major cities in the United States including Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, New York, Dallas, winning laurels as well as accolades along the line.

A great discussion starter, “Invasion 1897” has long become a reference point for many historians, scholars and students of African studies. It remains one of the movies that raised the bar in Nollywood in 2015.

30 Days in Atlanta Another movie that made a powerful statement in Nollywood in 2015, is “AY’s 30 Days in Atlanta.” Shot in the United States and starring some of Hollywood’s leading stars, the

•30 Days in Atlanta

•Encounter

•Road To Yesterday

•Invasion 1897

•Fifty

film broke the record as it grossed N76 million in seven weeks of showing in the cinemas across the country. The prediction that it would gross over N100 million after Christmas was not out of place. AY brought his craft as a stand up comedian to bear in the much talked about film.Those who have seen the film cannot deny the fact that it is a bar raiser.

Beasts of No Nation Adapted from a 2005 novel of the same title by Uzodima Iweala, son of Okonjo-Iweala and shot in Ghana, “Beast of No Nation” took Nollywood by storm when it premiered last December. The premiere had in attendance the lead character, British-born Hollywood actor, Idris Elba and co-star, Abraham Attah, the young Ghanaian prodigy who played Agu in the film. Both stars were accompanied to the red carpet by Senator Ben Murray Bruce, CEO, Silverbird Group and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Finance Minster.

The Encounter Release Date: December 4, 2015 For those who are not familiar with the story of what transpired between the Biafran warloard, C. Odumegwu Ojukwu and his bosom friend, Emmanuel Ifeajuna, during the civil war, this short film which premiered early last month, introduces them to the problem.

It also presents new information that is fascinating to learn, especially to those who already know the story.

Fifty Release Deate: October 13, 2015 Mo Abudu, CEO, Ebonylife TV, turned a producer as she released her much talked about star-studded film, “Fifty.” The movie, directed by Biyi Bandele tells the story of a few pivotal days in the lives of four Nigerian women at the pinnacle of their careers.

Starring highly talented Nollywood actress including Iretiola Doyle, Omoni Oboli, Nse Ikpe-Etim and Dakore Egbuson, the film lifted the soul of many movie buffs in 2015.

Road To Yesterday Release Date: November 13, 2015 Resounding ovation greeted the premiere of “Road to Yesterday”, directed by Ishaya Bako and produced by Genevieve Nnaji alongside Chinny Onwugbenu. The film, which closed the 2015 African International Film Festival, AFRIF, is an epic love story, about a couple desperate to mend its marriage on a road trip to a relative’s funeral. It marked dramatic return of Genevieve Naji to Nollywood after taking a break from acting for some time now.

34—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

•Immunization

African leaders to gather in Ethiopia for first-ever ministerial confab on immunization in Africa

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FRICAN leaders, including ministers of health, finance, and other line ministries, will gather in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 2425 February 2016, for the Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa – the firstever ministerial-level convening with a singular focus on ensuring that people across the continent can get access to life-saving vaccines.

Hosted by the World Health Organization Regional Offices for Africa (AFRO) and the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) in conjunction with the African Union Commission – the conference will provide a powerful platform for African policymakers and advocates to celebrate progress toward expanding immunization coverage; discuss strategies for tackling the biggest challenges facing vaccine efforts; foster country ownership for sustainable financing for immunization; and advocate for greater engagement with all stakeholders to ensure sustainable demand for immunization.

“The Ministerial Conference is a unique opportunity to secure buy-in at the highest levels for prioritizing immunization across the continent,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

“With strong commitment from everyone, we can make universal access to immunization a reality.”

In collaboration with the Ministerial conference, WHO and PATH are hosting an event celebrating the success of the Meningitis Vaccine Project, which resulted in the first tailor-made vaccine for use against meningitis

A in the 26 African countries in the meningitis belt. The event will convene representatives from these countries and immunization partners. Since the groundbreaking MenAfriVac® vaccine was introduced in 2010, more than 230 million people in 16 countries have been protected, resulting in the control and near elimination of deadly meningitis 50 countries in Africa have successfully introduced at least one new

vaccine into their immunization programs, yet many African countries have been slow to make progress on other nationally agreed-upon immunization targets, and one in five children in the Region still does not receive the vaccines they need. In 2014, nearly 8 million infants (21%) in the African Continent did not receive the required three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine, a strong indicator

•Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode (middle), with Baby of the Year; Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris (2nd left); Chief Medical Director, Epe General Hospital, Dr. Bamidele Mustapha (left) and member, Lagos House of Assembly, Epe Constituency II, Hon. Olusegun Olulade (2nd left, behind), during the presentation of gifts to Baby of the Year, born 12:01am at the Epe General Hospital, Epe, Lagos.

that health systems are underequipped and underfunded to deliver other vaccines and health care services.

“We know that vaccines are one of the most cost-effective solutions in global health and, as a continent, we must do more to accelerate progress and reach more children,” said Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.

“Vaccinating children against life-threatening diseases is a great investment in socioeconomic development in

Africa and the world.

The Ministerial Conference is expected to convene more than 500 political leaders, technical experts and advocates from across Africa and globally.

Conference sessions will cover a range of topics, including sustainable financing for immunization, the role of communities in driving coverage and demand for vaccines, building on the success of Africa’s polio eradication initiative, and building stronger systems to improve child health.

Hear Word! Celebrating creativity in women through drama

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HE 2015 season of the thought-provoking stage play, “Hear Word! Naija Woman Talk True” may have come and gone, but not without leaving lasting impressions in the minds of the thousands who had thronged the Agip Hall of the MUSON centre at different times to see any of the six shows.

The play, sponsored by Nigeria’s most innovative telecommunications operator, Etisalat, was a well-timed piece as it held same time the yuletide celebrations were in their highest points. It also was a perfect culmination of what had proved a long, but successful season for the sponsor, cast and production team.

The audience was not left out of the joys of the moment on offer during the four-day period the Agip Hall stage was besieged by the voices of social change which spoke to such issues as women empowerment and inclusion, inequality, domestic violence, transformation and sociocultural restrictions on the

•Casts womenfolk. They were provided with the opportunity to wind down, recreate old flames between spouses, reignite family bond and connect with old friends while making new ones.

Speaking about the company’s support for the stage play, Etisalat Nigeria’s Head of Events and Sponsorships, Modupe Thani

said it aligns with the company’s tradition of creating and supporting platforms that enable people to express themselves in whatever fields such as literature, photography, theatre arts, education, music, entertainment, technology, entrepreneurship and sports.

“We believe in giving people the platforms to express

themselves the best way they can. We do this through different platforms that accommodate various talent groups be it innovation, music, sports, literature, photography, theatre arts, education, young entrepreneurs and any other way we can contribute to the development of the society,” she said.

'Hear Word' 2015 was a collection of 20 stories based on real life accounts told in a fashion that combined creativity, originality, diction, passion and stage mastery by a cast of Nigeria’s best dramatis personae featuring the ever green Taiwo AjaiLycett, Joke Silva, Bimbo Akintola, Omonor Somolu, Elvina Ibru, Ufuoma McDermott, Zara Udofia-Ejoh, Lala Akindoju, Rita Edward, Debbie Ohiri and Odenike Odetola-Odeleye.

The stories played up the numerous cultural, legislative, economic and social restrictions which limit the potentials for achievement, independence, decision-making and leadership among women.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016—35

I contested to gain experience, not the crown —Winner, Sisi Oge pageant

By Josephine Agbonkhese

Rape is about power (2)

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LLURING, brainy and eloquent are words that best describe Caroline Oresanya Yetunde, the University of Lagos Creative Arts final year student on whose head now sits the Sisi Oge Pride of Africa crown for 2015/2016.

In this interview, Yetunde who defeated 23 other contestants at the pageant's 9th edition which held in Lagos recently, shares plans for her reign, her journey into beauty pageantry and as one who weirdly prefers to stay behind the camera in spite of her beauty, she reveals that her ambition is to be the world’s biggest creative director.

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NE of the biggest myths about rape and sexual violence is that it happens as a result of uncontrollable sexual desire. Being uncontrollable, the perpetrator cannot be held responsible for his actions.

Therefore the survivor must have done something to be raped. Therefore responsibility and blame are then shifted from the perpetrator to the survivor.

Rape is not about sexual desire as all humans have such desires but not all commit rape or sexual assault. It is not a crime of passion, where the perpetrator loses control. Many rapists are in a relationship where their sexual urges are satisfied. Sexual assault or rape is a choice that they make. Rapists often plan their crimes, and in the case of children, groom them to gain their confidence and trust while waiting for an opportunity to strike. It is premeditated and over 70% cases of rape are planned in advance. When this happens, the rapist takes away any control the survivor has in that situation.

Rape happens in every society but it flourishes in an environment where there is violence, where women’s voices are not heard and where perpetrators walk away free because the law is not effective and law enforcement officers are unable to differentiate between their professional obligations and their personal biases. This is even more difficult in a country like Nigeria where police officers are not equipped to tackle the menace of rape and sexual assault. Many police stations do not bother to document incidents of rape. Some policemen

even take the bizarre route of mediating between the alleged perpetrator and the survivor.

Rape flourishes in many so c a l l e d traditional societies where women are considered less than men.

In these societies conscious efforts are made to control women’s bodies and men are raised with a feeling o f entitlement that women are there to do their bidding. That explains why we excuse and condone rape saying the rapist was desiring sex and just “took it too far ”. In this way, we make the crime more acceptable and less severe. Rape is also abetted by misogyny, which manifests in l a w s t h a t discriminate against women, support cultural believes that women tempt men with their bodies, and believe that women do not have equal rights with men.

Rape is about power and control. It is about violence.

And rapists use their sex organs as weapons of violence.

Rape is about making someone submit to your will.

It is about power, anger and control. Sex is the weapon not the objective.

What do you suspect stood you out?

I think my sense of creativity did. We were at the camp for two weeks and while there, we were engaged in different activities like, cooking, and mind games, talent hunts and much more, and I think I had an edge over all others in all the activities. I came first in the story-telling competition.

I was just being creative all along. I represented the Zulu Kingdom in South Africa but the costume I wore wasn’t what the usual descendant of Zulu will wear. I wore just a bra and a beaded costume and then a hat. I was just creative with the costumes. I designed my costumes myself, drawing ideas from what we had done earlier in school. We always make costumes in my department at the University of Lagos.

I didn’t have any special designer for this contest. My costumes were all self-made and borrowed.

Is this your first time in a pageant?

Yes, it is. But before now, I have been involved in various modelling jobs. So, this was really a new challenge for me.

What attracted you to the contest?

It is a different kind of pageant and unlike other pageants in Nigeria, this one promotes African culture, values and heritage. It takes you back to your roots and forces you to learn more about the African culture and traditions. And besides, unlike other pageants, which lack continuity, the Sisi Oge pageant has continually run for nine years now without ceasing.

How did such attract you when your peers are falling head over heels for everything western?

Parents who were rooted in the African values and tradition brought me up and my parents

used to tell my siblings and I never to forget our roots. I am from Ogun State. This pageant helped me to study more about where I come from and about the culture and traditions of my people and even my language.

Now that you have been crowned Sisi Oge 2016, how do you hope to utilise the

*Oresanya Yetunde

platform?

My aim is to positively affect lives and make people happy. To achieve that, I'm carrying out a research on the needs of the people around me. Once this is concluded, I should begin work on how to meet their needs.

Also, I intend to carry out economic empowerment programmes. Sisi Oge has a strong partnership with the Lagos State Government and I hope to partner the state government as well on my projects. Last yuletide, I worked with children with Down Syndrome, and I believe that is a good starting point for me.

Are your parents in support of you being in beauty pageantry?

My parents are always in support of what I do as long as I am doing it right and that it’s what also makes me happy.

They always give their advice and give me moral support as long as they are sure I am doing what will make me happy.

At what age did you start modelling and what was the first job you did?

I started modelling at the age of 15. I have done a couple of adverts for products such as Lux and many clothing lines.

It is believed that crowns are

usually given to people whom the organizers prefer. Would you say you deserved the crown?

The contest was 100% free and fair. I never knew anybody when I entered for it. I just bought the form and then went for the auditioning and a couple of days later, I got a message that I had been shortlisted for the next round of drilling and I kept qualifying for every stage.

The truth is, I actually never went there for the crown. Rather, being my first time in a pageant, I went there to gain experience and be a better person. Even when I looked around my f e l l o w contestants, I felt I was nowhere near winning the crown because every o t h e r contestant was beautiful a n d extremely talented. I was amazed when I made it to the finals and got the crown.

What aspect of Creative Arts are you studying?

I am in the Theatre Arts section but I focus basically on directing because I love being behind the camera.

Why would a beauty queen prefer to stay behind cameras?

I have come to realize that being behind the camera has got a lot to do with the brains. And besides, I like calling the shots.

Anybody can act but believe me, not everybody can direct.

But a lot of actors/actresses end up directing these days in Nigeria. How about that?

How many of them get it right or are on the edge? Directing involves a different kind of creativity, not just standing in front of the camera and imitating an action or a situation like most actors/ actresses. Here, you are responsible for every action in the movie or on stage. You are the only one that calls the shots and so it takes a lot of creativity, determination and hard work to be a good director.

My ambition in life is actually to be one of the best directors in Nigeria, Africa and even around the world. I am inspired by great directors like Tunde Kelani and Kunle Afolayan.

What was your prize and how do you feel about it?

As the winner of the face of Sisi Oge 2015/2016, I am a proud owner of a brand new car, some huge sum of money and other things.

36—Vanguard, FRI DAY FRIDAY DAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016—37

Delta to compensate fire disaster victims A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—DELTA State Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Mr. Chika Ossai, has expressed the state government's willingness to assist persons who lost valuable property to fire incidents in the state.

He, however, charged Deltans to be more cautious and take proactive preventive measures against future occurrences.

Ossai, when he visited some major scenes of fire disaster in Asaba, Agbor and Warri to ascertain the level of damage and conditions of victims, pointed out that most of the fire incidents were caused by the carelessness of the victims as they could have been avoided.

He said, “Today, the entire office that is the Bureau for Special Duties and the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, are taking a tour round the state where there were fire outbreaks. We started by visiting Anioma Petrol Station which was burnt and goods worth millions of naira lost.

“We visited some other places within Asaba metropolis, from where we moved to Agbor, where we visited Ika Grammar School which lost seven classrooms to fire. The fire was caused by bush burning and we observed that the farms they had in the school were too close to the classrooms, thereby leading to the fire incident. We warned them not to farm in such places.

We also visited other places,

business premises and residential buildings, in Ika North-East and Ika South where property worth millions of naira had been lost to fire.

“We are in Warri now and this is the fifth place we have visited in Warri. In fact, it is very unfortunate that Deltans have suffered so much as a result of fire outbreaks. We want to use this opportunity to advise Deltans to be very cautious in their use of inflamable materials. We know that some of the incidents were caused by accident and we pray

that such incidents do not occur again. We should learn to always switch off our electrical appliances when we are going out and be more proactive."

The commissioner, who was accompanied by the Director, SEMA, Mrs. Gladys Puegeren and the Director of Planning Research and Statistics, DPRS, Mr. Emmanuel Siakpere, said the purpose of the visit was to see how government could assist the victims, adding that the life of every Deltan was important to the state government.

“We know that the government of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa will see how it can compensate these persons. The victims are Deltans and they are very important to the state government,” he said.

One of the victims, Mr. Godfrey Ihenchukwu who lost his residential multi-million naira duplex in Edjeba, Warri, commended the commissioner for the visit, saying that “their visit shows that we have a government that is responsive to the plight of the people.”

DINNER: From left: Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, South-West, Prof.

Magnus Atilade; Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, Mr Akin Fatunke; Chairman of the occasion; Prof. Pat Utomi and Publisher/CEO, Breakthrough Media Company, Rev. Michael Akintola, during an evening of intellectual discussion and dinner organized by Breakthrough Media, in Lagos.

Rivers professionals warn against politicising efforts of security agencies

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SSOCIATION of Rivers State Professionals, ARSP, has commended the ongoing efforts by the Joint Task Force, JTF, the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to arrest the deteriorating security situation in Rivers State by undertaking robust pre-emptive raids on identified security dark spots, cultists, kidnappers, armed robbers and other dangerous elements.

ARSP, in a statement by Chidugam Dimkpa, its Media and Publicity Secretary, also commended Wednesday ’s security operations in Abuja Estate Waterside in Port Harcourt, where criminals engaged operatives of the Nigerian Army in a gun duel at the end of which various arms and ammunitions were recovered from the criminals.

According to the statement, items recovered include five AK 47 rifles, 13 magazines loaded with live ammunitions while eight of the criminals

fell to the superior firepower of the military and others escaped.

“Similarly, based on intelligence reports, men of the State Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Wednesday, raided a location in Usokun in Degema and over six locations in Buguma, where SARS operatives came under heavy gun fire by gunmen. After the duel, a SARS operative was critically injured and is receiving treatment while 36

of the criminals were arrested, various arms and ammunition recovered. Also recovered were 669 Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, believed to have been snatched from Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials before the 2015 general election.”

ARSP regretted that the local leadership of security agencies have since Wednesday reportedly come under heavy pressure by top officials of the

state government to release the arrested criminals as was noticed in the past but the security agencies have so far resisted the pressure this time around.

“We urge the security agencies not to succumb to the blackmail and pressure by the sponsors of the criminals, but should ensure that all those on the run are arrested and made to face the law," he said.

Bayelsa poll: TMG tasks security agencies on peaceful conduct earlier warning to

By Caleb Ayansina

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BUJA—THE Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, yesterday, called on security agencies to provide adequate security to ensure a peaceful supplementary governorship election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, tomorrow.

The group added that it would deploy 99 quick count

observers for the poll.

The governorship election in the state was declared inconclusive due to violence that made it impossible for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct election in Southern Ijaw, one of the eight local government areas in the state.

TMG, in a statement by its Chairman, Ibrahim Zikirullah, in Abuja, said that despite its

all political parties to play the game in line with the law, some of them still allowed their personal ambitions to plunge the state into crisis.

Zikirullahi, called on “the political parties and the contestants to ensure that the sad incidents of December 5, 2015 are not repeated tomorrow. We call on the security agencies to ensure that space is secured for the peaceful conduct of the poll.”

Delta community honours SSG, others

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HE people of OgharaIyede in Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, have called on the state government to provide more dividends of democracy such as good township roads, health centres, and good libraries for the people to boost their human capital development.

President of Oghara-Iyede Development Union, OIDU, Pastor Peter Okpobor, made the call at a civic reception for illustrious sons of the town, Mr Festus Ovie Agas, a lawyer and currently Secretary to the State Government, SSG, and Mr Joseph Ogeh, state Commissioner for Housing.

Also honoured was Vote Umukoro, also a lawyer appointed into the local government administration by Mr Emmanuel Egbabor, Chairman of Isoko North Local Government Area as Secretary to the council.

The reception held at Atebo Primary School playground Oghara-Iyede, where the union’s president also noted that Iyede was home of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Isoko politics.

He said the community was honouring the appointees for their contributions to the development of the community.

Politicians in Sapele warn Anirah against provocative statements

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OLITICIANS and political office holders in Sapele, Delta State, have warned All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the April 11, 2015, House of Assembly election for Sapele constituency, Chief Felix Anirah, against provocative statements.

Rising from a meeting in Elume, the leaders accused Anirah of engaging in a campaig of calumny against Delta State House of Assembly Speaker, Mr. Monday Igbuya.

Reminding the people to be careful of power-hungry politicians and those working against the interest of the constituency, the leaders praised Igbuya for his performance so far.

“Igbuya is devoting his energies and resources to solving problems in Delta State. He is working hard to make life meaningful for the good people of Sapele,” the leaders said in a statement by Chairman of Politicians and Political Office Holders in Sapele, PPOHIS, Mr. Oghene -Ochuko Abeke.

38—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Ugwuanyi wants ESUT's disengaged workers paid

Anambra Central: Okonkwo writes INEC over PDP ticket, rule of law

By Clifford Ndujihe

By Peter Igata

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NE OF the candidates laying claim to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Anambra Central senatorial ticket, Senator Annie Okonkwo, has written the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over PDP’s

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N U G U — GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has ordered the full payment of salaries owed the disengaged 153 staff of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT. The governor gave the directive while inaugurating the newly reconstituted governing council of the university.

Governor Ugwuanyi noted that his administration took the decision in line with its promise to alleviate poverty and ameliorate the suffering of the people, especially those who were recently disengaged by the institution,

alleged plans to conduct fresh primaries for the ticket on January 9 despite pending litigations on the issue.

The Court of Appeal recently nullified the election of Uche Ekwunife, who contested on the platform of PDP and ordered a fresh election within 90 days.

PDP, APGA supporters hold rallies over Abia judgment

By Anayo Okoli

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M U A H I A — MOVEMENT for Abia Reunion, a strong political structure of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State, stormed Government House, Umuahia, in a solidarity rally to support Governor Okezie Ikpeazu over his sack by the Court of Appeal, Owerri.

Also, hundreds of Abia women and youths held peaceful protest against the Court of Appeal judgment just as the Ukwa/Ngwa Council of Elders/Traditional rulers has pledged to fight what it called judicial injustice.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, whose candidate, Dr. Alex Otti, was declared winner, also held what they called a “victory rally”

Chief Oshin dies at 101

Late Chief Oshin HIEF LAWRENCE Oshin is dead, aged 101. Late Chief Oshin, a community leader in Emure Ekiti was until his death the Balogun of St Peter’s Anglican Church, Emure Ekiti.

He is survived by children, grand children and great grand children.

Wake-keep held yesterday at his residence, 10, Roman Catholic Mission Road, Obanifon, Emure Ekiti, and interment comes up today, after a funeral service at St. Peter Anglican Church.

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in Umuahia, where they described the Court of Appeal judgment as “victory for democracy, development and progress for Abia State.”

The rally by supporters of the party from the 17 local government areas of the state was led by the state Chairman of the party, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere.

According to them, the rally was to thank God for the judgment.

They marched through major streets of Umuahia, displaying placards some of which read: “Abians are free from economic bondage,’ ‘Bye-bye to unemployment in Abia,’ ‘Alex Otti, Abians are proud of you,’ ‘Join us celebrate Alex Otti,” Meanwhile, women and youths in support of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP said they were dissatisfied with the judgment of the Appeal Court in Owerri, and urged the Supreme Court to reverse it."

Okonkwo, in the letter by his counsel, Chief Solomon Moh, SAN, wondered why INEC listed Ekwunife as the candidate after publishing his name on its website.

He asked INEC to halt further actions on the issue pending the Supreme Court’s decision on January 29. He cautioned against PDP’s plan to hold fresh primaries on Saturday to pick a new candidate for the yet to be fixed election.

He said: ‘’It is to your (INEC) knowledge and indisputably so, that the name of Senator Okonkwo had earlier been uploaded on your website as the candidate of the PDP ahead of the March 28, 2015 election for Anambra Central senatorial district seat.

Rev Fr in trouble over prophecy, sued for N5bn

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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NEWI—SECOND son of 1st Republic Senate President Late Abyssinia Orizu, Prince Orji Orizu has challenged any Nigerian, native doctor, any child or agent of a native doctor and anybody connected to any native doctor in or outside Nigeria to come out and speak that he has visited, patronized or been seen in the house of any native doctor anywhere in or outside Nigeria.

NAIFS lauds Semenitari’s appointment as NDDC boss

By Tare Youdeowei

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A T I O N A L ASSOCIATION of Ijaw Female Students NAIFS, has described the appointment of Mrs. Ibim Seminitari as acting Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, as a blessing to the Ijaws in particular and the Niger Delta as a whole.

The group in a congratulatory

message by Mrs. Kate Ajuwa, its National President, said that Seminitari’s achievements in her days as a journalist were unparalleled, adding that she had proved that the girl-child in Niger Delta, despite the hardship, can excel.

Noting that the Seminitari initiative added colour to the biannual convention of NAIFS by enhancing the proficiency of over 5,000 Ijaw female students in English Language, she said: “We

are grateful to God that those who actually know the pains of our people are now in charge of NDDC. "We are proud that a woman and professional, who identifies with NAIFS' activities by sponsoring poetry and creative awards with financial reward for students at every NAIFS national convention, has been given a higher position to work for the good of our region.

hope President Buhari will not be fighting till his tenure will run out, leaving more hunger and bad economy in the country.

However, Amaechi, Rochas, Tinubu and others, I hope that their toes won’t be bigger for him to step on.

-Mr. Joseph Iriabije, Self Employed

Prince Nwafor-Orizu gave the challenge while addressing newsmen in his house in Nnewi, Anambra State following allegations by Rev. Fr. Chidozie Chilaka, aka ‘Jesus Network,’ of the Catholic Diocese of the East (Orthodox Catholic) during his weeklong crusade at Nigeria Science and Technical College Nnewi, that Prince Nwafor-Orizu was responsible for the misfortunes of his uncle's wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Orizu and those of her children.

The Imo State, based evangelist had allegedly called out one Mrs. Orizu, Prince Nwafor-Orizu’s uncle’s wife, during his crusade in Nnewi and told her that she had been under a spell from Prince Nwafor-Orizu.

The visibly angry lawyer, who spoke at his Chinaza residence in Ndiakwu Otolo-Nnewi said, he had sued the priest for N5 billion for character assassination defamation, as the damage he had done to his hard earned reputation and family name.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

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‘’Curiously, on or about February 6, 2015 after the Court of Appeal judgment in Abuja, in Appeal No.CA/A/737/2014 between PDP vs Ejike Oguebego & Ors as well as the sister appeal that is, Appeal No. CA/A/737A/ 2014, you proceeded to step down the name of Senator Okonkwo and substituted same with the name of Uche Ekwunife despite the fact that an appeal had been lodged at the Supreme Court against the said judgment. ‘’Accordingly, Ekwunife took benefit of the said development, and despite the pendency of appeals Nos. SC/37/2015 and SC/ 38/2015 before the Supreme Court, participated in the National Assembly elections that took place on March 28, 2015.

On President Buhari's fight against corruption

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am in total support with President Buhari stepping on toes in his bid to fight corruption. It does not matter, if the President likes, he should step on heads, bodies or march on them; afterwards their actions sent many people to grave. -Miss Hope Macaulay, Worker

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hy was Buhari voted in as President of Nigeria? Go on, we are with you. We did not vote for a gentleman, but a warrior that will take the fight to the criminals holding Nigeria to ransom. -Miss Regina Osakwe, Businesswoman

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wholeheartedly endorse any genuine war against corruption in Nigeria. In Nigeria, under President Buhari, anti-corruption is wearing a colour of selectivism, tokenism, and it is downright chaotic. -Mr. Ogwu Nwachukwu, Communicator

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ou do not chase thieves in one party while dining with them in another. It is unjust and would put the nation on fire. Majority of Nigerians will strongly back President Buhari's anti-corruption war, if it is across board. -Mr. Uche Anyambuba, Student

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he fight against corruption will be just if certain persons are prosecuted. If anticorruption war is war on opposition while leaving other persons to move freely as saints, it is dead on arrival. -Mr. Chinaza Martin, Worker

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 , 2016—39

COURT MARSHAL: 3,032 pardoned soldiers

reject redeployment to N-East ....say they have not been really re-instated

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By Luka Binniyat

ADUNA—THE 3032 soldiers, who were pardoned last August for various offences during campaigns against the Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram, in the North East of Nigeria, have rejected posting to the war fronts.

The soldiers explained that they were never really pardoned and re-integrated into the Army, but rather, resentenced to the war front.

Vanguard learned this created anxiety at the Command and Staff College, Nigerian Army School of Infantry, NASI, Jaji, Kaduna state, when over 3,000 soldiers - who claimed to have been subjected to unimaginable ill treatment after their pardon were gathered by the Commandant of NASI, Major General Kassim Aldulkareem, to inform them that they have been assigned new riffles and should be ready for deployment to the fronts on the 11 January, 2016.

“We were told to assemble in Jaji on August 17, which we did.

Then on August 19, the General Officer Commanding, GOC, of 1st Infantry Division, Maj. Gen Adeniyi Oyebade gathered us and without prior noticed moved us to Nigerian Army training Centre, NATRAC, Kontogora. Some of us found ourselves there in bathroom slippers. We were just taken straight to the place. Then, without any additional clothes

or uniform, we were subjected to what was clear punishment, not training for another three weeks.

“Still in the same clothes, we were again relocated to 333 artillery Barracks, Njetilo, Maiduguri. We got nothing but constant insults as cowards. We were there without uniforms and no arms. They just left us there and we were abused and told to assemble at every two hours for another three weeks.

“In Jaji, we went through

another round of punishment, not training. Yet, we were not given any letter to show that we are still serving soldiers.

“So when the Commandant came and said we were going back to the North East, without clearing our status, we felt we have been punished enough.” he said.

The Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the Nigerian Infantry Corps, Major C.K Abaide, told our correspondent on phone that he was not aware of the development.

No reinstatement letters

According to sources, the soldiers complained that they have not been fully re-instated into the Nigerian Army, because attempts by them to report to their units were rejected since they have no re-instatement letters.

The soldiers also said that since they have been kicked out of the barracks they have not been paid for seven months making their families who live off-barracks to be begging for food.

It was gathered that, they cried, “We are not going! Give us re-instatement letters! You are sentencing us back to war,” among others. According to sources, the Commandant hurriedly left when the soldiers were becoming uncontrollable.

One of the soldiers who spoke to some newsmen on grounds of anonimity, said: “Look at me; I have put in about 28 years of my life serving this country. I have seen action in Liberia; I have been to Rwanda, Sudan and even served overseas and we the Nigerian troops did very well and were decorated in some occasions.

“But, our experience in fighting to save our motherland is too sad a story for the outside world to know. We are not cowards. We held on for over four months facing Boko Haram.

“I just want to say that after the Army dismissed about 5,000 of us, 3032 of us were pardoned last August. Since that time, the Army Authority has treated us like prisoners of wars.

Asked to assemble in Jaji

REMEMBRANCE DAY: Enugu State governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi(left) being decorated by the state’s council chairman of Nigeria Legion, Mr. George Amalu, on the occasion of the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration and Emblems Appeal Week at the Okpara Square, Enugu, yesterday.

Pray, be patient with Buhari—Yuguda

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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BUJA—ERSTWHILE governor of Bauchi State, Malam Isa Yuguda has called for prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari and patience from Nigerians towards surmounting the economic and security challenges facing the nation.

Yuguda in a statement issued from Abuja yesterday said that the pains in the country could be likened to the hurt accruable from a deep wound as he

insisted that President Buhari had the best intentions for the country.

Yuguda who governed Bauchi State between 2007 and 2015 also called on the authorities to clamp down on the activities of religious leaders who fan the embers of division.

“What is happening today is like when you want a deep wound to heal quickly, you need to wash it thoroughly with the necessary disinfectants and chemicals. It pains as it bleeds.

But the gain is actually in the pain especially where there is an

assurance that what we are doing is right. It is only a temporary pain.

This is the stage we are in the country now and it calls for deep patience and understanding of all citizens.

“We can discern clearly that President Buhari is trying to make things work. His clarity of purpose is as unmistakable as his sincerity.

Nigerians should try to be patient.

Take for example the situation in the oil sector where it has not been possible to dismantle the cartel in that sector in the past,” Yuguda said.

AGF tasks Islamic clerics on sensitisation of followers ARMY/SHIITES CLASH:

By Jimoh Babatunde

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BUJA—THE Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has advised Islamic leaders to ensure they preach peaceful coexistence and issues of individuals’ right in society as contained in the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet, PBUH, to their followers.

The minister gave the advice while receiving a delegation of

the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, who paid a visit to him in his office.

In a statement by Comrade Salihu Othman Isah, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Attorney General made available to the media yesterday in Abuja, Malami described the clash between the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, otherwise known as Shiites and the Nigerian Army in Zaria as unfortunate and sad.

The Attorney General noted that the

clash was an avoidable incident, stressing that a revisit to the incident is important to see how it can be managed to stem further reoccurrence.

Ontherequestbythe10mandelegation led by Professor Daud Noibi, chairman of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA’s Contact Committee for the AGF to intervene on how Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the leader of the Shiites and his injured members could be released, Malami enjoined the Council to formalise their demands to the Federal Government because of the sensitivity of the issue.

STAMPEDE:

Tambuwal visits Sokoto's last patient in Saudi Arabia

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O K O T O — GOVERNOR Aminu Waziri Tambuwal yesterday visited Hajiya Fatima Isa, popularly known as Dammu, the last Sokoto’s patient in hospital from the September 2015 hajj stampede in Saudi Arabia.

A statement signed by Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said Dammu, who had been on admission at the East Jedda hospital in Saudi Arabia since the tragedy, is from Sokoto South Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

She survived the unfortunate incidence that claimed over 2000 lives globally. 274 Nigerians died from the incidence, with Dammu’s home state of Sokoto recording the death of 114 of its pilgrims.

While thanking God for her recovery from the injuries she sustained during the stampede, Tambuwal announced that the state governmentwillprovideherwith needed medical care as soon as she arrives home.

Foundation rewards teachers, students

By Tare Youdeowei

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SABA—AUSTIN Epadi-Igbuku Lights on Foundation, a non-profit body, gave out 32 awards in different categories as part of its 7th annual award ceremony for 15 secondary schools in Isoko, Delta State.

The award ceremony, which featured prizes, trophies and commemorative certificates for both students and teachers, was held at Aviara Secondary Commercial School, ASCS. Miss Idebegha Endurance from ASCS emerged best student in the 15 schools with eight credits while Theocracy Helen of Emiye Girls Grammer School topped in the spoken English competition.

Expressing his gratitude, Principal of ASCS, Mr. Isaac Ighravwe, said: “With this donation, students and teachers will no longer sit on the floor and on broken chairs.”

40—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

VANGUARD @ CHILDREN'S VILL AGE: From

left— Janet Najomo of Vanguard Media Ltd.; Programme Director, SOS Children's Village, Mr. Ayodeji Adelopo; Mrs Funmi Ajumobi, Kiddies Editor, and Mr. Charles Gerald, both of Vanguard Media, presenting gifts and food items during a visit to the Village in Isolo, Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

INVESTITURE: From left— Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Investment, Commerce and Industry, Mr. Emmanuel Enoidem; State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo; Chief Press Secretary and SSA to the governor, Mr. Ekerete Udoh; Information and Communications Commissioner, Deacon Aniekan Umanah, and state President, Publishers Guild, Mr. Ernest Akpan, during the investiture of Obong Ekpo as the guild's Grand Patron in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

EYECARE: From left— Dr. Susanna Adepoju and Dr. Taiwo Togun of IGo Eyewear, Massachusetts, USA, with the children of Tiny & Great Creche and Nursery, School, Ogbomosho, during free eye test for the children by IGo Eyewear in partnership with African Centre for Innovation & Leadership Development, ACILD, Toronto Canada, at Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

COCA-COLA IN ALIMOSHO: From left— Member, Bameke/ Bamishile Community Market Women Association, Funmilayo Saliu; Chairman, the community's Landlords’ Association, Sulaimon Oyebamire; Community Affairs Manager, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Emeka Mba, and Human Resources Manager, Water Health Nigeria, Mary Sowemimo, at the commissioning of the Coca-Cola-sponsored Alimosho Water Health Centre in the community, at Shasha, Lagos.

THANKSGIVING:

Sir and Lady Celestine Uche Ajufor during their thanksgiving service at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, Ibusa, Delta State.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS: From left—Chairperson, Women in Management and Business, WIMBIZ, and Head, Retail Banking, Diamond Bank, Aisha Ahmad; Sales Manager, The George Hotel, Ifeanyi Nwankwo; Country Manager, Nigeria, South African Airways, Thobi Duma, and Senior Consultant, Client Service, The Quadrant Company, Tosin Adefeko, during the Xperience The George Industry night in Lagos.

BABCOCK: From left—Vice President, Student Development, Dr Joseph Olarenwaju; Vice President, Financial Administration, Mr. Mofolorunso Akande; President/ VC, Professor Ademola Tayo; Snr. VP/ DVC, Academic, Professor Iheanyichukwu Okoro, and Snr. VP/ DVC, Management Services, Professor Sunday Owolabi, all of Babcock University, during the annual faculty and staff orientation held yesterday in Ogun State.

C M Y K

BRIEFING: From left—Head Usher, Prince Dele Sobo; President, Prophet Peter Adebisi; Church Secretary, Mr. Ayo Adejieyigbe, and Senior Pastor, Pastor Ayodeji Amosu, all of Christ Miracle Church Mission Worldwide, CMCM, during a briefing on the forthcoming New Prayer City and marking of the President's birthday at the Church premises, Ojodu Berger Road, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016 — 41

By Monsur Olowoopejo

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HE Lagos State Government yesterday defended the relocation of traders plying their trade in Owonifari Market within the notorious loop of Oshodi to the newly built ultra-modern Isopakodowo Market in Bolade-Oshodi, saying the action was taken in the overall interest of public good, safety and security.

Speaking during a joint press briefing addressed by the State’s Ministries of Information and Strategy, The Environment, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Office of Civic Engagement, the Government said it constructed an alternative market stall for the traders which can conveniently accommodate over 600 shops and hundreds of kee Clamps, and agreed to subsidize payment by giving shops at the new market at a monthly give away price of N5, 000.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde said the traders were adequately notified before the exercise took place as required by law, and that government engaged with the leadership of the market severally before carrying out the demolition exercise on Owonifari Market.

While clarifying issues on the demolition which took place on January 5, 2016, Ayorinde said it was important for people to note that the issue of the market had been on for nothing less than ten years, adding that government had been engaging the leadership of the market to make them realize that it could no longer continue in the manner in which the market was being used.

He said unfortunately, the leadership of the market, in the last three years, refused to move despite the fact that the new market has over 600 shops apart from the kee clamps which takes the number of people that the market could conveniently accommodate to

OWONIFARI ELECTRONIC MARKET: Our story, by LASG

UP IN SMOKE! The market, after it was set ablaze by unknown persons. Photos by Monsur Olowoopejo. over a thousand all together.

Ayorinde said having been satisfied that government had provided a befitting alternative, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode through the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, invited the leadership of the market to the Executive Chambers and met with them on December 16, 2015, where he reiterated his plans for Oshodi and the need to move the traders to Isopakodowo which as at that time had been ready for a couple of years.

Giving a further background, the Commissioner said: “A few of them

expressed certain misgivings but largely they felt that if their interest would be accommodated within the Isopakodowo Market, that they were willing and ready to move and on our part, we said that the discussion should be ongoing particularly regarding how much they would pay for each store within that market.

“After that, on Monday December 21, 2015, Governor Ambode went on a tour of that market area particularly at Isopakodowo in company with a few members of the Exco. Again, we met with the leadership of the market where it was eventually

NO TRUCE: Traders reject this market provided as alternative by government.

agreed based on the proposition by the leadership that what they were willing to pay for each shop at Isopakodowo was N5, 000.

“There is nowhere in Lagos where you will agree to be paying N5, 000 per shop not to talk of the central Oshodi, but the Governor agreed with them and we said we were ready to concede after which we now formally served them with a quit notice through the office of the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development,” he said.

Speaking further, Ayorinde denied allegation that many goods of the traders were destroyed in the demolition exercise, adding that such was far from the truth.

He said: “The intention of government certainly was not to destroy any goods and we did not destroy any goods because we believe that a good number of the traders, if not all, had moved because they were aware that they needed to move.

“Government, I should say, will not be blackmailed because we had done everything humanly possible and you know that the hallmark of this government has been compassion.

It is a compassionate government.

“The intention was not to destroy the market or destroy properties or to make life inconvenient for them. We believe very strongly that Isopakodowo market is quite ideal; its a lot bigger store-per-

store than where they had been removed now and the aim of government, as we stated earlier, is to ensure that that area of the market conforms with the type of image that we want Lagos to be, which is to return sanity to the place, to beautify the market, to construct a world class bus terminus around that place and to ensure that people who use that place on a daily basis – the commuters, traders, everybody enjoy what it means to go to a market in a mega city.

“We also believe that the exercise will largely reduce the gridlock that is associated with that area and then the criminalities that were rampant in that Oshodi. What we have done is in the interest of the generality of Lagosians,” Ayorinde said.

He added: “You will see from the reports that quite a good chunk of the traders acknowledged that they had been properly served and that they were ready to move which was why a good number of them, if not all, parked their things just before the end of last year.

“Along the line, we got intelligence report that during the holidays there were a number of criminal activities going on in the market and that the place was harbouring criminals and a number of untoward activities which of course necessitated the need to move immediately to safeguard lives, to safeguard properties and to ensure that there was no breach of peace which was what led to the demolition.”

42 — Vanguard, FRI DAY FRIDAY DAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Ebola survivors recount journey to parenthood IT was a time for thanksgiving and sober reflection at the First Consultant Medical Centre, FMC, Obalende, Lagos, when survivors of the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic, EVD, gathered along with their relatives and staff of the health institution for a special reception.

Three of the survivors, Dr. Ada Igonoh, Dr. Akinniyi Emmanuel Fadipe, and Dr Adewale Ige Adejoro, all of who are medical officers of the hospital, were the cynosure all eyes as they sat by their spouses cuddling their newborn babies.

The reception was to say “Thank You” to two US-based Nigerian medical practitioners - Dr Julius Kpaduwa, and his wife, Dr. (Mrs) Stella Kpaduwa, for their contributions towards the successful outcome of the story of Ebola at the FMC on one hand, and in Nigeria as a whole, on the other.

Kpaduwa, is the Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, who delivered

By Sola Ogundipe and Gabriel Olawale When she left Nigeria for the US on July 6, 2015 to attend a conference organised by the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas, ANPA, Dr Ada Igonoh, did not expect she was going to give birth abroad. Her story:

I

T was an annual convention at the Marriot Hotel in Florida, Orlando. I was there with the Medical Director of First Consultant, Benjamin Ohaeri and in the cause of the programme i was introduced to Dr Kpaduwa and Dr (Mrs) Kpaduwa.

After the conference i went to my brother’s place who lives in California and since Dr Kpaduwa reside in California, my brother and i decided that we were going to be seeing him for counselling and this was made possible with the help of Dr Ohaeri.

Uneventful pregnancy and delivery: At this period, everything was going on fine; there was no problem with the pregnancy apart from the little weight gain and the little pains here and there, and having to carry an increasing amount of load as the months went by.

Complications in pregnancy I did not have any nausea or vomiting or any complication whatsoever; no diabetes, no hypertension, nothing.

The delivery was normal.

Usually, there are complications in pregnancy that would determine whether you deliver vaginally or through Caesarean Section. It was decided that the mode of my delivery would be normal and I delivered on the 2nd of November, 2015. The baby weighed about 9 pounds and one ounce (4.12kg).

The delivery went very well.

No complication, no bleeding, nothing at all and I was discharged 24 hours later and sent home. The baby is growing

Igonoh of her baby at the Greater El Monte Community Hospital, California, USA, last year, while his wife was the paediatrician that took care of the baby after she was born.

“We have so much pride in these two Nigerians, said an elated Dr. Benjamin Ohiaeri, Chief Medical Director, FMC, Lagos.

Ohiaeri who spoke while presenting giant-sized “Thank You” card signed by the hospital staff and Ebola survivors, recounted that the Ebola episode was indeed a trying period for the FMC, but was thankful that a happy development had emerged with the birth of three healthy babies to the survivors and their spouses.

“We want to honour them (Kpaduwas) for delivering Ada (Igonoh) in the US. We want to express how proud we are of them.

We want them to meet everybody and go back to the USA to tell everyone that we are fine,” he noted even as he supervised the cutting of a special cake by all the Ebola survivors.

After my Ebola experience, I’m more appreciative of life – Dr Ada Igonoh every day, taking her immunisations and every other care.

Dr. Kpaduwa and Dr (Mrs) Kpaduwa who took my delivery are both Nigerian; the kind of care they gave me brings me to that point where I have faith in Nigeria. Even though so many things happen along the way and then you begin to wonder what we have in Nigeria, we have the good the bad and the ugly, but I met the good.

Survivors’ concerns When it comes to concerns, the most important is with the male survivors who have been said to still have the virus in them for a couple of months after surviving and because of this, they have been instructed to have protected intercourse so as not to infect their partners.

People need to bear in mind that Ebola survivors are human beings that have been able to pass through a very difficult time in their lives, having had a neardeath experience that they have been able to survive.

They need the support of their family members and colleagues

People need to bear in mind that Ebola survivors are human beings that have been able to pass through a very difficult time in their lives

at work, not to be alienated or stigmatised.

Male survivors should adhere to the WHO recommendation that says they should protect themselves during sexual intercourse for the first nine months.

For those with the Post- Ebola Syndrome such as aches and pains, you just have to mange it with pain killers and trust God that it is going to get better and you get stronger than you were before the Ebola virus disease struck.

We are to be celebrated, not stigmatised or discriminated against, not to carry that cloak of Ebola virus. There is more to the life of a survivor than the Ebola virus.

Biggest lesson In all of these, what I have learned is that if you can be of service to someone, that you should give your all as if you are giving unto God and not necessarily unto man.

When the time is right I hope to get back to work. My baby is two months old now and doing exclusive breast feeding. No baby •Dr Ada formula at all. It is tough, not easy, but it is a challenge I’m hoping I can take up and succeed.

Sometimes, you look at situations and you don’t think you can scale through, but no matter what life throws at you, if you have trust in God, you can be sure to overcome, it does not matter what the challenge is.

That for me is the biggest lesson that I have leant.

This experience has changed

me in that I am more appreciative of life and I know that life is for the living. No condition is permanent. If you are going through difficult circumstances, just know that it is not forever and will be over some day. If you

The stigma was terrible but we survived it — Dr Adejoro

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NOTHER survivor, Dr. Adewale Adejoro, whose wife, Mrs. Opeyemi Justina Adejoro, was safely delivered a healthy baby girl on December 1, 2015, thanked God for his complete healing.

“My belief is that it all happened for a purpose. Today I have a baby and everything about Ebola is in the past.

“Now we have so many reasons to be thankful even though I’m sad that we lost some people including our mentor, Dr Stella Adadevoh and others that died. They gave their lives for Nigeria to be a better place.

“Today I’m grateful to God because I’m alive I have a baby.

I went through many tests, and more tests were done again even after I was discharged after testing negative to the Ebola virus.

“When my wife was pregnant, the tests were done again, but for both of us it was negative, and after the baby was delivered, both of us and the baby were tested again. The result is negative. “Öur baby was born December 1, 2015. I thank God I’m now a father and God has a purpose for all that we went through, but in everything we give glory to God. Recalling his encounter with Ebola, Adejoro said: “Those periods were terrible in our lives.

Emotionally the stigma was terrible but we survived it. The lesson is that even though we go through challenges in life, they are just trying periods that will not last. “ Just as we have started a new year and its January, very soon it will be December 31st, so as long as a day and night will come, whatever challenges we are going through in life are just trying periods. If we are patient and hopeful and trust God, we will have testimonies at the end of it”.

It got to a time, my blood, semen and everything tested negative — Dr. Fadipe

N

Igonoh can be patient enough, just wait, it will fizzle out and you will be okay at the end of the day.

Be happy, know that your time on earth is short, so make the most of it. I’m not writing another article, but I’m planning to write a book, but this is not the time.

It’s a story that is still building up, it’s a continuation and doesn’t just end now that I have overcome Ebola.

OTING that his joy knew no bounds, Dr. Akinniyi Fadipe, who is a Medical Officer at the First Consultant Medical Centre, Lagos, “I am one of the 2014 Ebola survivors in Nigeria. I am very happy that I have a baby just like any other person, but I’m more excited because this is a development that came after a very dreadful period of Ebola.”

Fadipe who dismissed speculations and initial medical concerns about his own health status as a survivor, as well as the health and

Continues on page 43

Vanguard, FRI DAY FRIDAY DAY, JANUARY 8, 2016 — 43

In the US, they assumed every Nigerian had Ebola – Dr Kpaduwa

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N a reaction, Kpaduwa, who recalled that he and his wife did their best to ensure Igonoh had a safe delivery, said the story of Ebola is one that has captivated the whole world, even as he recognised that Nigeria’s triumph over the outbreak was significant indeed.

“I want to thank you and commend First Consultant Medical Centre for handling the Ebola •Dr. and Mrs Adewale Adejoro case. It was as if God designed it for Mr. Sawyer to come to First Consultants. Only God knows what would have happened if Sawyer had gone to another institution that did not have the capability of handling the terrible infection.

Nigerian would •From right, Dr and Dr (Mrs) Kpaduwa, Dr. Benjamin Ohiaeri have been in a mess. rest of the world knew what to do with “On behalf of my wife and family, I want West Africa. People were avoiding to say big congratulations to all Nigerians everyone from this part of the country. I and also thank and congratulate the staff was here in Nigeria at that time with my of the First Consultant Medical Centre for wife, but when she went back to the US, the excellent work, because without your the hospital that we were using there gave effort, I do not think Ebola infection would her a hard time. “They didn’t want her to have been contained in the way and resume work. They said it had to be manner that it was. First Consultant assumed that everyone from Nigeria at Medical Centre has gone down in history that time was suspected to have contracted and made Nigeria proud.”

Ebola. It was a difficult time, but we give Further, Kpaduwa said: “Nobody in the glory to God that we persevered and overcame in the end.”

It got to a time, my blood, semen and everything tested negative — Dr. Fadipe Continues from page 42 immune status of his baby and wife, Modupe, however thanked God that everything has turned out fine.

“The samples were sent to •Dr. and Mrs Akinniyi Fadipe the Redeem laboratory and everything has been fine.

Now we can beat our chest “Things like visual, hearing, testicular that we should be scared of nothing problems are all common to Ebola after Ebola virus especially our spouses and the babies we are going to give survivors, and the virus at a time was birth to. God has already given me one known to be in the semen. child before, but I now have another “Immediately after I was discharged, one.”

I was doing tests that involved blood The lesson I’m taking away is that God samples and the semen, so it got to a is all sufficient because I understand that time everything was negative. So I’m apart from the issue of giving birth, there absolutely free from Ebola and back to are other complication that could have normal, no joint pain, no squalae, no come as a result of the Ebola virus, but eye problem, no hair loss. I’m grateful we suffered none of these. to God”.

Re: Nigeria may get first sports university adequate training to excel in sports and CORRIGENDUM

By Ned Nwoko

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HE attention of the promoters of the Proposed Sports University of Nigeria has been drawn to a publication in the Vanguard Newspaper of Thursday, January 7, 2016 page 27, concerning the proposed university.

We wish to state clearly that while the promoters have indeed approached the National Universities Commission for guidance on the way forward for the proposed university, it is as yet only a proposed university. For the avoidance of doubt, details of this visit have been published in the Monday Bulletin of the Commission and on the website of the Commission at www.nuc.edu.ng. The promoters are perfectly aware that this visit does not in any way mean that a license has been granted and regrets any embarassment that yesterday ’s publication may have caused the NUC. Up to date information on the list of approved list of universities is also available on the website Commission as the sole regulatory agency charged with the responsibility of licensing private universities in Nigeria.In Nigeria, the Sports University which is being proposed to be cited at Idumuje Ugboko, Delta State, and is being promoted by a Philanthropist, International Lawyer, Author, and Politician, Prince Ned Munir Nwoko under the auspices of the Ned Nwoko Foundation. Because the visioner aims at making sports the varsity’s focal point, he named it Sports University of Nigeria, SUN, to be the first of its kind in Nigeria.

The vision is to produce International standard sportsmen and women who would ultimately compete at the Olympics and other world forums with exceptional results, as well as focus on teaching, research and community development.

The proposed SUN will seek to provide an enabling hitech environment for the training of world class sportsmen and women. It is expected that the proposed university would produce a crop of young men and women who would rule the world in sports and be models of excellence in sports.

Models of excellence:The curriculum of SUN would be structured along National Universities Commission (NUC)syllabus.

The curriculum shall be enriched with what obtains in similar institutions outside the country, as well as additional local content. The proposed Sports University of Nigeria would train professionals in sports, sport management, and other disciplines, and this will help to i m p r o v e performance of Nigeria as a country to achieve its potential in international The proposed sporting events.

When licensed, it University is expected that this varsity will shall maximize prepare and propel student’s our sportsmen and women to the performance desired heights by researching and also provide an environment for and providing coaching experts to scientific maximize their methods for efforts with the right results. The natural proposed SUN will progression in also equip p r o f e s s i o n a l their sporting sportsmen and strengths women with

earn additional qualifications that would enable them face the challenges of life and contribute positively to national development. Asides the individual benefits, the proposed varsity will be established to facilitate Nigeria’s rise to enviable position as a leading sports nation.

Academic discipline: The proposed university shall be designed to produce alumni, each of whom must hold a degree either in physical education or some other academic discipline of their choice. With the Promoter’s wealth of experience as Former Adviser and Chairman for Boxing Federation, Abuja, Legal Adviser to the Nigerian Government at the United Nations/ International Court of Justice on Bakassi Boundary Dispute and at the Human Right Commission in Geneva, and the support of other stakeholders many believe the proposed of Sports University will be successful.

The uniqueness of SUN shall be reflected in the proposed institution’s multi-disciplinary curriculum which shall be aligned with the needs of the sports industry, with rich and diverse offerings in the areas of global sports, physical education, health sciences, business operations and management.

It shall provide a strong foundation of core courses that shall enable students with passion and training to excel in highly competitive sports industry.

Core academic disciplines The core academic disciplines of the proposed SUN shall include: Agriculture, Arts, Basic Medical Science, Education, Environmental Science, Law and Sciences. These disciplines are expected to add value to professional sportsmen and women.

The proposed University shall maximize student’s performance by researching and providing scientific methods for natural progression in their sporting strengths. Consequently, a highly sophisticated Research Centre properly staffed and equipped will be available for staff and students.

Support Facilities: There shall be four major football size training pitches for separate sporting activities. As a sports university, a specially designed Sports Centre will be put in place to be the hub of all sporting activities that will cater for all and sundry. The Centre shall be located at the heart of the varsity. The Sports Centre will have facilities for all the different sports, including a properly equipped gymnasium, basketball hall, valley ball, badminton, fencing, squash and weight lifting. To boost international knowledge of students, the proposed University shall establish local and international collaboration and linkages.

Entrepreneurship Development: The proposed SUN shall lay emphasis on providing students with adequate entrepreneurship training and skills acquisition during their studies. This shall be achieved through the establishment of an Entrepreneurship Development Centre and compulsory General Studies courses in entrepreneurship. Additionally, the proposed University shall establish an Institute of Sports Management and Development as veritable tool for human capacity building in sports.

Any misinformation and embarassment to the NUC is regretted.

44 —Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016—45

•Sylva: APC candidate

•Dickson: PDP candidate

BAYELSA:

n i n w o d w o Sh s k e e r C e h t

By Samuel Oyadongha & Emem Idio

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OUTHERN Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State will again be on the spot light tomorrow as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC conducts the rescheduled supplementary governorship election in the area.

Though the exercise is also slated to hold in 101 units across six local government areas of the state, Southern Ijaw council is no doubt the battle ground for the two leading parties, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressive Congress, APC and it will decide who governs the state for another four years.

Described as one of the biggest local government areas in the state, Southern Ijaw also has one of the most difficult terrains in the Niger Delta. Most of its communities are far flung and could only be accessed by water.

The few communities in the council that could be reached by road are Amassoma, Igebiri and, of late, Ayama, courtesy of the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration, which resuscitated the long abandoned Central senatorial district project.

The road, designed to link council headquarters and its adjoining communities close to the Atlantic coast in the council area to mainland Yenagoa, has

reached Ayama.

Its vast swathe swamp of rivers, creeks and rivulets and dense mangrove vegetation has made effective policing of the area a herculean task for the security agencies. The area is also known for having the highest number of militant camps at the height of militancy in the Niger Delta.

Therefore, it did not come as a surprise to many when the council relapsed to its infamous past as hot bed of violence as witnessed during the December 5 and 6 governorship polls, which degenerated into bloodletting. The area was turned into a battle ground by political thugs, a development that led to the cancellation of the exercise by the INEC.

Cancellation of the exercise The state REC, Baritor Kpagih, had while announcing the cancellation said there were reports that the poll in the area was “substantially” marred by violence, ballot box snatching and hostage taking of electoral officers.

The pronouncement came immediately after the state Returning Officer, Prof. Zana Akpagu, told newsmen and election observers that he would not be able to take a final decision on the exercise until the result of

the Southern Ijaw election was received.

“We have yet to receive results from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. They (Southern Ijaw LGA) have 120,827 registered voters. As a result of this, I, as the returning officer, cannot return on this election until the results of this local government (Southern Ijaw) are received,” he had declared.

INEC reacts: But the REC stated that he was, on behalf of INEC, cancelling the election in order to protect the integrity of the election process.

“You will recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission conducted governorship election in Bayelsa State on the December 5, 2015.

The commission announced that the poll should be discontinued in some local government areas, including Southern Ijaw LGA of the state.

“As of today, December 7, 2015, the results of the election in all local government areas, except Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, have been collated.

“Reports on the election conducted in Southern Ijaw LGA on December 6, 2015, revealed that the election was substantially marred by violence, ballot snatching and hostage taking of electoral officers.

“These include reports from political parties, observers, both

local and foreign, among others.

These fall short of international acceptable standard for credible elections.

“Consequently, the commission has decided, in the interest of the integrity of the process, to cancel the governorship election in Southern Ijaw LGA. A new date for Southern Ijaw governorship election will be announced in due course.” Prior to the announcement, the state REC and some top security officers had held what was tagged ‘a security meeting’ at the INEC office in the state capital over the situation in Southern Ijaw.

Interestingly, the local government has 120,827 registered voters, the second highest after Yenagoa with 135,025 registered voters, hence the desperation of both parties to carry the day in the council, which has turned out to be the beautiful bride in the Bayelsa 2015 governorship poll.

Governor Seriake Dickson, the PDP candidate and former governor Timipre Sylva of the APC had been in the trenches in readiness for what has been dubbed as a fight to finish.

After the first round of election

Governor Seriake Dickson, the PDP candidate and former governor Timipre Sylva of the APC had been in the trenches in readiness for what has been dubbed as a fight to finish

in seven out of the eight local government areas of the state, results from INEC have confirmed the contest as a two horse- race between the Dickson and Sylva. According to figures from INEC, PDP polled 105,748 votes while the APC got 72,594.

The Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM came a distant third. As it were, the PDP seemed to be coasting to victory before the election in Southern Ijaw was cancelled due to widespread violence and late commencement of the voting process.

However, the APC who are trailing the PDP in second position had cried foul, claiming that they were already winning with a landslide in Southern Ijaw from the early results. The APC further argued that if election in Southern Ijaw should be cancelled on the ground of violence, then the entire polls ought to have been cancelled as there was also widespread violence in other local councils.

In the meantime and expectedly, Southern Ijaw Local Council has become the beautiful bride because of its capacity to decide the outcome of the polls.

Accordingly, the two leading contenders, since the resheduling have been making subtle overtures to woo eligible voters.

Politics of the state Observers of the unfolding political drama in the state had expected that the shifting of the supplementary poll to January 9 would do well to douse tension in the area, but characteristic of the politics of the state, the two contenders have continued to talk tough, trading accusations and counter accusations.

Howbeit, the two contenders have equal chances of emerging winner, but the PDP would disagree as they posit that their over 30,000 leading votes placed them as the top favourite.

Fears over poll: It is feared that the supplementary poll might not attract large turnout due to the pervading atmosphere of tension following accusations and counter-accusations from both sides of alleged stockpiling of arms in the area to be unleashed on Election Day to cow the electorates with a view to rigging the poll as well as alleged intimidation of perceived opponents by both sides.

Though the stake is high, the state governorship election poll had been characterized by voters’ apathy. The voting trend was the same in the various councils with only about 40 per cent of the registered voters coming out to cast their votes in the seven local councils so far declared.

It will be a miracle if that of Southern Ijaw council area is different.

46—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Buhari can adjust our foreign policy to defeat Boko Haram — REP UKEJE Hon Nnenna Elendu Ukeje, PDP, Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State is chairperson Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives. In this interview she speaks on national issues ranging from Nigeria’s foreign policy, anti-graft war, immigration crisis in the United Kingdom and the 2016 Appropriation Bill. Excerpts:

By Emman Ovuakporie and Johnbosco Agbakwuru

D

O you agree with those who say the National Assembly has been sloppy in its oversight functions of the executive branch?

Everybody sticks to the fact that we must be alive to our responsibility as legislators. But you would recall that at the twilight of the last administration, we had challenges with inviting ministers to come before committees of the National Assembly.

Of course it was difficult for us to do the work for which we were supposed to do when we were working with an executive arm of government, with ministers who did not think that they had any cause to answer to the summons of the National Assembly. And so it was a bit difficult towards the end. And I would say that that was probably also responsible for the fact that we were not able to capture the last phase in the budget.

What is your opinion on the proposal to allocate 30% of the budget to capital expenditure?

Well, I think it is a good thing but let’s also realise that N6 trillion has been passed.

Foreign policy sector So the fact that 30 per cent is committed to capital expenditure, it means that the recurrent remains same, so it balances up.

Are you satisfied with the allocation to achieve Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives?

Let me say that Nigerian foreign policy sector has always received less than 1% of the national budget. In listening to Mr President’s speech on the overview of the budget I did not hear a foreign policy complement. To me I am hoping that there is more commitment because the war against insurgency for instance is the difference between our foreign policy and as well as our migration policy.

Dealing with IDP’s for instance has a foreign policy component to it; of course in security like I said has a foreign component to it, diversification has a foreign policy component to it. We see that we live in a world that is increasingly without borders. We

find out that the things we do in Nigeria will necessarily affect the things that happens outside the world.

So I am looking forward to a budget that is more committed to a vibrant foreign policy. Mr President also said he wants to go back to the glorious days of Nigerian foreign policy commitment and I am hoping that they stop the trend of less than 1% of the national budget.

Of course we have also come to realise that most of our friends have become our competitors. It was a President of the United States who said foreign policy without might is really no foreign policy.

And I think we need a foreign policy that is strong, we need one that has might and cost money.

So I am hoping that the foreign policy component of the budget is one that will reflect our aspirations moving forward as well as building on the subcontinent and the world.

Is your committee concerned about the way Nigerians are treated and deported from foreign countries?

There are between 2.5 to 3 million Britons of Nigerian descent and Nigerians who live and work in the UK legitimately and they are doing all sorts of things from aviation, to medicine, to the field of education. As a matter of fact, it is said that Nigerians are some of the most educated migrant community in the world.

Now of that 3 million there is something called migration removal poll in the UK. Now this migration removal poll has averagely between 25,000 to 29,000 Nigerians. Now these are people who had either

To me I am hoping that there is more commitment because the war against insurgency for instance is the difference between our foreign policy and as well as our migration policy

in the hope that Nigerians would be treated with dignity.

Every country will remove people who are in violation of their laws, be they immigration laws, be they civil laws. Nigeria removes people from her country that lives in violation of our immigration policy.

But what Nigerian government thought to do was come to a place where and reach a memorandum of understanding that there will be certain criteria met before a Nigerian be sent back even if it is in violation of the immigration laws; one is he safe to travel? Two, is he in court, has he exhausted all the legal redress within the UK law to give him the opportunity to stay back in the UK? Three, does he have strong family ties in the UK which cannot be broken; for instance has he been married to a British citizen, they live together, they have children? And four, is he a citizen of Nigeria?

Travel certificate

•Ukeje: No complement on our foreign policy overstayed their visas, went to school in the UK and decided to stay back and had not converted their visas.

Those who have served jail sentences and have not gone back. So these are 25,000 to 29,000 people. Now around the world, we get a lot of reports about people picked up in the streets and then put on aircraft and then sent back. Because of our relationship with the UK and the

Nigerian affinity for the United Kingdom, Nigerians will necessarily think of the UK first.

And so we felt that because of the large number of Nigerians who reside within the UK, it was necessary for us to go into a Memorandum of Understanding on migration. Now the intendment behind the Memorandum of Understanding on migration was for us to have a pact on the deportation process

Now when these four criteria have been met, the Nigerian embassy in the UK would issue a travel certificate. Now this travel certificate is what the Nigerian citizen uses to leave the UK. So it is a collaboration so that they are treated with decency.

Now a Nigerian official is put on the plane to come back with them to Nigeria so that they are not put on cargo planes, so that they are not treated like cargo and they come back to Nigeria. But let me say here that with me lies a very emotive subject, there is a new reaction to agitation.

And so there is a window in that memorandum of understanding, a bi-annual window that gives the opportunity for review.

PDP, Anambra Govt trade words over LG polls

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

NAMBRA State government and the state branch of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have started trading words over the status of local government officials whose tenure would expire on Thursday next week.

The state chairman of PDP, Prince Kenneth Emeakayi had on Monday warned of what he described as a looming anarchy and bloodshed in the state government if the state government fails to conduct the council polls before January 14, 2016 when the tenure of the incumbent officials in the thirdtier of government would end.

He told members of his party in Awka that Governor Willie Obiano and the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, should be held

responsible for any breach of the peace and breakdown of law and order in the state over the issue of non conduct of the local government election.

The PDP chairman recalled that the last local government election was held in Anambra State on January 13, 2014 for a term of office of two years as stipulated by Sections 51(3) and 70 (3) of the Local Government Law of Anambra State, 1999 as amended.

Express provisions He added that the two years term of office of the serving members of the local government councils in the 21 local government areas will expire on January 14, 2016, in line with the express provisions of the local government law of

Anambra State 1999 as amended.

Emeakayi said: “The refusal or failure to hold election for the purpose of electing new set of council members to run the affairs of the 21 local government areas, including their finances at the expiration of two years term of office, by Governor Willie Obiano and APGA, is a breach, gross abuse and violation of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We wish to state unequivocally that the plan by Governor Obiano and APGA to appoint caretaker committees, or to elongate the tenure of office of the local government officials upon the expiration of their tenures on January 14, 2016, is not only criminal,

Continues on page 47

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 16 —47 8,, 20 2016

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 16 —49 8,, 20 2016

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OMOWAH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omowah Destiny, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Frings Destiny. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Immigration Service, German Embassy and general public please take note.

CHIEJINE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chiejine Chidozie Praise, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Uzoalu Chidozie Praise. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EKPOKI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nanaishetu Aidoisemeh Ekpoki, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. N a n a i s h e t u A i d o i s e m e h Ekwemalor. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ENIFOME—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oveh Ejiro Enifome, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oveh Ejiro Chiazor.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

KASALI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Kasali Damola Sikirat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ajiboye Damola Sikirat. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGUNRINOLA—I, formerly known and addressed as Ogunrinola John Adeleke, now wish to be known and addressed as Ajiboye John Adeleke. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ODIAKA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Odiaka R o s e l i n e Okwuchukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okpara Roseline Okwuchukwu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Reconciliation of names This is to confirm that the names Ruth Odjoji and Ruth Smith are the same and one person.

I now wish to be known and addressed as Ruth Smith. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWAFOR—I, formerly known as Miss Nwafor Ifeoma Jenniffer, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Nwolisa Ifeoma Jenniffer. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Name This is to certify that Badaru Abdulaziz and Badaru Abdulaziz Ismail is the same and one person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Badaru Abdulaziz Ismail. All former documents remain valid.

GT Bank, First Bank and general public please take note.

ODO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Odo Ogechukwu MaryAnne, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Isokariari Ogechukwu Mary-Anne.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OBELE-EEH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Princess Obo ObeleEeh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Princess Promise Oluka Ochen.

All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

OGUNTUSA—I, former known and addressed as Miss Oguntusa Busola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odiyi Busola Rachael.

All former documents remain valid. The general public to please take note.

Confirmation of name I am Odia Joy, a name with which I opened an account with First Bank Plc. I am also known as Odia Joy Omenogor and the two names are one and the same person. The public and authority to whom it may concern to please take note.

AHODU—I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Ahodu Phina Chinyere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ahodu Philomena Chinyere. All former documents remain valid. First Bank, UBA, FCMB and general public should please take note.

NWAKOBI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adaobi Linda Nwakobi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anieke Adaobi Linda.

All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHUKWUMA—I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Chukwuma Benjamin Chinasa, now wishes to be known and addressed as Mr. Jideuno Chinaza Hosea. All former documents remain valid. Zenith Bank and general public please take note.

A N U G W O — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Anugwo Ijeoma Edith, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ekoh Ijeoma Edith. All formal documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AGBAPULUONWU— I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Agbapuluonwu Idimma Goodness, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ezirim Idimma Goodness. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Confirmation of name ONWUEGBUCHI— This is to confirm that Onwuegbuchi Peter Chidozie and Onwuegbuchi Sunday Chidozie are one person. All former documents remain valid. ECO Bank and general public please take note.

NWOSU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwosu Francisca Obiageli, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Agunwichie Francisca Obiageli. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWOYE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwoye Theresa Izugbeaku, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Egbunike Theresa Izugbeaku. All formal documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EZEOKAFOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ezeokafor Lilian Ogenna, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Iliromah Lilian Ogenna. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ALIKALI—I, formerly known and addressed Alikali Ada, now wish to be known and addressed as Alkali Ada. All former documents remain valid. Keystone Bank Plc and general public please take note.

ADEBISI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adebisi Modupe Dorcas, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ajayi Daniels Modupe Dorcas. All former documents remain valid.

Nigerian Immigration Service and general public please take note.

Reconciliation of names This is to inform the general public that I am one and the same person variously known and addressed as Abdulsalam Sarumi and Ayinla Abdulsalam.

All former documents remain valid. Union Bank and general public, please take note.

ADEWUMI—I, formerly known and addressed as Adewumi Falilatu Abosede, now wish to be known and addressed as Adewumi Tope Abosede. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

A D I G U N — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss O l u w a k e m i Christiana Adigun, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwakemi Christiana Soewu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

BELLO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Maryam Bello, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Maryam Bello – Adamu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKUGBENI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ruth Eguono Okugbeni, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ruth Eguono Olofin.

All former documents remain valid. Cleen Foundation and general public please take note.

SULE—I, formerly known and addressed as Zainab Sule, now wish to be known and addressed as Zainab Suleiman. All former documents remain valid. Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and general public please take note.

TUTUOLA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Tutuola Omolola Rachael, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Quadri Omolola Oluwaseyi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ADEGBE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Margaret Adegbe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Margaret Igomu Adegbe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Comfirmation of name PETER – this is to confirm that the names Margaret Peter, Margaret Peter Emem, Margaret Peter Amem And Margaret Peter Chijioke are the same and one person but now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Margaret Peter Chijioke.

All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank, First Bank and general public please take note.

Confirmation of Names These names, Ongulu Ebiye and Jefere Ongulu belongs to the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Ongulu Ebiye. All former documents remain valid, any authority and the general public to take note.

FOR ENQUIRIES, CALL ADVERT HOTLINE: 01-4544821, OR 08028289689, 08033163424.

50 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Rabiul-Awwal 27, 1437 A.H.

Maintaining Family Ties: A non-negotiable obligation (2)

By Abuu ‘Aasim Muhammad Bin ‘Uthmaan, Kano Continued from last week

S

UBSEQUENTLY and consequently it is sinful to be proud, pompous or braggart just because of what you think yourself to be.1.Inthelightofthis,thereis aHadith transmittedbyAbuuDaawuud inhis Sunah which says: “Allah has removed from you the dent of the days of ignorance and beingproudofparentalorigins:apious believerandawretchedwayward(are all the same in origin) you are sons of Adam and Adam was from dust; let somemendesistfrombeinghaughty/ condescendingfortheirancestorswho werebutacharcoaloutofthecharcoals of the hellfire, else they will end up moredespisedintheeyesofAllahthan the scarab that throws away stinking objects with its nose!!”

Inthelightoftheforegoingtherefore, Adam and Hawwa’u- ‘ala’yhimas Salaam-areforthesakeofemphasisthe origin of all human families.

KeepingFamilytiesintact Nothing explains this subtitle than the saying of Allah: “So would you perhaps, if you turned away, cause corruptiononearthandseveryour[ties of] relationship?” “Those [who do so] are the ones that Allah has cursed, so He deafened them and blinded their vision”

Negative and lamentablereality Another Aayah says: “And give the relative his right, and [also] the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully”.TheAayahheresays:“and give...” here mentioned in this Aayah is of obligatory status owing to this golden principle referred to here.

Secondly,yourrelativeisprioritizedby being mentioned first before others looking at the sequential flow of the Aayah This is another important point talkingaboutthenecessityofkeeping thesetiesintact.

The necessity and indispensability ofkeepingsuchtiesintactcanscarcely beoveremphasized.Thisisbecauseif thechildrenforexamplearenotshown the value and importance of keeping these ties, there are ugly chances of the same children growing up being cutofffromtheirancestralroot. Alotof people in diaspora- as an examplerisk having such a negative and lamentablerealitysoonerorlaterunless the ties are dutifully kept and maintained.

By way an apt illustration, the wild lifeisveryconsciousinitscharacteristic way in keeping the family bond of relationship and ties by coming up in grouptoshielditselfagainstapredator.

Thesamecanarguablybesaidwhen you look at the school of fish in the water. The predatory shark is

disappointedbyapotentanddivinely bestowed shield formed by smaller speciesoffishformingonefamilyand maintaining its ties for their mutual benefits in the face of an imminent danger.Thesearefishes!!Whatofthe humans??!! Yes again, even human societiesdo-fromtimetotime-forma kindof‘familyties’andkeepsamefor achievingnegativeandreprehensible purposes and goals. The colonial masters,forinstance,hadtositunder OttoVonBismarckthethenGerman chancellorduringtheso-calledBerlin WestAfricaConference,alsocalledthe Berlin Conference, meeting of representatives of 14 European countries and the United States between 1884 and 1885 to deal with mattersrelatingtoEuropeantradeand territorialclaimsinAfrica.

It was a nefarious and inhuman agendathatsettheballrollingtowards colonizing the African continent. Yet intheprocess,theyhadtobetogether as one family of vultures hovering around a carcass that was later mercilessly eaten up!! They did maintain ties for that. If it became a necessity for them to keep those ties albeitmomentarilyforachievingtheir aimsandobjectivesincolonization,a Muslimandindeedatrulypracticing Muslim should maintain and keep hisbondoffamilyrelationshipinorder for him to have Allah’s endorsement and pleasure.

Aayah54ofSurah25onhowMan is configured on family based ties.

“It is He who created the human being from water, then invested him with ties of blood and marriage, and your Lord is all-powerful” This Aayah outlines the structural reality found in the human nature whenitcomestoissueofrelationships.

Itsays:“…theninvestedhimwithties ofbloodandmarriage”,inotherwords man is naturally tied by the rope of human fraternity through blood relationsandmarriage.YouandIare either someone else’s son, daughter,grandson, granddaughter, farther, grandfather son in law, daughterinlawfather,grandfatheror husbandandwife.WhentheGlorious Quran talks about the number of women forbidden for a Muslim to marry, 15 women are mentioned in three verses consecutively . In the firstAayah, Allah The Exalted says: “And do not marry (of women) those married by your fathers save that which went by for it is -of certaintyanactofabomination,disdainedand

Whosoever that wants his provision/ sustenance to be expanded for him and his life span extended, let him maintain his relationship

evil as a way (of living)” In the second, HE-’azza wa jallasays: “Forbidden for you are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, and your brother’s daughters andyoursister’sdaughters,yourfostermothers, and your foster- sisters, and your mothers- in- law and your step daughters under your guardianship (born) of your wives unto whom you havegonein-butifyouhavenotgone in unto them, then there is no sin on you (to marry their daughters) and thewivesofyoursonsproceedingfrom your loins and also to having two sisters as wives as the same time except for what is past for Allah is Oftforgiving Most Merciful” In the third Aayah, The Almighty says: “(Forbidden as well for you) are those women under men as wives……..”

From left: front row- Dr. AbduGaniy Enahoro, Naib Amir, Eastern Region, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat; Maulana AbdulKhalique Nayarr, Missionary-in-Charge, Ahmadiyya Nigeria; Alhaji Abdul Rasheed Ajisafe, Chief Imam, Warri Central Mosque and Dr. Mashuud Fashola, Amir Sahib of the Jamaat and other members of the jamaat in the back row during the Warri Jalsa Tarbiya recently.

Divinely ordained responsibility It is therefore a divinely ordained responsibilitytoguardagainstcausing any form of disaffection and havoc withintheranksandfilesofone’sown family through blood or marital connection and or the family of the Islamic nation and of course other members belonging to the human raceasmembersofthatfamilyinsuch a way and manner that DO NOT contradict the teachings of Islam as they (the teachings) are.

Stepsinkeepingfamilytiesthrough: Knowingandunderstandingtextual basesonmaintainingfamilyties:This refers to relevant verses and a hadith, some of which we have given them hereabove.HereIwillmakereference totwonarrationsonly.Thefirstofthese narration is a Hadith that says: “Whosoeverthatwantshisprovision/ sustenance to be expanded for him and his life span extended, let him maintainhisrelationship” The second one is: “He will never enter the paradise he who severs his ties of his relationship” Comprehendingandappreciating thelegalstatusofmaintainingfamily ties. Simply,thelegalstatusiswujuub or compulsory. It is one out of the five celebrated ordinances of Islamic law and denying its compulsory status is tantamount to kufror disbelief.

Passionately aspiring to have the rewards for Silatur rahimi and maintaining family ties. The Hadiith initemnumber1quotedaboveunder this subheading on the value of keepingone’srelationshiptakescare ofthissegment.

Showing love and sincerity of purpose -ikhlaas- in maintaining one’sfamilyties,notbeingpretentious or shedding crocodile’s tears only when members of your family are afflicted. Sustainedvisitstoyourloved onesinthefamilyandofcourseeven those you ‘do not love’ as ‘blood is thickerthanwater’.

From right: Pastor Ochuko Abeke, member Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN; Dr. Israel Abido, President, Initiative for Progressive Judaism; Amir Sahib Ahmadiyya, Dr. Mashuud Fashola; Representative of CAN President, Pastor John Ukpeowe; Maulana AbdulKhalique Nayarr and Naib Amir, Eastern Region, Dr. AbdulGaniyyi Enahoro, at the occasion in Warri.

The leaders of Ahmadiyya Jamaat and chief Emma Jones during a courtesy visit to Olu of Warri, HRM, Godfery Emiko Ikenwoli recently.

Another Jalsa in Qadian

T

HE Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat recently held its annual Islamic conference Jalsa Salana in Qadian , the birth place of the founder of the Islamic organization No fewer than 16 Nigerians participated in the conference, where they visited remarkable Islamic monuments of the Ahmadiyya community in Qadian.

The delegation included Maulvi Hafiz Shobambi, the

deputy coordinator of the Hafizzul Quran class in Ilaro.

Others are the National Secretary, Audi visual, Waheed Adeoye, President Port Harcourt Jamaat and host of other missionaries of the jamaat in Nigeria The global head of the community, Hazrat Mazroor Mirza Ahmad addressed members via video link from London, televised live on Muslim Television Ahmadiyya MTA International satellite.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016—51

Terrorism: US donates 24 Mines Resistant APCs to Nigerian Army

By Evelyn Usman

T

HE United States Of America yesterday, donated 24 Mine Resistant Armoured Protected Vehicles , MRAP to the Nigerian Army with a view to boosting its fight against insurgency in the south east.

The donation was made just when the Military said it had met its deadline on the onslaught against insurgency.

Speaking at the Ikeja Cantonment while donating the MRAP, US ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, who was represented by the embassy’s Defence Attaché, Colonel Patrick Doyle explained that the donation was done through the US Excess Defense Articles Programme.

He said “Today’s equipment donation represents part of the continuing US commitment to Nigeria and its neighbours to counter Boko Haram’s senseless acts of terror and promote regional security. These vehicles provide increased protection from improvised explosive devices, roadside bombs and small arms fire, while offering more manoeuvrability and better fuel economy than other types of armoured personnel carriers.

The tanks according to him cost Nigeria $11 million to transport into the country, adding that eight more would be shipped into the country at an estimated cost of &7.4 million . However some of them were discovered to be unserviceable.

HIJACKED PASSENGER BUS:

Police kill suspect in Delta

By Perez Brisibe

U

G H E L L I — D E LTA State Police Command has said that a suspected armed robber, who hijacked a Toyota Hiace bus with number plates DT 183 B28 in Benin, has been killed.

According to a statement by the police image maker, DSP Celestina Kalu, the suspect in company of his gang members, boarded the bus from Ring Road, Benin, and took over the steering from the driver, Goddey Akale, after they shot him.

Giving details of the incident, Kalu stated that following a distress call on the activities of the robbers in the area, Oghara Divisional Police Officer swiftly dispatched a patrol team to the scene who engaged the hoodlums in a shoot-out leading to the death of the suspect, while his two gang members escaped.

OFFICER, I'M GUILTY: A commercial motorist begging officers of Rapid Response Squad, RRS, who apprehended him for driving against traffic on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

2-month old girl killed, abandoned in refuse dump

By Bose Adelaja

L

AGOS—THE lifeless body of a two-month old baby girl, with her neck twisted, was found in a carton at a refuse dump located near Salvation Army Primary School, Sabo,

Ikorodu, Lagos, yesterday.

The body was reportedly discovered at about 8a.m. by a man who went to the site to defecate. He raised the alarm.

Passers-by, especially women, rained curses on whoever could have killed and

abandoned the baby.

They, thereafter, invited officials of the Ambulance Unit of the Ministry of Health.

When Vanguard visited the scene, the body was in a carton with diapers, a gown and an Ankara wrapper.

Trucks kill 3, injure 2 in Lagos, Ogun

By Daud Olatunji & Monsuru Olowoopejo

A

N unidentified 70-year-old woman was, yesterday, crushed to death by an articulated truck at the Railway Crossing Intersection in Agege, Lagos State, just as two people lost their lives, while two others sustained injuries in an auto crash, which occurred at the Ota Tollgate in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Ogun State.

A source said the mentallychallenged woman was killed at 6a.m., while the Ota accident happened when two trailers had a head-on collision.

A resident, Titlope, said she had been seeing the woman for the past three months, adding that on Wednesday, when she passed the rail line, the woman was sleeping.

Confirming the incident, the General Manager of Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA, Mr. Bashir Braimah, explained that the accident occurred at about 5.30a.m. after a section of the articulated truck detached from it while trying to manoeuvre at the junction.

On the Ota accident, which occurred at the Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway, it was gathered that one of the vehicles had brake failure.

The two vehicles are a Mack truck with number plates, Lagos

KJA 93 XJ and another DAF truck, LXD 355 XJ. Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, were at the scene. Ogun State Sector Commander, Adegoke Adetunji, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent on telephone, said the accident occurred at 12.53a.m.

He said the two dead bodies were deposited at the Ota General Hospital’s morgue, while the injured were receiving treatment at the same hospital.

The Sector Commander appealed to motorists to install speed limit devices on their vehicles.

Octogenarian burnt to death, as fire guts Alaba Int'l Market

By Monsuru Olowoopejo & Faith Ake

L

AGOS—A yet-to-be identified 80-year-old man was yesterday burnt to death in Ikorodu axis of Lagos State, even as fire gutted the Alaba International Market, Ojo Local Government.

Sources said that the octogenarian was sleeping when the fire occurred at about 5:11a.m., at a bungalow, located at 24, Olabode Are Avenue, Church Bus Stop, Okeriya, Ikorodu.

Eyewitnesses said that efforts by officials of the Lagos State Fire Service, Ikorodu Fire Station, at preventing the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings were commendable.

Also yesterday, goods worth millions of naira were destroyed

by an early morning fire at the popular Alaba International Market.

The fire, which reportedly started in one of the shops around 5a.m., defied efforts by some traders to put it out as it spread to other shops before members of the fire service were called in to assist.

One of the traders, Mr. Michael Timothy, blamed the fire on electrical surge. Most occupants of the shops, especially those of Eastern extraction, had travelled to their various home towns for the Christmas and New Year celebration.

When Vanguard got to the scene, fire service men were trying to put out the fire as affected traders and sympathizers were seen lamenting.

OKADA PROTEST:

Police arrest 8, impound motorcycles ‘Protest over before they arrested us'

By Perez Brisibe

U

GHELLI—EIGHT commercial motorcycle operators, Okada riders, where arrested yesterday in Ughelli while several motorcycles where impounded by policemen attached to the Ughelli Area command following protest over the increase of local government’s daily tickets price to N150.

The protest, which began on Monday, took a dramatic twist yesterday when protesters clashed with members of the task force in charge of ticket sales in the area.

Commuters within the town resorted to trekking several kilometres to their destination as the Okada riders refused to convey passengers in solidarity with their colleagues, who barricaded major junctions in the town.

A senior police officer told Vanguard that they defied the protest ban imposed in the state by the Commissioner of Police, hence the arrest.

However, one of the protesters, Samson Diabala, told Vanguard that they had long stopped protesting and were being harassed by the task force at the Post Office Roundabout when the police, in company of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, VGN, attacked them and arrested several of their colleagues after impounding their motorcycles.

52—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Bayelsa supplementary poll: INEC begins distribution of sensitive materials

By Samuel Oyadongha& Emem Idio

Y

ENAGOA—AHEAD of tomorrow's supplementary election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and other 101 polling units in Bayelsa State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the state, yesterday, said it had commenced the distribution of sensitive election materials to the Ward headquarters in the various local government areas.

Attack on Speaker's home

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State police command, yesterday, confirmed the attack on the country home of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kombowei Benson, at Korokorosei Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state by unknown persons.

Also, the state Police Command has warned VIPs to desist from using security men as escorts to polling units tomorrow, insisting that any violation of the order would not be tolerated.

Spokesman of the command, Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the attack said, “At 0405hrs, today (Thursday) unknown persons detonated an object suspected to be dynamite in the compound of Mr. Kombowei Benson, at Korokorosei Community.

“The impact damaged the doors, windows and glasses in his residence. Nobody was injured and no life was lost. The scene was visited and a team of Explosive Ordnance Disposal, EOD, unit, is conducting postblast Investigations. Efforts have been intensified to arrest the culprits.”

Meanwhile, INEC, which on Wednesday received the sensitive materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had commenced with the distribution in Ekeremor Local Government Area, yesterday.

In a chat with newsmen at the state INEC office in Yenagoa, yesterday, the Commission’s state Public Affairs Officer, Mr Timidi Wariowei, said the commission was in possession of all election materials, adding that all was now set for the election tomorrow.

Wariowei said: “On the distribution process, we intend to dispatch materials to Southern Ijaw council early tomorrow morning. You know that the real focus is on Southern Ijaw and we do not want what happened on December 5, 2015 to repeat itself in that area.

INEC is prepared to conduct free, fair and credible election for the betterment of the people.

“INEC is on top of the game.

We have been working with the security agents because without them, we cannot conduct the election. We have been collaborating with the police and army to ensure peaceful election in Bayelsa State.”

No escort for VIPs

The state Police Command warned VIPs to desist from using security men as escorts to polling units tomorrow, insisting that any violation of the order will not be tolerated.

Butswat, in a statement in Yeneagoa also said the command had beefed up security with increased foot,

vehicular, and waterways patrols, as well as intensive aerial surveillance in all parts of the state.

“All political parties and their contestants should desist from any act capable of disrupting the election process. They are advised to abide by the peace accord they had earlier signed," he said.

Butswat added that the command, in collaboration with other security agencies have synergized to create an enabling environment for the forthcoming re-run election in Southern Ijaw council and other affected polling units.

“VIPs are advised to desist

from using security men to escort them to polling units on election date, as any violation to this order will not be tolerated.

“Security agencies have been ordered to enforce the restriction of movement, of boats fitted with 200 horse power engines and above, and all river craft activities in the state's waterways, from 7p.m., to 7a.m., January 8—10, 2016, respectively.

“The electorate in the affected areas are advised to come out and exercise their franchise by casting their votes for candidates of their choice," he added.

FG assures on clean-up of Ogoniland

By Ediri Ejoh with Agency report

T

HE Federal Government, yesterday, said it would commence the clean-up of Ogoniland, Rivers State, impacted by years of oil pollution.

The clean-up, according to the Federal Government, will commence in the first quarter of this year.

Director-General of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, Dr Peter Idabor, stated this in Abuja in an interview with NAN. Idabor said that the cleanup will be undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Environment, adding that the ministry was currently meeting with all relevant stakeholders.

It will be recalled that in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the agency to fast track the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, report on environmental restoration of Ogoniland.

Delta monarch’s abductors demand undisclosed sum as ransom MOHAMMED BELLO IN COURT: Former Minister of Defence and Ex-Acting PDP Chairman, Mohammed Bello, in court for his bail application at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Edo 2016: APC urged to provide level playing field for aspirants

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—SUSPENDED Chairman of Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State, Mr. Osaro Obaze, has advised the state chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, to provide a level playing ground for all its governorship aspirants to avoid the mistakes of the immediate past.

He insisted that Edo State of 2016 was not the same as that of 2008.

Obazee, who addressed newsmen in Benin, yesterday, urged members of the APC to shun endorsement and imposition of favoured aspirants by a godfather, saying that such a move was capable of causing grave political

consequences.

He said: “A proper primary election must be conducted to ensure that the candidate that will emerge will enjoy

70-80 percent general acceptance by the party followers in particular and appeal to the electorate in general."

Sports Ministry disowns int’l youth empowerment scheme

T

By Jacob Ajom

HE Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development has distanced itself from a proposed International Youth Empowerment and Development Scheme being undertaken by a certain St. George International Resources Group Limited.

According to a statement by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Christian Ohaa, the ministry had an initial understanding with the group and “adopted the principle of

the scheme because of its foreseeable far reaching effect on the various policy direction of creating jobs and employment opportunities for Nigerian youths.

“The proposal was for a delegation of the Ministry to be led by the minister and other top officials of the Ministry to visit some of the countries where the training will take place.

Unfortunately, the said Company, St. George International Resources Group had, in violation of the terms of the agreement proceeded to recruit and collect money from prospective applicants.”

By Starrys Obazei

T

HE abductors of the traditional ruler of Ubulu-Uku, HRH Akaeze Edward Ofulue III, in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, have contacted palace officials and have demanded an undisclosed amount as ransom.

According to a source close to the palace, “No figure has been revealed.

Our shock, tension and fears are gradually dissipating as the abductors are now talking with some designated palace officials.

“The abductors are real kidnappers, but the amount they are demanding is still kept secret by the negotiators.

The government and police command are closely monitoring the negotiation.

“In the midst of our confusion, we thought about many tragic possibilities, but we are now happy that the abductors are talking. It is a matter of time, our Obi will regain freedom."

Vanguard, FRI DAY —53 FRIDAY DAY, JANUARY 8, 2016—53

C M Y K

54 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

Hazard: PSG, B/Munich, R/Madrid set for £90m transfer war A

CCORDING to re ports from The Daily Mail, Eden Hazard has decided to leave Chelsea at the end of the season, leading to a summer scramble for his services between Bayern Munich, PSG and Real Madrid.

Since claiming last season’s PFA Player of the Year award as the Blues picked up the Premier League title, the Belgium international has failed to score in 21 appearances across all competitions, whilst finding just two assists

domestically.

The 24-year-old has already decided to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season according to The Mail, who quote an unnamed source as saying; “In his head, he has already left. It would take some U-turn to keep him.”

PSG are reportedly planning a £45million bid for the unhappy Chelsea star, but they face competition from La Liga giants Real Madrid and Bundesliga champions Bayern Mu-

nich – and the west London club value Hazard at around double that sum.

Bernabeu boss Zinedine Zidane, who recently replaced Rafa Benitez, revealed his admiration for the misfiring winger earlier this week. The World Cup legend told reporters; “After Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Hazard is my favourite player. It is spectacular to see him play. Do I see him going to Real Madrid? I love the player, that’s all I will say.”

Januzaj returns to Manchester United A

WANTED ... Chelsea forward, Eden Hazard most sought after by clubs.

DNAN Januzaj has returned to Manchester United after Borussia Dortmund agreed to terminate his season-long loan with the Bundesliga club.

The 20-year-old only made 12 appearances for Dortmund after joining on a temporary deal at

Debuchy set for Serie A move A

RSENAL and France international Mathieu Debuchy is in talks with Serie Agiants AS Roma, accord-

ing to reports.

The Mirror have reported that the former Newcastle United defender is eyeing a move

away from the Emirates, amid rumours he is growing increasingly frustrated with his lack of game time this season.

The 30-year-old has seen his starting spot in the Gunners line-up handed over to rightback Hector Bellerin this season, and it seems Debuchy will need to move elsewhere to secure first-team football ahead of the European Championships this

summer.

Facing stiff competition for the starting right-back spot in the France national team, Debuchy will need to prove to France boss Didier Deschamps that he should be chosen ahead of either Bacary Sagna or Christophe Jallet.

With Roma currently occupying fifth spot in Serie A, the move will come as a major boost to Rudi Garcia’s side ahead of their title push this season.

the end of August, racking up just 160 minutes of league action.

As reported by Goal, United were uhappy with Januzaj’s lack of playing time and decided to bring him back to Old Trafford as Louis van Gaal looks to refresh his attacking options in January.

On Thursday, the club tweeted: “[Manchester United] confirms Adnan Januzaj will rejoin the squad, after Borussia

Dortmund agreed to cancel his loan deal.”

As well as bringing the Belgian youngster back to the club, Van Gaal has also made Lazio star Felipe Anderson a priority target - though a £35 million deal has stalled over a bonuses dispute.

Januzaj could even feature against Sheffield United in the FA Cup on Saturday, as long as he is registered to play before 5pm on Friday.

Januzaj

Madness if Messi doesn’t win Ballon d’Or – Henry

F

Debuchy

ORMER Barcelona forward Thierry Henry believes it would be “madness” for anyone but Lionel Messi to win this year’s Ballon d’Or. Fifa’s world player of the year for 2015 will be announced in Zurich on Monday, with Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo all in the running for the prize.

The Argentine is the

heavy favourite and Henry has backed him to claim the award for the first time since 2012, but he is disappointed Luis Suarez did not make the three-man shortlist.

“All we can do is enjoy what [Messi] does because what he is doing is not normal,” Henry told Barca’s official website.

“We used to say that a player who got 23 to 25 goals in a season was an incredible striker, but Messi does that in three months.

“We had incredible players in that [Barca] team [that Henry played in] and whenever you did not know what to do, you always looked for Messi.

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016 — 55

Ighalo not joining Man United, says Watford captain W

ATFORD captain Troy Deeney is adamant his strike partner Odion Ighalo is going nowhere — following a report that Ighalo said his dream was to join Manchester Uniteds window.

A report in The Sun quoted Ighalo, who scored more goals than any other player in England’s top-four divisions in 2015, as saying “playing at Old Trafford has always been a dream.”

Deeney said that Ighalo, a boyhood United fan, was talking hypothetically when discussing a move to United. “I think his comments [about United] were taken out of context a little bit,” Deeney told talkSPORT. “He isn’t going to leave in January. The manager and the owner have made that clear — I have just seen him on the school run and he is in no rush to go anywhere any time soon.”

Ighalo has scored 14 Premier League goals this season, a total bettered only by Everton’s Romelu Lukaku and

CHAN:

Continues from B/P ment reserved for players who feature in their home leagues.

“We played the game without strikers because our two top strikers (Tunde Adeneji and Chisom Chikatara) are injured and we also have to get used to the high altitude,” he explained.

Meanwhile the officials have disclosed that team will observe a rest day on today. The team will resume training in Pretoria tomorrow ahead of their next warm-up match against Cote d’Ivoire on Monday.

Nigeria finished third on their CHAN debut two years ago in South Africa.

Leicester’s Jamie Vardy.

In contrast, United’s top scorer, Anthony Martial, has only five league goals as Louis van Gaal’s team have struggled to find the net.

Deeney, who signed a new deal with the club in the summer after leading them to promotion, has been linked with Arsenal, but he has no desire to seek a transfer.

“No, no, no. We have still got a project to complete,” he told talkSPORT when asked about leaving. “The pleasing thing from my point of view and from Iggy’s [ghalo’s] is people want us. That shows that we have been doing something right for the past five, six months.”

Costa, Oscar in training ground bust up DIEGO Costa and Chelsea team-mate Oscar had to be separated after exchanging robust tackles in training on Thursday.

Brazil-born Spain striker Costa took exception to a challenge from

Scunthorpe.

Interim boss Guus Hiddink is likely to be asked about the kerfuffle during his scheduled pre-match media conference on Friday.

Radamel Falcao was present at Chelsea’s Cobham training base on Thursday after flying back to parent club Monaco earlier this week.

The Colombian returned to the Principality for checks on his thigh injury at Monaco’s training ground ahead of a potential return to the club.

Aubameyang, Samatta rule Africa G

ABON striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been crowned CAF African Player of the Year for the first time.

The 26-year old beat Ivorian Yaya Toure and Ghana’s Andre Ayew to the crown, the most prestigious individual award in African football. He polled 143 points, seven more than Toure whilst Ayew finished a distant third with 112 points.

He thus becomes the first from his country, Gabon, to win the prize and was decorated at the 2015 Glo-CAF Awards Gala held on Thursday, 7 January 2016 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, Nigeria.

The feat by Aubameyang ended the fouryear reign of Toure,

which lasted 2011 to 2014. For the African Player of the Year – Based in Africa, Tanzanian Mbwana Aly Samatta was decorated, becoming the first from East Africa to win the coveted prize, reserved for footballers plying their trade on the continent.

Samatta garnered 127 points, ahead of his TP Mazembe teammate and DR Congo goalkeeper Robert Muteba Kidiaba, who amassed 88 points. Algerian Baghdad Bounedjah trailed in third place with 63 points.

Cameroonian Gaelle Enganamouit was adjudged Women’s Player of the Year becoming the first from her country to pick up the prize.

Etebo, Osimhen scoop CAF awards NIGERIA U23 star Oghenekaro Etebo beat compatriot Azubuike Okechukwu to the CAF Most Promising Player for 2015, while Nigeria U17 star Victor Osimhen was CAF Youth Player of the Year.

Etebo was top goal scorer at the U23 AFCON in Senegal with five goals, while skipper Okechukwu was MVP of the tournament as Ni-

geria won the tournament and qualified for 2016 Rio Olympics.

The Youth Player of the Year Award was won by another Nigeria star, Osimhen, who was recordbreaking goal king at the U17 World Cup in Chile with 10 goals. He upstaged Mali U20 star Adama Traore, who was the MVP of the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand.

Namibian delegation, Moroccan officials arrive for Flamingos

Eagles Continues from B/P ing. Cote d’Ivoire remain the number one

Chikatara, Adeniji, Onobi train Continues from B/P involved in the workout held at the University of Pretoria training pitch.

The return of the duo will be sweet music to the ears of Super Eagles manager Sunday Oliseh, who watched his team struggle in attack against the Palancas Negras on Wednesday afternoon.

Brazil playmaker Oscar and responded in kind in a competitive training session, with a confrontation swiftly diffused.

It is understood that the incident was laughed off afterwards ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup third round tie with

2015 GLO CAF Awards:

Contrary to reports, Sunshine Stars playmaker Paul Onobi is not injured and trained without any limitation today. The Super Eagles’ will lock horns with Ivory Coast in their next international friendly on January 11 before their trip to Rwanda for the African Nations Championship.

country in Africa occupying the 19th position in the world.

Algeria is second (28 in the world), Ghana is third (33), Cape Verde Islands is fourth (39) while Tunisia is fifth (40).

Senegal, Congo, Guinea, Cameroon, Egypt, Congo DR, Uganda and Mali are above Nigeria.

In the world ranking, Belgium continue to be number one, Argentina is second, Spain is third, World Champion Germany is fourth while Copa America winners Chile are fifth.

NIGERIA’s U-17 girls begin another World Cup qualification journey on Saturday when they take on the Baby Gladiators of Namibia in a second round, first leg match at the National Stadium Complex, Abuja.

Namibia’s 26-man delegation to Saturday ’s encounter, led by Mr. Timotheus Tjongarero, arrived in Lagos in the early hours of Thursday and flew to Abuja, arriving at 8am. The delegation is accommodated at the Chida Hotel in the Federal Capital Territory.

Also on Thursday morning, match officials from Morocco, led by Referee Lamyaa Lourar-

hi, arrived in Abuja. The team includes Karima Khadiri (assistant referee 1), Zahra Jalal (assistant referee 2) and Bouchra Karboubi (reserve referee). They are accommodated at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

The match commissioner, Florence Marie Aimee Biagui from Senegal, was also being expected in Abuja on Thursday afternoon.

The Flamingos, under the watchful eyes of Coach Bala Nikyu and his assistants, have been in camp for a number of weeks, and are expected to go full throttle against the Baby Gladiators, who reached this round after eliminating fellow Southern Afri-

cans, Botswana.

Among the players Bala Nikyu is working with to do Nigeria proud on Saturday are midfielders Rasheedat Ajibade and Joy Duru, as well as Cynthia Aku and Juliet Godman.

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2016

2015 GLO CAF Awards:

CHAN: Eagles not ready yet – Oliseh S

UPER Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has insisted that his team is not ready for the 2016 CHAN championship, following their a 1-1 draw against Angola in a warm-up match in Pretoria on Wednesday.

Bartholomew Ibenegbu opened scoring for the Nigerian Team ‘B’ through a penalty kick

Aubameyang, -P.55 Samatta rule Africa

in the 84th minute, before CHAN-bound Angola equalised four minutes later.

“I am happy with the way they played, but we’re not yet ready for CHAN,” admitted Oliseh, who faces his first major test in charge of Nigeria at the tourna

Continues on Page 55

Chikatara, Adeniji, Onobi train

C

•Adeniji

HISOM Chikatara participated in full training with the Super Eagles in Pretoria yesterday morning, a day after he was rested for the national team’s 1-1 draw with Angola because of a minor thigh injury.

Sunshine Stars frontman, Tunde Adeniji has put injury worries behind him as well, as he was Continues on Page 55

Aubameyang

•Oliseh

Eagles remain 66th in FIFA rankings T

HE Super Eagles of Nigeria are unchanged in the January FIFA ranking, staying in

the 66th position.

Nigeria dropped from 59th (November) to 66th in the December ranking

and remained there in the January ranking.

They however lost one point from 541 to 540

which makes them drop one place from 13th to 14th in the African rank Continues on Page 55

QUICK CR OSS WORD CROSS OSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

FRI DAY'S ANS WERS FRID ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Dirty (4) 4 Epoch (3) 6 Cut (4) 9 Tune (3) 10 Height (8) 11 Close (4) 14 Counter (3) 16 Slumber (5) 19 Vied (8) 21 Principle (5) 23 Held (8) 24 Observe (5) 27 Gained (3) 31 Silent (4) 33 Tester (8) 34 Observe (3) 35 Dread (4) 36 Owing (3) 37 Whirlpool (4)

DOWN 2 Greasy (4) 3 Den (4) 4 Taught (8) 5 Top (4) 6 Waterway (5) 7 Untruth (3) 8 Angry (5) 12 Twist (5) 13 Sting (5) 14 Wager (3) 15 Renovate (5) 17 Happening (5) 18 Conceit (5) 20 Explode (8) 22 Brown (3) 25 Entertain (5) 26 Hearten (5) 28 Repair (4) 29 Blaze (4) 30 Nurse (4) 32 Beverage (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Sprout 5, Battle 8, Flotilla 9, Lost 10, Axe 12, Angle 15, Sob 17, Ban 18, Low 19, Hub 20, Grave 21, Eel 22, Eke 23, Gel 24, Nod 26, Rusty 29, Law 33, Isle 34, Terminal 35, Stupor 36, Berate.

DOWN: 2, PHLox 3, Oath 4, Talon 5, Brawl 6, Tale 7, Lasso 10, Ashen 11, Ebbed 12, Anger 13, Glass 14, Elergy 15, Swell 16, Below 25, Onset 27, Utter 28, Throb 30, Apart 31, Keep 32, Pier.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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C M Y K