As tension mounts in Kano over successor

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How misdiagnosis killed Akunyili

By Sola Ogundipe, Ben Agande, Chioma Obinna, Victoria Ojeme, Tony Edike, Daud Olatunji, Henry Umoru, Joseph Erunke and Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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FTER surviving sev eral rumours of her death, a former Minister of Information and Communication and erstwhile Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Professor Dora Nkem Akunyili, bowed to ovarian cancer early yesterday.

Meanwhile, her death was blamed on misdiagnosis by some doctors in the United States (US). The doctors were said to have claimed she did not have cancer after her Nigerian doctor ’s diagnosis to the effect she had the sickn e s s .

News of her death was officially announced by a former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, on the Anambra Broadcasting Service, ABS. Obi said Akunyili died after a protracted battle with canc e r .

Obi, in the statement, said: “On behalf of the Akunyili family, I wish to officially confirm the death of Prof. (Mrs.) Dora Nkem Akunyili, OFR, in a Specialist Cancer Hospital in India today at 10 am, Nigerian time, after a two-year battle with cancer. In spite her illness, Prof. Akunyili was unwavering in her belief in a better Nigeria. That was why she defied her condition and was part of Anambra State Handover Committee and the National Conference.”

The statement continued: “The last time I visited her in India, even when she needed all the prayers herself, she was full of concern for the abducted Chibok girls, security and other challenges facing the country and told me that she remained prayerful for the release of those girls and for God to help President Goodluck Jonathan to overcome all the challenges facing the nation. ”She therefore urged all Nigerians to remain prayerful and committed to building a better society for our children.

We all prayed together and I promised to be visiting her every month. “We thank all those who remain fervent in prayers for her recovery and urge them to remain prayer-

Late Dora Akunyili ful for the peaceful repose of her soul.”

Concern about Akunyili, who had been on admission in hospital for an undisclosed ailment, had made the rounds in recent times.

For several weeks, rumours of her battle with ovarian cancer dominated the social media. Although family sources debunked the stories, the rumours got stronger.

Her public appearance at the National Conference heightened anxiety about her well-being as she looked frail and a shadow of her old self.

Sunday Vanguard findings showed that the former Minister ’s ill health first came to the fore a couple of years ago while on a trip abroad. A medical check up showed she had cancer.

Misdiagnosis The Cable, an online medium, founded by Simon Kolawole, former editor of ThisDay, quoting a family source, yesterday, blamed misdiagnosis for Akunyili’s death.

According to the source, when in 1998, the former Minister was the Zonal Secretary (South-east) of the Pe-

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troleum (Special) Trust Fund, Nigerian doctors gave her what many of her family members considered to be a health scare. They said she had a growth and needed surgery.

The source narrated: “Akunyili, then 44, decided to travel to the United States, first to get a second opinion and then undergo the prescribed surgery. The bill for the medical trip was $17,000, including $12,000 for the surgery. During presurgery check-up in the US, the doctors told her the Nigerian doctors had made a wrong diagnosis and that she did not need any surgery.

“It was said to be a minor issue that medication would solve. She thanked the doctors and, to their surprise, said she was going to return the money meant for the surgery to PTF. That was strange. Nigerian government officials had devised a way of making sure such monies were not returned to the treasury.

“The hospital informed the PTF, under the leadership of Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, about one honest Nigerian they had found. Buhari, himself a straightforward person, was very impressed. He wrote a letter to Akunyili commending her honesty. NAFDAC Then came 2001. President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to appoint a director-general for the National Agency for Drug and Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and asked for the recommendation of an honest Nigerian pharmacist. Akunyili’s name promptly came up.

“Someone who had heard about her PTF record recommended her. There was a little problem, a Nigerian problem. Objections were raised that the minister of health, Prof. ABC Nwosu, was an Igbo from Anambra State and NAFDAC, being a powerful agency under the ministry, should not be headed by another Igbo from Anambra. It was also argued that the market for fake and substandard products were con-

trolled by the Igbo, with Onitsha – also in Anambra State – a major centre for the illicit business. She was going to protect “her people”, the antagonists said.

“Obasanjo, stubborn to the cause, ignored the observations and appointed her. She went on to do a credible job and ended up as one of the most outstanding public officers in Nigeria’s history, celebrated locally and globally.

She had lost a sister to fake drugs, and that was perhaps the impetus she needed to go on the offensive. Misdiagnosis Meanwhile, Akunyili always went abroad for checkups and she was always given an all-clear. She continued to look robust and energetic, and took up another government job as minister of information and communications.

“But on July 13, 2013, something strange happened to her. She was preparing to travel to the United States to receive an award. The following day was her birthday. Her 59th, precisely. Then she fell ill. She was physically weak and having pains. She decided to go ahead with her trip and attend to her health in the United States. It was while she was there that new checks were carried out.

“Alas, she had cancer. The original diagnosis in 1998 was right. But the diagnosis at the point of surgery was wrong.

She became seriously ill and there were fears she could lose her life. She was in the hospital for months and only returned to Nigeria this year when the doctors said she was improving. Her last public appearance was at the National Conference in Abuja, where she was a delegate.

Pictures of a frail-looking Akumyili soon went viral on the internet”.

In a tribute, the Chief Medical Director, Lagos Universi-

ty Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Professor Akin Osibogun, described the news as shocking. ”It is indeed sad. I am just hearing the news from you now. Professor Dora Akunyili was a personal friend apart from working together during her days at NAFDAC. The National President, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Pharm Femi Adebayo, stated: “My eyes were filled with tears when I heard about the death of a faithful and brave Nigeria n , Pharmacist par excellence.

Dora rode where men trembled, especially her fight against fake counterfeit and adulterated drugs”.

Dora Akunyili, a distinguished citizen and patriot - President Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan has described late Dora Akunyili as a distinguished Nigerian and Patriotic citizen who would be sorely missed by all those who came in contact with her.

In a statement yesterday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati quoted the President as saying he ‘ received with shock and sadness, news of the sudden and untimely death of Professor Dora Akunyili, former Minister of Information and C o m m u n i c a t i o n s . ”The President believes that Professor Akunyili will live long in the memories of those who were privileged to know her as a diligent professional, a public-spirited and forthright public officer, and as a person of great convictions.

The First Lady, Dame Patience Faka Jonathan, described Akunyili as a “titan,” who left an indelible mark with the passion and conviction with which she served the nation. Dame Jonathan described the late Akunyili’s departure as “a great loss to the nation and the womenf o l k . ” Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State expressed profound shock and sadness

over the death of f Professor Akunyili, describing it as a serious blow to the nation.

Chime in a reaction signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, said her death has robbed the nation of one of her finest breed of patriots.

Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Paul Orhii, described late Dora Akunyili as a patriot and a woman of great virt u e .

According to Orhii: “It is with great shock but with total submission to the will of God that I received the sad news of the death of Prof.

Dora Akunyili. She was a woman who loved Nigeria deeply and dedicated her entire life up till the very last minute to the service of this great nation”.

National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, said the death of Professor Akunyili was very saddening, adding that it was a huge loss to Nigeria and the womenfolk.

Aka Ikenga also mourned this lady of substance for among other things, she was a titanic Amazon, according to Chief Goddy Uwazurike, the President of Aka Ikenga.

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in his own reaction, described the late former Information Minister, as an amazon.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on media, Mrs Olufunmilayo Wakama, Amosun, who expressed shock and disbelief at the news of the demise of the one time Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), at the age of 59, said she deserves Special mention among nation builders in Nigeria.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu expressed

Continues on page 6

‘Adorable Dora’ (1954 - 2014)

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ROF. Dora Akunyili, a recipient of the Order of the Federal Republic, OFR, resigned her appointment as Minister of Information on December 16, 2010, after two years of service to pursue her political ambition of representing Anambra Central in the National Assembly as a senator.

Fondly known as “Adorable Dora”, the internationally renowned pharmacist, pharmacologist, erudite scholar, administrator, and visionary leader, would, perhaps, be best remembered as the no-nonsense Director General of the National Agency for Foods, Drugs and Administration and Control, NAFDAC. Born in Makurdi, Benue State, on July 14, 1954, the deceased hailed from Nanka, Anambra State.

The deceased always had a knack to be marked for dist i n c t i o n .

A post-doctorate Fellow of University of London and a Fellow of the West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacists, it was NAFDAC, Director General that Akunyili proved her mettle

as a leader and visionary.

She took on the hydraheaded problem of fake, spurious, unwholesome and substandard drugs, turning fortunes around for the nation’s lopsided drug distribution system and quickly gaining international recognition as a true advocate for public health and human rights protect i o n .

A multiple award- winner for her work in pharmacology, public health and human rights, Akunyili was an embodiment of excellence academically - passing the First School Leaving Certificate Examination with distinction at St. Patrick’s Primary School, Isuofia, Anambra State, in 1966.

To prove her prowess, she went on to emerge with Grade I Distinction in the West African School Certificate Examination of 1973 from Queen of the Rosary Secondary School, Nsukk a .

This superlative performance earned her the Eastern Nigerian Government Post-Primary Scholarship and the Federal Govern-

ment of Nigeria Undergraduate Scholarship. In 1978, Akunyili bagged her f i r s t degree in pharmacy, and her Ph.D in 1985 from the University of Nigeria, N s u k k a .

Among her outstanding awards were the Time Magazine Award 2006 ( One of the 18 Heroes of our Time) - Time Magazine Inc.; Person of the Year 2005 Award by Silverbird Communications Ltd; Award of Excellence by Integrated World Services (IWS), Dec. 2005; Award of Excellence Advocacy for Democracy Dividends International, Lagos; Meritorious Award 2005; An Icon of Excellence Award by the African Cultural Institute and Zenith Bank Plc; 2005 Grassroots Human Rights Campaigner Award London Based Human Rights Defense Organization, 2005; Most Innovative Director Award Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos, 2005 and Integrity Award 2003 winner given

by Transparency International.

PAGE 6—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014

We need dedicated fund for infrastructure – GUY Otobo

BY EBELE ORAKPO

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T was encomium ga lore for a former Di rector-General of the Federal Ministry of Works & Housing and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Engr. Guy Eboe Otobo, during the presentation of his autobiography: Engineer Guy Eboe Otobo: A life on the roads, which took place on Friday in Lagos.

While delivering his speech, the Chairman of the occasion and former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, described Otobo as one of his able, trusted and loyal officers.

“Our celebrant spent over 30 years in the Highway Division of the Federal Ministry of Works. He has contributed immeasurably to the construction of arterial roads, bridges and major highways in our great country. He was responsible for planning, design, construction and maintenance of federal highways. He remains till date, a professional to the core even after a distinguished and unblemished public service. It was for these reasons and more importantly, because Engr.

Otobo was one of my able, trusted and loyal officers that I did not hesitate to honour his invitation,” Babangida said.

He noted that the story of his administration will not be complete without a mention of the notable contributions of Otobo, saying: “In all the positions he held, he was never found wanting. He remained committed to his profes-

sional work. He was never distracted and performed creditably even under pressure.

Otobo said in the 1970s and 80s, Nigeria had the best road network in Africa but regretted that the story is different today despite the country producing more crude and making more money. He said the only viable solution is to set up a dedicated fund for infrastructure development and maintenance.

Also speaking at the occasion, Minister of Works, Architect Mike Onolememen, described Otobo as one of the very few Nigerians that have made genuine contributions to the development of infrastructure in the country, noting that most of the dreams he could not realise while in office, some of them are already being realised.

The book reviewer, Ambassador Dele Cole, had this to say: “This is an unhappy book for me. It is ultimately a record of how a brilliant, competent nationalistic mind could be frustrated by Lilliputians whose stock in trade is denigration, gossip and abject hypocrisy. Your autobiography is a pleasure to read but above all, a lesson in service, a beacon of hope, nevertheless tinged with sadness of what could have been.”

The event, which attracted people from all walks of life including Otobo’s former, colleagues, diplomats, family members, friends and well wishers, had Chief Edwin Clark as Father of Day. See book review on Page 49

How misdiagnosis killed Akunyili Continued from page 5 grief and shock over the death of Akunyili.

He said her death was not just a colossal loss to the entire country but also an exit of an uncommon role model.

Ekweremadu, in a statement through his Special Adviser, Media, Uche Anichukwu, described the late Pharmacist as a “ woman of substance, unequaled character, and courage who brought respect and glory to the nation.”

The Campaign for Democracy, CD, described her as strong and brave woman fought her last battle with cancer which she has just lost at the age of 59.

She will always be remembered for her doggedness,tenacity and courageous pursuit of ideals both as Director General of NAFDAC and Minister of Information Also reacting to the death of Prof. Akunyili, Chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Senator Andy Uba, said that the late Prof. Akunyili dedicated her life to the service of her fatherland and waged great war against fake and counterfeit drugs in the country.

Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, has described as shocking, painful and saddening, the death

of former Information and Communication Minister, Professor (Mrs.) Dora Akunyili, lamenting that Nigeria has once again lost one of her gems.

Governor Imoke in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, said: “I received with a heavy heart, news of the death of our dear Dora Akunyili, who was one of the few Amazons of our time.”

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger state has described the death of Akunyili as a big blow to the country whose intellectual competence and patriotic citizenship cannot be equaled.

He also described her as a fountain of knowledge, professional expert who exuded servant leadership during her national service.

According to Joseph Evah, national coordinator, Ijaw Monitoring Group, IMG, Nigerians will miss Prof. Dora Akunyili. She was the first person to risk her life for President Goodluck Jonathan during the period the late President Musa Yar ’Adua became sick before he died.

Then, the Yar ’Adua cabal, was determined to deny Jonathan his constitutional right as Vice-President to succeed the late President.

The people of Niger Delta are grateful to her and are mourning her death.

Continues on page 8

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 7

Succession war: Ex-CBN governor, uncle in tight race for the Emir of Kano stool STORIES BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD, Kano

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ARELY 24 hours after the death of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, two members of the Sanusi dynasty, the Wamban Kano, Alhaji Abbas Sanusi; and his nephew, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), are neck on neck in the race to become the next Emir.

The duo, according to sources close to the palace, are the favored candidates to clinch the exalted seat of their forefathers owing to their backgrounds, popular support, connection, exposure and financial muscle.

Abbas Sanus, 82, the patriarch of the Sanusi dynasty, was turbaned by his father, Sir Sanusi, as Sarki Sakar Gida at the age of 19 and is currently the most senior counsellor in the Emirate.

Palace sources told Sunday Vanguard, “Abbas Sanusi has practically lived his life in the palace and he is seen as a moving encyclopedia of the Kano Emirate which perhaps explains why he enjoys an excellent relationship with the kingmakers, princes and subjects alike.

“Wambai has played a stabilizing role in the Emirate since the age of 19, has the rare opportunity to have served two Emirs in succession and he is believed to be much grounded on the rudiments of tradition more than any prince in the house.”

At the twilight of the Ado Bayero reign, Wamban Kano played a dominant role in the palace, offering himself as a symbol of unity as the late Emir battled with his life at a London hospital.

He has always demonstrated his unalloyed support for Governor Kwankwaso which, in return, earned him a good relationship with the state chief executive who has the final say on who becomes the next Emir of Kano. The relationship was so strong that Kwankwaso appointed Abdullahi Abbas,

the eldest son of the Wamban Kano into his cabinet as his Commissioner for Environment.

Despite the odds that favor the octogenarian prince, he, however, has to contend with his nephew, the former CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, like his uncle, Abbas Sanusi, nursed the same ambition of inheriting the throne of their forefathers and going by the current trend in the city, it’s only God that can stop him.

SLS, as he is fondly called, was turbaned as Dan Majen Kano by the late Ado Bayero in recognition of his contribution to humanity which perhaps brought him closer to the throne. The encomium poured on him on the day he was turbaned by the late Emir forced a change on public opinion on his personality.

The controversy with the Presidency made him a hero in Kano and further drew him to Governor Kwankwaso as both until then were sworn enemies.

Undoubtedly, the former apex bank chief is the most popular among the princes vying for the Emir of Kano position due largely to his public stance on corruption, his age, exposure, contacts and love for his people and religion.

Interestingly, the siblings of the late Emir are not giving up the fight. Bayero’s eldest son, Sanusi Ado Bayero, the Chiroma Kano, is also a strong contender to the throne and he is leading his two other siblings, Aminu Ado Bayero, the Sarki Sakar Gida, and Nasiru Ado Bayero, the Turakin Kano, in the succession war .

Palace sources told Sunday Vanguard that the combination of the Chiroma Kano, Sanusi Ado Bayero, and his younger brother, Nasiru Ado Bayero, believed to be in total control of Bayero’s estate can match the ex-CBN Governor naira to naira but the frosty relationship between their late father and Kwankwaso appears to be

their undoing at the moment.

One of the palace sources said, “When the chips are down, it is obvious the Bayeros would rally round their elder brother, the Chiroma, in a race that looks won and lost on the platter of who you know”.

The last time Kano recorded a direct son of a departed Emir succeeding his father or appointed into the throne of his father in the Emirate was in 1953, when Sir Sanusi whose forebears are currently the favorite ascended the throne. Whether the Bayero siblings are capable of breaking the jinx would certainly manifest in matter of days.

As Kano kingmakers, that comprise of the Sarkin Bai, Alhaji Adnan , Madakin Kano, the Sarki Dawaki Mai’tuta,Makaman Kano, and the Walin Kano, are set to meet to short list three candidates for the top Emirate job on or before midweek, the atmosphere remains frenzy and pregnant with suspense.

NEASY calm pervades Kano as Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is set to announce the new Emir today.

Security has been placed on red alert pending the announcement and strategic junctions taken over by security agents to forestall break down of law and order.

Kwankwaso, who addressed reporters shortly after a visit by the Kano four kingmakers to his office, yesterday, disclosed that “barring any last-minute change in plan, the new Emir would emerge Sunday (today).”

Kwankwaso, flanked by the kingmakers, refused further inquiries on the succession race, stressing that “ we are set to announce the Emir

tomorrow” (today).

The governor added: “The kingmakers, led by their Chairman, are here to condole with me over the death of our Emir and, want to assure you that we would announce the new Emir on Sunday”.

The kingmakers are the Makaman Kano, Sarki Ibrahim, the Sarki Bai, Alhaji Adnana, the Sarki Dawaki Mai Tuta, Alhaji Bello Abubakar, and the Madakin Kano Yusuf NaBuhari.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that they submitted to the governor their shortlist of four candidates, two each from the Sanusi dynasty and the Alhaji Ado Ruling House.

The kingmakers were also said to have recommended the son of the late Emir, who also

•The late Ado Bayero, with one of his grand children

The late Ado Bayero’s last battle with Gov Kwankwaso F

OR the 51 years the revered Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, who joined his ancestors, last Friday, sat on the throne, he bestowed traditional honours on distinguished individuals but none generated controversy like the appointment, installation and reversal of the appointment of an Islamic cleric, Dr Muhammad Nasir Muhammad, the Chief Imam of Waje Central Mosque, as the Wazirin Kano.

When the late 13th Fulani emir forwarded a notice of intent to turban Muhammad as the Wazirin Kano to Kano State Government following the vacuum created by the death of Isa Wazir on August 3, 2013, little did the octogenarian emir know the reactions the nomination would generate.

Muhammad, by virtue of his position as the second in

Tension as Kwankwaso announces new Emir of Kano

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A CARING GRAND-FATHER

doubles as the Chiroman Kano, to succeed his late father, stressing that the choice remains a stabilising factor for now.

The kingmakers were said to have told Kwankwaso that their nominee remained the only choice to assuage the restive populace as the governor’s quarrel with the late Emir depressed him .

They were said to have told Kwankwaso, that “ we carefully assessed the situation and believe that the only way to avoid crisis is to honour the late Emir with appointment of his successor.”

When Sunday Vanguard visited the palace, the Chiroman Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Ado Bayero, was seen receiving guests while his brothers are believed to have stepped down for him.

command in the League of Imams in Kano Emirate, was exposed to the public that made him a household name in the city of over nine million citizens.

But the state government, while responding to the Emir’s notice, advised him on the need to hold on Mohammad’s nomination to enable it address some “knotty issues” concerning the propriety and suitability of the Emirate to the exalted position of the Waziri.

Until the British conquest of Kano in 1886, the Wazirin Kano played little or no significance in the administration of the Emirate. However, all that changed with the appointment of Alhaji Abdullahi Bayero, the grandfather of the departed Emir, who was said to have brought candour and prestige to the position.

The appointment of the quintessential Islamic cleric, Sarkin Gidado, by the late Emir of Kano, elevated the position. In Gidado’s linage, two of his siblings occupied the envious position, the last one being Alhaji Isa Waziri.

The Wazirin Kano is next to the Emir of Kano in the hierarchy of palace administration and the position is usually reserved for Islamic clerics of high pedigree. But the Wazirin Kano’s role in the scheme of things is purely advisory to the Emir on religious matters.

The stage for the crisis was set when the late Ado Bayero ignored the advice of Kano State government and went ahead to install Muhammad, the emirate’s candidate, as the Wazirin Kano in a brief but colourful ceremony that was attended by the Deputy Governor, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje.

A source told Sunday Vanguard: “The Deputy Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who was at the palace during the brief ceremony, held a meeting

with the most senior counsellor of the Emirate, the Wamban Kano, Alhaji Abbas Sanusi, in his official car for 20 minutes where Ganduje registered government dissatisfaction with the appointment and the fanfare.

Similarly, Government House sources confirmed that “a strongly-worded letter addressed to the late Emir was delivered to the Emirate same day in which government sought clarification on the Emir’s action, and, therefore, demanded the reversal of the action in the interest of harmony.”

“Government impressed it on the Emir that in the event the Emirate failed to reverse the status quo ante, it would be forced to relocate the Emirate’s account to the Ministry of Finance, create additional Emirates council out of the existing one, and would not recognize the Emir anointed Wazirin Kano”.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the state government’s strong opposition caused a sharp division in the ruling house in Kano with some favoring the immediate reversal of the appointment to save the institution from humiliation.

However, the late Emir was said to have stood his ground against the opposition in what a palace source described as a “ royal detour”, stressing: “I have made my choice, and the chapter is closed for good”.

The heat generated by the controversial installation of the Wazirin Kano attracted the Sokoto Caliphate whose political head, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar 111, intervened and dispatched his emissary on peace mission to Kano.

It was gathered that the grandson of the late Sardauna of Sokoto, , Alhaji Hassan Dan’Baba, was sent by the Sultan to meet with both parties and resolve the crisis.

Alhaji Dan’Baba, the Magajin Garin Sokoto, was said to have cut a deal with the feuding leaders that led to the emergency meeting of the Kano Emirate Council last Monday and it was unanimously agreed that the controversial appointment be reversed.

Sunday Vanguard reliably learnt that the late Emir didn’t attended the meeting and, when the decision was communicated to him, he was quoted as saying “the issue is a foregone conclusion.”

The Sultan’s intervention, according to an insider, was done in good faith and demonstrated that the Emirate as an institution is not about an individual and that there was the need to protect the stool.

Sequel to the decision of the Emirate Council, it called a press conference, last Tuesday night, in the palace that was addressed by the most senior counselor, Alhaji Abbas Sanusi, with the Sultan’s representative, Dan’Baba, and other Kano top princes in attendance.

Abbas Sanusi told journalists: “This is to inform you that we have withdrawn the new Waziri following the refusal of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to accept his candidacy.”

It was also learnt that the Emirate settled for the late son of Waziri Gidado , Alhaji Sa’ad Magatakarda, as the substitutive Wazirin Kano in place of the sacked Wazirin.”

But, in a reaction, the dropped Wazirin Kano, Mohammad, declared: “I remain the Wazirin Kano.

My appointment is ordained

by God and the Emir has fulfilled his own part and does not see a mortal capable of reversing that divine order”.

The octogenarian cleric added: “I will not abdicate my responsibilities. I am ready to sacrifice my life to keep the treasure”.

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan left Presenting Former Ekiti Governor and PDP Governorship Candidate Mr Ayo Fayose, with PDP National Chairman Alh. Adamu Muazu and Senate President Senator David Mark right at the Fayose Campaign Rally in Ado Ekiti yesterday.

Memorial service for late Pini Jason: L-R Former Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim; Lady Blessing Onyegbadue; Chief Mrs Pricilla Onyegbadue [widow] and Miss Kelechi Onyegbadue (Daughter) during the memorial service for late Pini Jason weekend in Obizi Ezinihitte Mbaise Imo State. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke

SOLDIERS BARE THEIR FANGS

Clampdown on newspapers continues •Presidency moves to douse tension

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OR the second day running, soldiers in some parts of the country, including Minna, Niger State capital and Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday, impounded newspapers before they went into circulation.

The Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), in a statement, condemned the action.

But the presidency said the development will not go on forever.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, said the seizure was necessary to fight the war against Boko Haram insurgency.

Reports from Minna, yesterday, said circulation vans of the Nation, Leadership and Trust Newspapers were intercepted at the military check point along Abuja-Suleja-Minna Road.

As it was done on Friday morning, the vehicles, drivers and their cargoes were detained.

No fewer than 20 military men also stormed the distribution centre of the newspapers beside the Obasanjo Shopping Complex around 7am and prevented the papers from being distributed.

However, the Vanguard of Friday, intercepted along with other newspapers, were yesterday released for distribution along with the weekend titles while the Nation, Leadership and Trust newspapers were still being held.

Other newspapers allowed to be circulated include Tribune, Sun and This Day. A statement by the NPAN President, Nduka Obaigbena, yesterday, deplored

the clampdown. The statement read: “Following the harassment of newspaper vendors/distributors and the seizure of large volumes of newspapers by soldiers who initially targeted the following newspapers: LEADERSHIP, DAILY TRUST, The NATION and PUNCH, but later extended the siege to all major newspapers in the country for the second day today, the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) held an emergency meeting in Abuja on June 7, 2014 with representatives of vendors and distributors and resolved as follows: The NPAN unequivocally condemns this attack of FREE SPEECH by soldiers, in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Jos, Maiduguri, Ibadan amongst other cities, claiming to be acting on “orders”. This assault on FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION through the stoppage of distribution of newspapers is inconsistent with the values of any democratic society and the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria. We therefore call upon the military authorities to lift the siege immediately and call the soldiers to order.

The NPAN notes the statement issued on Thursday, June 6, by the Director Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, that newspaper distribution channels may have been infiltrated by some persons to transport “materials with grave security implications.” As citizens and businesses, we take the security of our nation very seriously, and especially condemn the continuing daily destruction of human life by a mindless,

cruel and criminal insurgency. We have, at our own instance, engaged various security agencies in the past to find ways of dealing with the security challenges we all face. We shall continue to do so. It is, however, deeply troubling that a siege has been laid to the media for two straight days on a suspicion over which no one consulted the NPAN. We stand ready, able and willing to work with all relevant security agencies to ensure the integrity of the newspapers’ distribution process.

The NPAN wishes to reassure its readers, partners

and the public at large, that it will continue to work to promote peace and unity in The Federal Republic of Nigeria, while defending its constitutional role to hold governments at all levels accountable.

Finally, we do not believe that given the already tense situation in the country the government or any agency acting in its name, will engage in acts that can only stifle free speech and encourage rumors to fester.

We, therefore, welcome the assurances to NPAN leadership by senior security officials to end this unnecessary siege.”

Addressing journalists, yesterday, in his Asokoro office, Senior Special As-

sistant to the President Okupe, who, spoke on the newspapers seizure by soldiers, said it became imperative against the backdrop that government must take extra - ordinary steps to curtail the activities of Boko Haram.

Okupe said, “If the collective security of a country is at a risk, those charged with this responsibility have an onerous job of discharging it even if it is painful to some of us.

That is why I said some sectors of the society may undergo some inconveniences so that the larger society can be safe and this is not something that happens on a daily basis.

It was not an act to clamp

down on media houses.”

“While we sympathize with Media Houses which might have suffered one discomfort or the other as a result of these security checks, we assert, for the avoidance of doubt that the President has not and will never give any order capable of hampering the smooth running of any Media Organisation or harass Media practitioners in the lawful performance of their duties.

“This government will neither engage in nor encourage any acts that will constitute an assault on any Media Organisation or infringe on the Freedom of the Press.

CONFAB: With Akunyili, three delegates dead in three months Continues on page 5

T

RAGEDY has struck again at the National Conference with the death of former Minister of Information, Prof.

Dora Akunyili making it the third of such since President Goodluck Jonathan on March 17 inaugurated the Justice Idris Kutigi-led conference.

Akunyili was one of the delegates representing Anambra State and was a member of the Iyom Josephine Anenih-led committee on Social Sector.

Akunyili could not participate at plenary and committee sessions because of her ill- health as she only appeared during discussions on Jonathan’s inaugural speech.

The first death at the conference was that of Hamman Misau, from

Bauchi State and a delegate on the platform of the Association of Retired

Police Officers of Nigeria, ARPON. The second person

who died was a delegate from Kaduna State, Prof.

Mohammed Jumare.

Oharisi hails Jonathan, Uduaghan over Oru

C

OMRADE Prince Eric Oharisi, the younger brother to Oharisi lll, Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan and

Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan over the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, South-south Vice Chairman, Dr. Steve Oru’s nomination for min-

Aginighan’s sister for burial

T

HE burial of Mrs Eve lyn Enainamene Enienghan, nee Aginighan, who passed on to eternal glory at Bomadi on April 29 at the age of 64 commences with a service of songs at the Our Lady of the Waters Catholic Cathedral, Bomadi on Thursday, June 12, according to a statement by the brother of the deceased, Pastor P.Z. Aginighan, a former acting MD of NDDC. On Saturday, June 14, the body will leave Boma-

di for Ekpeware Quarters, Ogodobri where she will lie in state at her residence.

At 10.30am, the body will move to Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church, Ogo-Eze for a requiem mass followed by interment at her residence at Ekpeware Quarters, Ogodobri.

The programme will be concluded with a thanksgiving mass at the Saint Anthony ’s Catholic Church, Ogo-Eze on Sunday, June 15.

isterial appointment.

Oharisi gave this commendation in his country home, Otovwodo, Ughelli North Local Government Area while celebrating the announcement of his boss, Oru, for ministerial appointment.

Oharisi, aspiring for the Delta State House Assembly position to represent Ughelli North Constituency ll, said the choice of Dr. Oru for a ministerial appointment from the Urhobo extraction was a good decision.

He expressed confidence that his boss will transfer his leadership qualities and experience as Southsouth national Chairman of the PDP into any portfolio he will be assigned to.

SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 9

TWO YEARS AFTER, RESIDENTS RELIVE DANA PLANE CRASH

‘We watched as passengers struggled to come out of burning plane’

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

T

he atmosphere was tense. Residents of Olaniye Street and environs were busy trying to find a place to watch a match involving the Nigerian national team in the suburb of Iju- Ishaga in Akande Community Development Area, CDA, of Lagos State when the Dana ill-fatal air crash occurred in the densely populated area, killing 153 passengers on-board and 10 persons on ground.

The incident happened June 3, 2012.

Two years after, a resident, Mr. Emmanuel Adekola, recounted that the air crash happened around 4:00pm when residents heard a loud noise which many mistook for an attack by Boko Haram.

Adekola explained that, immediately, people started rushing to the scene to rescue the passengers on- board the plane and occupants of the building into which the aircraft crashed.

He narrated: “That day, I was at the other side of the street. All of a sudden, we heard a loud noise. Some people were shouting that it could be Boko Haram attack.

The next thing we noticed was that it was a plane crash.

There was smoke everywhere.

The plane had not burned totally; it landed with the nose where the pilot was sitting.

People started calling for emergency and we could see some victims in the plane struggling to come out but were trapped because of the smoke and fire. It was then that the first respondents starting coming; they were now checking if they could see some people they could help.

Unfortunately the passengers they had all died due to the heat of the fire because the plane exploded some minutes after it crashed.”

Another resident, Mr. Jimmy Bala, who lives at Akande Street, opposite Olaniye Street where the Dana plane crashed, said the incident happened as the match involving Super Eagles was about to kick off, noting that residents heard a bang as the plane crashed into the three-storey building.

Bala stated that one of the ground victims of the crash had sent his son to his compound at No. 23 Akande to call an electrician to fix his television set so that he could watch the match, stressing that no sooner than his son and his two other children left the house that the plane crashed into the building, killing him, his wife and eight others.

zWhy we are still investigating zThe unresolved compensation

— AIB

The crash scene...two years ago He said: “You know it happened on a Sunday, precisely around 4:00pm.

Nigeria was to play a match that day. So, everybody was around. All of a sudden, we saw the plane hovering in the sky. Before we knew it, we heard a loud noise only to find that it was a plane that came

Street were suffering from the effect of the construction of Olaniye Street and environs as whenever it rains erosion from Ayinla junction, through Idowu-Williams and the neighbouring streets will come to Akande and, because there are no drainage systems, flood would be entering

Many of the victims of the Dana crash are yet to be fully compensated, especially the ground victims who have not received a dime from the airline down. Everybody rushed there. There was nothing anybody could do. We saw the pilot and his passengers struggling to come out but nobody could rescue them.

People were confused on what to do, they were just running up and down. It was later that emergency people came in”.

He pointed out that if help had come earlier, the passengers could have survived, stressing that it took about 20 minutes before the aircraft exploded and went into flames after crashing.

On what has happened in the last two years since the crash occurred, Bala noted that the government had taken time out to develop the area through the construction of accessible roads to the crash site but pointed out that the development was one sided.

He said residents of Akande

houses. Bala pleaded with government to construct Akande Street road so that residents could be saved from flood.

When contacted, the Chairman of the Akande Community Development Area, CDA, Mr. Adewale Oriowo, said government was responding to the plight of Akande Street residents as he was sure that by the end of this month, construction work on Akande Street would have started.

Investigation into the cause of the crash

Since the Dana plane crash, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), the agency responsible for investigating air crashes in the country, has released two interim reports on the incident.

The first preliminary report was released on July 12, 2012,

about six weeks after the mishap. The report blamed the crash on the failure of the two engines of the aircraft.

According to the report, the Captain tried re-starting the two engines mid-air. After several failed attempts “the Captain informed the Flight Officer FO, ‘ we just lost everything, we lost an engine.

I lost both engines.”

The report added, “the airplane was on the fourth flight segment of the day consisting of two round trips between Lagos and Abuja.

The accident occurred during the return leg of the second trip. Dana Air Flight 992 was on final approach to runway 18R at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos when the crew reported total loss of power and the plane crashed landed”.

The second interim report, just released on June 3, the agency said the purpose of the investigation was to prevent aviation accidents and incidents and not to apportion blame or liability.

On compensation

Many of the victims of the Dana crash are yet to be fully compensated, especially the ground victims who have not received a dime from the airline. The leader of the ground victims, Pastor Fredrick Akhigbe, told Sunday Vanguard the victims had gone to court and a notice had been served on Dana airline to response within 42 days.

Akhigbe disclosed that the

ground victims were classified into categories, noting that those whose Certificates of Occupancy were revoked by Lagos State government were duly compensated but added that there are some victims yet to collect any compensation for the destruction of their properties.

His words: “We have gone to court. We filed a suit against Dana Air and they have given them 42 days to respond.

There are categories of victims, I cannot say much about those in the aircraft but I can comment on the ground victims. The ground victims are in categories. One, the premises where the crashed happened. Two, are those whose houses were demolished on account of the crash and Lagos State government compensated them because they revoked their certificates of occupancy.

Dana itself as a company has not compensated the victims whose houses were destroyed.

For example, one Pastor Daniel has about six plots of land, he has houses and a factory, he has not been compensated; he has as well gone to court. There is another Mr. Adoroja who has a twostorey building. I was aware that Mr. Adoroja took some money from Dana, but apart from Adoroja, no other ground victim has been compensated in that area.”

“Other categories include landlords who houses were destroyed, whose roofing sheets were damaged, among other things. This category, nobody has been compensated, even N1:00 has not been given to them.

My church, my house were destroyed; that is the situation.

The court has served them notice; they have given them 42 days to make their defence”.

Meanwhile, as at May 2013, Dana Air said it had fully compensated 11 families of the victims of the crash to the tune of $100,000 while 95 families had gotten partial compensation to the tune of $30,000 each.

Mr. Tony Usidiamen, the airline’s former spokesman, disclosed this at a news conference to commemorate the first anniversary of the crash.

According to Usidiamen, 11 families received full compensation of $100,000 (N15 million) each while 95 others received an initial $30,000 (N4.5 million).

On those who lost properties to the crash, the Dana former spokesman said they had been paid the initial $30,000 by Prestige Insurance.

He said the claims submitted by them had been sent to estate valuers for evaluation.

“Their claims are being evaluated because the law did not stipulate what should be paid to those who lost their properties on ground,” Usidiamen.

PAGE 10—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

G

ENERALLY, I seldom write about issues at state or local government levels. Since coming on this page almost 20 years ago, I had prioritized my attention to focus on the Federal government – which still controls most of our lives. In a really federal republic, this should not be the case.

But, nobody can change reality. So occasionally, a matter comes up at state level which calls for comments. With respect to Ekiti State, I write because I am involved. My maternal grandfather Pa

Agbe-Davies, the first Nigerian to reach the rank of Inspector in the Nigeria Police, was from Ogotun Ekiti. So, this is home front.

De Maistre’s observation about countries deserving the governments they have also applies to states and even local governments or counties or municipalities. People who have the privilege of voting for the governments of their choice don’t often realize how valuable a gift God had given them. We waste the opportunities provided so frequently and end up with disasters, called Presidents, Governors and Chairmen – about whom we later complain.

We conveniently forget that we had a choice – which either failed to ex-

Talk is cheap "Never confuse movement with action." -- Ernest Hemingway n the 3rd of June, BBC Hardtalk presenter, Stephen John Sackur interviewed Doyin Okupe, a senior adviser to Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan. The opening question was; "Are Nigeria's leaders capable of rescuing their country?"

And most of the interview centered on the government's ineptitude and failure to locate and rescue the Chibok girls.

Doyin Okupe was very defensive from the word go and he particularly took offence to being asked about the performance of his boss.

He took to shouting and evading the questions. It was apparent that he was not sure of the exact number of girls that were abducted.

In fact, according to him "only God knows". Well, other than "the principal and the Borno officials"! It was like watching a train wreck about to hit the buffers and screeching to halt before impact. Teflon Don could not have done better but it was apparent that we cannot believe a word of what he uttered. When he said that the challenges were a "Nigerian problem and that Nigerians always get it right" When and how have we got it right? In fact, we have not got it right in a long while.

O

Someone needs to tell the spin doctor that shouting does not equate to the truth.

Okupe took pains to convince the viewers about the ongoing efforts to rescue over 200 girls who were kidnapped in April by Boko Haram. He defended the action (inaction) taken by Goodluck Jonathan in the aftermath of the kidnapping and said that, although the military knows the location of the girls, the rescue operation is difficult because they don't want to 'lose any of the girls' "The president has promised he will get these girls out and he is going do that," he said.

He vehemently denied that everyday dozens of bodies with signs of torture and brutality are being transferred from the military headquarters prison called Dubar and deposited at a hospital in Maiduguri.

Doyin Okupe spun another whopper when he said that the Nigerian Government and the military is suffering from an orchestrated plan to cause disaffection, alleging that people who are angry with the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan won an election are doing everything within their power to fight his government. Well, the conspiracy theorists are spinning more and feeding the gullible and the apologists

People who have the privilege of voting for the governments of their choice don’t often realise how valuable a gift God had given them. We waste the opportunities provided so frequently and end up with disasters, called Presidents, Governors and Chairmen – about whom we later complain

,

ernor of Ekiti State, I prayed that the party would come up with a candidate with such an exemplary record of achievement coupled with personal integrity and high intellectual capacity as to make the

car and went. On the Day, Fayose arrived in a helicopter, which I was told was rented at government expense. After announcing that four communities were observing the same day in Ekiti, he donated a used

their version of the truth.

Doyin went on to explain, "You do not understand the holistic problem of Nigeria. President Jonathan has committed an offence. His major offence is that he won an election when some people in Nigeria, very strong and powerful feel that he ought not to have won and power ought not to be where it is currently resident. So people want to take this power by all means, at all cost, playing all sorts of gimmicks and all and they have a lot of money and a lot of influence both within Nigeria and outside Nigeria," he said.

Despite the fact that, Okupe conceded that Boko Haram's increased activities in Northern Nigeria are as a result of high level of poverty, adding that this is because of prolonged neglect

please stand up?

Doyin made a statement that Nigerians have always got it right. I do not know what parallel Nigeria that Okupe occupies but Nigeria is failing and spectacularly under his boss' watch.

This man was having a shouting match, he dodged, evaded and jabbed his finger at the presenter and at one point he was holding the hand of Stephen in order to make his point. On so many levels, it was cringe worthy to watch as he blatantly lied to cover the government lackluster response to the way they have handled the present situation. He even went as far as to defend the administration's lack of progress and its stupendous corruption.

Was he believable despite his loud protestations? No. but, he worked hard to con-

,

“Every country has the government it deserves.”

Joseph De Maistre, 17531821.

(VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 80).

,

Fayemi Versus Fayose In Ekiti

ercise or made frivolously on account of influences which foreclose reason.

When the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, started contemplating a challenger to Dr Kayode Fayemi, the current Gov-

choice difficult. I strongly believe the PDP is blessed with such individuals who could make Fayemi himself shake, even if a little, in his shoes. Hope was dashed.

What Ekiti has, at the moment is a walk-over – or should be. Let me quickly explain why.

In Fayose’s last year as Governor of Ekiti State, before impeachment, descendants of Pa AgbeDavies, were invited to Ogotun Day. Five of us packed ourselves into my

It is alarming that over 720,000 people have been displaced as a result of the terrorist activities.

When will we see the end to this senseless bloodshed?

occasioned by past governments. He was very quick to add that the government will put in place structures to alleviate poverty in the north once the insurgency has been quelled. Well, he did say that the government has been in power for only three years but it seems that three years was not enough!

Doyin countered that “If you ask any objective Nigerian, they would tell you this is as a result of longstanding neglect by various governments, not the present administration because this government is only three years old" well, can the objective Nigerians

,

vince the audience that his boss is doing his utmost best to make the country better.

Doyin said that the president is considering a host of options including voluntary disarmament of the insurgents and inclusion into society. Where and how can that happen when these killers have committed such heinous crimes?

When asked why GEJ had not visited Chibok. Doyin assured the presenter that the president will visit at some point. When the country needed the chief of staff, he has been found wanting.

He leaves his spin doctors to deflect and front his campaign. Doyin Okupe may

Mercedes Benz to the Oba (approximately N1.5m) and to the town – N250,000. I left the venue in fury. What on earth was a town supposed to do with N250,000 after the rental of helicopter. I told our host that the men would not last in office.

Less than four months after, he was impeached for reasons now sub judice. To me, intellectually and ethically, Fayose is not governor material.

A person who still has a case to answer and clear his name should redeem his father ’s name first before thinking of contesting for any office.

Otherwise it means he does not care about such things. Then we should not trust him with the office.

But being anti-Fayose does not translate to being pro-Fayemi. So let me make the case for Fayemi. To start with the two are poles apart intellectually, an HND holder should not be in the same class as a Ph D holder. However, there is more to it than that.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the main beneficiary of the struggle to actualize June 12, 1993 mandate given to Chief M.K.O. Abiola owes that good

fortune to the old men of Afenifere and the gallant young men of NADECO. Everybody knows the roles people like General Akinrinade, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Dr Akigba and, of course Asiwaju Bola Tinubu played in the struggle.

Few know how great a role Kayode Fayemi played. Because the Yoruba people might need him again to repeat the feat, I will say no more.

But, if there is any Yoruba person in Ekiti who was proud of these courageous young men, who risked everything to fight Abacha to a stand still, your vote must go to Fayemi. Nobody is perfect. But, he most combines the qualities – courage, intellect, integrity and vision – needed in a leader. It is a pity he cannot finish his second term in Ekiti and come to Lagos State for two terms. I have often wondered what he would have done if Ekiti, the third poorest state, is as rich as Lagos or Akwa Ibom or Rivers.

have ranked his performance on HardTalk as a triumph but it was very apparent that the spin doctors are very much the mouthpiece of the president. This does not bode well in terms of the character of a capable head of state.

In the meantime, seven weeks have passed and the girls remain missing and hundreds more are losing their lives. If as Doyin had implied that the government and the army know the whereabouts of the girls, logic dictates that they should have now been rescued and the insurgency quelled.

At present, the BH is allowed to massacre and maim at will and the atrocities continue to claim more lives. They continue to kill hundreds on a daily basis and it is alarming that over 720,000 people have been displaced as a result of the terrorist activities.

When will we see the end to this senseless bloodshed?

How do you become a refugee in your own country?

What is the government and armed forces doing to keep people safe? Where is the contingency plans, where are the resources and deployment? Who helps those who have been bereaved and terrorized and maimed? There is a lot of hand wringing and not enough action. Spin Doctor Doyin may talk the talk; his boss definitely is not walking the walk.

All we are saying is; bring back our girls The man who has won millions at the cost of his conscience is a failure. - B.C. Forbes Where else in a democratic country are you denied your right to free association, right of assembly and expression? Well, only in Nigeria! The commissioner of Police for FCT declared

that the protesters be forced out of the capital as their protest is deemed "a security threat". It's had to believe that, in this day and age, the police force has the temerity to enforce and dismantle a peaceful protest.

It is very convenient as it came on the day that the BringBackOurGirls group, filed an N200m suit at the Abuja High Court, challenging the powers of the Nigerian Police Force to ban any form of protest within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, after an outrage from members of the public greeted the decision of the FCT Police Commissioner, Mbu. I wonder on whose order this was carried out? The protesters were simply exercising their constitutional rights as enshrined in Nigerian Law. The groups have the right to insist that nobody has the power to stop them from holding peaceful meeting especially for the release of the abducted Chibok girls.

It concerns the whole of Nigeria and if the world are concerned should we not be doubly so? It seems the powers that be do not think so. The movement at home is a thorn on the sides of the top honcho and where upon, they cannot stop the world wide concerns they feel they can flex their political muscle and muzzle any voice of protest.

The movement cited the constitution, that “Any action that violates our constitutionally guaranteed rights as citizens, particularly our rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, among others as enshrined in Chapter Four (Section 40) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) is illegal and unconstitutional”.

Visit: www.delesobowale.com or Visit: www.facebook.com/ biolasobowale

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 11

the growing misery of our people arising from insurgency. Gusau had himself raised the bar when on assumption of office he said: “The challenges are evidently daunting but surmountable; with the help of almighty Allah and our collective resolve and determination we will get to the destination that will give

,

A

T war times, such as the insurgency peri od we are in now, the Military is usually engaged in intense sacrifices as some of its members quite often have to pay the supreme sacrifice. It is therefore important for critics to exercise a high degree of restraint while analyzing delicate military issues. At the same time, those in charge of defence and security must not do anything, even if inadvertently, that can adversely affect the image of the military.

Unfortunately this has not been the case in the last few months amidst increased insecurity in the nation particularly the North. One rather inexplicable phenomenon has been the complete silence of our Defence Minister, General Aliyu Gusau.

When he was appointed Minister of Defence in March; many, including this writer had confidently hoped that his return to the scene especially at the apex of government would stem

appointment. It turned out that he did not. But whether he actually contemplated resignation was never resolved. Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, had declared as false, reports that Gusau had left office after an altercation between him and military commanders. Why then did he fail to attend the Wednesday’s weekly cabinet meeting? Abati explained that the Minister had flu. Quite a few did not believe the story because the body language of the Minister of

Gusau is too brilliant and expertly skilled in security matters to head our Defence Ministry without success. So can someone remind him on our behalf that Nigerians look up to his expertise for solution to our unending insecurity?

Nigerians the confidence that the country is indeed a safe place for everyone” Those who have followed events since after such a solemn assurance must be wondering now what exactly is wrong. First, there was the rumour that he resigned from office shortly after his

,

State (Defence) Senator Musliu Obanikoro suggested that there was some uneasy calm. The Media in particular doubted the explanation by the Presidency more so as a segment claimed that neither repeated calls made to Gusau nor text messages to his mobile

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos,

Homoeroticism: A plea for rationality and tolerance (1)

H

OMOEROTICISM or homosexual rela tion, simply put, is erotic desire for, and sexual activity between, members of the same sex. Most traditional accounts of the origin of eroticism attribute it to supernatural beings that created woman and man for the purpose of procreation. In the fourth century B.C., Plato, the iconic ancient Greek philosopher, invented an imaginary story that attributed the origins of sexual desire to punishment by Zeus, the greatest national deity of Greece. In the myth, Zeus punished the first human beings for irreverent and obstinate conduct by dividing them into two. Ever since, erotic love, the unceasing desire to reunite lost halves, is the enduring repercussion of that punishment. Interestingly, Plato's mythological account described sexual entanglements in both heterosexual and homosexual relations.

More than two thousand five hundred years after Plato, the debate about the origin, meaning and morality of homoeroticism has become more contentious, particularly because of revolutionary developments in knowledge in all its ramifications over the centuries. As a corollary, unprecedented changes in human socio-cultural evolution have necessitated fundamental changes in conceptions of

the meaning of gender differences in humans and how such differences determine erotic desires, interests and behaviours.

In Nigeria, the question concerning homosexuality and deviant erotic and sexual behaviours has not received as much critical and sustained attention as it has in the developed countries of Europe and North America, probably because Nigerians, for quasi-religious and moral reasons, feel uncomfortable with topics related to sex. But the near total silence on homoeroticism was broken several years ago during the Presidency of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, when some government officials and religious leaders recommended that homoerotic or homosexual relationships should be proscribed. Indeed, two antihomosexual bills had been proposed since 2006, but the National Assembly passed none of them. At that time, I was one of the very few who openly criticised the idea of government dictating the sexual practices of adults on the basis of antiquated religious and moral sentiments devoid of relevant scientific knowledge.

Unfortunately, in January President Goodluck Jonathan signed a bill that criminalises same-sex relationships.

Even as the National Assembly was debating the bill, some western countries

mounted pressure on the Nigerian government to respect gay and lesbian rights. The pressure did not work: in May 2013, federal lawmakers passed the draconian bill, which prescribes long jail term and bans gay marriage, same-sex "amorous relationships" and membership of gay rights groups. Nevertheless, President Jonathan delayed signing it into law, apparently to consult widely and ascertain the opinion of a broad section of Nigerians before doing so.

Specifically, the anti-gay bill stipulates that persons who enter into a same-sex marriage contract or civil union commit an offence and are each liable on conviction to a term of fourteen years in prison. Any individual who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisations or directly or indirectly makes public show of same-sex amorous relationship in Nigeria commits an offence and shall each be liable on conviction to a term of ten years in prison.

As in much of sub-Saharan Africa and in the continent generally, anti-gay sentiment and persecution of homosexuals is rife in Nigeria.

Therefore, it is not surprising that majority of Nigerians supported, and still support, the new legislation.

Keep in mind that under existing Nigerian federal law,

subject, it is difficult to imagine that Minister Haruna merely conjured the policy statement. In the words of the Minister: “Series of integration programmes have been lined up for the members of the sect who would surrender their arms and embrace peace”.

Whether Boni Haruna was right or not, the relevant aspect of the story to this article is the fact that it was him and not his Defence counterpart that had to speak. When then will Minister Gusau speak?

Could it be that he has chosen to adopt the ‘silence is golden’ strategy to avoid being disowned? If so, the posture is worrisome. If the Chief of Defence Staff can get to the point of telling the nation that our security forces know where the Chibok girls are being held, what is it that the political over-all head of the Military knows that he does not want to share with the nation? Does he for example agree that the Military is not well funded? His answer will throw light on the poser that although our annual budget on security of recent; doubles that of several other sectors put together, some people still talk about underfunding of the Military. One of such persons is Major-General Abdullah Muraina, the Nigerian Army Chief of Accounts and Budget who raised an alarm last month on what he called the negative impact that poor funding was causing to the current operation in the North-

East and other parts of the country.

In Muraina’s words, “apart from the limitations of the envelope system, the Nigeria Army is enmeshed in the bureaucratic bottleneck for funding approvals for military operations” The term ‘envelope system’ suggests that the Ministry of Defence is involved.

If so, does the huge budgetary provision actually get to the Military and does it filter downwards? With these questions, the policy of complete silence can only justify calls for our security expenditure to be probed. Having reportedly expended N130billion in the first quarter of 2014, many people would no doubt support the idea of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) that the sector should be audited so as to fast-track the appropriate funding, training, kitting and equipping of our security personnel.

Meanwhile, Gusau is too brilliant and expertly skilled in security matters to head our Defence Ministry without success. So can someone remind him on our behalf that Nigerians look up to his expertise for solution to our unending insecurity? We agree that a trained security expert like him should avoid being loquacious but the other extreme of saying nothing can increase the rumour mill and indeed tilt public opinion towards cynicism.

By the way, is he really still there?

sodomy is punishable by imprisonment, but this bill provides for a much broader crackdown on homosexuals and lesbians, who already live a largely underground existence. While the United States and some European countries, most recently France, have moved to offer homosexual and lesbian couples the same legal rights enjoyed by heterosexuals, many African countries are seeking to tighten laws against homosexuality.

After President Jonathan signed the bill, Britain and a few western countries threatened to cut aid, a punitive measure that helped slow down the pace of passing antihomoerotic legislation in aiddependent nations such as Malawi and Uganda. Unfortunately, Uganda has also

twice to pass through the National Assembly during Chief Obasanjo's administration succeed this time around? In my opinion, the major reason is that President Jonathan, who is widely expected to seek re-election in 2015 but is under pressure after several dozen lawmakers and a handful of state governors defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), is doing everything possible to improve his electability in the next presidential elections. Hence, signing such a popular but inherently retrogressive bill into law creates the impression that Mr. President is a "listening leader" sensitive to the culture and religious beliefs of the people, and is prepared to reflect their views in decision-making process at the highest level.

In addition, given the fact that homosexuals and lesbians constitute a tiny and voiceless segment of the Nigerian population, advocacy for their sexual rights is virtually non-existent and, therefore, there is no social momentum or pressure against discriminatory antigay legislation. I think that the National Assembly passed the law promptly in order to win public support and divert attention from the scandals rocking it at the time. Allegations of bribery and corruption against members of some committees in the Senate and House of Representatives had dented the image of the federal legislators. Naturally, legislators who voted in favour of the bill felt that passing a law which resonates with popular sentiment can at least restore some credibility to the National Assembly and discourage relentless criticism of the cash-and-carry attitude rampant there.

But beyond the narrowminded and egoistic political calculations which made President Jonathan and

members of the National Assembly to approve the antigay law, is there any good reason for enacting such a discriminatory piece of legislation that permits government intrusion into a matter that properly belongs to the private sphere? Supporters of the anti-gay law marshalled several arguments to justify it. To begin with, they argue from the religious perspective that homosexuality is unnatural, that it is contrary to the divine plan or design for sex between woman and man.

Proponents of this view believe that the primary, Godordained purpose of sexual intercourse is procreation.

Every other thing connected to it, including sex as an intimate expression of mutual love, as an avenue to control or minimise concupiscence, and as an avenue for mutual pleasure is secondary. Furthermore, they cite relevant portions of religious scriptures to buttress the claim that God intended sexual intercourse between the two sexes only primarily as a means of replenishing the human population, and also refer to other portions that describe unorthodox modes of sexual practice as sin deserving of severe punishment.

Now, a cluster of problems arises from theological condemnations of homoeroticism. Aside from the assumption of the existence of God, there is the added difficulty of ascertaining exactly God's plan for sex in humans, even if such a being exists. Recourse to divine revelation to resolve the issue cannot help much, because different religions provide contradictory injunctions, all of which purportedly originate from God. Similarly, appeal to nature or to "natural law" does not resolve serious difficulties confronting any claims about discovering the natural or normal functions or relations proper to human beings. To be continued.

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Where is our Defence Minister?

telephone were answered or replied After the episode, the Minister has said little or nothing about the unending polemics in his jurisdiction.

There was the allegation by a foreign news agency that some top military officers were colluding with Boko Haram in their raging offensive in the North-East.

Has any Military General been court martialled as a result of the allegation?

The answer depends on which medium one is exposed to. Whereas the Interior Minister reportedly confirmed the subject adding that the investigations were sending the right signals down the line, the Military was said to have dismissed the allegation.

Many waited in vain for the authoritative voice of the Defence Minister to clear the air. Again, it was both “yes” and “no” to the allegation that some soldiers attempted a kind of mutiny at Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The only point that was not disputed was that the General Officer of the Command was replaced.

On the vexed issue of Amnesty for Boko Haram, it was the Youth Development Minister Boni Haruna who revealed what originally looked like the government position. According to the Minister, President Jonathan had declared amnesty for members of the Boko Haram sect. Shortly after, Haruna was formally disowned. But considering the details he provided on the

As in much of subSaharan Africa and in the continent generally, anti-gay sentiment and persecution of homosexuals is rife in Nigeria

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passed its own version of the law, which provoked reprisal attacks on homosexuals and lesbians in the country and campaigns by human rights groups for the abrogation of the law, especially the part of it that prescribes a dress code for women. It must be remarked that western countries have little leverage over Nigeria, whose budget largely depends on revenue derived from crude oil sales.

The pertinent question now is, why did the anti-homoeroticism bill that failed

PAGE 12—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

Nigeria’s democracy: Expensive shit? geria. This is to achieve zonal parity and greater access to “federal largesse” particularly because, the federation of Nigeria seems to be organized as a topdown system.

The central government often acts like some feudal lord who doles out gifts to these minion states as standard grants or allocation on which most of these

The inefficiency of the Nigerian state system has created far too many Naijaskeptics, and dangerous forms of alienation among its citizenry which portends its greatest national security danger

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states, many otherwise unviable, must survive. I think this point has often been made, particularly by critics of the current structure, that Nigeria’s current federal system is deadweight and in the long term, unviable. The “Orbit” supports, and wishes to re-emphasize this position. A central prob-

The cost of Happiness A

ground hog day is a day that keeps repeating itself and I got a call a while back that had me thinking a nightmarish day from the past was happening all over again. It began when I missed an early call from a young lady I mentor as I was fast asleep at the time!! I got caught up in my day and only remembered it when she called me back much later in the day “He said he’s getting married”, she said rather quietly.

“Who’s getting married”, I asked.

“My husband is getting married”, she replied.

“What?” I asked again; getting very confused.

By this time she was crying on the phone and I told her to calm down as I would be right over!

Eerily I recalled a close friend of mine making a similar call years ago

and I reacted much the same; total shock!

I drove over not long after and I asked her how on earth that was possible.

“What did you do to him? Is he unhappy? Are you legally his wife?” my questions came quick and fast!

They looked an ideal couple in my mind with very young children. Her Husband seemed nice, courteous and devoted to his family or so I thought!

He wanted more from life was all the explanation she got and it seemed his wants were coming at her expense. His happiness was coming at the cost of her anguish.

I have known this couple for a while and her husband though younger was one of those people you wanted to tell all your life secrets within seconds of meeting, good looking with a

great sense of humour!

The marriage is blessed with children and they seemed happy enough.

There was certainly no inkling that this very educated man was about to announce he was taking a second wife!! I vaguely remember his mother was the youngest wife of his father who was a very rich chief and had many wives. He was by all accounts very affluent but he had suffered a lot of abuse from his polygamous family after his father passed, so it was crazy to think he would go the same path. I wouldn’t exactly call him a devout christian but like someone else who was in his position a few years ago he comes to church for the perfunctory Christmas and Newyear services.

He had over the years become a regular in the country club and had

its citizenry which portends its greatest national security danger.

The alienation of Nigerians is the result of that deep feeling that Nigeria is a graveyard of dreams; that Nigeria does nothing for its citizens; that the only beneficiaries of what we now call Nigeria are those who

friends his father ’s age; they played golf apparently. He was even made a chief in what could be considered an obscure village at best and his wife had blamed his new life style on his new found wealth and position! His movements and habits had changed and she had suspected he was seeing someone but she ignored it as he always had a perfect excuse for coming home late. He remained caring and fulfilled the roles of

are in government either as politicians or political appointees into government boards and Agencies, or the very few with access to the reigning administration.

Nigerians think that the nation no longer belongs to them, and that they do not matter in the larger scheme of things; that Nigeria is an “artificial creation” that benefits its creators and their inheritors. This powerful feeling of distrust for a nation that does nothing for its real stakeholders – the generality of its citizens – but runs the most expensive state system that does particularly nothing is a toxic ingredient in the rising broth of national discontent. This is the greatest national security threat to Nigeria.

Many Nigerians today, would, if given the choice, pick up arms in support of a foreign occupation of Nigeria, rather than fight to preserve this country as it is currently advertised to them. This fact calls for a review of Nigeria’s national agenda, and the structure upon which the federation is based.

The veteran journalist and public intellectual, Areoye Oyebola, former Editor of the now defunct Daily Times, at one point Nigeria’s most important nationally-circulating daily newspaper, in a very articulate essay in the Guardian this past week, titled, “Nigeria Centenary: A Nation in Pretence” captures some of the contradictions that make Nigeria’s democracy, well, “expensive shit.” Among these include, a lack empathy for the public; the mindless, self-serving extravagance of gov-

ernance and state administration; the ridiculous cost of running National, State, and Local government legislatures, and the executive payloads that includes, arbitrarily fixed and unaccounted Security votes.

With these security votes, you’d also wonder why Nigeria has been unable to deal with problems of domestic insecurity – assassinations, kidnappings, robbery, insurgencies, and the like. The mindboggling bill for servicing only a few people in public office could generally have been utilized to rebuild failing infrastructure and thus make life more livable for most Nigerians.

The result, Mr. Oyebola notes is, that “it has completely retarded our economic development, and kept us in perpetual underdevelopment.” For one thing, Nigeria does not need thirty-six federating states. It needs a maximum of six to eight regional administrations. Only last week, India, with over three thousand ethnic groups and over One billion people, and a territory more than four times the breadth of Nigeria, only just created its 29th state; the new state of Telegana from the state of Andra Pradesh.

From data collected from Asia Briefings, this new state with a population of 35.2 Million, the equivalent of Canada, and a GDP per capita income of $7,000 Per annum, the equivalent of Morocco and the Chinese Province of Anhui, is equivalent in size and proportion to the entire West of Nigeria, by our current estimation. Nigeria must wake up, and the urgency is now.

well. Like most wives I am against polygamy and the best way not to jeopardise marriage is for both parties to be faithful. I can’t tell another woman to stay or leave her marriage; I don’t even believe in divorce but what is one to do with an unrepentant man about to marry a woman almost a decade older than you? When a man decides to have a full blown affair with a mature woman he shouldn’t imagine that

ble thing; though I don’t perceive adultery as honourable in the first place.

The man in this case had been drawn to an older very successful and very attractive woman and they had begun an affair. That affair had resulted in a pregnancy that had him thinking he needed to have a second wife and it looks like that choice will cost him his first.

What is the permissible cost of happiness? Can you build joy using someone else’s sorrow? The wife didn’t sign up for an additional wife and why should she have to endure an intrusion into her marriage? Does the other woman not even think of the hurt she is causing or is she foolish enough to think life is a winner take all drama?

Many questions, few answers and i can only offer support to my hurting friend. My counsel is, as always, prayer.

Only God can comfort the hurting. What everyone should remember is that there is indeed a God in heaven who judges the affairs of men and we will all get what we deserve.

What we sow we will certainly reap; lasting happiness can’t be attained at the cost of another ’s pain.

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a “shit theory” of Nigeria’s democracy by looking at it from the prism of Fela’s insouciant lyric, “Expensive Shit,” by which I mean, that Nigerians are now forced to endure a hazing in the name of public governance.

Nigeria, by all accounts runs the most expensive public administration in the world. In a territory not larger by much of the State of California, we have thirty-six states and one Federal or Union Territory – the Federal capital, Abuja.

Each of these states has an elaborate unicameral legislature, a bureaucracy, and a judicial apparatus of varying proficiency.

The federal or central government itself has a central bicameral legislature, and an extensive bureaucracy. All this raises the bill of administering Nigeria to a most ridiculous overhead.

Supporters of the current system often point to Nigeria’s large population; its multiethnic character, and the need to bring what they call government “closer to the people.” The people of the East are even now agitating for a further creation of a new state out of what is often now referred to as the “South-East zone” of Ni-

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N

IGERIA’S AfroJazz legend, Fela Kuti wrote a song in 1975, which he titled, “Expensive Shit.” It was a lyrical satire, an account of one of his numerous run-ins with the powers of the Nigerian state, which forced him once, as a means of collecting evidence on him to, not expectorate, but dislodge fecal matter. It was from suspicion that he had destroyed evidence by chewing and swallowing down marijuana.

“Expensive Shit” thus became an eloquent, amused, riff on Nigeria’s inefficient, and poorly run state, and the excesses that attenuate it. Were the irrepressible Anikulapo to be alive and about today, he might surely have thought not much different about Nigeria’s current situation, particularly the running of its democracy.

Democracy by its very nature requires patience; some might even argue that it is messy and expensive.

Nigeria’s democracy is certainly messy and expensive.

The latest I’ve had is a poignant, perhaps even churlish description of Nigeria’s democracy as “shitty.” I’d like today to proffer

lem in the administration of Nigeria is that government has actually not reached the people in any meaningful way. If anything, the structure of Nigeria has fully atomized and fuelled unnecessary division among Nigerians.

People who once felt a shared affinity now see themselves as representing different interests in different states. The fight over national revenue has been exacerbated. But above all, the cost of administering the nation has sucked up usable resources that could have been more genuinely deployed to solving the basic problems of the people into maintaining unviable and unproductive state administrations.

The inefficiency of the Nigerian state system has created far too many Naijaskeptics, and dangerous forms of alienation among

The obvious solution for men who are also emotionally invested in their mistress is to try and do the honourable thing; though I don’t perceive adultery as honourable in the first place

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husband and father, so who could guess he was planning on taking a new wife? She thought she knew everything about him and if truth be told so did we all!

A similar situation had happened much closer to home a few years ago and it had not ended

she is in it for a fling.

More often than not most mature women want children and at a particular age they stop caring about the marital status of the father. The obvious solution for men who are also emotionally invested in their mistress is to try and do the honoura-

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014,

Page 13

Edo governorship ticket as political carrot

BY NOSAKHARE OSARODION

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Issues arising from the Edo APC congresses

I

couldn’t contain my laughter as I watched an interview session on a local television station in Benin City, where a man said he was promised the ticket to become the next governor of Edo State.

The man, Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu, one-time Secretary to the Government of Mr. Lucky Igbinedion and major contributor to the failure of that government, was the guest of the local television station and he gave reasons why he dumped his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ize-Iyamu’s decamping to the PDP and his reasons for so doing were clear manifestations of political jobber who can’t be entrusted with a serious assignment.

Going through my records recently, I stumbled on a paper delivered, just last year, at the anniversary of Edo Political Forum in Benin City by IzeIyamu. In the said paper, en-

titled, “Political Governance in Edo State: 1999 – till date”, he admitted his failure and the failure of the government in which he was SSG when he said, “Internally Generated Revenue, for example, which today, thanks to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s government is over a billion naira a month, was then around 27 million naira a month.”

He continued: “Another serious challenge to the administration was the ruling party itself. The Peoples Democratic Party that produced the Governor of the State between 1999 and 2007 had no manifesto, blueprint or plan for governance and in Edo State was actually personified by one lead character that was literally worshipped as the owner and giver of political power. The pressure and subtle threat from the godfather and his supporters were excessive and distractive in the process of project planning and execution, as well as management of the resources of the State.... Edo people did not know the magnitude of the internal political battle that raged between the Governor and the greedy godfathers.

Definitely, the Governor did not have the combative and no nonsense posture of the incumbent Governor, Comrade Adams Os-

hiomhole, who with his progressive mentality as an activist, also had to contend with the godfatherism syndrome and ruthlessly dismantled their structure.”

He went further: “I thank God for the immense infrastructural transformation of the State by the Comrade Gover-

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VIEWPOINT

sive platform for the development of our state. I am presently a member of the National Merger Committee of ACN, ANPP, CPC, APGA and DPP that is working towards the registration of a new national political party called the All Progressives Congress (APC) which we believe would be

The question on everyone’s lips is why did this Redeemed Pastor suddenly make a volteface, changed his song and decamped from the APC in the middle of the party’s congresses?

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nor, who believed in the philosophy of the Grace Group, bought into it and courageously elevated that philosophy to the mantra of one-man-onevote that has made the godfathers become irrelevant. It is that courage, and conviction to pursue the public good that have bonded the Comrade and I, and accounted for my elevation to the position of National Vice-Chairman (SouthSouth zone) of the Action Congress of Nigeria, the progres-

able to defeat the ruling PDP and rescue Nigeria from its present state of decay.”

Now just a few months after, Ize-Iyamu’s song has suddenly changed.

The question on everyone’s lips is why did this Redeemed Pastor suddenly make a volteface, changed his song and decamped from the APC in the middle of the party’s congresses? What is new in the PDP that it is suddenly a well-structured and organized party?

The answer is not farfetched. Ize-Iyamu merely used the APC Congress as a cover to justify his decamping from the party and he gave the real reason, his quest for power, as the reason he decamped in the television interview he granted on Monday, May 26.

The pastor is sulking because the man who promised him candy (governor) is backing out. He is miffed that the governor who promised to hand him the governorship seat on a platter of gold was apparently having a change of heart.

He had thought that having been promised the governorship ticket, there would be no need for congresses or harmonization of slots between himself and the other leaders in his local government.

The truth is that Ize-Iyamu overestimates his political value. He put his popularity to test during the APC congresses in Orhiomwon and lost twice.

I cannot believe that a man who prides himself as a seasoned politician could believe that just one man, even if he is governor, could simply by words of mouth declare him the next governor.

* Omorodion is resident in Benin City, Edo State

PAGE 14— SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

LASU CRISIS

I stepped on toes — VC •Says ASUU erred on school fees hike agitation •‘My reform agenda’ The Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa, in this interview, links the crisis in the institution to the reaction of some people to the reform agenda of his administration. Obafunmi also joins issues with the LASU branch of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the hike in the fees paid by the university students. Excerpts:

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•Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa

•Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa... For five years, there was no convocation in LASU things in addition to constructing new ones. And that will explain why we do not have the kind of flooding that used to occur in many parts of LASU. Last year, we did not experience any flooding and we are supposed to be moving on to the next stage. You might come to LASU and see one or two potholes here and there, but I am not so bothered because there are many construction works going on and you have lots of heavy trucks plying the roads. But I believe that at the end of the construction exercise, we should be able to have all the roads done. So, you can imagine the amount of money that the state government has been pumping into our school.

No convocation Also, before I came into the place, for about four, five years, they had no convocation. I came in 2011, but by 2012, we had our convocation. We had another one in February 2013. But for this ongoing crisis, we would have had another one and we are still going

to have it. Also, for the first time in LASU, in 2012, we did not have our convocation outside the field, we had it in the new auditorium.

With the assistance of the state government, we were able to finish the new auditorium building, and that was where we had our convocation. Those are just part of things that have changed in terms of infrastructure in LASU and it is

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C M Y K

hat is different between the LASU of 2014 and the one you met on assumption as Vice-Chancellor? What are some of the reforms you have initiated so far?

I don’t intend to get into the business of apportioning blames or attributing any liabilities with regards to my predecessors. But, honestly, when I came in, I found a LASU that needed a lot of synergy.

Of course, you know I came from the medical school. A number of things were not being properly done. And over the past four years that I was there as Provost (of medical school), we were able to make significant changes. When you start to count medical schools in this country, by the time you count the first four or five, you will definitely count Lagos State University College of Medicine. On getting to the main campus, I realized that some of things that we should take for granted were lacking. Let me give you some examples. On infrastructure, not much was happening on the main campus. But when you look at the period between November 2011 when I came in and 2014, you cannot but give credit to the state government and, of course, the legislative arm for the improvement we are seeing. We have the new Senate Building which is a seven-storey structure going on. We are virtually through with Phase One. They have started Phase Two A. The last phase is Two B and we are hoping that under24 months, we will get to end of the road. There is the new central library that can sit about 800 to 1,000 students at a time, comprising four floors. It is under construction. We have started the piling of blocks for the building of the new Faculty of Management Sciences. The state government just awarded the contract and they have started work to put up three buildings. Incidentally, it is to assist the striking academic staff in the area of housing.

The state government assisted us in refurbishing the three-in-one lecture halls adjoining the Faculty of Education. We are in the process of furnishing it. Also nearing completion is the twin-lecture theatre, a storey-building for the Faculty of Law. If everything goes well, we expect that by end of July, if we are lucky, they will finish the Faculty of Science complex. All these things happened within the last two years. Apart from the building projects that are ongoing, we have the drainage issue. The state government also came to our rescue through the Ministry of Environment to award contracts and started putting up drainage system.

In fact, I was shocked when I was going through the plans of the university and noticed that areas that I thought were just plain grounds were actually drainage system that have been filled with sands and we are talking of drainage site that were about two metres wide and about one and a half metres deep.

They had to excavate all those

400 level’ or you want to go for exams and instead of 100 people coming for the exams, you will find about 300 to 400 people coming. I came from a medical school where examination results are released 72 hours after writing the examination, but It was a shock to me getting to the main campus and finding out that examination results were being delayed. I will agree that in the

I discovered that LASU was expending almost N13 million a month on imprest. Some people were not even waiting for their monthly salary, they depended solely on imprest

only fair that people will appreciate those good signs of the university. LASU used to be plagued with students saying ‘I am in 400-level, but I have not seen the result of

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College of Medicine, we had a smaller population, but the orientation and mentality was quite different. So, we had to review the whole process in the main campus and I can tell you that this has also

become a thing of the past. By so doing, the teacher-students relationship in LASU has been minimized .And to come up with this, some people will like it , and some others will not like it, but, nonetheless, we will progress.

Accountability Also, in the area of accountability, when this administration came in, I discovered that LASU was expending almost N13 million a month on imprest. Some people were not even waiting for their monthly salary, they depended solely on imprest. We felt something had to be done and I started with the Office of the Vice-Chancellor where the imprest was slashed by 66 percent. At that time, there was only one Deputy ViceChancellor. Despite the fact that we slashed the imprest, we added another Deputy ViceChancellor. If I could slash the imprest to the Vice-Chancellor’s Office by 66 per cent, I do not need

Continues on page 15

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 15

I stepped on toes — VC to think twice before slashing the imprest of other departments to between 40 and 50 per cent. In taking that decision, we reduced imprest from about N13 million to about N5million a month. Will some people like that? No. Let me add that we have been able to do much for the school in the area of some courses that were not accredited.

Just when we thought some form of stability has returned to LASU, we are now confronted with agitations from students and lecturers? Could you give us some insight into what could be responsible for this?

I will try as much as possible to choose my words, but at the same time, I will be as frank as possible.

You will notice that it is not unlikely that because of the reforms being carried out, some people will not be happy. But it is also interesting to note that when this administration came in 2011, we had an ASUU executive and there wasn’t any problem until that ASUU executive left and a new one took over. Now all of a sudden, we have a problem. Could we be dealing with issues that go beyond what we are seeing? I don’t know. It is an open question. The first sign to the best of my knowledge has to do with the 21 points being raised by ASUU, which include the tenure of the VC, retirement age, the issue of ‘No vacancy, No promotion’, which was not coined by the administration, the issue of internet provision on campus, issue of environment. Twice, we had rainstorms that damaged our facilities in the ICT unit. The first one, I got an estimate of N15million to effect repairs throughout the university. But by the time we finished, we spend a little over N3million and everything was rectified. The second time we had problem with ICT, the entire set of equipment was destroyed because of what turned out to be an earthling problem. For the new auditorium where we had our first convocation indoor, I got an estimate that we were to complete it with about N29 million. By the time we were through, we did everything with less than N6 million.

So, we had series of meetings and even the Chancellor, Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas, invited us. We held about four or five meetings. But it is like the same issues were being repeated. At some point, the representatives of national ASUU came and we had discussions in the Senate Chamber, then about seven issues were raised. By the time the current trade dispute began, it had already been reduced to three. And I believe that, if from 20 we are now dealing with just three, it means we have been talking.

On the ‘No vacancy, no promotion’ issue, is it true that we have had no vacancy? The answer is no. because I recall that about 112 people were promoted and appointed in 2011/2012. That is a fact. So, if there were no vacancies, would they have been promoted? I don’t want to be personal but I have to mention this. The current ASUU Chairman earned his promotion in 2011/2012. In 2012/ 2013, the exercise that we just completed, there were 256 vacancies declared. Meanwhile, the varC M Y K

ious colleges and faculties presented only 105 lecturers for promotion. So, we have been promoting people.

ASUU also raised the issue of the hike in school fees saying it is the most expensive in public universities in Nigeria. What is your take on that?

The issue of school fees, strictly speaking, concerns students, parents and government. That should not be an issue for ASUU wanting to shut down the university. And I know that this administration is aware of the fact that government is looking into it. Government is interacting with the students and the students have written a proposal to the government and a committee is looking into it. So, why not wait for that committee to finish its work? In a correspondent to ASUU, I said ‘if you feel strongly about this, why don’t you make your own submission to the government as to what you think should be the school fees? Let government consider it among other things’.

Do you have any idea if ASUU has done that?

ASUU never did that to the best of my knowledge. Nobody in government has told me that they have received any document from ASUU towards that effects. It was said that school fees hike has been responsible for low students’ enrolment; I will leave us to judge. It could be partly responsible but you cannot ignore a lot of other things. Remember I mentioned earlier on that LASU lost accreditation; if programmes were not accredited, particularly those ones that will attract students like admin, public relations, insurance, economics, even law, you cannot advertise for them. So, that will naturally affect your enrolment because you cannot admit students into those departments. For two years, they could not admit into Faculty of Law, now we are admitting comfortably. Because we lost accreditation in accounting, we could not admit into it. One important factor we cannot overlook is this: if a university is prone to incessant strikes, either by teachers or students, as a parent, would you want to send your children to that university? What kind of brand are we selling to the wider society? It is very myopic to just focus on school fees. We should look at what we are doing to ourselves. We need to think seriously about rebranding and about the image of the university.

The more you have this riotous environment, every parent will not be happy to send their children here and that will definitely lead to low enrolment of students. I have received a number of texts from people asking me, ‘Why did I come to LASU? Am I not wasting my time?’ I went to give a lecture to medical students two weeks ago and I realized that the 400-level medical students actually came into the university around 2008. It means they have spent six years in the university and they told me, ‘Sir, we don’t want any other strike in this place’. I am not going to be specific, but it is also a fact that a very senior official of ASUU-LASU has two children in Babcock University. Meanwhile, he wants LASU to be shut down. I think we need to think seriously about it.

Are you in essence saying that the present crisis was caused by some elements who are not com-

•Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa

fortable with your reform programmes and wanted you out or by the hike in school fees?

I have not alleged that some people wanted me out at all costs but some people naturally might not be happy with certain reforms we have made and you cannot rule out such considerations. The issue of school fees is about two and a half years old. The interesting thing is that government did not just arrive at the figures. The

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Continued from page 14

tries to increase the vote to scholarship and bursary. And I know a number of students who enjoy both scholarship and bursary.

Indigent students said they approached the school authorities to be exempted from the new fees but were ignored. How true is that?

With regards to indigent students, the university never received any request, but I know that the governor instructed that we

I have not alleged that some people wanted me out at all costs but some people naturally might not be happy with certain reforms we have made and you cannot rule out such considerations

figures actually passed through even the academics of LASU, the Senate. The Senate of the university knew about these things, they approved the fees, so how come they are now raising these issues? I find it very interesting that the president of the students union said nobody should fight for them, that they are capable of fighting for themselves. I don’t think the issue of school fees is a big problem. I know government is trying to do something about it and it will be interesting to see what happens after government has taken a decision on that.

The governor said the new fees is for new students and not the returning ones. Could you shed more light on this?

When the new fees was introduced in 2011, it was stated clearly that it will only apply to people just coming into the system, that the old students will continue to pay N25,000 because government felt that they had a pre-existing contract with the old students and they should maintain that. Now, at some point in time I said hike in school fees in quote. This is because it is not really a hike but a review of the value of goods. But in doing that, government also

,

should not demand for school fees to be paid at once. People should be allowed to pay in two installments: Pay 70 percent during the first semester and pay the remaining 30 percent at the beginning of second semester, when you want to register. During this recent crisis, the student executives said that they heard that some people dropped out because of school fees and I was there and the governor said ‘I have asked you to give me a list of those that dropped.’

The list was given to me in government house and we went back to the university to look at it. Of course, we found many on the list who were not students of LASU. We find out that many of them dropped out because they could not meet up with the appropriate CGPA. We found that some people had actually collected bursary and scholarship but still did not pay the school fees. I recall the governor said that upon going through the list, if we have any indigent students who dropped out, government will pay on their behalf. I don’t see a government doing anything better than that. The Governing Council also promised to give scholarship to brilliant students irrespective of their state of

origin. So, all these things are in the pipelines.

So what do you think is the way out?

I think that is what government is doing right now, by interacting with the students. An adhoc committee has been set up. I don’t have all the details but I know that the report is going back to the governor. It will be considered by the state executive council and I expect a decision to be communicated to the Governing Council of the University and we will be able to do something about it. I believe that when that happens, and very soon, that should put a stop to all these things.

Are you making any personal efforts as the Vice-Chancellor towards effective resolution of this crisis?

In fact yesterday (Thursday) I was in Alausa discussing with the committee sset up by government,.

Aside that, we have been in discussions even within the university. I told you that two days ago, there was a meeting with some HoDs and Deans. Also, yesterday at the Senate, there were 40 senators there and we not only took decisions on the way forward, we also looked at what had happened and I can assure you that we have made ourselves available for dialogue. in fact we are supposed to meet with ASUU at 9am yesterday, but unfortunately ASUU said it was not available to meet with us. Up till now, there has not been any bilateral declaration of war, it is just one-sided because it is not worth it. Tomorrow, I will leave this position, we will meet outside, we should be able to relate with one another. On a final note, will there be an end to this current crisis?

The answer is yes. Whether people like it or not, change has come to LASU. I prefer not to talk much but I just believe in doing what I have to do,. Those who want to declare war, let them declare the war. If they have grievances, let them come out into the open to say what they have to say. Whether we like it or not, LASU has to change, we have to move forward. Obafunwa is not scared of anyone. I will just keep smiling.

Let s just leave it at that for now.

PAGE 16 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

The chicken has come home to roost

By Lai Mohammed

W

HEN Nigerians spoke up about insecurity in the North, they were labelled as detractors; when the opposition party and concerned leaders spoke up, they characterized them as power hungry, Islamic fundamentalists and exponents of Janjaweed ideology; when the international media did, they were termed APC opposition collaborators, apologists or even pawns; when Hilary Clinton did, she was ridiculed as incompetent, and in fact the cause of the problem and the reason the Chibok girls were abducted; when the American government did, they were called busy bodies who have their own unresolved problems; when former PDP governors and other politicians did, they were immediately described as disgruntled.

Whatever the case maybe, those who complain, object, criticize, observe or even perceive that the PDP or the Jonathan administration should should be doing more are simply labeled enemies of the administration . They are considered “sick”, senseless conspirators and saboteurs, and they are described in many other unprintable words that should never be used in the kind of discourse that is the subject of the matter.

But now, a past President, a lead-

er of the PDP, a former chair of the PDP BOT and, more importantly, a benefactor of the current President, has spoken. He said the President did not believe the Chibok girls were missing initially. According to him, Jonathan considered it a political gimmick, and chose not to err on the side of caution when the lives of some of the most vulnerable Nigerians were at stake.

The former President, from his military and presidential experience, expressed the thought that this unfortunate approach adopted by the President wasted the most vital window of opportunity in rescuing the girls, and taking them out of harm’s way, the vital initial twelve hours. According to former President Obasanjo, President Jonathan, finally, slowly and reluctantly answered the call to act only when the international community put pressure on him and the matter overshadowed the World Economic Forum being hosted in the nation’s capital.

The former President described the current President as slow, and failing to meet Nigerians expectations! This is historic and unprecedented! There is no record of a former democratically elected President describing a successor in this manner.

Last weekend, on account of the wondrous technology of communication, broadcast and cable

BY TIM OWHEFERE

T

HIS vexatious phrase was first brought to my knowledge in London. I had gone there combining job

and pleasure when a friend from the South West of Nigeria, asked me with scorn and fun what the hell is gone wrong with our dear country Nigeria, why a First Lady cannot speak the expected good English(whatever that meant).

My first reaction was instant anger at the very low level to which we have propelled our politics and the inherent danger in telling a particular section of this great country that nothing good can ever come from Nazareth……the Niger Delta here depicted as Nazareth.

Here is a woman whose husband presides over the affairs of this nation. This same woman did not learn or imbibe Christianity in the Villa, she is and has been a Dame, a female Knight of the Anglican Communion. To the Anglican faithful, to be knighted, you are presumed to be a defender of the Christian faith. It follows good logic, therefore, that in reminding those invited to the Villa on that fateful day by the wife of the President of the existence of God who oversees the affairs of men and passes judgement as it pleases Him, Dame Patience Jonathan was not just defending the Faith but acted as a vessel through whom God spoke to those arrogant invitees from Borno State, that in whatever you do to bring down my husband, the unity of this country, remember, there is God. The social media had a field day disparaging this innocent woman, her innocent comments and well intentioned advice. I am tempted in anger to ask

•Lai Mohammed television, we were treated to the “American Wonder” of the value of citizens, and to what lengths nations should go to secure them.

The news as monitored demonstrated the real role of the President of a nation with the deployment of the best of America’s special forces to secure a non-contentious release of a soldier who, though in captivity for five years, remained unforgotten by his country. America, of the “AmericaWillKnow# fame, swapped five dangerous terrorists just to secure the life of one non-commissioned officer - a sergeant. The President got personally involved and spoke directly to the King of Qatar who took custody of five dangerous prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, who America gave for just one of its own.

What was most touching and

telling was that Mr. Obama personally took charge of securing the release of “just” one low level American soldier; whose existence in many ways should not mean much to him, going by Nigerian warped standard; one whose capture and detention did not stop him from winning elections. He called the parents, brought them to the White House and shared his podium and moment of glory with them. They hugged, back-slapped, and walked away together holding each other fondly, endearingly and so ordinarily, perhaps, to eat brunch together in the White House.

Days before this happened, no security report of danger to his life could stop President Obama from flying across the world to celebrate Memorial Day in the heart

There is God ooo…..and then those behind this crusade, how many English people can communicate fluently in our native languages. I had watched with fun then, how a sitting President of this country, during a world press conference, with a US President Bill Clinton in trying to justify how much progress he had recorded in terms of development used our local parlance …..‘potor potor ’ to refer to mashy ground on CNN. We all laughed, applauded him and remained silent, not because he was correct not to have used the right words but because he is from a privileged section of this country recently demarcated and painted as Educational territory of Nigeria by another modern day enemy of Nigeria who arrogated to himself of being God installed Administrator of Nigeria.

Dame Patience Jonathan, just like me, by such demarcation, comes from an irrelevant section of this country and, as such, whatever we do, right or wrong, must be wrong. I have always lived in this country because I love Nigeria, and am proud of her sincerely unlike those who do same because of the oil blocks they have stolen from my fathers using military might aided by the ignorance of our leaders in the Niger Delta who over the years have vigorously preached the unity of Nigeria while other sections fed fat from our land.

In all my stay here, I have seen my first ladies who even ruled side by side their husbands, we all clapped and kept mute. Some even went for tummy tuck to look more attractive; no one, not one dared to question. Those who dared and managed to stay alive have horrifying stories to tell of the real colours of dictatorship. Where did Dame Patience Jonathan go wrong.

I have heard echos….. she took a microphone from Governor Amaechi forcefully (if that is ever correct) she is too over bearing,

she controls her husband, she is actually the President and not Jonathan. One question here, how many men do their wives or even mistress not control? It is easier said outside about men being in control but, behind closed doors, it is a different game. In the bedroom, the very perceived strong men are sometimes usually the first to go soft when the woman is still barking out orders.

The barrages of attack on Dame Patience Jonathan is also a fallout of the anger of those who believe that it is an abomination for any of us from the Niger Delta to attempt to govern this country since we do not fall within the already demarcated zones of relevance but our natural resources fall within their bank accounts.

We the people from the Niger Delta make bold to proclaim that it is not for any section of this country to tell us whom we should present to serve our tenure. Our tenure now being served by President Jonathan terminates in 2019, God willing, is so dear to us because it represents our very existence and being in this fragile union called Nigeria. We shall resist any attempt to deny us of our own slot or even conceive to stop the Southeast from taking their own slots that should commence in 2019. Gone are the years, that it was perceived and almost established that Nigeria belonged only to a section of this country. Nigeria belongs to us all. Half a word is enough for a wise man. * Owhefere is a two-term member of the Delta State House of Assembly where he represents Isoko North Constituency.

of the war, and where he was most likely to be in harm’s way. He chose the epicenter over the attention-center.

He chose Bagram, Afghanistan, over the White House in Washington DC. Nothing could stop him.

Contrast this with what is happening at home. When recently we had Children’s Day, our own President Jonathan didn’t go to visit the children who were in despair, children who had been unable to attend school on account of the Boko Haram insurgency, children whose lives had been changed forever by fear, tragedy and loss, children who had lost parents or siblings, some of whom want to be like him in the future.

Our only connection with them is the technological wonder of cable TV, with CNN meeting with them, touring their school, meeting their teachers, listening to them and transmitting their pain, their hopes, their aspirations to the world. CNN could go, but our own President could not.

We are today a people traumatized more by our leaders than our attackers. Our attackers have banked on the failure of our leaders to traumatize us even more.

We are a people in despair, in pain and sorrow, not only for the lost souls or missing girls, but also for the soul of our nation and the missing leadership. Traumatized by terrorists, traumatized by an incompetent government, traumatized by poor infrastructure, traumatized by darkness, traumatized by impunity, traumatized by our helplessness when those who steal go unpunished, traumatized when children are missing and the President is dancing, traumatized when he, and the leadership of his party deny the obvious, when they belittle the lives of our children by disputing their abduction, when they insult the pain of parents, the fear and grief of communities, traumatized when we realize we can’t depend on our government to protect us, or come to our aid, traumatized when the government spokesperson labels us who are victims of this government as opposition controlled states, traumatized when, to them, those who are concerned enough about the safety and destiny of our girls, are reduced to mere “campaigners” who are 90% opposition, traumatized to discover that our President only sees electoral capital, not human capital, not Nigerian capital, not citizens of Nigeria, traumatized at the reality of our exclusion by the President and the PDP. At a point, trauma leads to delusion and irrational behaviour.

How much more trauma can we take? As a nation, we are unraveling, things are falling apart, the center is not holding, anarchy is upon the land, but the reason is simple. There is a failure at the center. There is rot, incompetence, callousness, ineptitude, a scale of corruption and stealing,a level of impunity that is emanating from the center. The stench is so bad, you can smell it far North, far east, far south, and far west. That is why things are falling apart, that is why the center isn’t holding, that is why anarchy is upon the land, that, I submit, is the reason for, and our greatest trauma. *Mohammed is Interim Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC).

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 17

I can go nude at a price — Chukwura Favoura

C

hukwura Favour is only just beginning to find her feet in the industry. With a good run in ‘Painful Madness’, Favour ’s calling card into the industry has kept ringing, not only in the ears of producers and directors but fans alike, who have been commending her talent, versatility and of course, her refreshing sex appeals that are more than appealing to both the young and old.

The Anambra State-born actress who studied Food and Science Technology at Imo State University came under the radar of Potpourri and she shared a bit of the person behind the facade of the actress.

How far would she go in interpreting a role? She was asked. “If you mean nude, I can, but for a reason. I cannot go nude for nothing. If I’m to play nude I have to consider how much it is worth. This is based on the fact that we are in a society where our cultural practices are different from that of the western world. Hence, if the money is worth it, I can.

Thereafter, I will use the same money to take care of the aftereffect. I can go nude at a price” she answered.

Chukwura Favour has acted alongside top names like Chioma Chukwuka, Chinwetalu Agu, Mike Ezuronye, among others but she would tell you her most challenging movie role is in ‘Black Mafias’ where she had to take a sub-lead for the first time in her career.

Homosexualism in Nollywood!

A guy ask ed me ffor or asked sex – Bishop Duruzor

N

ollywood actor and businessman, Bishop Duruzor has opened a can of worms Nollywood has tried very hard to keep under lock and key, for very long. While lesbianism is freely treated as an existing

phenomenom, homosexualism seems to be an issue the industry would rather not talk about or shrugged aside as something that doesn’t exist. Now, with a jail term hanging over the outlawed practise, no one just wants to talk about it.

I need a romantic r man – Kim Wonde

S

he’s beautiful, sexy and talented.

Her name is Kim Wonder, a British bred Nigerian singer who has been making music in England for a while before coming back home to till the fertile music land and plant her own seed which she expects will grow into flourishing fruits that would not only further enrich the sprouting music industry but also add value in terms of quality and content.

“My name is Kimberly; I just exchanged ‘Berly ’ with ‘Wonder ’ because I just acknowledged how wonderful God had created me . It was as simple as that. It only sounds foreign because I started my musical career in England and the name is a blend of two English words. So, I’m a Nigerian but brought up outside Nigeria” she told Potpourri.

She has done one video ‘How You Dey’ where Kim didn’t exactly bare anything too combative or offensive but spread around enough of her sexuality to make her presence count.

“A romantic and excellent spirit can make me fall in love. And before I fall in love, my man must be a fine, responsible, intelligent and committed kind of man.

So, if I need a man, he must be romantic” she explained when she was asked what kind of man would make her fall in love.

But Bishop, who does more of his own productions because of such sexual harassment has stated that homosexualism exists in Nollywood.

Speaking with Potpourri, Bishop revealed his encounter with the act.

“Homosexualism and lesbianism have become very rampart in Nollywood.

It is not even hidden, they come to woo you without hiding it” he said.

“Yes, a guy once told me he liked me and all that. After a while, he said he wanted to

see the size of my manhood. I said “For what!”. I thought he was joking, but subsequently, when we hung out or went for shooting, he would try to touch me in a romantic way. I realised that he was serious, when I asked him what he wanted, he said he wanted to have sex with me. He promised me heaven and earth and I refused. That was how it ended” Bishop disclosed.

PAGE 18 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014

Tales of heartbreak Iyanya took

-Y emi Alade Yemi

Beautiful singer, Yemi Alade has become one of the biggest divas on the music scene in just a couple of years since she announced her arrival with a hot single ‘Johnny’. But unknown to many people the title of the track ‘Johnny’ isn’t just a fanciful name that the singer dreamt up, it was actually a name of a guy who loved the crooner and dumped her.

Explaining the reason behind the hit single, Yemi told her tale of heartbreak. “My experience with Johnny was one of the lowest points in my emotional life. I couldn’t understand why a guy I loved so much and spent a lot of time with, had other girls in his life and was able to keep a “healthy” relationship with all of us. Is he omnipotent and omnipresent?” she sighed.

“At one point, it seemed the story of me dating a Johnny that lived in Lekki, was everywhere.

What further confirmed it was when Deji, a radio presenter for MTN Top Ten Countdown, asked me questions about Johnny during a recorded interview. I literally froze! How could he have known so much about my personal life? His questions were direct and well informed. He kept throwing them at me with his straight face, and his hypnotic calm questioning voice – the type a shrink would use for his patients.” she said.

advantage

of me

– Yvonne Nelson

G

hanaian A-list actress, Yvonne Nelson and Nigerian music sensation Iyanya were once the toast of the entertaiment world when the two were so much in love and looked like they could do no wrong to each other. But the bubble burst when Yvonne announced that Iyanya had broken her heart.

“There were too many lies in the relationship. I found out a whole lot of things and I just felt like he took advantage of me. He would say that (we weren’t going out, that he didn’t break my heart) but he was wrong. His team is also trying to protect his fan base and I don’t blame him for denying anything. It’s him and his career, that’s okay. We dated for seven to eight months.

We had something and I thought it was special, like he was a wonderful guy but it was all lies. He had other girls and other things he was doing”, she cried out on her Twitter handle back then.

But it appears the actress has since moved on with her life as she confirmed recently in a text messaging chat with Potpourri.

“I have gotten over Iyanya. But it still hurts that he took advantage of me” she said.

I am a woman with feelings - Tope Osoba

S

eductively beautiful Tope Osoba, has shown lovers of Nollywood she is not a face that is going to fade off the screen any time soon. Having proven her worth in movie like ‘Gucci Girls’, ‘Igboro Ti Daru’, among many others, the busty actress took the giant leap into the world of movie production when she recently shot her first film ‘Single Ladies’, casting the best hands in the Yoruba sector of the industry.

Tope, who spoke with Potpourri recently bared her mind on the issue of heartbreak, saying as a woman who isn’t by any means green, she has had her own share of heartbreaks but contended that it is nothing that should make any woman bitter.

“Well, every girl must have had their hearts broken once or twice before.

How How aa Johnny Johnny broke my my broke heart heart

Yes, I have been heartbroken and I must tell you it wasn’t a nice feeling. It was as if the world stopped moving but life has a way of healing everything. Even when you don’t want the pain to go away life has a way of making it all okay again” she said.

But she was quick to add she is a jealous girl who would not stand for any form of cheating in her relationship. “Every woman is jealous but to different degrees. Mine is mild not a wild kind of jealousy. If I catch my man in bed with another woman, I won’t do or say anything. I will just walk away. Of course, that will be the end of the relationship,no woman wants to share her man with anyone. I am a woman with feelings. Yes, I am a jealous person.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 19

I

t was an evening of fun, fanfare and excitement as Mr Raw Nwanne, Nigeria’s hiphop sensation formerly known as ‘Dat Nigga Raw’, and fast rising comedian and events compere, De Dons, thrilled consumers ad infinitum with their ecstatic performance.

The event was the second raffle draw for the on-going Dubai Shopping Promo powered

by Nigeria’s fastest growing stout brand, Legend Extra Stout from the stables of Nigerian Breweries Plc. It was held to select another set of ten lucky consumers who will fly to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on an all-expenses paid shopping trip; and the venue was the posh Bush House Arena in Independence Layout, Enugu, Enugu State.

The night’s draws were conducted manually and electronically. The manual draw was carried out in two phases. In the first phase, nine lucky consumers won fantastic prizes such as BlackBerry phones, Refrigerators and 32 inch LED TVs. The second phase produced Anchuku John, a driver with Mac Daniels Construction Company in Enugu and Anthony Okafor, a student of Federal Polytechnic, Okoh, as winners of the grand prize from among the crowd at the venue.

BY IYABO AINA

Maheeda

C

ontroversial, Nollywood porn actress, Judith Opara Mazagwu popularly known as Afro Candy, is back in the news and this time it’s about her new movie which is set for release.

According to her, she'll be engaging in a threesome with two older men of 50plus, and two younger guys of 28-plus right in front of the camera!

She also said; to protect the identity of the men, their faces will be masked, so, don't even think you'd get a chance to see who they are.

"I would be having a threesome with two older men of 50-plus and also with two younger guys of 28-plus on Camera (filmed).

The Videos will be on my site www.Afrocanetwork soon. Do not bother to try to find out who they are as you will not recognize them as they will be masked and It's going to be crazy and you can compare between the two who is better in action.Watch out!", she wrote.

goes nude again in another video

I

t doesn't seem we are ever going to be done talking about the controversial singer who calls herself Maheeda. Just when you think the singer is done with tricks on how to get attention, she comes along with just another to make you feel the last one was a dry one.

She has many critics, probably more haters because she parades herself as a gospel singer while she goes nude to sell her gospel songs. Many shot her 'Lasgidi Girl' video to bits for being full of too many obscene scenes but that would take no air off Maheeda's skin because while people are still talking, the Bitch Making Money as she recently called herself released another nude video that makes the 'Lasgidi Girl' look like a scene out of Sister Theresa's chronicle or something.

She released the video last Friday night and the video doesn't look like one shot for any of her songs because it only lasted about 1.45 minutes, with Maheeda totally nude, backing the camera and dancing Mapouka kind of dance.

Though she was mostly backing the camera with all her backside uncovered, yet from time to time, she would flip here or there and her boobs which had no restraint came flapping right for all to see!

•Maheeda She actually sent the video to the entertainment editor, with a clip message “ watch me nude and like me”.

•Afro Candy

I will be having a threesome with two 50-year-old men

—Afro Candy

PAGE 20— SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014

Why I used to see men as demons – Peboh Ice A

ctress and movie producer Peboh ice first hit our TV screens when she featured in Obi Osotule’s ‘Love Medicine’. The beautiful damsel’s narrative reads like that of a thriller woven in emotional highs and lows. In this interview, the Theatre Arts graduate talks about her experience in the movie industry and why she decided to opt for movie production instead of acting..

By KEHINDE AJOSE

A

s a multi-talented person, why did you decide to focus on movie production?

Because I want to tell my story .

I am a Christian and I have lots of stories to tell .I want to, especially, talk about Christianity. I want to talk about the pastors , because I have met quite a number of them and I want to talk about their women, how they allow the ministry to take precedence over their families. They work too hard in terms of building people, spiritually, while their own families suffer.

Most times, they tend to take their wives for granted, believing they understand their callings and so end up not appreciating them enough.

But they have forgotten that their wives are ordinary women who have normal feelings too. They believe their wives cannot cheat them but they are wrong.

So, you have decided to make a movie to tell this story and bring the pastors’ minds back to caring for their wives?

By and large, yes. The movie is titled Yesterday is gone. It’s about a Christian home like I said earlier. It’s centered around a lady who is always looking for attention from her husband who doesn’t create time for her. The woman met another man in her office who gave her the attention she craved. In the same vein, the pastor too met another cute lady in the church and they started seeing each other , but because the man happens to be stronger than the wife he didn’t fall.

He now went back home to see if he could work things out with his wife but on getting home he met his wife in the arms of another man. He was devastated, asking God why his wife would cheat on him. Yesterday is gone was produced by me and directed by Jeff William.

Is it a cinema movie?

It’s for the DVD market but because of the standard and quality of the movie, I may want to take it to the cinema. My mind isn’t made up yet.

Have you really been engaged in Nollywood before?

The first movie I did was in 2003. I played a lead role in a movie called Love Medicine produced by Obi Osotule. I was cast alongside the likes of Shan George, Kate Henshaw and Frank Dallas .They were so nice to me ,especially Shan George who played my aunty in the movie. After the whole of the production, I took a break.

You took a break from Nollywood?

Yes, I just couldn’t stand the heat What heat?

Then it was tough to be an actress. People back then, always wanted to have sex with you, unlike now when it is the other way round – actresses throwing

themselves at producers and directors to have a shot at fame. The pressure then was much , everybody wanted to trick you into sleeping with them. So I had to leave because the pressure was much. For instance, you think there is a strong production going on you attend the audition, and you are picked at the audition and at night someone calls you up to come and get the script in an hotel at an ungodly hour. I experienced loads of it. I like doing things that I want to do, I don’t like being compelled to do things I don’t want to do.

What made you say no to those offers?

I would say it’s my upbringing. If you have a mum like mine even if she is not where you are, you will live right. Back then, you dare not come to my house because she is going to lock you up.

Do you have any regrets that you left?

I still feel a little bit bad for leaving because all of them aren’t bad. Obi Osotule is a good guy, he gave me my first lead role without any qualms. When he called me back for another movie I didn’t go. If I had gone to him, and told him what my experiences were, he would have given me an advice.

Why were you so scared then, you could have played around it .Do you have a thing against sex?

Maybe.

What do you have against sex?

I was once raped. That is why I hate sex. I wasn’t raped as a child, I was raped when I was nineteen. I only told my mum about it recently and she felt so bad I didn’t tell her

when it happned. But I told her I couldn’t tell her because I was living in mortal fear of her.

She was too strict and I couldn’t imagine telling her such a thing happened to me. I thought she would kill me.

Why did you decide to become a movie producer instead of just going straight into acting?

I did that because I didn’t want anyone to force me into sex and then the second reason is that as you know, these days, if you are not an Alister, nothing for you. They talk to you the way they like, they don’t even care if you exist or not .I don’t want to go through such things that is why I decided to do my own stuff.

How long did it take you to get into a relationship after your previous experience?

It took a long time. I can remember losing some relationships because I couldn’t let go. I couldn’t bring myself to telling them the reason why I didn’t want to have sex. The reason is not just because I am a Christian, it’s also because I have a burden in my heart that I just couldn’t let go till I fell in love with this sweet guy.

So what made you fall in love with your lover now?

He is sweet, he makes me laugh and you know we ladies love to be around men who make us laugh.

They are not all bad, some men are quite good.

How did you come about the name Peboh Ice? The name was given to me by one of my course mates when I was in the university. Back in school, a guy used a lot of my pictures for billboards in his café and the name of the place was ’Latina’. I loved the name and went back to my hostel

and told my roommates I wanted to be bearing the name. But they said my name isn’t Tina. So one of them said why don’t I answer Peboh. She said it’s a combination of my names.

The ice part of my name comes from the fact that everybody wants to be hot and I said I don’t want to be hot, I want to be freezing, like a block of ice. So I decided to go for Peboh Ice.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 21

Writing the Advertising Brief: How and Why

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brief. The importance of a good advertising brief is simply enormous and cannot be narrated simply. To start, let us appreciate the importance of THE BRIEF from the standpoint of the fact that advertising is all about telling a brand’s story. Simple! Now, this story could be towards persuasion, enlightenment, reward, developing or consolidating friendship (relationship), forming an opinion or simply planting an idea - in someone’s mind. Again, that is why advertising is about the human mind. Decision taken on account of an advert message is resultant and in fact consequent upon the impact the given advert message had on the mind of the target recipient of the advert message.

If we closely follow with another fact that there is no good story without pieces of information and a plot, we can then begin to appreciate the importance of background information, properly gathered and arranged, set in a plot for a good and impactful brand story.

T

hat sets the tone for ap preciating the impor tance of an advertising

brief.

The advertising brief helps in determining the scope and extent of strategic and creative work, creates and shapes the plot, guides the creative process and helps in profiling the target audience. In addition, the brief helps in revealing the brand’s competitors, guides

the agency towards properly investigating the possible threat areas including the competing brands, investigate own-brand for proper and appropriate protection from harm, and channels the use of scarce resources.

I

n effect, therefore, a brand’s communication or advertising campaign is only as good, effective and impactful as the brief that

,

HIS piece is in keeping with our commitment to helping compliance to the standard professional practice of brands management and advertising, by bringing to notice, those basic and functional elements more commonly undermined in the face of present day quick-fix approach and system compromise due to impatience and inadequate training. We must also quickly add here, that more and more, professional training and proper and induction are lacking in the advertising industry. Consequently, quality of service delivery is dropping with time.

It has become alarming.

On the one side of the divide in this case, are the practitioners on the client’s side, and on the other are the professionals on the agency side.

We must also state here that practitioners on both sides are equally tasked on the provision of world standard professional service delivery. It is to that extent of expectation and responsibility that we have always made the case for appropriate human resource consideration through an unbiased selection process, when there is the need to engage people for brands management and advertising functions. It also applies in the process of engaging advertising agency for a brand.

The consequence of compromising this process of human resource engagement is simply too costly to be undermined. But because the consequence of mediocrity in brands management and advertising build up rather slowly, most systems wish it away.

But unfortunately, it tells on the brand, its competitiveness, market performance and the value of its equity in the long run. May we also state here, that in most cases, the benefits of professional brand management are not measured in sales figures? Suffice, therefore, that a brand may still be enjoying good level of consumer engagement and shelf off-take but losing out on consumer perception in so many ways. The danger in a case like this is that owners of such brand will assume all is well since the sales figures remain good, not knowing that potential competitors are waiting to take advantage of the negative market perception of that brand to attack. It is that simple.

One of those critical points in the process of developing effective brand communication commonly undermined today is writing the advertising

go through a period of orientation within their system. The aim was to adequately intimate the agency with the global practice standard and method of handling the P&G brand.

Their system is so thorough the intellectual and mental ability of all those put forward by the agency were rated during this process. At the end of the interaction process participants are scored on the bases of alertness, appreciation and

Decision taken on account of an advert message is resultant and in fact consequent upon the impact the given advert message had on the mind of the target recipient of the advert message

,

originated the entire process.

That explains why professionally managed brands pay utmost attention to advertising brief development. I still find the Procter & Gamble outstanding (if they still do so now).

Way back when I worked in the team that introduced Vicks Lemon Plus and Euro-Pampers brand into this market, P&G system required that all those chosen to work on their brands from the Agency side

internalization of the P&G process. It is when they are satisfied at this point that on the job interaction begins. Then, it is assumed that everybody on the brand know what to do for the brand.

Not to mention the advertising brief from then on; a brief from P&G clearly spells out the given brand’s personality, value-essence, its target market, a history of its market perfor-

mance up till the time of briefing, its challenges, strength and weaknesses in the face of market expectation versus competition, the marketing objective in volume and value terms, the immediate and long term projection for the brand, in terms of market performance, perception/image and market position.

Of course, and that is what makes it all the more interesting, the brief from this team is extensively supported by current figures. The figures they supply are open to independent verification. In fact the agency is expected to consider information contained in the brief as hypothetical until verified through independent market study. It was quite engaging and exciting because by the tradition of the practice environment then (which is the tradition with my team now), the next step after reading a client’s brief, is conducting a research. Agencies’ research helps in either confirming or substituting client’s information or claim based on empirical studies. Such extra work on the agency’s part helps the strategic planning and creative process which in turn ensures a effective end-product in form of advertising campaign.

A

good advertising brief assures all of the above.

The challenge, however, is that a good brief can only come from a properly trained person/ professionally matured personality. Writing a good advertising brief requires intelligence, commitment, dedication, professionalism, attention to details, knowledge and hard work. All of these are considered too problematic by over 75% of brand managers on the client’s side in today’s environment – not to mention “corporate affairs managers” and “corporate communications” managers of today (mostly journalists and PR people by training). Improper job description and personnel engagement, therefore, have added to the confusion. By and large, we must put the importance of writing an advertising brief in its true perspective.

There cannot be a good and effective advertising or campaign with potentials to optimize returns on advertising spends without a good brief.

So, it is important that clients engage professional brand managers in their system and these persons are constantly trained and retrained for optimal efficiency – starting with ability to write a good advertising brief. …as captured above!

PAGE 22,

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

Travelling to O-land

By Yetunde Arebi

T

HOUGH we know that women can still enjoy pleasurable sex without achieving orgasm, the truth is that nothing tops the icing on the cake as orgasm to good sex. Unfortunately, only a handful of women actually manage to have a robust and fulfilling sex life.

The good thing is that we have taken it upon ourselves to help you achieve just that. While foreplay, otherwise known as oral sex can help catapult things to great levels, sex positions which allows for further stimulation of the clitoris and other parts of the female genitals and body are the secrets.

This is why today I have listed a few of the tried and tested positions that work in favour of the female orgasm. You may want to add them to your repertoire if you want to up your game and ensure you visit the O-land as often as possible.

The Missionary This sex position is probably as old as man itself. Though there is nothing fancy about it, most women get the most pleasure from this basic position. It is also psychologically stimulating for both male and female because it allows for closer intimacy and bonding. For the creative and passionate lovers, the permutations for pleasure are endless and none of them involve discomfort.

Neither do you need the skills of a gymnast to pull them off. However, the missionary allows the man to take charge of the situation and show his woman what he’s got to offer. I can assure you that some of us do love some display of dominance in the bedroom, subtly or overtly, depending on the individuals. Ensure that you are entering at the correct angle by going in diagonally rather than straight in and out.

This allows for more friction for the clitoral stimulation which we must never forget is key to achieving the female orgasm. Up your act by talking or whispering sweetly into her ears or simply

kissing, sucking or licking her ears.

Female on top Also known as the Cowgirl, this sex position allows for the female to be in control of her orgasm as she is the boss. She gets to control all the actions involved and has all the essential parts of her erogenous zones, especially the breasts and the clit, at hand’s reach for needed stimulation from the man. With the man laying flat on his back, she may straddle him across the waist or for creativity, with one leg to the side of his hip and the other between his legs. With the later, the

For the creative and passionate lovers, the permutations for pleasure are endless and none of them involve discomfort. Neither do you need the skills of a gymnast to pull them off man will have to raise one of his knees to give her support. With the woman on top, she controls the pace, the depth, the amount of pressure and friction involved in the act. To let your woman achieve the desired goal quickly and effectively, you will need to lend her support. Hold her waist as she does the riding, let her lean forward to your chest to get some bonding. As earlier mentioned, your hands and mouth can help out here in doing some stroking, tweaking and sucking. Other variations of the female on top position are the rocking horse, the reverse cowgirl, the Amazon and the basket.

The doggy style Perhaps, the most controversial sex position of all time, yet, the doggy remains the most popular of sex position for couples in search of intense pleasure. Practiced since ancient times, its name comes from the fact that the woman is on all fours like a dog while the man is on his knees behind.

This position remains the subject

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of many fantasies, especially for the male. For the romantic, this style may not be so pleasing as it does not allow for eye contact, or passionate mouth kissing.

Who needs eye contact anyway?

Intense and pleasurable sex needs the senses and concentration and this is brain work. No wonder the men always hit their pleasure target while we continue to look and urge them on! The doggy sex position is great for achieving female orgasm as it allows the woman optimal control of the sex act. According to sex coach and founder of Ignite Your Pleasure, Amy Levine, the woman is able to adjust her range of motion for an angle that feels best. The man can easily stimulate her G-spot and have access to her clitoris with his hand. She may also raise herself to her knees even as he con-

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tinues to thrust. The doggy is so rewarding that it is often associated with multiple orgasms (vaginal and clitoral) for the few lucky women who can. Because partners do not have to look at each other’s faces and scrutinise each other ’s expressions, the doggy allows them to let down their inhibitions and abandon themselves to the pleasures of the act.

Good as the doggy may be, it has also attracted quite a few criticism as many believe that it encourages dominator/dominated tendencies in people. But the fact is this depends mainly on the preference of the partners. However, should a man be too rough, penetration might become painful and the woman weakened and unstable. For the doggy to be pleasurable and safe, the couple need to have known and trusted each other to a comfortable level.

Spooning Spooning has already been identified as one of the most popular and romantic sleeping po-

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sition for couples. Add having sex to this and you will see why this sex position is simply terrific. This is a great position for creating romance as your bodies are very close and his hands are very free to throw in some works too.

Though spooning does not also allow for romantic eye contact, your man can caress your body freely in most of the places that count while still whispering loving endearments in your ears. This position is good for couples who love to retain the male dominant and little submissive wife roles. Here, both partners lie on their sides with the man at the back, facing the same direction. As the guy pumps, the female will push her bum towards him, arching her back to allow access to breasts. Spooning is good for ladies who don’t like deep penetration as it concentrates on the front portion of the vagina and creates a tighter fit. This position is incredibly comfortable and suitable for when you both just want to laze and chill out without sweating. Note again, that the breasts and clit have the required attention in this position too.

The coital alignment Remember that this is all about girl power and how sex positions help her achieve ultimate pleasure.

The coital alignment is considered by many to be the “greatest sex position in the world”. Some people swear that this position allows for the closest physical connection and best clitoral stimulation depending on the man’s position.

Ironically, it starts off as the basic missionary with the man’s full weight on top of the woman and not his elbows. However, once penetration takes place, he brings her legs together between his and shifts his weight slightly forward. This way, the base of his pelvis makes direct contact with the woman’s clit. The shaft of his penis will also produce firm pressure and friction on her clit as he moves. There is also plenty of time to kiss as your bodies move together. The man will also be able to get his hands on that great arse and help rotate her pelvis for maximum chance of orgasm together, if possible.

The Counter/Table top This great position works for so many women because it can be used for quick, spontaneous shagging as well as intimate, passion-

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•Olatunde, 34, loving, caring and Also note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of understandable, needs a lady, aged requests which may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore 22-28, who has the fear of God and request that text must be sent through at least one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to a good Christian, for relationship enable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You can send your requests to 33055. For that will lead to marriage.

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DISCLAIMER!

C M Y K

ate copulation. It is also a fantasy position for many because of direct access to many wonderful spots. With the woman on her back and her hip at the edge of the counter, bed or table, the man penetrates her while standing.

Once this is done, you can up your game with the different positions of the woman’s legs. She may put them over his shoulders and tilt her hips slightly upwards for a wonderful angle for cervical stimulation with deep penetration that can produce intense vaginal and uterine orgasms.

Shallow penetration means he can stimulate the anterior vaginal wall to hit the G-spot. She may also spread her legs apart and the wider the better, or simply wraps them around his waist.

The position allows the vagina to be placed directly against the man’s groin, making very deep thrusting incredibly easy. The only down side of this position is that it is so erotic that men sometime come relatively easy. Taking breaks to stimulate her clit and breasts to further push her to the edge will help you gain control of your act.

While working out which of these great sex positions will work for you, please note that by themselves, they may not be able to give you everything you require to get to the pleasurable O-land. Being in the right mindset will help tremendously. Convince yourself that there is need for you to enjoy your sex life and you will do all that is required to get you there. Allow your thoughts to wonder by transporting yourself to a sexy place. Fantasise that you are with that hunky guy you met at the mall.

That is not cheating! As I earlier mentioned, the senses are very important for pleasurable sex and sound and smell occupy significant places. You can create your own sex haven by giving your bedroom that sexy ambience you dream about. Above all, you need to place yourself and your interest and desire first.

Don’t think about what you must do to please him or make him climax. Believe me, he is not thinking about yours when he is concentrating on achieving his!

Remember, you can always reach me via the email: inthelovezone@yahoo.com cheers!!

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 23

08112662589

Could you take your eyes off those boobs for a minute?!

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O re-route male attention south wards from her boobs, Margaret confessed she’s tried wearing baggy black T-Shirts and vice-like sports bras to no avail. A cute and very intelligent computer analyst, she told me recently that: “I’ve tried everything to divert the opposite sex from staring at my rather ample chest.

But no matter what I attempt, I’ve always been known as Maggie Melons - at least that’s what I was called in my school days. That’s the thing about having a 34 F bust: It’s the first thing people see. So, almost inevitably, it becomes your defining characteristic.

“More often than not the dubious attention attracted by my bangers/ melons/ fun bags - oh yes, I’ve heard all the ‘hilarious euphemisms - is entirely unwelcome.

Don’t think me ‘ungrateful’ (as some of my more petite friends have labelled me), but the lascivious stares and lewd comments seem to be on the rise - even in this supposedly enlightened age.

And I blame the likes of Cossy Ojiakor - who could wrap her boobs right around her neck and have a bit to spare who flaunt their gargantuan boobs any chance they have. The more Cossy pouts and preens and brags she’s fine with the fact that her `fame!?` revolves around her mammary glands, the more people think it’s fine to gawp at the rest of us big-chested ladies.

“Recently, I was introduced to a man at a party and he couldn’t peel his eyes away from my cleavage. ‘God! I mean wow! You look amazing!’ he gushed. I wanted to shout: ‘1 do have an entire body - not to mention a brain - you know!’

But of course I didn’t say anything. Unlike any other part of your anatomy, when the joke’s about your heaVing bossom, you are simply supposed to laugh along. Despite Cossy ’s declarations to the contrary, a sizeable bust quickly becomes the bane of your life. Quite apart from the physical discomfort of lumbering

around a 91b bossom (yes, I once weighed them!), I can’t go for a run without the uncalled for leer from men and am yet to speak to a man who has been able to meet my gaze for any length of time.

“It wasn’t until I was 14 that my breasts began to grow out of proportion.

Those early days of shopping for bras left mental scars, with me sobbing ‘1 hate my boobs’ to my mum. Wide strap carved grooves into\my shoulders and the cups struggled to contain my curves. I’m now 36, but when I was a teenager,

more generous sizes weren’t readily available. I was consigned to what was available at the ‘bend-down’ boutiques.

“It wasn’t until I was studying for my A-Levels at the age of 16 that I became aware of the rubbernecking and widening eyes that my boobs elicited from hormonal young males. I’m sure there are many women who would imagine such attention boosts your confidence, but in reality, it’s uncomfortable, humiliating and you just want to run away and hide. You were scared of walking on crowded streets be-

cause of maniacs who deliberately crashed into your chest! When I went to the university, I found myself gravitating towards other busty girls.

My room-mate’s cleavage was as eye-popping as mine. We endured vulgar taunts about our bossoms, but took comfort in the fact we were not alone .

“I never dressed revealingly when I was young, and even now I refuse to display my cleavage when meeting potential suitors. After a failed marriage, I just want a man who would love me for me - and that includes my whole body and my brain.

Meanwhile, most of my social outings continue to be dominated by vulgar comments about my chest. As a woman with a larger - than - life personality, I tend to laugh off such comments. But there are times when I go home feeling genuinely upset.

Would these men say anything if I was flat-chested?

Or big bottomed? I don’t think so. Thanks to Cossy and her ilk, curvy women with big boobs are considered to be fair fame for

ribald comments from strangers, because, no matter how hard they try, they tend to look like porn stars!

“The extent to which my god-forsaking boobs put a damper on everything is best summed up by a recent call from my 28-year-old sister. She was~engaged and would like me to be a matron of honour at her wedding. I told her it was fine by me as long as I don’t have to wear a strapless bridesmaid’s dress. She was amused I didn’t make inquiries about the venue, the number of guests, how she was feeling - my fears about my figure clouded my reaction to her happy news. Thankfully, my sister is very laid -back and assured me that I could wear whatever made me feel comfortable.

“So I would say Cossy Ojiakor and all those women who revel in comments about their breasts, to think again and realise that not every big-busted girl is happy to be judged by her boobs alone.”

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Tightening the abdominals F OR most people over

thirty the abdominal region gets to be the least toned set of muscles of the body. We work with our hands and walk with our feet, therefore, somehow, those parts are almost always in better shape than the abdominal wall.

A trim waistline doesn’t only look impressive aesthetically, it also speaks volumes of the state of health of the individual.

Reduce the girth and presto! You instantly look youthful. You will begin to digest your food and absorb it more efficiently.

Once the belly is shrunk appreciably, we can then learn to perform certain exercises which can help the system achieve better bowel action - a veritable way f eliminating toxins.

As regards exercise, there are countless ways to deal with the bulge of the belly. Some get results from practising ditups, others from legraises and so on.

But there are some less familiar practices that deal C M Y K

with flabby stomach a lot more thoroughly.

Besides strengthening the muscles of the abdomen, some of these prac-

tices can be used for purification purposes along with drinking large quantities of salt water.

The following exercise

will help trim the waist and keep it so, forever. I have had the same waistline since the past thirty years and I am

fifty two now. If yours truly can do it, so can you!

All it takes is diligence.

Lets consider the Rocking.

Technique: Sit with the knees drawn and the hands placed at the back of the knees. Now, lunge both legs forwards and quickly draw them back and thrust them forth again. Keep this to and fro movement of the feet going continually. If you break the rhythm by hesitating you rill immediately fail to keep going.

You may do as few as 5 thrusts and withdrawals of the feet initially and then increase the number of times as you improve.

Benefits: The Rocking toughens the upper thigh and abdominal muscles.

The exercise is reputed to also improve the soundness of sleep.

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

Now, with the breath out, draw in the muscles of the abdomen until you have a hollow forming beneath the ribs. The hands should be placed on the thighs and the knees bent a little. Keep the trunk a bit tipped forward but don’t lower it.

Maintain the retraction of the diaphragm by keeping both hands firmly pressed against the thighs as you lean on them.

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

Then, ease up, stand erect and begin to breathe normally. Repeat only once more if you’re just stating this exercise. As regards this very exercise, Indra Devi advises gradually bringing it up to seven times adding one time each week.

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

Yoga classes STARTED at 32 Adetokunbo Ademola, Victoria Island, Lagos, 9.10am on Saturdays

P AGE 24—SUND AY Vanguard , JUNE 8 , 2014 SUNDA

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

08056180152,

SMS only

The love rat who got a dose of his own medicine

A

BEL fancied him self a ladies’ man. In his 40 odd years on earth, he’d unceremoniously dumped a few number of lovers until he met his match. After years of tossing aside the feelings of others, he finally knew how it felt to be cruelly rejected without warning. And he didn’t like it one bit! Analysing his behaviour with his exes, he recalled that: “The most heinous dumping took place on Valentine’s Day. The most craven was done over the phone. In most cases there were often tears on the girls’ part and sheepish scampering away on mine.

“Given that my first relationship started at 20, and I’m now just over 40, I’ve had two decades of thoughtlessly giving other women - many of whom worshipped the ground I walked on - the elbow.

“Back then, I used to rely on all these terrible meaningless phrases. ‘I think we want different things,’ or ‘I feel a distance between us.’ But the truth was often that I’d grown bored and my eyes had started to wander. I will also admit I clearly lacked the sense of commitment maturity normally brings. So why, when I was ditched for the first time in my life some weeks back by Lisa, my girlfriend, of seven months, was I so devastated? Was it because I had lost a woman I could see myself growing old with? Or was it just that my ego couldn’t stand the soul-jangling criticisms she lay at my door?

I’m not sure, but her final words - ‘Look Abel, quite simply, I think I can do better’ - are still ringing in my ears.

“If you’d seen me in my teens you certainly wouldn’t have thought

me a heart breaker.

Geeky and gangly. with a dreadful hair-cut, I was bereft of style and incredibly awkward around the opposite sex. It wasn’t until I went to university to study Mass Communications that I finally got a proper girlfriend at the age of 20.

She was the cutest little thing I’d ever seen. At first, I was smitten and we dated for a whole year - the second longest relationship I’ve ever had. She was also the woman who, to use an old-fashioned euphemism - made a man of me.

“During the next yearlong vacation, however, I didn’t miss her as much as I thought I would. I started to eye the lives of my young, free and single friends with envy.

When we came back on campus the first week of the following term, I went to her room and told her my decision: I had not missed her, so that was that. She stared at me horrified, then burst into tears. ‘What am I supposed to do now?’ I’ didn’t know whether to give her a hug or exit as quickly as possible. I chose the latter. Did her tears prick my conscience? Briefly. Maybe.

“As times passed, I realised that even though I might not be breathtakingly handsomel I had a way with women and had found out that wooing them with my type of quirky humour works every time. My next relationship was with a 25 year old flatmate. We got together out of convenience and, with time, she moved into my flat. The trouble with living together was that we quickly slipped into a kind of cosy domesticity.

After a year, I moved to a new flat to give the relationship room to grow. It didn’t take time for me to start craving the bachelor

of blistering character assassination again - warranted or otherwise.”

See No Evil?

(Humour}

lifestyle again. Three months later, I left her for good.

“A couple of affairs later and I met Dupe and fell completely in love with her. She was everything I had ever wanted: smart, funny, down-to-earth, elegant and beautiful. Yet,. even with her I reached that six-month tipping point and after a few rows, I called it a day.

This time we both wept.

Afterwards, we indulged in a few nights of postbreak-up intimacy, but were never formally a couple again. One night after a boozy session with colleagues; I paid her a visit - only to find another man. What I did next was unforgivable.

Back home, angry, hurt and rather drunk, I sent her an e-mail calling her ‘cheap’ ‘plain’ and worst of ali, ‘fat’. Understandably, I never heard from her again, and for many years I was haunted by this childish act of spite.

“After a few more uneventful relationships, Lisa walked into my life.

I was on my way from work when it started to rain heavily. I dashed into an eatery for shelter at the same time as Lisa.

We ended up sharing a cramped table, started talking and quickly discovered lots of shared

interests. I asked for her number and we met up the very next day. The relationship progressed well and we fell into a happy pattern of spending our free times together. In my mind I mapped out our future t’ogether, afterall, I wasn’t growing younger.

I was convinced that Lisa felt the same way. I was wrong - as I learnt on that fateful night when the tables were turned on me. Lisa and I arranged to meet at a new restaurant near her place. She kissed me on the cheek instead of on the lips on meeting, which struck me as odd.

“We were scanning the menu when she suddenly told me awkwardly that: ‘Look, Abel, I don’t think that we should see each other any more’, What?

She continued: ‘I’ve been thinking about where we’re going and I’m not sure that place is anywhere.

I may like a scruffy man but your scruffiness takes the cake. Your flat is filthy and needs a thorough clean-up. I’m not convinced you have great prospects from a career point of view and I don’t fancy you any more. I’ll be honest: I think I can do better .. ‘ “I was gubsmacked. I

you try to forget, you start missing.

And when you start missing, you’ll eventually fall in love again” Chris Onunaku 08032988826/08184844015.

Y

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

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

POWER OF LOVE

“When you love, you get hurt. When you get hurt, you hate. When you hate, you try to forget. When

I Miss You!

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checked the adjoining tables to see if anyone had figured out what was going on. Thankfully, they hadn’t. I felt as if the rug had been pulled from under my feet. Me dumped? I wasn’t heartbroken exactly but there was something else, something new that I was feeling. Hurt? Of course.

No one likes having their inadequacies served up to them on a platter. Humiliated?

Maybe. Then it downed on me. Regret. As I ruminated over Lisa’s cruel words, my thoughts turned to the many times I had given girlfriends their marching order. It dawned on me that perhaps I should have been more of a man and told them the truth rather than lazily and coldly casting them aside without reason.

“Lisa and I parted on the pavement with hostile glares. I still can’t believe she’s chucked me like this. What next?

For one thing, I’m going to take her ‘advice’. I’ve already started to smarten up a bit and I’m about to fumigate my kitchen and have vowed to start acting my age. I never want to find myself sitting in a restaurant receiving that kind

The couple’s marriage was on the rocks so the wife decided to go and see a psychiatrist. After 30 minutes of general chat, the subject turned to sex and it soon became apparent that the problem lay in this area. “When you make love, do you ever watch your husband’s face?” asked the psychiatrist.

“Well, I did once,” she replied. “Once!” he exclaimed, “and how did he look?” “Very angry:’ she replied. “Well., this is most extraordinary”, he remarked. “Not only is it very unusual to have seen your husband’s face once, but I’m amazed to hear that he looked so angry. Can you give me some idea of what was happening at the time?”

“Yes, he was watching me through the kitchen window!”: Caught Red-Handed!

(Humour} The judge looked over his glasses at the man standing before him. “You are filing for divorce on the grounds of your wife’s adultery. Is that so?” “Yes your honour..

“And do you have proof of this adultery? Can you name the man involved?

Have you seen him?”

“Well, erm, no, not exactly, Your Honour. But I can tell you when I first knew about it,” he added confidently. “It was one weekend three months ago.. I had. been away all week on a conference and didn’t arrive home until late on Friday night.

In the morning we made mad passionate love when suddenly the woman in the flat next to us started banging on the wall and shouting”, Don’t start all that again, for heaven’s sake! Have you not had enough this week?”

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Heartbreak

Heartbreak is an odd kind of pain 'Coz you're dying but you're not even sick...

You're perfectly fine but inside, where your heart used to be, you're hurt so much that you can't breathe... you can't sleep... and you can't stop the tears from falling...

Emma Mine 07051037749 Delta State

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8 2014, PAGE 25

Email: vanguardwoman@gmail.com

There’s no harm in marrying at 17 —Dr Maryam Abdullahi, Founder, Women for Peace in Nigeria

…says husband sent her to school after marriage

BY JOSEPHINE IGBINOVIA

F

OREMOST peace and development advocate, Dr.(Mrs.) Maryam Abdullahi, a delegate at the on-going national conference, is the founder of Women for Peace in Nigeria, WOPIN. In this interview, the 2012 winner of the Kwame Nkrumah Leadership Award speaks on her advocacy work, childhood, early marriage and solutions to insecurity challenges in the country. ou must have suffered Y condemnation from your kinsmen in the North for your activism; but how did you come about this advocacy work?

This is my calling. There is a belief that women from the North are supposed to be in the purdah and not outdoor, but even women in the purdah are also doing very well these days. I am more passionate about promoting peaceful co-existence. I also care and support orphans and the under-privileged.

Did this calling surface as a result of any personal experience?

I am lucky because I get full support from my husband and it makes it easier for me to do what I am doing today. My children also support what I am doing, so, I am grateful. It doesn’t affect my house chores.

I got married very early; that was immediately after my secondary education. I C M Y K

My father wanted me to go to school but my husband was behind it. The encouragement actually came from my husband. So, today, I look at him as a father, friend, brother and husband. My husband saw me grew into a woman in his hands. I am a mother of so many children and peace reigns in my home.

But some of your men still forbid their wives from getting education and other public activispheres...

My sister, that's an African syndrome. Our tradition in the North says if you are going out, you need to seek permission from your husband.

Tell us about your childhood...

Is this campaign for peaceful co-existence not affecting the smooth running of your home?

What 's helping you sustain your home?

Who encouraged you to return to school?

*Dr. Maryam Abdullahi

I am from a very disciplined home; my father is educated and he never gave us the chance to play around; he made sure we were academically sound.

He is such a wonderful father and if I am coming back into this world I will want to have him as my father. As children, my father played with us but my mother didn’t because she is the very strict type. We got lots of encouragement from them and today, we are grateful for all they did for us.

,,

No. But as a result of a burden. We actually started our campaign for peaceful co-existence when crisis started in different parts of the country, though we began in the North. We began by introducing house to house counseling. After that, there was the Sharia crisis. My love for orphans and the less privileged has been legendary.

had my first daughter at age 17 and after that, I knew I had to go back to school.

I am lucky because I get full support from my husband and it makes it easier for me to do what I am doing today

You got married early;

what's your thought on child marriage which is presently facing criticisms?

It was fashionable in the olden days but for me, I don’t think there's any harm in a girl getting married from age 17 and above. People frown at it but if a girl is getting married, she should know how to cook and how to do other domestic chores. She should also know how to make her husband happy and how to keep a home. In

my own case, I was still very young and I came from a home where we had domestic staff who did virtually everything for. But I learnt later.

In the face of violence in your part of the country, what are the challenges encountered in the course of your work?

Violence and challenges have nothing to do with our work. We will continue to preach peace because both religions preach peace and so we will not stop advocating for peace and unity. Despite the conflicts in the North, lots of people are still out there preaching peace and security.

Do you think it is possible to have a peaceful society when you can’t even trust your neighbour due to insecurity?

It is time to renew our efforts to stop the war of tragedy and conflicts. Peace can be built only through actions and not by mere words of mouth. It is a collective effort and we should all join hands to build global partnership for peace. By so doing, we can choose a good part for resolution of conflicts. It is a call to all leaders and organisations to strengthen their commitment to the promotion of peace and stability. With their capacity to act as tool for peace, they can build bridges. Our leaders have a unique position to reinforce a system of collective peaceful activities and make Nigeria a safer place. Promoting peace is also the task of individuals and let us all have a culture of peace based on the universal values of respect for life, justice, solidarity and human rights.

PAGE 26 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

INTRIGUING EXPERIENCES

DOKUBO-ASARI AT 50

‘My encounter with Boko Haram leaders in jail’ *Maintains Chibok girls abduction story is a scam *Says Jonathan will be re-elected *Militancy days: Life in the creek was tough

By LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

H

e means different things to people. To some, he is a militant. To many others, he is a social crusader. But to several people in the Niger-Delta, especially the Ijaw community, his tribe, he is both a warrior and liberator. This is even as many people believe the former Ijaw Youth Council President and leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahid DokuboAsari, is enigmatic. The son of a former judge in Rivers State judiciary, Asari appears unstoppable in the fight to liberate his people.

He clocked the golden age of 5O on June 1, 2014. In this interview, he tells the story of his many struggles amongst others. Excerpts: Let us start with your many encounters with the law and arrests. We recall you were a regular guest to the offices of security agencies.

Arrest was a regular thing.

I can’t really tell. I became

used to arrest. In fact, the police and SSS in Port Harcourt, maybe they advised the government, saying ‘pls, just leave this guy alone. This guy, arrest no dey do am anything’.

(Laughing and speaking in pidgin English). ‘Just leave him alone. The guy enjoys getting arrested’.

Yes, that was one of the greatest undoing of Obasanjo because he thought I could be cowed.

Go and look at my trial videos. There is trial like that where the judge was put in the dock. I was the one questioning the judge. It is not possible. So, the government and Obasanjo really, really, really did not understand the type of person he was dealing with.

May be in Nigeria, there were no such people then.

Today, we have Boko Haram.

So, a new group of people has started.

Were you ever taken to any dungeon...?

(Cuts in) I was in SSS underground for 10 months and 11 days in solitary

confinement.

How did you cope?

I would have run mad.

Many people did. But because I had memorized parts of the Koran, instead of talking to myself, I just recited the Koran. That was what kept me alive. If I had not memorized the Koran, I would have been mad.

Talking to yourself is a different thing. But this one, you are reading, edifying your soul.

So, while in prison, did

you get to meet with any of the people now linked to Boko Haram?

I met with so many people, not only Boko Haram militants. Yes, I met with a lot of them: Muda Shiru, Mohammed Isam, Yusuf Hussein, Asan Yusuf, Mohammed Bello.

Who were these people?

They were leaders of the group that is now called Boko Haram. They were arrested and repatriated from Libya.

I decided that the Nigerian state must be made to explain to the people, to my people especially, what they are doing with the resources of the people. As a law student, many laws tell us, he who owns the land owns everything in the land

Do you know if they are still alive?

Yeah. But some of them are no longer with them. Isam is no longer with them. I don’t have their contact. But I believe that the majority of those people may have been dead because we had very close relationship when we were in prison even though we didn’t see face to face.

They were in their cells and I was in mine; so we hit the wall and talked. During prayers, we prayed together by shouting.

If that is the case, don’t you get to talk to them to broker ceasefire and all that or do we have new faces now?

No, no, no. It depends on government approach.

Someone in government thought it could be wished away, that it was easy. Boko Haram? ‘It will fizzle away’ and all the warning we gave them, they did not accept.

They misled the government into believing that it could be wished it away. If they had taken a decisive action at that time, I don’t think that this would have reached the stage it has reached now.

But a decision was taken on their leader, Yusuf Mohammed?

Continues on page 27

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 27

INTRIGUING EXPERIENCES Continued from page 26 That was not the sort of decisive action. The killing of Yusuf Mohammed was a mistake. If Yusuf Mohammed were to die, he should have gone for trial. Nobody should use his whims and caprices as the law like what Saddam Hussein said “ whatever I wrote with my hand, that is the law”. That was what Yar ’Adua did. Why should you kill somebody extra-judicially? Take him to court if he had committed any offense. You have the laws. If they had followed due process, it would have mitigated what is happening. But they did not follow. They went outside the law. When you go outside the law, you are also telling the other person to also meet you outside the law.

The thinking in many quarters now is that these people are taking a revenge on the government while some people disagree, saying it is pure terrorism.

You have also said they are acting on a wrong ideology.

How do you reconcile all these?

Yea, they are acting on a wrong ideology but even if it was a revenge, Islam does not permit you to take people who are not combatants.

When you take the lives of people who are not combatants, then you are not longer fighting the cause of Allah because Allah SWA clearly said in the Koran that if you kill an innocent man, it seems you have killed the whole world.

country which many Nigerians had expected him to deal with decisively.

Yes, most of us feel that he has not done things the way they ought to be done. But there are individual differences. For instance, does Mr. President believe in things that the ordinary Ijaw man believes? The ordinary Ijaw man who was at the airport to bring the corpse of Isaac Boro; that the Ijaw nation must be liberated, must be independent? Do most of the elites share the same beliefs that we share? No. Ok. Can you tell us what you feel about the Nigerian state?

The Nigerian state was built on falsehood, on false foundation and it cannot stand the test of time. The British fraudulently stole the sovereignty of various nations like the Kalabiri country, an independent state. We signed a treaty of protection with Britain. We never ceded our independence to them but they fraudulently included us in Nigeria without reference to the treaties they signed with our forefathers.

So, that is a fraud. It is built on falsehood. It is built on fraud. So it cannot stand the test of time. It cannot stand the moral test, that’s why it will fall and it is falling.

You are quoted as saying that the abduction of the school girls in Chibok is a scam. Some people feel

shocked by that statement coming from you even when we have seen the international community coming in...

(Cuts in) which international community?

The United States of America with her allies Britain and the European Union cajoled the whole world and told us that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. At the end of the day, were there weapons of mass destruction? There was none.

So the international community for whatever intent and purpose that is compelling them to do what they are doing is best known to them. But it will not be far from economic interest. How can you believe that 270 girls will be taken? How? It is not possible. If you tell us that 20 girls were taken, 30, maybe 50, fine. How will you tell us that 270 girls were writing physics exam? How? In which school? Where?

Even in the most educationally advanced part

`Chibok girls abduction story is a scam’

Let’s go back to the struggle. Do you think it has paid off?

Not 100 percent. Maybe 20 percent. We have somebody that looks like us, dresses like us, eats our food, dances the way we dance as President. It is a victory over those who feel that they were born to rule. Who says they are born to rule? It is a negation of that erroneous position.

Chibok community leader who has been talking, why didn’t they say, ‘Please, move the girls, we are suspecting that there was going to be an attack on the school? Move these children out of the school’. Why was it only the military they told?

They couldn’t reach any other person but the military? What are they telling us now? Ok, today, one of the girls said she ran and jumped over the fence.

She climbed the tree and then the man was saying come down, come down o’.

What sort of thing is this now? So, the girl can climb a tree faster than a man with a gun? Why didn’t you just simply shoot her and he left her and went away? And some four persons were found in their house and they said they escaped and came back? What sort of stories?

You are known as one who insists that Mr. President must come back in 2015.

With the array of turbulent issues in the country, do you see that happening still?

Look, Mr. President has won o. He has won the election. Just forget about it.

All of them will just fizzle out. He will win and win clear for another four years, fair and square.

Now, what if he changes his mind not to contest as he has not even declared?

He cannot do that?

What if he does it?

(Speaking in Pidgin English) Where him go come naa? If he do am, where him go return naa? Niger-Delta land? Him go stay for Abuja with them naa when him finish. Him go come carry us reach for center of the river, then, him go come jump enter river, leave us without paddle? Carry our paddle jump inside river, come leave us for inside boat for center of ocean? Ah! No o.

How has it been in the last 50 years you have lived?

Ah! My life at 50. My experience. How am I going to put it? Well, I got into the university at the age of 21 in 1985; the University of Calabar. And from that age of 21, death became my constant companion at every turn.

But to everyone in Nigeria, the President is Nigeria’s President not an Ijaw President even though he is coming from that background.

Yes, it is true. But he came from somewhere. He did not fall from the sky.

The President has been accused of not really been presidential in the real sense of the word. Again, you have very many challenges bedeviling the

of this country, can you find any school where even 20 students are writing physics?

I run a school. How many of my students are writing physics? They just finished their SSCE? And this is an elitist school, we make very good results. How many people are writing physics?

Who are they telling? So, if you are not into education business, somebody can cajole you and tell you a lot of stories. When they took the students, the Principal, who said she thought they were soldiers, again said she was in Maiduguri for medical treatment when they came. Her daughter too was in the school. Why didn’t they take her daughter? Why did they take other peoples daughters? The military was aware four hours before the attack; the people who sent the information that Chibok was to be attacked four hours to the military, why did they not inform the chairman of Chibok, SSS Rep, DPO or anybody in Chibok? The

NEXT WEEK, DOKUBO SPEAKS ON HIS LIFE AND THE RISKS HE TOOK BEFORE BECOMING THE MAN THAT HE IS TODAY *Dokubo-Asari ... forget it. Jonathan will win in 2015

PAGE 28 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

Why Jonathan should forget 2015, by Bukola Saraki D

r Bukola Saraki, two- time governor of Kwara State, was elected senator for Kwara Central to succeed his sister, Gbemisola Saraki-Fowora. He was also a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) until he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In this interview, he speaks on insecurity in Nigeria, what needs to be done to arrest the Boko Haram militancy and maintains that the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government has not done enough in tackling the situation.

He says the APC is the party to beat come 2015 general elections. Excerpts:

BY GBENGA OKE

T

here was a report credited to you that guns and bombs will not help in the fight against insecurity in Nigeria. In the present situation the country has found itself, what do you think needs to be done?

In the article I wrote, the point I was making is that guns and bombs alone cannot solve the problem of Boko Haram and insurgency in Nigeria. I said there are two major critical factors which are leadership and political cooperation. On the political cooperation leg, I demanded that all stakeholders, whether you are a governor or a senator, the President, should come together leaving behind

Whether you are a governor or a senator, the President, should come together leaving behind whatever our political views are and consider this war as not against the current government but as a war that is being fought against Nigeria whatever our political views are and consider this war as not against the current government but as a war that is being fought against Nigeria as a country and that Nigeria is for all of us whether you are in government or you are in the opposition. There must be an environment that is created that allows everybody believe that he has some role. The second part is leadership which falls squarely on the doorstep of Mr. President to provide. When you bring the two features together, you will realize that this war is not limited to an attack on President Jonathan’s government alone; I think it is a responsibility for all of us.

That is very important because it determines the approach of government and it also determines the support by the opC M Y K

•Bukola Saraki ... no excuse not to end insurgency position. I think one of the problems we have with the issue of Boko Haram is that government said some people who don’t want it to succeed are behind it.

The issue is that the insecurity affects the whole country. So, I think political will and leadership will help address some of these issues. It is not just going to there to throw bombs, the issue of poverty must be addressed and there must be commitment.

Some of the stories you hear are just crazy. You hear soldiers talking about allowances not being paid on time; that does not help the fight against insurgency. There must be the right approach to address the problem.

The fear I have is the continued loss of lives but I don’t believe the problem is not in-surmountable. So I do not have the fear that we cannot bring an end to this insurgency. I am very confident that if we are determined, focused and sincere, we can bring this to an end.

The National Assembly just approved an extension of the state of emergency in the three states of North-east worst hit by insurgency. Many have maintained that the emergency in place in those states never achieved any desired result and there might be no need for extension. Do you think the extension will play a major role in curtailing the Boko Haram activities in those states?

From the way I see it, I don’t think it has worked but, at the same time, those who come from that part of the country say it is necessary and the military say they want it; we should not give the military any excuse not to perform. I don’t think state of emergency is our number one priority. I think funding, right morale of the officers, political cooperation, those things rank up there before the state of emergency.We have

a situation whereby soldiers are complaining that they are not getting paid, nobody will believe this because of the kind of resources we have in this country. But with the National Assembly passing a resolution saying government should come with a supplementary budget so that enough funding can be approved and with the assistance we are getting from the international community, definitely we have stepped up.

These new measures and actions will make a difference not just because we just renewed the state of emergency. I think the next three months are crucial for government because too many lives have been lost and too much time has been wasted. The international community and many Nigerians have condemned President Jonathan for taking action too late on the abduction of the Chibok girls. Do you agree the President acted late?

When you have a President, he must be ready to take the good and the bad.

The responsibilities are many especially in the area of security. You can see what happened in South Korea, an issue which the Prime Minister has nothing to do with; it was a private company affair, he pleaded with the people. So these are the responsibilities you take as the number one citizen of a country.

That is why I said leadership is key. And on an issue like this, because of the federalism we operate, the governors of those states must also play their own role to support. In the case of Chibok, people are asking why it took Federal Government a long time to respond; it took government that long because it was in denial, some people were spinning it was the opposition’s joker. So time was lost and we were not effective as we

should have been. That is why those comments were coming from leaders around the world because they didn’t see the zeal; they didn’t see the passion and then you hear a country that has the GDP of almost $500billion saying its military cannot be paid, their allowances are not paid as and when due, they are not as armed as the terrorists.

You expect that from a poor country, not a country like Nigeria with N4 trillion budget. It would have been a different story assuming we have all the equipment, the military’s morale is high, but to say Boko Haram is better equipped than our military does not speak well for government.

Many people have argued that there is nothing different between the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC). Their reason is that many people who regard themselves as democrats in the APC defected from the PDP claiming no internal democracy, but with the result of the APC congresses, many have accused the APC of doing same. How do you react?

There is a level of democracy in APC. There will be different areas where people have lost out and are complaining that they are not satisfied with the process. When you say there is no difference between the APC and the PDP, I think the differences are enormous. First of all, if we look at governance, the level of performance by the PDP as regards the need of the people, I think the PDP under this administration has not done well at all. APC is more accountable to the people and trying to make sure that all promises made to the people are fulfilled. If you look at the APC states, you

Continues on Page 29

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 29

Saraki: APC is more accountable to the people Continued from Page 28 can see infrastructural development, good governance. Also, if you look at party congresses now, they are pretty much like party primaries, so you expect this kind of thing and I think some of the issues have been brought to the table to be resolved. You do not find where the party leadership determined the results, what we have seen is some fraction happening at the local level.

What we used to see in the PDP in some cases is the national headquarters driving the processes and not allowing the states to do what they want. What we have in APC is that within a state, there might be two or three groups competing for leadership and that is healthy in any democracy.

The APC is waxing stronger and has always played its role as the main opposition in Nigeria. However, many Nigerians still doubt the ability and sincerity of the party especially as we move closer to the 2015 elections. What do you think will make your party different?

For any Nigerian today, the choice is very simple. If you believe the country is going in the right direction, you be- •Bukola Saraki ...Nigerians can vote out bad government lieve that the country is addressing the issue of insecurity, you believe the country is addressing the issue of job cre- cation. If you are losing about N1trillion It is by our actions, our policies, the ation for youths, you believe the level of to subsidy, what is your budget? So we corruption that is being addressed is found ourselves coming together under character of the people speaking. Somesatisfactory, then you have no business a party based on our views and ante- body who has been speaking in the opwith APC. Your choice is simple; contin- cedents. So, what people should be look- position, who has been fighting corrupue to vote for the PDP. But if you truly ing at is the character of some of us who tion in the key sectors, he has shown believe that Nigeria can be better off, are driving the issue of change, it is not consistency that these are his views. He you believe the government is not ad- based on personal interest; it is based is saying the status quo should not redressing corruption, you believe that on the need that we see dangers in the main. APC can’t be worse than what we are going through right now, we have this level of insecurity we have seen in brought government to all time low. We unacceptable, you believe our youths have had several governments in this can be better off, you believe there can country, but we have never had a time be a better Nigeria and there is need for where the international community was us to change, then your choice will be describing our government as this. Go APC. I think each individual in Nigeria bring the records out from the days of must be able to assess what is happenPresident Obasanjo and see whether we ing in the country. You have to first ask had this kind of perception. yourself whether the PDP government It cannot be any worse than this. So, has failed; if your answer is yes, your in trying to use the excuse that we do fear or apprehension that when APC not know whether the APC can be any gets there, will they do better?, that better is a very negative approach. We should not be a reason for you not to need to have a more positive approach; vote out a non-performing government. we need to ask ourselves whether this If a government has not performed, you system is working. vote that government out of power.But You cannot deny the fact that you are you will agree with me that the so-called a force to reckon with in the politics of democrats in APC today all moved Kwara today..... from the PDP and that is still a dent on I think what we are trying to do as APC........ much as possible is to again improve I can tell you that there will be differthe lives of our people, be there for them ence in the two parties. I left the PDP, in terms of economic development. As a but if you look at my antecedents either leader, you must be able to be there for as governor or senator, you can see what the people you claim to be serving and I stand for. I left the PDP because I was one must know every point in time that tired of saying this is wrong, but we could you are holding a position to serve the not bring about the desired change and people. You must make yourself accesmany of us who found ourselves in APC sible and accountable to the people who have common values on some of these are voting for you. And that is what we issues. To leave a ruling party is not an easy decision. It is easier for you to stay way we are going as a country and that are doing and that is part of being a conin that comfort zone, but if you sit down is what the world is telling us today. We summate politician all the time. I regard and ask yourself questions, the issue of have said this a long time ago and we some politicians as seasonal politicians, security, are we addressing it? Forget have been vindicated. These are peo- you only see them when it’s like six the politics, oh they don’t like, it is one ple who have risked everything; fight- months to the election, they are not there part of the country that does not like my ing in a third world country, standing to understand the needs of the people; government, forget whether they like up against government is not easy; you they are not there for the people when your government or not, the question are harassed, blackmailed, intimidated. they should be. I think a lot of people in is, are you addressing the issues or not? After going through all that, you think Kwara have seen through that, they appreciate the bond of those leaders and Corruption, is it being addressed? we will not bring about change? That Unemployment is there. People like us level of commitment will definitely bring politicians that are with them. We relate with them at all time. have stood on some of these issues. I about a better Nigeria.

What is your relationship with the was in the Senate in May 2011 and by Nigerians find it difficult to trust September 2011, I was shouting that politicians characterized in the same incumbent governor of Kwara state, fuel subsidy management consuming manner whether APC or PDP. How Abdulfatah Ahmed?

We have a good relationship. close to N1trillion was wrong. I was in will APC convince Nigerians that the But there are reports that there was the PDP then; we were doing all these party stands for true change just as you a kind of pact between you and the govthings because we could see the impli- have said? ernor that he will run only a term and

My own view is that this government has not met the expectations of Nigerians in terms of security, corruption, unemployment, all these are major issues

C M Y K

that is causing some rift between .......

(Cuts in) I think all those stories are just what you people in the media houses are using to sell your newspapers. You wake up and not based on anything on ground, you just write all those stories.

I can tell you and the people back home can tell you that I and Governor Ahmed have a good relationship and we are working well. The issue before us is to ensure that the party meets its promises to the people in the state. Our relationship is very cordial.

But it is being claimed you don’t like his leadership style. Will you say you are satisfied with the level of governance he has provided for the state?

The government is doing well. The government just created about 26, 000 new jobs. He promised it last December and delivered it now, he has done very well putting in mind that unemployment is a major issue all over the world and in Kwara as well. He has also done a lot in education, healthcare and other sectors. One is not surprised because he has the capacity to do it. So he is doing well.

You are a former governor and now a member of the National Assembly.

Several people have argued that it is not normal after serving eight years as governor, then you moved over to the National Assembly.

I don’t see any big issue in that. I find it interesting. At the end of the day, somebody can decide to serve his people in any position and I think it depends on the electorate whether such person will win or lose election. I mean people are not appointed into such positions or force themselves there, there are processes and I think if people still want to be in public service, why does it matter whether they are former governors or not? I think they even add more value to the system. So I don’t get what the message out there is. Is it that they should not go to the Senate, or they are not up to standard, or they cannot contribute well on the floor of the Senate?

It’s still boils down to the fact that Nigerians are dissatisfied with the fact that after ruling a state for eight years, you move over to the National Assembly because you want to remain relevant.....

The question is when that man was a governor, did he perform? And if he performed, did he win the election? If he won the election, then where is the problem? I think we must begin to believe in our system and, as such, at the end of the day, the National Assembly members are representing the people and if the people say this is the person they want, why do me and you begin to question that? There was a former governor that contested the election, he lost. So it’s not automatic. So, it is not just because they are former governors alone, it is because they must have performed in the manner that justified the confidence of their people. If they have not performed, they will lose election. I think people should lay emphasis on what they have done as state governors.

On the National Conference From day one, it was clear that it was going to be a jamboree. Where is it going? What constitutional power is being done on the assumption that the National Assembly may allow the possibility of considering the reports? I think those should have been done before the conference. I don’t see much coming out of it; yes, we will have different recommendations but having recommendations is not the issue. The question is, how do you bring those recommendations to be implemented? At the moment, there is no tool or law to facilitate that. If the National Conference ends tomorrow, what next? It is good to talk for talking sake but now we have gone beyond talking sake, we have to start looking at making things happen and the necessary environment and necessary laws that should have been in place are not in place, so I really don’t see much coming out of it.

PAGE 30— SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

08116759757

War in LUTH over avoidable deaths

By CHIOMA OBINNA

*No going back — Doctors *Strike not in patients’ interest — CMD

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or three days running, the nation’s public hospitals were thrown into chaos following the warning strike called by the National Association of Resident Doctors. NARD, in state and federal health institutions. Pregnant women, children, the aged and patients seeking emergency care at public hospitals were not spared. The strike caught many unawares. Some claimed to have waited for hours before they were told to go home.

Thousands of Nigerians were denied access to medical treatment. The accident and emergency wards remained shut. New patients were not admitted. While some patients discharged themselves to seek help elsewhere, some that could not be moved or had nowhere to go were left in their to their fate.

The handful of consultants attending to patients were overwhelmed.

However, by Thursday, June 5, 2014, when doctors in other institutions called off the strike, their counterparts at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, vowed not to return to work unless their local demands are met. They claimed to have learned from past experiences and resolved not to return to work until the issues they raised locally have been addressed.

The doctors said the system in LUTH was not friendly.

They are not asking for better pay but the provision of basic equipment such as water supply and good means of

communication to make patients more comfortable and aid the education of doctors.

“Communication in the hospital is limited, doctors cannot just call the laboratory section and ask for results, we either go down and get the results or use our personal cell phones. This is time consuming

and can make a difference between life and death for the patients,” one of the doctors told Sunday Vanguard.

Meanwhile, LUTH management says the hospital is going through a transitory period which requires all staff including the striking doctors to be patient.

No interest in talks without action — LUTH-ARD President

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r. Omojowolo Olubunmi is the President of the LUTH branch of the Association of Resident Doctors. He tells Sunday Vanguard why his members resolved to continue to shun work after the three days warning strike.

•Dr. Olubunmi What are your grievances?

UR meeting with the management on June 2 did not yield positive result. After our emergency general meeting on May28, we unanimously agreed to resume our suspended industrial action and embark on an indefinite strike from June 2.

Hike in medical fees

O

Painfully due to lack of appreciable progress in our negotiations and deliberations with the hospital management on the issues raised we have found ourselves left with no other choice.

As doctors, we are gravely concerned about the deleterious

The management also picked holes in some of the aggrieved doctors’ demands, saying some of the issues were beyond the hospital.

The place of LUTH in healthcare delivery in the country cannot be overemphasised. It is a teaching hospital that caters not only for

impact the astronomical increase in hospital charges is having on patients.

There is increase in avoidable deaths and morbidity due to the inability of patients to afford these fees. For instance, the price of minor surgery such as incision and drainage and suturing of laceration has jumped from N8, 000 to N50, 000.

This has lead to reduction in the numbers of patients in the hospital thus negatively impacting on training of specialist doctors especially those in the surgical subspecialties of dentistry, obstetrics and gynaecology and surgery.

Residency training The duration of residency training in LUTH has remained a subject of controversy as the management has deliberately shrouded it in secrecy so as to be able to continue to perpetuate the policy of premature termination of

Nigerian patients but also neighbouring countries. LUTH is a referral centre.

Health watchers are worried that with the hospital shut, many patients on referral will have nowhere to go? Sunday Vanguard sought the views of the LUTH doctors and management on the dispute.

employment and abrupt stoppage of salaries of senior registrars. In fact, the hospital management has completely disregarded its own circular of August 2013 which came close to addressing these nagging issues. While the template/ report of the inter-ministerial committee on residency training has reasonably recommended three attempts for part 1 and 2 fellowship examinations, the management of LUTH is still exiting our colleagues after one attempt at part 2 examination.

Certain departments like the pathological sciences of microbiology, clinical pathology, haematology and morbid anatomy that have not admitted any resident doctor for over three years are still conspicuously missing in the recent list of resident doctors being released in piece meal. Other departments such as oral and maxillofacial surgery, child dental health, preventive dentistry, oral pathology and radiotherapy have

Continues on page 31

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE — 31

08116759757 Medical cost

Strike not in the interest of patients — LUTH CMD

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UTH charges are very affordable. I will just give you an example, for an intensive care unit, we charge N250,000 for one week, in LASUTH, they charge N350,000 for one week, in private hospitals, they charge N1 to N2 million per week.

Unless you don’t just want to give serve there is cost to any service. Our cost are still the cheapest given the quality and sophistication of the level of service.

T

he Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Professor Akin Osibogun, dismissed most of the claims of the doctors, saying the hospital is going through a transitory period and will not be forced into taking decisions they cannot handle.

Demands

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ll I can tell you now is that the hospital is open and running. I will just appeal to anybody who is contemplating a strike to consider the interest of the patients even if there were inadequacies going on, a strike cannot help the patients. If you want to help the patients you continue to provide services and discuss with appropriate management level so that we improve on what we are doing.

So it is not a strike that is likely to be in the interest of

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

B

efore the advent of the Muazu Babangida Aliyu administration in 2007, affordable housing was not within the reach of the common man in Niger State.

Accommodation in the four major cities of the state namely, Minna, the state capital; Bida; Suleja and Kontagora was expensive.

A two-bedroom flat went as high as N250,000 while a three-bedroom apartment went for between N300,000 and N350,000. A room and a parlour or self-contained flat was rented out for between N100,000 and N150,000, depending on the location and the facilities therein.

Governor Aliyu, when he took over the mantle of leadership, said his target was to build 5000 housing units in the state with more attention on the four major towns.

To many people, it was a political statement which they thought could never be accomplished due to unfulfilled promises by previous administrations.

Today, the 500 housing units, comprising of 2-3 bedroom bungalows and named after General M.I Wushishi in Minna, have been completed at a cost of over N1.8 billion and occupied mostly by civil servants.

Also in Minna, another set of 750 units of two-three bedroom flats built at a cost of over N1.6 billion and named Talban Housing Units have been

the patients.

We are looking into most of their demands but take for instance the issue of tax. You are fully aware that tax is a question of law. I don’t see what we need to discuss on that. There is a law of Federal Republic of Nigeria concerning Personal and Income Tax. It is only if somebody can demonstrate that what is being deducted from his salaries is not compliance to that law that we have something to discuss. As long as the deductions are in compliance

Communication materials

•Professor Akin Osibogun with the law, there can’t be any apology for that. We should encourage people to pay their tax.

Tenure of residency training

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he Minister of Health has already set up a committee and that committee has submitted its report to the Honourable Minister.

We are going to have a National Guidelines on

residency training programme that will come from Federal Ministry of Health and it will apply in all hospital. We can only encourage people to just exercise patients for that process to be concluded.

Once the minister sends out the circular all teaching hospitals across Nigeria will use the guidelines and LUTH will also follow.

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e are going into electronic health. All the major departments have been supplied with 25 laptops and the smaller departments are supplied with 10 laptops.

We have wired all our consulting rooms. We have established patient’s data base.

There are servers that lead to all consulting rooms. So we are in a transition process, all people need to do is just to exercise some patients so that we conclude the process.

The Niger story of housing without tears

•Gov Aliyu completed and lucky buyers have started moving in.

Another set of 254 bungalows in Bida built at a cost of about N900 million and named Aliyu Makama Housing Estate is almost completed.

A similar project of 500 units are also going in Kontagora.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government is also constructing another 1000 housing units of 2-3 bedroom bungalows at Zariawa Housing Estate in Suleja under its public private partnership arrangement.

Niger State Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Dr. Peter Saleh Sarki, in an interview, said out of the 2000 units planned for the state, the Federal Government is expected to deliver 1000 units while the remaining is

expected to be delivered by the state government.

The project, according to him, will cost N6billion. The 1000 to be built by the state government will be built at the new Minna Airport City, pointing out that 150 of the units in different categories have already been delivered.

“The houses are being sold to civil servants and members of the public at N6.5m for a 3-bedroom detached bungalow; N4m for a two-bedroom bungalow and N7.5m for a 4-bedroom bungalow”, Sarki said.

He explained that the private developer handling the state

part of the project had invested N4 billion while the infrastructure being provided by the state government will cost N2 billion.

“Already, compensation for the 1000 hectres of land acquired by the state government for the federal housing project had been paid and I assure you that the 2000 units will be completed, December, this year ”, the commissioner declared.

Governor Aliyu, recently, said his commitment towards the housing projects was borne out of the knowledge that the people of the state deserve affordable and decent housing and that the vision 3:2020 of his administration to become one of the three leading states in the country economically and in others spheres of life can only

be achieved with the provision of decent and affordable housing for “would be investors” and people of the state.

The Chief Servant assured them that his administration was ready to assist civil servants on mortgage facilities through the National Housing Fund (NHF) and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, (FMBN) just as he called on civil servants to seize the opportunity to own their own houses.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that the I.M. Wushishi project, which was the first housing units to be completed, had the private partners investing over N1.8billion while government invested N50m to provide a 20bed hospital in the estate while a block of three classrooms was built at a cost of N6m.

No interest in talks without...

Continued from page 30 no new intake of resident doctors.

Doctors in LUTH have been working under some of the most stressful conditions. Chronic shortage and sometimes outright unavailability of materials and consumables has become the norm. Often doctors and other member of staff have to use their money to make photocopies of prescription paper, case files and investigations forms while all manner of papers are being used to document for patients . The importance of constant supply of potable and clean water cannot be overemphasised in a hospital setting but

the situation in LUTH is alarming as the supply of water is epileptic to say the least.

Deplorable states of facilities Most of the consulting rooms at the outpatient and wards lack basic facilities to make both the patients and doctors at least comfortable and virtually all the call rooms for doctors are in deplorable states. There is no effective means of communication such that we resident doctors have to bear the cost of daily and prolong phone calls on patients care. In some department resident doctors are using their money to buy reagents and equipments just to help the patients.

PAGE 32 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8 , 2014

.... CRIME AND NATIONAL SECURITY

BOKO HARAM Look beyond the North for the sponsors —Ex-Governor Aliero *Chibok: ‘Asari’s statement puts govt in bad light’

By LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU Many people believe the country is at the crossroads presently. There is insecurity, high unemployment rate, corruption and all that. Do you share the same view?

Well, it is true that we have insecurity, we have unemployment, we have poverty all over the country. But we are determined to overcome all these problems. It is part of nation-building and a process all nations have to go through. What is important is our determination, our zeal to overcome them and this National Conference is poised to come out with solution to virtually all the problems and, hopefully when all these recommendations are presented to government, they will be implemented. The problems will get exacerbated if nothing is done to implement our recommendations. Some of us who work day and night to come up with the recommendations will be pained because the hard work, determination and devotion we have shown during the work and even the plenary will be in vain if they are not implemented. But we are optimistic that the recommendations will be implemented because government has given us guidelines that before any resolution can be accepted, it must have at least 70 percent of delegates supporting it and it is even suggested to us that we should work on consensus. It is only when consensus cannot be achieved that we can resort to getting 70 percent; if they came up with this guideline, certainly, they are going to implement everything we recommend to them. I believe that for them to come up with the formula; even the National Council of State accepted the formula, it means they are serious about implementing it. So, I want to allay the fear of delegates and even Nigerians at large that, from all indications, government is poised to implement our recommendations.

Let’s go back to the issue of insecurity.

More than one month after the Chibok girls’ abduction took place, government is yet to find them. What does that tell of this country?

It is a very sad and ugly development in our history. For 270 girls to be abducted and for them to stay for over 40 days without being rescued, it tells a lot about our preparedness to handling terrorism.

Actually, what happened was that, initially, we never took the issue of terrorism serious. It was limited to two states. Later on, it spread to states like Kano, Kaduna and eventually Abuja. It was only then that government started taking the issue seriously and even then C M Y K

enough measures were really not taken and the whole thing keeps on exacerbating. However, we are happy that some of the measures taken have worked and for over a year now before the Nyanya incident, the insurgents were limited to Borno and Yobe states.

Unfortunately, of recent, they started coming back to Abuja. If you remember, there were bomb blasts here in Abuja before serious measures were taken to push the terrorists out of Abuja and they went back to the Northeast. Even though a lot has been done, a lot more still needs to be done in order to stem the tide of insurgent attacks in the country. We have lost so many people. We have lost a lot of properties. We have lost a lot in terms of commerce and industry. And it is really,

,

A

lhaji Adamu Aliero is a former governor of Kebbi State. He was also a Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and a senator. He is currently a delegate to the National Conference in Abuja. In this interview, he speaks on the state of the nation, especially the Boko Haram terror activities.

We have lost a lot in terms of commerce and industry. And it is really, very, very sad that the insurgency has taken us about 20 years back

,

very, very sad that the insurgency has taken us about 20 years back. I pray that with the assistance of the international community and our determination to solve the insurgency, Nigeria will be a better place.

Certainly, insurgent attacks are condemnable and; contrary to the belief in certain quarters that some politicians are the ones pushing this insurgency, they are not. No responsible politician will support the killing and maiming of innocent people in Nigeria; after all if it is the very people you aspire to govern, then how can you sponsor their killing, crippling the economy, causing untold hardship to them? It is my belief that the insurgents have no local support. It started in 2009 when the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was the president and we know that the killing of their then leader caused the escalation of the insurgency.

The whole thing was wrongly handled. If government had handled it properly, we wouldn’t have reached the stage where we are today. So, there is a lot of misunderstanding and some people are making misleading statements about the insurgency. It is my belief that politicians are not behind it. My belief is that they collaborated with Al-Qaeda and ElShabab in the Middle East and also east

*AlhajiAdamu Aliero Africa, Somalia in particular and they got training from there and even funding.

Certainly, it is not Nigerians that are supporting them. It is not Nigerians that are arming them. And if they are Nigerians, why can’t the security agencies expose them? They have all it takes: intelligence gathering, investigations to expose them. So, why don’t they expose them so that we know them? I don’t want a situation where Nigerians will keep on getting wrong information, getting influenced by propaganda.

The true position is that the insurgents are acting on a wrong ideology which is not Islamic and Nigerian. It is foreign based. They got indoctrinated and they are inflicting heavy injury on our national psyche.

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overnment should do all what is humanly possible to control the situation. I also agree with the fact that the communities, state governments, local governments, traditional rulers, political leaders have a role to play particularly in influencing them. An Islamic cleric came out to condemn the actions of these insurgents, two weeks after, they killed him. There is another one in Zaria, a very famous cleric, very knowledgeable and forthright. He came out to condemn them and said he should be used as an example. He was a cleric and yet he received education to the extent that he got a master’s degree in electrical engineering and was determined to get his Ph.D. Two, three weeks after he delivered his sermon, they did not only kill him, they also killed his wife and child. This shows that anybody who opposes them, they can spend 2 to 3 months following him until they hit their target and, unfortunately, the security agents are also not doing enough to give protection to some of these clerics.

Right now, there is fear and crisis of confidence even among the Ulamas. They fear coming up to condemn what the insurgents are doing because they know there is no protection. At any time, they can come and kill them and that is exactly what is happening in Borno and Yobe. Many Islamic clerics were killed simply because they came to preach against them.

But that notwithstanding, we will keep doing what we are supposed to do as politicians. Leaders from the community level to the local government level to the national level, we will continue telling the people that this is the right thing to do.

Islam is a religion of peace. Islam abhors the killing of any human being whether Christian or Muslim, therefore anybody who does that should be condemned.

There are different views on the Chibok girls’ abduction. Many people think it is fiction. One of those people is the former Niger-Delta activist, Alhaji Dokubo Asari, who says it is a scam and that some politicians and powerful people are behind it. How do you respond?

Anybody who makes that kind of statement is irresponsible. He doesn’t have the feeling of the people. These are young schools girls between the ages of 15 and 16. Some of the parents, that’s all they have- one daughter or two daughters-and to them, there is nothing that can be done to get them comforted if they don’t get their children back. So, this kind of statement is irritating and grossly irresponsible. I for one will never subscribe to that view. There is no question of saying that these girls were not abducted. They were really abducted.

They were shown on TV. Their parents

Continues on page 33

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 33

Look beyond the North for the sponsors —Ex-Governor Aliero Continued from page 32 came crying. Government is doing all what is humanly possible to bring them back. The community even went to search for them in the forest without water and food and they had to come back because they were helpless. So, for anybody to come and make that kind of statement, it is either he is mad or he doesn’t know what he is doing or some people are behind him to make this kind of statement that will irritate some of us who feel very bad about this situation. The international community is very much concerned and that kind of statement is painting government in bad light and the security agencies should take note of that. If they don’t, it means whatever he says government is behind him. I am sure that if somebody made a similar statement from another part of the country, he would have been arrested. El-rufai made a statement that was even milder and he was invited by security agencies. Why not invite this man who is making this stupid statement. I feel pained if people are making this kind of statement. I am a parent, I wouldn’t want my daughter to be abducted and I will do anything possible to bring these girls back.

By my stature and position, I am not supposed to respond to what Asari Dokubo said because I regard him as somebody who has no standing whatsoever in the society. But I am responding to this issue simply because I have heard so many people talking in this vein that these girls were not abducted. It was only after the international community came to talk about it and offered to give assistance; the video clip was shown. BBC

went and even took pictures, CNN also went to Chibok that some of these people who are making this statement started to believe that it is true. Ordinarily, it would have gone just like.

And let me tell you, there are several incidences that happened in that area that went unnoticed. After the abduction, there was one attack where over 300 people were killed. And nobody heard about it. The governor himself was in Gambaru Gala with a BBC correspondent where an international market was destroyed beyond recognition.

And this is a market where people from Chad, Cameroon, even from Central African Republic, Niger buy goods and take it to their countries. It was razed. And no body heard about it. Billions of Naira was lost. A lot of people were killed. So, this kind of statement is adding salt to injury. And to be honest with you, it is driving the nation further down. I want Nigerians to see what is happening in the Northeast as a national problem. It is not a problem that should be limited to the Northeast and this is why Mr. President has sent troops to see what can be done in order to stem the tide. But for people to make statements that are irritating, statements that are irresponsible, they are not helping matters.

Now, with the wave of violence and the proliferation of arms and ammunitions around the country, do you think that the 2015 elections should hold in this kind of atmosphere?

I believe that elections will be conducted. We can’t afford not to conduct the elections. It will amount to giving up to what the insurgents are doing. I will not support the postponement of the

CHIBOK: How abducted girls can be brought back psychologically — Olusola LANRE Olusola, a psychologist and Head of Olusola Lanre Coaching Academy, in this interview, warns that if the abducted Chibok girls are not psychologically rehabilitated by the Federal Government,FG, after their release, their future would be doomed. Olusola also discloses that the Life Coaching Association of Nigeria, some psychologists and therapists have concluded plans to provide services for the rehabilitation of the girls psychologically and emotionally.

BY CHARLES KUMOLU At the moment, efforts are being made to bring the Chibok girls back. Are you satisfied with the processes of getting the girls back?

In this circumstance, there are various victims. The first set are the Chibok girls. Their parents and families are also victims because they are going through some psychological and emotional challenges. The whole nation are also victims in the sense of security that is completely taken away from us and everyone is feeling insecure. The government itself is a victim because of the fact that this is almost a slap on their faces. Everyone is pointing fingers

*Alhaji Adamu Aliero elections even by one day.

Even in the Northeast?

Even in the Northeast. It is not the entire Northeast that is affected. When you talk of the Northeast, you are talking about six states; you are talking about Taraba, Gombe and Bauchi where there is no attack whatsoever. Even in Borno, the efforts of government have started yielding results. One can say that Maiduguri is relatively calm and secure. The insurgents are now operating in the forest and the borders. With what we are doing now, by the grace of God, within the next four months, we will be able to overcome them. There is no justification whatsoever in postponing the elections. We should go ahead and conduct the elections. And remember, we have 36 states in the federation and it is only three states that are presently involved in the insurgency attacks and that is where the emergency rule is imposed. The remaining 33 states are not affected. So, it is wrong to postpone elections

simply because we have insurgency.

Now, let me take you away from insurgency National Conference. The Committee on Finance which you chaired recommended the separation of the Office of AccountantGeneral of the Federation from the Ofice of the AccountantGeneral of the Federal Government. Why? We didn’t make this recommendation without basis.

There was a very strong foundation in making the recommendation. We considered the views of the revenue collecting agencies and the revenue administration agencies. And from the preponderance of the views expressed by them, it became quite clear that it is more desirable to separate the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation from that of the Federal Government. If you do that, there will be more transparency and accountability in the revenue collection and also in accounting for the revenue collection and even in the distribution of the revenue.

States and the local governments have been crying for this. The Governors Forum has been asking for this.

The NNPC too recommended this to us, even the Budget Office of the federation. We contacted so many agencies and from the views they expressed, it became inevitable for us to make the recommendation. We believe it will go a long way in boosting the revenue going into the Federation Account because the Accountant-General of the Federation will monitor all what is supposed to go into the Federation Account which belongs to the three tiers of government. And any kobo that is supposed to go there but not

that government did not respond So, you find out that we are all victims and we need to approach it from that perspective. So, what is the media doing? We need to first of all create a sense of security within the environment. This is not the only thing happening in Nigeria. There are many positive things happening in Nigeria. We need to showcase the positive side and create a sense of security because it exists; the fact that we can go out and come back to our destinations means that we are secure. So, there is still a sense of security. We need to keep our self-esteem and dignity. Also, there are certain things that need to be done right and better and one of them is how we are approaching the situation and how we are engaging and supporting the parents of these girls with the kind of reports that we are giving them. The people that go into the jungle, are we giving them enough intelligence support, arms and sense of security? The important things is that what kind of help are we giving the girls and their families psychologically? What kind of help will the families get when the girls come back? Now, they do not need everyone putting their families in the limelight.

When these girls are eventually found, they would have been obviously traumatised. How best do you think they can be rehabilitated?

What they need is empathy, compassion, support and sense of security. Another thing is how do we begin to position in rehabilitate these girls when they come back? Is not all about bringing them physically but about the entirety of their humanity; their needs have been violated, their self-esteem, their sense of emotional stability, psychological and intellectual balance,sense of security is being and completely destroyed. So, how do we begin to re-build those foundational

going there, he will do all he is supposed to do to make sure it goes there. The Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, whose responsibility it is to monitor the accruals of all revenue going into the Federation Account, will also be assisting him. So, any agency of government that collects revenue will have to remit it into the Federation Account based on Section 162, Subsection 3 of the 1999 Constitution. This is quite different from what is happening now. If you have the AccountantGeneral of the Federation, agencies like the NCC, Immigration Service, Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and all these agencies that collect money and keep will now be forced to comply with the constitutional provision and remit such collection into the Federation Account. The Accountant-General of the Federal Government will only be concerned with what belongs to the Federal Government. At the end of the FAAC meeting, whatever is for the Federal Government will be handed over to him and he will disburse to the ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government accordingly. If you do this division of labour, definitely, there will be more transparency, more accountability and every kobo collected will certainly be accounted for and it will boost the revenue going into the tiers of government because there will be no diversion. No tier of government will short change the other tier. Right now, the governors are complaining that the Federal Government is taking money from the Federation Account, spending it without complying with the constitutional provision

blocks because without it, those girls will not be able to function. Are we thinking of putting them back to into the same school where they were taken away? Because if they go back to the school, its only going to trigger the events that happened and they will not be able to perform well in their education. So, are we going to re-locate them into another environment to commit professional support, psychological and emotional therapy towards rehabilitating them into that new environment they will be in. We need to bring back their sense of respect, confidence and beliefs. These girls have dreams, hope for a better tomorrow and so, who will help them with it? Because I sense that these girls will come back and they will be put in the television and covers of the newspapers. This is not what they need. Their psychological balance and re-assurance need to be worked on. That is the area that we feel is important.

Even in war situations, everyone is a victim. When the war veterans come back, they go through what is called post- traumatic stress disorder. When they sleep, they are traumatized. Even in America, there are stories where war veterans just pick up arms and start shooting on the streets.

It is because of the trauma. These girls will be learning new coping mechanisms and new behaviours to survive.

They where also moved from their religion to another forcefully and against their will. One event should not determine the rest of your life and keep one a victim forever.

Together with anyone that wants to support us, we want to bring back the girls to their original state of mind and for them to live a normal life.

How do you intend going about this rehabilitation?

We already know that these girls come from humble backgrounds. To get these services for the period of time that you need to get it is very expensive. What we are planning to do is to provide the first set of sessions for them for free as part of our own contribution to rehabilitating them.

PAGE 34—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014

EKITI GUBER ELECTION:

My concerns, by Gov Fayemi ·Oni’s defection to APC has altered the dynamics’

BY DAPO AKINREFON GOVERNOR Kayode John Fayemi is seeking another term in office to serve the people of Ekiti State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC. In this interview, Fayemi, among other issues, expresses his worries for the election, how the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, can ensure the poll is devoid of irregularities and the coming on board of a former governor of the state, Mr Segun Oni, to lend support for his ambition.

Y

ou have gone round the communities in the state in the course of electioneering campaigns. What has been your message to them?

Basically to thank them for their support of the past three and a half years, to solicit their support in the coming election and to highlight what the government has been able to achieve, specifically in their communities and collectively for the state.

Luckily for us, there is a track record that is palpable and tangible. When I get to any community, before I say anything, one of the things the royal father touches on is what we have been able to do to make a difference in the lives of his people.

Of course, these are not wealthy communities in terms of material wealth but they have genuine intentions. Government has helped by giving them money for what we call community projects specifically and they have been able to make a lot of difference in their communities.

Then of course I tell them that this election is going to be about character, it is going to be about integrity, it is going to be between light and day and the choice is with our people. I ask them, ‘do we want a government that is driven by integrity or we want a government that is driven by people of low moral fibre, people that do not represent the values that Ekiti has been known for over the years, people who will not be accountable to them? And the reception has been great and I really must thank God and our people for that.

Every single community that we have been to, we have not had a negative reception. We have had surprising reception in some places we visited feeling that because some opposition figures come from their, we would receive lukewarm reception. That has not been the case. The work of the government speaks for it everywhere we go.

When you assumed office in 2010, your administration’s theme was Ekiti roadmap to recovery. What will be your admin-

• Gov Kayode Fayemi....We are going to focus on employment and empowerment istration’s focus in your second term?

The vision to roadmap to Ekiti recovery was to make poverty history in Ekiti and, clearly, we have achieved a major dent on poverty; you can judge this from some of the results we are garnering from our social welfare initiative. This is a government that is ideologically rooted in social democracy; we believe that everyone cannot be for himself.

We must have an unbreakable bond that enables society to strengthen itself and government has a responsibility to help the weak and vulnerable. You refer to the social security benefit scheme; you refer to our free education, our free health scheme.

These are initiatives tied to our anti-poverty strategy and it has achieved a tremendous difference in Ekiti State.

What we are now doing is not jettisoning any of those eightpoint agenda. We are consolidating and strengthening them in a manner that they become a way of life. We want to do it in such a way that no government will come and say security is not my priority, I don’t have money for free education, I do not have money for free health care.

We have used the last three and a half years to build infrastructure, but we now need to consolidate on that by focusing more on jobs for the people and that is why we are extending our coverage on education to Ekiti Knowledge Zone which is a free zone because education is our industry and we

believe we can achieve a knowledge economy that is productive and can utilize a lot of the young people who have degrees but have no skills. We need to build them up.

We are going to focus on employment and empowerment more than what we are doing now because we have 20,000 jobs, directly or indirectly, out there in the youth and commercial agriculture, in the volunteer corps and in our various initiatives. We have that but we believe that we can even elevate the kind of jobs we make available to our young people so that they will improve on their sense of self-worth. So you see a huge focus on employment, you see a greater focus in agriculture and an additional focus on tourism as vehicles for economic prosperity in our state.

Then, we will of course not shy away from the education sector.

However, we are going to introduce free meals in primary schools. Our enrolment in Ekiti is good, our enrolment figure is the highest in the country but we still feel that there is a lot of dots to connect in terms of nutrition of our young people so that they grow at the rate they are supposed to grow, their brain develops at the rate it is supposed to develop and we also create an economy around the feeding of our children who go to school.

In the health sector, we shall be entrenching our free health programme through our health insurance scheme which we have started on a small scale but we

We must have an unbreakable bond that enables society to strengthen itself and government has a responsibility to help the weak and vulnerable

are going to widen under the next term of office by God’s grace. I can go on and on but the difference is that this is not just about achieving stability; this is consolidating growth and development; that is the next phase of our work.

There is no doubt that you will need funds to execute these projects you have highlighted.

How do you intend to source for funds?

As you know, we are not short of ideas and our track record speaks for itself. The amount of funds we were able to raise in the

last three and half years really speaks volume about our seriousness in raising funds for whatever initiatives we had. For our infrastructure project, there is no doubt we need more money and we would be looking for money from development partners, from the banking system.

Some of the things we are going to be focusing on now are things that will make Ekiti selfsufficient. Our independent power project, our airport project, our major water initiatives, we have already secured some funding for some of them. We have secured $50million for example from the World Bank for the urban water project. We are discussing with a whole range of institutions on almost a zero per cent interest basis for our power project, which will put new sub stations.

We have finished our energy master plan that gives us projection on what power Ekiti will require in the next 25 years.

We have finished our water master plan, our tourism master plan and these are things that we have deliberately done so that we are not just charting in the dark, we will know clearly where we are going, we will know how to get there and we believe that we have the capacity, the commitment and the credibility to raise the resources having proven ourselves with previous funds that we have raised both from the capital market and from our own internally generated resources.

These are the places where the funds will come from.

There have been reported cases of attacks allegedly carried out against other political parties. How have you ensured that APC members eschew violence?

As a rule, we do not get involved in violence in APC, we are very clear on that. We even developed a code of ethics which really makes our abhorrence of violence indisputable and equivocal. That we have done at the level of a baseline and this is the minimum irreducible for us. We held a mega rally and not one incidence of violence was recorded because we do not have a culture of violence and we do not tolerate it.

However, even when you do not have a culture of violence and violence is brought to your door step by people who belong to other political tendencies, how do you restrain people from reacting when they are attacked? This is a challenge and it is a challenge I cannot tell you I have an answer to. I cannot continue to tell my people to turn the other cheek when they are being attacked. I am the governor; I could unleash massive force on many of these characters who do these things.

If I were not to be the person I am, we would have really seen a degeneration even worse than some of the skirmishes you have noticed but because of who I am and because I believe leadership also calls for restraint, I have been a major restraining influence on my campaign, on party members, who are attacked unproContinues on page 35

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 35

‘Oni’s defection to APC has altered the dynamics’ Continued from page 34

voked since almost a month that we have spent traversing the length and breadth of this state.

I have gone further to work with interested stakeholders where I suggested a code of ethics and conduct to them. Our royal fathers called us to a meeting, I did not say because I am governor, I will not go and I gave my word to them. In any case, people know me by my antecedents.

I fought for my mandate in Ekiti for three and a half years after the election and I did not, for one minute, resort to extra legal means of reclaiming that mandate. I insisted to my people that I do not want to be governor over dead people and that we shall pursue it legally till the very end and that is what we did.

I cannot now be in government, with all the powers associated with my office, and be the one promoting violence, but we do have candidates who have track records of violence. My appeal to the law enforcement agents as the chief security officer of the state is that violence should not be condoned; whoever is found should be picked up and charged to court.

Did you, at any time, report the incidence where your convoy was stoned to the police authorities?

I did not need to report because there were police officers there.

Has there been any arrest made?

I do not believe any arrest has been made and this is the kind of issues I have raised with the police. The police that investigated have not told me they have made any arrest which is unfortunate because it then gives the impression that either the police are not doing their job or there are lapses here and there. It is my duty that nothing untoward happens to the people of Ekiti and that is part of what I have been insisting on with the police and other security agencies in the state.

It has been reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has reduced the voters’ strength for both Ekiti and Osun states. How do you see the development! Do you suspect any foul play?

Well, I do not know if there has been a reduction in the voters’ figure in Ekiti. I know that INEC released a figure recently and I know that the draft was released to parties and it is pretty close to what we used to have in Ekiti even in 2011.

The voters’ figure is 762, 000 or thereabouts and that is sizeable; even if those in that register vote, it would amount to a significant number.

I know, however, that from what I have read in the newspa-

pers and from what my own monitors have told me, from card collection across the local government areas, the collection rate is not what we would like it to be.

We are closer to 60 per cent now.

Our problem with INEC is not that, our problem is the credibility of this Permanent Voter ’s Card that has not been used without electronic readers and that is the point we have consistently made. As advocates of One Man, One Vote, the only way a Permanent Voter’s Card becomes interesting to some of us, is if it can be machine readable and that it can detect multiple voting, multiple registration and fake user of the card.

That is the relevance of the Permanent Voter ’s Card. If it is not going to be used in a manner that the Presiding Officers and the party agents can detect that ‘this card does not belong to Kayode Fayemi, so why is he using it?’, I do not see the big deal in a Permanent Voters’ Card.

I think INEC should listen to us because if you cannot use a PVC in a machine readable manner for an election as tiny as Ekiti and Osun states, how are you going to pilot for 2015 when you now claim you want to use it? I do not find that believable, I do not find it credible and our party’s position is very clear, we have said it consistently that the only condition that would reduce the level of fraud in this election, is to use the machine because we have believable information that these PVCs are being cloned.

These cards are like ATM cards.

What is the beauty of an ATM card? If you have N500, 000 in your account and you remove N20, 000, the time you removed the N20, 000 and the amount you removed is there. That is the beauty of the card reader. You cannot now come to your bank and deny that you did not take the money.

So this is common sense because almost every village has an ATM machine. When you put the card that they give you in your bank to use in an ATM, it records the time and the amount you collected money, it reduces it from your money in your account. This is what we are saying Professor Jega should do because these PVCs are like ATM cards. Why do people like treating us as if we are still in the Stone Age? It is only people who are afraid of genuine voters that would not want an electronic machine reader used for this election.

Does that form part of your fears for this election?

We have concerns; we do not have fears because we build scenarios. I am saying that this election will be easier fought, by all concerned, and it will give INEC greater credibility, if they conform to the basis of issuing PVCs. What is the purpose now if it is not going to be readable? That means I can carry Dapo Akinrefon’s card, clone it and then use it before you get to the polling

•Gov Fayemi ...the integrity of the election must be protected

My appeal to the law enforcement agents as the chief security officer of the state is that violence should not be condoned; whoever is found should be picked up and charged to court. station. Somebody should convince me in INEC the relevance of the PVC. The only relevance of the PVC is if it enhances the credibility and integrity of the process and there is only way it can do that and that is if it is read by the machine.

So, it is a concern, it is not a fear and the onus is on INEC to convince us as to why they cannot use the card reader. How many machine readers do they need for Ekiti and Osun states because the elections will not take place the same day? Let us assume they will need 3, 000 machine readers, will that make them sacrifice the credibility of the election? I believe it is in Professor Jega’s interest to listen to us because we are even his best advocates by insisting that things should be done properly.

Your party, the APC, has been criticized by the PDP for going ahead with the rally just a day after there was a bomb blast in Jos in Plateau State where scores of people died?

Were you at our rally?

Yes. Good. Our rally was fixed more than a month ago and the Jos blast that you talked about happened the day before. We thought it was too late to cancel the programme, but we then decided that everything we had to do had to be scaled down considerably which was why there was no music.

We had brought international stars, we brought major music artistes, Nollywood artistes but because it was a sombre mood

and because we were extremely mortified and worried about what happened in Jos, we thought we should just conduct the business of flag presentation to the candidate whilst also stressing the importance of all joining hands to work together on the mounting insecurity in the country.

Let us not forget one thing, the buck stops somewhere; we are all jointly responsible for the security and safety of our people. As a party, we have highlighted a tenpoint agenda of how we will handle Boko Haram insurgency and any other sources of insecurity if we are given the opportunity by Nigerians to run the affairs of the nation.

We added that we stand together with Mr President on matters of security, we will work with him if he allows us.

A party cannot have 16 governors, 40 senators, half of the House of Representatives and not be locked into the process or security management and security response.

It is our view and this has been clearly expressed by our party that a time like this calls for a joint approach. Do not forget that three of the most affected states are APC states, but we cannot take responsibility for what we are not directly solicited to be part of. The government that is in the saddle of Nigeria today is the PDP government and let us not pretend about that.

Most of the communities your campaign train visited had politicians decamping to the APC especially the former governor, Segun Oni. How do you see his support for you?

What most people do not actually remember is that of all the people who were on the PDP side, way back in 2007, the one person that I had the closest affinity to was Governor Segun Oni. It is not just because we were members of E-Eleven, a group of Ekiti stakeholders, but also because of his mien.

I have had cause to tell people over the last few weeks since he moved over to us, that even in the heat of the moment when tempers were flaring all over the place, I never had a personal negative word against Governor Oni. I always talked about his party and his government and not him because I have always known him to be a decent person. This is not a contradiction.

What he has even done now has really shown how much of a leader he is because he has gone beyond personal issues and pettiness. There are a lot of people who will not do things for you because you have gone to say hello to them in their house. Governor Oni has gone way beyond that and if you listened to his speech, it was the most impactful at our rally because it demonstrated sincerity, candour and not being petty. He said we are erecting a new platform and it is about the future of our children and our state, it is not about us. Nobody is perfect.

It comes back to what I have been saying that this election is not going to be about performance because performance is not in doubt. Nobody challenges whether Fayemi has performed or not anymore, I think the icing on the cake is going to be about character.

That is the point Governor Oni made in his remarks that character matters and, particularly in Ekiti, our people cherish integrity and they are not going to leave a gold standard to follow sand; they are not going to leave a dual carriage way and go into the bus.

So, I think Governor Oni’s coming, as politicians, we will be looking at the numbers and I can tell you that is extremely significant. I can tell you that Governor Oni’s coming has shifted the dynamics in critical local governments, he remains a factor because you cannot be governor for three and a half years and not have anchors of people. So, on numbers base, it is a plus, on character definition, no one can do a better job than him.

As the election draws near, what are your expectations?

My expectation from the police and security agencies is that they will do everything to protect the integrity of the election.

I know that once INEC has done its own job, the police and critical segments of the security agencies will be involved in protecting the integrity of the election.

If they are not allowed to their own responsibility, it can be a problem.

PAGE 36—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014

There is no ideological difference between PDP, APC – Olaosebikan *’Why I want to be Oyo gov’

BY OLA AJAYI

M

r. Kehinde Olaosebikan is not a green horn in politics. He was exposed to politics quite early in life when he was elected as the Deputy Financial Secretary of the youth wing of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He was later a ward delegate at the convention that produced Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo as the gubernatorial candidate in 1983. He played an active role in the fight for democracy, the actualization of June 12 and was detained over the trial of Chief M.K.O Abiola.

In this interview, he speaks on his political dreams.

Can you give some insights into your political antecedents?

In this dispensation, I was well

involved in the conception and birth of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). Thus, it was not a mere happenstance that my appointment was the first made by Alhaji Lam Adesina upon his assumption of office as the governor of Oyo State. I served as the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor and the rallying point for both the party and the government for four years. As a popular party man, I won the ticket of the party for the House of Representatives seat of Oluyole Federal Constituency in 2003. With deep interest in the development of the state, I chose to stay back in Ibadan instead of returning to Abuja where I was working as the Regional Editor, North for Vanguard after I lost that election.

Since then, I have been a major player in the politics of Oyo State. In 2007, I was elected,

Chairman of Oluyole Local Government during the regime of Senator Rasheed Ladoja which was later scuttled by the government of Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala. However, Governor Akala later appointed me Chairman of the same local government.

Despite the general poor showing of PDP in Ibadan during the last general elections, I delivered my base with overwhelming victory in the three elections. So in a nutshell, I have a very good understanding of the workings of government and a sound knowledge of the politics of Oyo State and Nigeria in general.

Do you have any ambition for 2015 elections?

Yes! I do. My ambition is to serve the people of the state as their first people oriented governor with the sole intention of giv-

Mr. Kehinde Olaosebikan ing power back to the people. It belongs to them.

Why do you want to go for governorship and not a lesser post to test your strength?

Let me state, firstly, that, according to the provisions of Sec-

Corruption is a product of impunity – Ofuani *’My agenda for Delta governorship’

BY HUGO ODIOGOR Chief Clement Oduah Ofuani is a technocrat with a clear eye on his political environment. His entry into public life as Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Finance in 1999, in Delta State was remarkable as he became the pioneer Commissioner for Economic Planning, where he left an indelible mark in promoting transparency in managing public finance.

He is one of those aspiring to succeed Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan. In this interview, Ofuani, a chartered insurance broker, banks on his competence, wealth of experience and vision to give meaning to governance, through creation of jobs and equal opportunities for Deltans.

W

hat has been happen ing to you since you left govt?

I am, primarily, a private sector person. When I left government in 2006, my first option was to go to the private sector where I came.

Fortunately, I have an employer called Ofuani Mandoh and Co, who has promised that no matter how long I stray away into politics, it will always be there to employ me till death do us part.

So,I am very lucky they hired me back as principal partner.

But I am also interested in insurance and I set up an insurance brokering firm called Ocean Insurance Brokers Limited. I am presently the Chairman. Since then, I have also under taken some training and have also qualified as a chartered insurer. I was inducted as an associate of the chartered institute of insurance in December last year.

I am on the board of a number of companies. That has also kept me busy. I also do a lot of consultancy work. In between, I keep

my eyes very firmly on politics because whatever happens there and how it happens affects me and you.

What was your experience serving in government?

I was Commissioner for Economic Planning. It was very interesting because first, I had not had any direct experience with the public sector until I came into Delta State government in 1999 as Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Economic Planning.

That exposure in practical terms demonstrated to me the pervasive power of the public sector in the lives of the people and the need to choose the right people so that our society can be the better for it.

I realised that there are people who are not doing their best because the system is not properly designed for them to perform and so we need to be able to redesign that system and encourage people to develop their talents. I realise that the action you take as somebody in public service and the ones you do not take affect the society; so we need the right person to take the right action so that our goals and objectives as a people can be attained. That came out very clearly in public sector; so I have remained attracted to the public sector and it underscores the need for one to be actively engaged in a way that I can contribute my own talent to creating a new society.

You played a key role in e-payment and e-governance with the SAP model to facilitate transparency in public finance management. What was your experience like?

First I worked as a member of a team to implement some of the things you talked about. It will be unfair for me to take personal credit for that. There was a strong

Chief Clement Ofuani commitment on our part to create a working system because we recognised that corruption itself is a product of impunity and indiscipline. It is a symptom of a breakdown of the system and its function and the moment institutions are not working, it creates opportunities for people to make short term gains.

The more you institutionalise activities in such a way that it can determine how to act on the basis of what is available, you eliminate manual interferences. That is what the SAP system was meant to achieve. It is very much like a traffic warden on the road compared to an efficient traffic system.

A traffic light system is not aware that there is a VIP when it is time for the red light to turn on; it does so and everybody stops because there is discipline. But a traffic warden, a human being, who hears the siren of a VIP would adjust immediately to pass people on the red light who are expected to stop. Such things bring distortion in the system of traffic flow. That is just like accounting and information man-

If any body is running on account of his name, he or she expects almost total support from his area, but the next problem would be, how do you get that reach from the other senatorial districts in order to get the state wide reach? agement system that responds not to the position of individuals but simply treats everybody as equal.

The debate on power shift is never ending. What is your view on this?

The power position between the national and sub national groups, taking into consideration parts of our history and our political experience is coming for discussion now where somebody was saying, ‘ you know I live in Lagos but the truth is that I can go and cast my ballot but I cannot participate in what is happening’. His name reads like from Delta that he has hardly been known or visited and he would not be allowed to have full political expression there. Why do we continue to pretend that if you move from one part of the country to another, you will have the right to full political expression because it is guaranteed in the Constitution. But in reality when you are voting it is not because of your character or intellect but because of where you are coming from.

tion 177 of the Nigerian Constitution, I am eminently qualified to hold the office. I am 51 years old with a Master ’s Degree in Communication Arts. From both my working and political experiences, you would equally realize that I am sufficiently experienced, exposed, mature and knowledgeable to govern a state and even the country.

But right now I am seeking the office of the Governor of Oyo State because of my sincere interest in the plight of the suffering masses of the State. There is an urgent need to liberate them from their present state of subjugation, destitution and hardship.

In spite of the fact that we are in a democracy, a government that is designed for the majority, the desires, needs of this majority have been overtly subjugated; making them secondary or outrightly neglected.

It is sad and painful seeing our people still walloping in penury despite all the hopes they placed in democracy. You would recall that Nigerians, particularly the people of the South West suffered so much in the cause of fighting for this democracy, a la, actualization of June 12, when the then

Continues on page 37

Your name gives you away as a non-Lagosian.

If my children were born in Lagos, I pay my taxes in Lagos, do everything in Lagos, justice demands that I should have full political expression here, but I don’t, and that is the truth. But then, it also goes to show how we manage our resources. We have found out that the over centralisation of our resources has led to corruption. If we ignore all these things and pretend that you can fight corruption by passing the EFCC and ICPC laws, it will not make sense because the fundamental issues that need to be addressed have not been addressed.

We must deal with the issue of power structure and that is why I suggest a brand new Constitution that will bring about a Nigeria that can work; a system that fits into the history and culture of the people.

The debate on Delta North aspiring to the office of governor is becoming contentious.

What is your view?

Absolutely! In our state, Delta, right now, all permutations are yet to focus on character and competence of those who have shown interest to be governor.

It is still at the broader Nigerian question of where the person should come from.

It is borne out of historical experience that elections in Nigeria are conducted along ethnic lines and therefore the moment you step out to vote, you are voting for your brother or kinsman.

I think it was in recognition of this historical fact that PDP built into its Constitution, Section 7, Sub Section 8 (c), a commitment for power rotation of offices to ensure inclusiveness. In a state like Delta, it would be difficult to elect a governor because no senatorial district has all it takes to produce a governor. Even when you have the number of voters, you will not have the required geographical spread and so you need to create an opportunity to recognize the aspiration of all the component parts of the state in order to give every part of the state full political expression.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 37

Oil first discovered in Ilaje not Oloibiri — National Conference delegate, Ebiseni

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU Mr Olusola Ebiseni, Commissioner for Environment in Ondo State and a delegate to the National Conference, says oil was first discovered in Ondo State and not Bayelsa contrary to what is widely believed.

E was completely ruf fled by the omission of his name. Others had been called. They had also spoken and another phase of the debate was just a click a way, signaling an end of the debate. A vote for the adoption of suggested amendments and other proposals was anticipated. For more than eight hours or so of the debate, he patiently sat, waiting to be called to no avail. Just then, he shouted,” Point of Order ”.

Granted, he explained how he had written his name on the list of those who would be contributing but was omitted.

Humorously, he regaled the leadership and was eventually asked to continue since he was already standing.

The issue at stake was the report of the Committee on Environment. The event was the ongoing 2014 National Conference. The day was Monday, May 26. To every Nigerian, issues of environmental degradation are very touchy. And to the people of Niger-Delta where oil exploration is an every day affair, life, to an extent, has become a night mare as aquatics and the atmospheric space have been imaginably polluted.

So, to him, he is affected on

H

Continued from page 36 maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha visited, deliberately on them, untold hardship and pains.

No petrol, no gas, no electricity, no food. With 15 years of our hard earned democracy, the masses are worse for it. I feel betrayed and totally disappointed when I see our so called leaders living in opulence, displaying ostentation acquired with our collective wealth, when majority of the people, the masses, the real owners of the money, can barely afford a meal. Since 1999 till date, the case is almost the same but only worsened by the present governor of the state that has brought despair to our lives.

In spite of general applause by the people, how did he bring despair to your life?

I saw you among the journalists at the governor’s 3rd Year Media Chat on BCOS. The chat was full of lies; half truths and contradictions all laced with arrogance. He depicted a governor lacking knowledge about the government he is heading. Apart from the known fact that he hates the masses of the state, the governor throughout the program referred to the people of the state with utter disdain. To the masses, he said pointedly that the Technical University his government was expending billions was not for them. This is a government that since inception has not done any tangible thing on education, health and housing. All

many fronts. He hails from Ondo State, one of the nine oil producing states. He is a lawyer and presently the state Commissioner for Environment. And so, he is a stakeholder.

In his contribution, he showed passion. He displayed regrets. He distilled anger. But none of the things he said attracted attention more than his assertion that oil was first discovered in Araromi, Ondo State in 1908 and not in Oloibiri in present Bayelsa State. At the mention of that, heads turned in his direction. You would think that Chief Shola Ebiseni would blink an eye. But that was not to happen as he stressed “ yessss” giving life to his views.

His grouse is that history has been twisted. And so, the campaign for this historical relevance for the Ilaje people of Ondo State who are Yoruba living in the coastal area of the state should be properly placed to say that that territory produces oil and accounts for the status of state as oil producing and the fifth among the nine members of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Ebesini was unequivocal: “It was at Araromi, a fishing coastal community in the western fringe of Ondo State towards its border with the Ijebu Yoruba of Ogun State, that oil was first discovered in 1908 by the German Bitumen Corporation.”

Continuing, he said: “Though this significant pioneer achievement was truncated as a result of the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the point being emphasized by the Ondo State peo-

’Why

Mr Olusola Ebiseni

It was at Araromi, a fishing coastal community in the western fringe of Ondo State towards its border with the Ijebu Yoruba of Ogun State, that oil was first discovered in 1908 by the German Bitumen Corporation

ple is that it is this discovery that encouraged further activities which led to the Oloibiri experience in 1956.”

This also brings to mind his first outing at the National Conference which smacked a similar occurrence and stood on oil.

During his contribution to the inaugural speech of President Goodluck Jonathan, the threetime Ondo State Commissioner for Environment and a former Chairman of the old Ilaje Ese Odo Local Government Area of the state, who had come to the conference as a delegate on the platform of former local government chairmen from the South-

west, while introducing himself, said: “Mr Chairman, fellow distinguished delegates, I am Olusola Ebiseni, a lawyer and politician. In public service, I have had the privilege of being a three time commissioner in Ondo State. I am in this conference as the Southwest member among the representatives of former chairmen of local government. I was also in the past privileged to have served as the elected chairman of the oil producing good people of former Ilaje Ese Odo Local Government in which territory incidentally oil was first discovered in Nigeria in 1908”.

He went on “I wasn’t saying anything new, there is no disputing the fact that oil was first discovered in Nigeria at Araromi in 1908 and that further exploration was truncated for a long time by the combination of the world wars and world economic recession of the first half of the 20th century. ”I have had opportunity in different national fora to let Nigerians appreciate our place in the history of oil in Nigeria. I made this same point in a meeting in Lagos when the document on the Economic Integration of Western Nigeria was launched in 2012.

The aim was to let the Yoruba realize and be proud of our history as the region that was the harbinger of the good news of this commodity that has made all the difference in our national and world economy. At the first Stakeholders Conference on the Niger Delta held at Uyo in April last year, I led the Ondo State delegation and also let our compatriots in the other parts of the Niger Delta know that, while we recognize the significance of Oloibiri as the place where oil was later struck in commercial quantity in 1957 as revenue earner, our place at Araromi as the territory where oil was first discovered in 1908 which encouraged further activities leading to Oloibiri 1956 cannot be ignored”.

I want to be Oyo gov’

the schools and hospitals are in terrible state. His government has not serviced a meter of land talk less of laying a single block for housing, three years in office.

Is it not the height of wickedness and hatred for the masses for the governor now to come out openly to say all the money he was supposed to have spent in improving the parlous state of our public primary and secondary schools; enhance the conditions of The Polytechnic Ibadan and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology would be used on an alien science university to be attended by only the children of the rich? Where then is the hope for the masses if that governor continues for another four years?

How do you intend to surpass the record already set by previous administrations in the state?

I really don’t want to go into what past governments did or did not do, as their records of performance are already public knowledge and the people can judge for themselves. But allow me to let you into what I had in mind when I was leaving my job in Abuja to join the government here in 1999.

My big dream then was of a government that would be totally people oriented with the wishes of the masses as the focal point.

A government devoid of all the oppressions and flamboyant

trappings we witnessed during the military years. I came with a dream of witnessing a complete revolution in governance across board especially in Oyo State where we had the likes of late Comrade Ola Oni, late Alahji Lamidi Adesina and others leading the struggle against maximum rulership of Babangida and Sani Abacha. I was looking forward to a revolution in agriculture where Oke Ogun would take its rightful position as the food basket of the South-west if not the entire nation; where we would continue the educational revolution started in Ibadan with the establishment of the first university in Nigeria; where we would continue the revolution in technology and civilization commenced by Awolowo with the establishment of the first television and radio stations in Africa; where great emphasis is placed on human capital development as strategically implemented by Chief Obafemi Awolowo when the children of the poorest got the best of education and health care services, gratis; where we would continue to set the pace. Sadly, all these did not happen and today, Oyo State is one of the most backward states in Nigeria and her masses highly oppressed. It is only in the 21st Century Oyo State that we a have a whole bridge built with the tax payers money only being used by a cou-

I really don’t want to go into what past governments did or did not do, as their records of performance are already public knowledge and the people can judge for themselves ple. We have turned the pace setter status upside down. So to save the situation, what we need now is a complete overhaul of the entire machinery of governance with well structured revolution in the critical sectors; human capital development, agriculture, industry and rural development.

The social contract between the government and the people must change in favour of the masses.

Government’s activities and programs must be centered on the upliftment of the people and not of the rich in the society.

A release which was made available to Sunday Vanguard on the issue quoted Ebiseni as saying “that the first law regulating oil and gas activities and giving its monopoly to the British colonial administration, which was the Nigerian Oils Minerals Ordinance of 1914 and which was also given fillip to in 1925, could not have been enacted to regulate the later Oloibiri activities of 1956 but the achievement which was already evident and extant at Araromi.”

Delving into the history of oil and the relationship among the various groups of the Niger Delta, Ebiseni said that oil, which is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy since the 1970s, has ironically become a source of environmental concerns for the people of the region that no one should attempt to add salt to the injury by undermining the contribution of any group.

“It was the Araromi 1908 discovery that gave impetus to more aggressive exploration which further germinated into commercial quantity production at Oloibiri in 1956. When other companies apart from Shell were brought in, successfull operations such as Elf in Obagi Oil/Ubata gas fields 1963, AGIP at Ebocha 1965 were achieved”, the confab delegate said..

“In the 1960s, Gulf (the progenitor of Chevron) came west of the Niger Delta ravaging Ijaw and Itsekiri land crisscrossing Forcados, Escravos into Ilaje territory.

Chevron, Mobil, Express, AGIP and other oil giants have since taken over the whole of Ilaje land including Araromi, leading to Ondo State being today the 5th among the nine oil producing states of the federation. The way of God is a mystery in that Araromi, from where oil was first found in 1908 which human memory either forgets or deliberately ignored, is now the seat of multibillion Dollar oil and gas projects known as Olokola or OKLNG”.

What is the vision?

The vision is to make Oyo State self sufficient. It is a journey which would first achieve self supporting status and ultimately self sufficiency. It is about making the best out of all what we have in the state utilizing in full, comparative advantage of every zone, every city, town village, household and every individual.

The vision would unlock the potentials in every aspect, area and person in the state.

Do you think you have the political muscle and toughness to contest the election?

This is a God’s project and I am relying solely on Him. Talking of political muscle, I have been in this game since age 18 and I am very confident of making it. My antecedents, the modest contacts and achievements I have made all my life will work in my favour.

How would you raise the N11m non refundable fee for a governorship form?

Ordinarily, I don’t support the idea of political parties charging heavily for their nomination forms. It promotes corruption, god fatherism and all those bad things we ought to have eliminated in our politics by now. But since it is the policy of PDP, the party through which I believe my state would get the best in the form of developmental projects, I will by His grace raise the money. If it is part of the sacrifice I need to make to trigger the much needed revolution in the state, Allah will provide it.

PAGE 38—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8 , 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan

THE CHIBOK SCANDAL

Jonathan’s Willful Entrapment

By JIDE AJANI

A

scandal! That is what the Chi bok abduction is turning out to be.

By whatever description, a scandal is a scandal - the details of the circumstances of the scandal are another matter altogether.

Scandals only have an impact when they happen on public figures or public

institutions.

The story of a philandering messenger in a multi-national company would never make any news; but a whiff of suspicion of adultery on the part of the chief executive of the same firm would make the headlines.

But nowhere is scandal more attractive and destructive than in politics.

Its effect is most debilitating when the scandal surrounds a governor; worse still, a President, his administration or his household.

Ask some former American Presidents - Richard Nixon (Watergate); Ronald Reagan (Iran-Contra); and Bill Clinton (Monicagate or Zippergate). In his book, Political Scandals, Nigel Cawthorne chronicles a number of headlinegrabbing scandals. In the case of Nixon, Reagan and Clinton, he wrote, respectively, “It involved break-ins, cover-ups, slush funds, dirty tricks….; a scandal which involved American sale of defensive weapons and spare parts to Iran; and the amorous affair with an intern inside the White House”. Or, ask those who knew about scandals in Britain three or four decades ago – John Profumo (The Profumo Scandal, where Britain’s War Secretary, Profumo, shared a prostitute, Christine Keeler, with the Naval Attache in the Russian embassy, Yevgeny Ivanov, and were involved in a round-trip of amorous sexual affairs.

Or Robin Cook, who allegedly was caught “shacked up at home with his secretary.”

Scandals do not just happen on individuals in the corridors of power.

It is a systematic, albeit, seemingly

sub-conscious, series of actions and inactions that are either hinged on foolhardiness or lack of capacity to handle a situation, ultimately leading to a distasteful outcome.

The opprobrium that oozes forth from such acts of indiscretion or willful comportment determines the extent to which an event is described as being scandalous or otherwise.

In this instance, that is, the Nigerian situation, how did the abduction of over 200 girls from Government College, Chibok become a scandal?

Or, better put, how did the rag-tag members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram, become the terror threat that it has become today?

And, what would make a Yoweri Museveni, the primitive-looking Ugandan President, poke fun at Nigeria – mind you, the late Bashorun MKO Abiola once funded a military coup that set the tone for the redemption of that country from the hands of rebels, insurgents and a leadership that was at once incompetent and vicious?

Worse still, why would a Nigerian President go crawling all over the continent, seeking assistance to fight some otherwise nondescript Islamists who, under his watch, were allowed to grow into the monster that they have become?

The answer to all these can be located in the near lackadaisical and lugubrious response of the Federal Government of Nigeria, headed by no other person than President Goodluck Jonathan.

Let us first clear some assumptions that may become misplaced: it is not just about laying blames at the door step of President Jonathan. But it is about interrogating the seeming stasis which verges on a lukewarm nay verdant approach to governing a nation of over 150 million people. This has nothing to do with opposition politics but more to do with reality and the need for Jonathan to act more presidentially.

It was a scandal which did not choose to happen. It was a scandal sub-consciously choreographed in a manner that

Mercifully, there appears to be unity in fighting terror. That unity would need to be strengthened led Jonathan to being willfully entrapped.

Firstly was the attitude of discountenancing the story of the abduction of the Chibok girls. Before former President Olusegun Obasanjo disclosed that for 18 days, President Jonathan did not believe the girls were abducted, it had been revealed on these pages in a treatise entitled, ‘GOODLUCK JONATHAN: A President in Need of Help (an encounter inside Aso Rock) that President Jonathan and his aides did not believe any abduction took place. That was the beginning of the making of a scandal.

Secondly, Mr. President came on national television and said it was only the parents of the girls who could help locate the girls. If that were to be so, why would they come all the way from Borno State to the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja? To make matters worse, Nigerians learnt from their leader that 20 days after the abduction, he

did not know the whereabouts of the girls.

Thirdly, an unnecessary intervention from the squally, tempestuous First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, made the unfolding scandal more humourous. The social media is awash with collectors’ videos and phrases.

Fourthly, it had to take the French leader, Francios Hollande, to arrange a meeting between Jonathan and neighbouring heads of state in far away Paris, France. Then the United States, Britain, Israel, Australia lent their weight behind the fight against terror.

In fact, there may have been no internationalization of the abduction had Nigerians not taken to the streets with the slogan #BRING-BACKOURGIRLS. But because of the unseriousness in the corridors of power, after almost 30 days of fruitful marches and protests all over the world, some individuals under the aegis of RELEASEOURGIRLS remembered that they, too, had to stage marches with a view to disrupting the more organized, respectable and respected #BRINGBACK-OURGIRLS protesters. There were insinuations that the former was sponsored by government to disrupt the good works of the latter. Then, as if confirming the suspicion that government would soon politicize the abduction, Information Minister, Labaran Maku, a turncoat ideologue, said 90 per cent of the protesters were opposition party members.

And as if all these shameful and scandalous acts were not enough, Police Commissioner, Mbu, decided to embarrass himself, the Nigeria Police, NP, and President Jonathan. Seemed to be acting out ‘Her Master’s Voice’, he ordered the banning of protests and sit-outs by the #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS activists.

Thankfully, he has been overruled.

But about the willful entrapment of Jonathan, he it was who fought hard to become Nigeria’s President. It was not an imposition. He it was who chose not to believe that the girls were abducted.

Between him and his wife, Dame Patience, it could have been agreed the

type of intervention she needed to engage and not open her person to the stinging ridicule that followed. When ‘OGA AT THE TOP’ made waves, no one expected any other catch-phrase so soon.

On national television, Nigerians were treated to Dia Ris God oooo, Bloods They Are Sharing and Na Only You Waka Come which were totally needless.

Mercifully, there appears to be unity in fighting terror. That unity would need to be strengthened.

That terrorism appears to be shaping the Jonathan presidency is a function of the attitude of the President since 2010 to the Boko Haram menace. It was one lackluster disposition to a threat that has since become monstrous in its viciousness. It was an entrapment that Jonathan could have done without.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 39

IN THE THROES OF EVIL

How terrorism is shaping the Jonathan presidency *The forced re-design of security architecture *Dozens of condolence messages in three years *Humiliating request for assistance from abroad

By BEN AGANDE, Abuja A PROMISE MISPLACED

O

ne of the most famous quotes from the President Goodluck Jonathan campaign during the run up to the presidential election in 2011 was his reference to his humble beginning in rural Otuoke, Bayelsa State. While formally declaring his intention to seek election, President Jonathan delivered a passionate speech that marked the turning point ahead of the election. His speech resonated with majority of Nigerians who could identify with his story. He told Nigerians: “I was not born rich, and in my youth, I never imagined that I would be where I am today, but not once did I ever give up. Not once did I imagine that a child from Otuoke, a small village in the Niger Delta, will one day rise to the position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I was raised by my mother and father with just enough money to meet our daily needs.

“In my early days in school, I had no shoes, no school bags. I carried my books in my hands but never despaired; no car to take me to school but I never despaired. There were days I had only one meal but I never despaired. I walked miles and

crossed rivers to school every day but I never despaired. Didn’t have power, didn’t have generators, studied with lanterns but I never despaired.

“In spite of these, I finished secondary school, attended the University of Port Harcourt, and now hold a doctorate degree. Fellow Nigerians, if I could make it, you too can make it!

“My story is the story of a young Nigerian whose access to education opened up vast opportunities that enabled me to attain my present position. As I travel up and down our country, I see a nation blessed by God with rich agricultural and mineral resources and an enterprising people. I see millions of Nigerians whose potentials for greatness are constrained by the lack of basic infrastructure. I see Nigerians who can make a difference in the service of their country but are disadvantaged by the lack of opportunities.

“My story symbolizes my dream for Nigeria. The dream that any Nigerian child from Kaura- Namoda to Duke town; from Potiskum to Nsukka, from IsaleEko to Gboko will be able to realize his God-given potentials, unhindered by tribe or religion and unrestricted by improvised political inhibitions. My story holds out the promise of a new Nigeria. A Nigeria built on the virtues of love and respect for one another, on unity, on industry, on hard work

and on good governance”.

For many Nigerians who grew up knowing that cronyism and nepotism rather than merit and hard work are essential ingredients in climbing the social, political and economic ladder in the country, Jonathan’s speech offered a ray of hope that, perhaps, Nigeria was at the threshold of being wrested from the jaws of the twin evil of cronyism and nepotism. It was the magic wand that played a very pivotal role for many Nigerians in deciding who would get their votes in the 2011 presidential election.

Good luck, it needs to be added, also played its Continues on page 40

PAGE 40—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8 , 2014

Continued from page 39 role.

But Jonathan’s election was not made simple by the fact that many Nigerians could relate with his story.

The fact that he is from a minority ethnic group; not familiar with those who have arrogated to themselves the duty of determining who rules this country, made the contest doubly difficult.

SIGNS OF BAD THINGS TO COME

T

herefore, the conflagration that erupted in some parts of the country after President Jonathan was announced winner of the keenly contested presidential election was a pointer to how heated and bitter the battle for the presidency of the country was fought.

Three years into the Jonathan presidency, no singular issue or event has shaped it than the violent and brutal insurgency being waged by the shadowy terrorist group, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram, because of its fierce opposition to western education and values, especially democracy.

Though the Boko Haram sect has been in existence especially in its traditional stronghold states of Borno and Yobe since 2002, the brutal crackdown on its members in 2009 and eventual alleged extra-judicial killing of its leader, Mohammed Yusuf, by security forces pushed the remaining of its members to duck for cover and take a retreat for reinforcement.

Since its resurgence with increased ferocity and brutality in attacks, the Boko Haram menace has fundamentally changed the Jonathan presidency especially its promise of providing equal opportunities for Nigerians.

MIS-READING A TERROR THREAT

B

ut the Boko Haram threat has not always been perceived for what it is: Terrorism, and the advancement of a global jihadist agenda. And it appears a number of circumstantial evidence conspired to blur the potency of the Jihadist threat.

In the run up to the presidential election that produced a somewhat verdant and green Jonathan, a number of prominent Nigerians, especially from the North, made open threat that the President, whom they stridently campaigned against his contesting for the election in the first place, would have a country made ungovernable if he won the election.

So when the Boko Haram group began a deliberate and sustained targeting of churches and schools in the northern part of the country as part of their bloody campaign, many Nigerians, including those in government, thought, apparently erroneously, that the promise of making the country ungovernable for a Jonathan presidency was unfolding.

It is believed that this erroneous belief, even in government circle, that the attacks by Boko Haram were more political than terror related, gave room for the well-grounding of the sanguinary activities of the terrorist group.

The forced re-design of security architecture TERRORISTS AT THE DOOR

However, when the terror group expanded its attacks to more formal institutions like the police headquarters in Abuja and a more daring attack on the United Nations building in Abuja, the interpretation of Boko Haram attacks as a mere political campaign was no longer sustainable.

That is where the Jonathan presidency can be held derelict.

Even though the Federal Government upped the ante in confronting the Boko Haram menace, there was no end to the attacks.

Schools, banks and telecommunication facilities became easy targets for attacks, especially in the north eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. In fact, large swathes of land were carved out of these states and became a no-go area for Nigerian security forces and government officials. The hoisting of the flag of the group in this large area as well as the enforcement of their code of conduct on the local populace forced government to take a more drastic action in containing the rapid expansion of the spheres of influence of this group which had vowed to impose its version of Islamic law on not only its areas of immediate influence but on the whole country.

Government imposed a state of emergency in the three states at the epicentre of the brutal insurgency: Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

In justifying his action, President Goodluck Jonathan, in a nation-wide broadcast, said the move was necessary in order to allow the military take extraordinary measures to bring the activities of the insurgents to a halt.

EMERGENCY RULE

B

ur Mr. President did not disclose why the emergency rule became imperative.

Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that some of the actions of the military in some areas of the North-east, in its war against terror, were considered criminal acts in war –

read, war crimes.

In fact, President Jonathan risked being labelled an alleged war crimes perpetrator should there be no cover for the military’s activities in the area.

Therefore, the only justification for a sustained military offensive against Boko Haram in the three states was an

President Jonathan risked being labelled an alleged war crimes perpetrator should there be no cover for the military’s activities in the area

imposition of emergency rule, a proclamation which suspends some rights and allows the military to do its job.

The state of emergency provided some sort of relief. The military flushed most of the insurgents out of their traditional stronghold of Maiduguri; arrested many of their commanders and restored some form of sanity in the affected state. The sense of security restored emboldened members of the civilian population who formed themselves into vigilante groups to hunt down and fish out members of the sect who blended into the civilian population. A traumatised nation heaved a collective sigh of relief as normalcy appeared to have returned to the states most affected by the insurgency.

ENTRENCHING TERROR

B

ut as subsequent events later proved, the victory appeared pyrrhic as it came with lots of casualties on both the security services and the civilian population; and the victory, short-lived.

Like the proverbial Phoenix, the Boko Haram rose again from its ashes

Continues on page 41

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 41

Continued from page 40 of seeming defeat and unleashed its wave of terror on not just the local populace but on the security services.

Its daring attack on a military facility which resulted in the destruction of several fighter jets in Borno as well as several incidences of slaying school children in cold blood in their dormitories in Yobe and Borno states horrified Nigerians and other watchers of the Boko Haram insurgency.

But the abduction of over two hundred secondary school girls who were preparing for their final school examinations in Chibok, Borno State, represents the zenith of Boko Haram’s madness, as described by the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh. To kill innocent unarmed civilians in a conflict is bad enough.

But for innocent school girls whose only offence is that they dared to seek knowledge to be abducted and brazenly paraded by Boko Haram in a video it released while claiming responsibility for the dastardly action deservedly provoked world-wide outrage. It marked a turning point in not only the fight against Boko Haram by the Nigerian government but also a major change in the Jonathan presidency.

With the worsening security situation in the north eastern states, security remains the major preoccupation of the Jonathan presidency.

RECORD-SETTING CONDOLENCE MESSAGES

B

eyond the constant review of security measures to meet the challenge of the Boko Haram assault, the Office of the President has about 20 statements either condemning the senseless bombings by Boko Haram or expressing condolences to families that lose their loved ones in the many bombing campaigns of the Islamist group.

After the Christmas day bombing in Madalla near Abuja at the Catholic Church which claimed several lives, President Jonathan, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, said, “These acts of violence against innocent citizens are an unwarranted affront on our collective safety and freedom. Nigerians must stand as one to condemn them. I ask God, in His infinite mercies, to grant these innocent souls eternal rest, and give their families the fortitude to bear this painful loss.”.

In a statement after the bombing of the United Nations office in Abuja, the presidential spokesman said, “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria utterly condemn the barbaric, senseless and cowardly attack on the United Nation’s Building in Abuja this morning. The President believes that the attack is a most despicable assault on the United Nations’ objectives of global peace and security, and the sanctity of human life to which Nigeria wholly subscribes”.

If the Madalla bombing was bloody, the coordinated attack in Kano in May 2013 was far grander in scope, brutality and the number of casualties recorded. An obviously worried

Dozens of condolence messages in three years President Jonathan, in a statement reassuring Nigerians of government determination to protect lives and properties of Nigerians, said, “The barbaric incident would not deter the Federal Government from its strongwilled determination to overcome those who do not mean well for the nation”.

He said the Federal Government would not be stampeded into abandoning its unrelenting war against terrorists in the country, assuring Nigerians and foreigners that government would do the needful to ensure the safety of lives and property.

Before the Nyanya bus terminus bombing, the Kano coordinated attack was thought to have been the most bloody and claimed the highest number of lives. But when an explosive laden car was detonated in a crowded bus terminus in Nyanya, a suburb of Abuja, the Kano casualty became a child’s play. Apart from the high number of casualty which many believed exceeded those of Kano, the choice of Nyanya, a crowded suburb in Abuja, was a message by the terrorist that ‘much as you try, we are getting close to you’.

For Jonathan, the message of condemnation of the heinous activities of the sect was not only a way of saying to Nigerians that ‘I am on same page with you’ but also a way of saying ‘I share your pains and anguish’.

CHANGING SECURITY ARCHITECTURE

A

part from the fact that the allocation for defence has been on upswing since the Boko Haram insurgency intensified, the frequency of meetings between the President and leaders of the security apparatuses in the country has increased from fortnightly, as it used to be, to weekly.

The convening of an expanded Security Council meeting involving the heads of the security services and the governors of the 36 states of the federation represents a noble move by any serving President in Nigeria to expand the security architecture of the

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda poured more cold water on President Jonathan when he inferred that it was not only humbling but a thing of shame for mere fundamentalists to reduce Nigeria to a nation of beggars for foreign assistance. country.

Beyond this, the Boko Haram insurgency has increasingly put pressure on not just the President but also the heads of the security services to reassure Nigerians and indeed the international community of the safety of Nigeria and Nigerians. At different fora, the President and the Chief of the Defence Staff have given definite timelines within which the Boko Haram insurgency would be brought to an end.

That these timelines have come and gone without the insurgency being stamped out and have put further pressure on the President, to reassure Nigerians that his promise of bringing about economic turn-around for the country will be fulfilled.

FOREIGN MILITARY ASSISTANCE

P

erhaps the most profound way the Boko Haram insurgency has affected the Jonathan presidency is the avalanche of foreign military assistance that has been offered by different nations to help Nigeria track

and rescue the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.

In the aftermath of the abduction, the United States of America, Britain, France, Israel, Niger, Chad, Cameroun, Mali and China have offered to provide Nigeria with advanced logistics to help locate and rescue the girls. For a country whose military was hitherto reputed to be one of the best in West Africa, the acceptance of military assistance from other countries, despite initial resistance, is a humbling admission that terrorism, especially the hue that is afflicting Nigeria, is an international menace, the fight for its eradication should not be hampered by national pride.

Indeed, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda poured more cold water on President Jonathan when he inferred that it was not only humbling but a thing of shame for mere fundamentalists to reduce Nigeria to a nation of beggars for foreign assistance.

As the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, said in an interview with Sunday Vanguard, the acceptance of assistance from other countries by Nigeria should be viewed not from the prism of failure of the Nigerian security services but from “the message which has been sent very clearly to Boko Haram and their Al Qaeda collaborators that the world has taken on this challenge as an assault against our common humanity, as an affront against human civilisation and as a threat to the entire world”.

With the expanded cooperation between Nigeria and its neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic in fighting terrorism as agreed upon at the meeting convened by the French President Francois Hollande in Paris, Boko Haram insurgency has affected the Jonathan presidency by roping in international players into a matter that should ordinarily have been the internal affair of Nigeria.

PAGE 42— SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

*House of Reps in session

The reps battle for the minority leadership

By EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

T

he House of Representatives, on Tuesday, witnessed another round of rowdiness over the minority leadership of the House.

The last time the legislators displayed such an act was when All Progressives Congress, APC, Reps threatened to shut down government earlier in the year.

The Tuesday face-off started like a joke but suddenly snowballed into a bitter rivalry between the majority Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and minority APC lawmakers.

The presiding officer, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, at about 11.45am, had jokingly announced that the PDP caucus would host lawmakers who recently defected from APC to PDP after plenary.

He specifically listed Hon Abubakar Momoh of Edo State who dumped APC recently to prepare for the ceremony.

At this point, Deputy Majority Leader, Hon Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta), stood up and raised a point of privilege to enable him make his submissions.

C M Y K

The presiding officer granted him audience and Ogor read out Order 1V under item 19(1) Privileges which outline the rights of the House collectively and those of the members individually as conferred by the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2004 and other statutes, practices, usages and customs.

After reading it out, Ogor said, “Item 31 of the House’s rules provided that members of the minority parties nominate among themselves the Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip, but that since the defunct ACN, ANPP and the CPC have merged to form the APC, it is expected that the minority parties act in line with the rules of the House”.

Before Ogor started explaining further, APC members started shouting No! No!! No!!!

Ihedioha had to repeatedly use his gavel calling lawmakers by their individual names to restore decorum in the House.

Ogor however continued and explained, “It is the minority parties that is indicated not only APC, please note the word parties not one party”.

This development did not go down well with some APC members who tried to stop Ogor, but he continued driving his point to a logical conclusion.

The shouts continued and Ihedioha had to appeal to members once again that the matter “at

Party- agreed with Ogor’s submissions.

Gbajabiamila’s attempt to puncture Ogor’s position fell like a pack of cards as PDP members started shouting ‘No! No!! No!!’.

Gbajabiamila pointed out to the House that “it is the duty of the

You cannot fault us in this direction as we are equally a party in this whole arrangement hand touch the fabrics of the House and we needed to be properly guided to avoid mistakes”.

APC members stood from their seats and started consultations as to how to render Ogor’s salvo useless building their hopes on their arrowhead, Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

When given the floor, members of the other minority parties-LP, APGA, Accord

minority parties to decide on what they want not you meddling in our affairs”.

He explained further, “You have to show that the rule has been breached”. This was followed by a thunderous, ‘Yes! Yes!! Yes!!’, obviously from APC members who rallied round their leader.

At this point, the House Leader, Hon Mulikat AkandeAdeola, started shouting, ‘Mr Speaker! Point of order’, but the presiding officer busied

himself over how to restore order.

Gbajabiamila continued, “You must have a locus standi to raise such a point, it is only a member of the minority that can raise any objection, not a member of the majority.

“The rule is very clear, it is the minority that will make such a nomination and we have it on record that we were duly nominated”.

On her part, Hon Abiola Ajaja of the Accord Party, said it is only fair for the other minority parties to have a share in the leadership of the House.

She explained, “The minority leadership has not been carrying us along, so we want a fair share of the leadership within the camp of the minority”.

Uche Ekwunife (APGA, Anambra), in her contribution, said, “All the positions have been occupied by only APC members without representation from the APGA, Accord Party and Labour Party which all make the opposition parties that the House rule requires to nominate members to fill the positions.”

Sunday Vanguard investigations revealed that APC lawmakers, after plenary, held a meeting to plot new strategies on how to tame the PDP lawmakers.

Though the APC lawmakers drew the first blood when they wanted the leadership of the House restructured earlier in the year, the PDP legislators still want their pound of flesh back and this is just beginning.

A source close to the House leadership said that “before now, what was obtainable was that AC N produced the Minority Leader while ANPP produced the deputy.

“For the position of the Minority Whip, we had AC N as the Whip while CPC produced the deputy. “ “But what you now have is APC occupying all the positions to the detriment of Accord, APGA and LP without a single representation “.

He further explained that Rep Ologunagba Debo of Labour Party may emerge as the Deputy Minority Leader while the position of Deputy Whip may be given to APGA. “What we want is a fair representation of all the parties in the minority and we equally hope that this attempt at reconciling this imbalance will yield a positive result eventually”, the source added.

Asked whether the House leadership will not back pedal, he said, “We’ve gone beyond that level of back pedalling because our mission is a just one.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 43

By WOLE MOSADOMI, Minna

I

T was early morning invasion of the forest by a combined team of security personnel which included the army, the airforce, the navy, the police, the State Security Service (SSS) and the civil defence corps.

The mission was not for animal hunting but for human dislodgement. As early as 4 a.m on Wednesday, the security personnel, led by Lt. Col. Adamu Yakubu, stormed the forest in Cheche village, in Lapai local government area of Niger State to flush out over 240 members of an Islamic sect.

The sect, said to have been in existence for about eight years in Lapai town, moved to the forest, its new camp, only last year, and is allegedly headed by the son of a wealthy Lapai indigene.

It has followership mostly of youths including students of the state owned university, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, (named after former General Ibrahim Babangida); College of Education, Minna and even men and women from within and outside the state.

Security reports showed that members of the sect may have been indoctrinated in line with the teachings of their leader and therefore became a security threat. Sunday Vanguard learnt that the sect moved to the camp after the leader had applied to the state government for the approval of a vast land in Lapai town for the purpose of building a school. Since it is the policy of the Niger State government to assist prospective investors, the state government jumped at the demand. A vast land of about 208.88 hectres was approved for the leader and a certificate of occupancy also handed over to him in record time.

Marriages dissolution Sooner than later, reports showed that the site had been turned into the headquarters of a sect.

Not only that, the members were said to be fomenting trouble and attacking members of the public who did not share their views. They were also accused of forcefully dissolving marriages and also conducting marriages after dissolving legal weddings.

Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, after receiving reports from security agencies and residents of the area immediately set up a task force to investigate the allegations. The outcome of the report led to the invasion of the forest by security personnel during which the members were rounded up.

Members of the sect did not seem to have premonition of the invasion. In the forest were tents built of straw and covered with leaves that served as the sect members’ residence.

While preparing for the early morning prayers (Asuba) on the day, the security personnel invaded the forest and surrounded the parcel of land the sect members were occupying. They were captured, interrogated and taken in three luxurious buses to their respective local government areas. A breakdown of the sect members indicated that 130 were from Lapai including students of the university in the town while others are from other local government areas of Niger State and very few from outside the state.

The exercise was carried out without maximum force and, therefore, no life was lost.

The forest used as camp by the sect is very close to IBBU. This invariably gave room for easy recruitment of their students. It was gathered that one of the kiosks in the campus was being used as recruitment centre by the owner who attracted students with money and lured them to the camp.

C M Y K

Students testimonies

ANOTHER SECURITY THREAT

Strange sect uncovered in Niger forest

and fornication as being rumoured and above all, we have nothing to do with Boko Haram.”

In the meantime, the Emir of Lapai, Alhaji Umar Bago Tafida, told members of the task force who visited him in his palace that Governor Aliyu should be commended for his pro-active steps in tackling security matters in the state. “If not for the step taken, this town would have been a breeding camp for future religious sect which would have consumed not only this town or state but the country as a whole.

It is very unfortunate and a shock to me and people of this town that we have found ourselves in this position. I cannot understand what has come up with our youths now that they are refusing to obey simple instructions. I am afraid of today’s youth because their future is shaky. Greed has taken over our people especially the youth.

•Sect members hostel

They are being tempted with money.

The leader of the group has indoctrinated our youth against the tenets of Islam and they believe that there is nothing wrong in what they are doing. I have stopped them severally from public preachings and my being against them has made me to be their number one target,” the royal father said.

Bago further disclosed that the sect members engaged in things which attract the youth to their camp.

•Personal effects of sect members

We are not known for adultery and fornication as being rumoured and above all, we have nothing to do with Boko Haram

One of the sect members, Khadijat Idris, a 300 level physics student from Kwara State, in an interview, said she joined the group about six months ago through a male friend, Umar Mohammed, who later became her ‘husband’.

*How we joined group — Varsity students

“Mohammed invited me to one of the programmes of the sect and I became fascinated by the preaching of the leader. For the past six months, I have been in the camp and going for lectures from there,” she explained.

On why she decided to vacate the school for the camp, Khadijat said,” I don’t want to miss any of the preachings. Infact, I want to be with my leader and teacher always.”

She added, “All the allegations against my leader are not true. I have no regret following him as my Islamic leader and I want to tell you that my parents are even aware that I am with him. When I newly joined the sect, I met some students of the university here and we are still together and I can assure you that more would still be coming to join us because of the quality teaching of my leader.”

Another student of IBBU, Abdullahi Mohammed, who is also a member of the sect and a micro-biology student, told our correspondent that he had been with the sect leader since childhood.

He said,” I believe strongly in our leader because he believes in Allah and can never lead us astray. We are here to learn Qur’an and nothing else. We are peaceful people because we don’t kill or preach violence. We are not known for adultery

Propagating Islam Spokesman for the group, however, debunked the allegations that its members were hostile and were trying to cause mayhem in Lapai or Niger State, adding that they were purely propagating Islam with the Qur’an being their guide.

“We are not an extension of Boko Harm sect. We don’t have any link with Boko Haram. Infact, we don’t share any belief with them or have anything common with them. Boko Haram’s agenda is to unleash terror on innocent people but we are not only peaceful Islamic scholars but also farmers,” he explained.

Speaking impeccable English, he continued “Most of us were in the mosque when the security men came this morning and we did not attack them and, when they searched our rooms, they did not find anything incriminating on us neither did they find any ammunition with us. Infact, one of the clear instructions from our leader is to preach peace and maintain peace which we follow,” the spokesman stated. Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Idris Ndako, said, after the exercise, that the land was earlier given and C-of-O approved for the sect leader out of the belief that the vast land would be used for the building of a school.

PAGE 44—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

CBN Governor Emefiele’s agenda: A diagnosis(1) *’ What he failed to mention’

BY AKOMA CHINWEOKE

•Mr Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor

•Egesi, former DG, NIMASA

and in a manner that shows genuine concern.

Every government, no!, every Governor of Central Banks all over the world sincerely want to pursue a policy of interest rate reduction to enable genuine in-

fact that “price stability can rarely” be a goal in itself except when pursued for the main objective of improving the quality of life of the citizenry through injecting confidence in investment climate while ensuring price predictability in trade (local and international).

His observation of the effect of charges on deposit and his fiat regarding the suspension of same pursuant of the policy of cashless society is commendable. The practice of suspending the operation of an account on the ridiculous basis of their being dormant should also stopped.

The bent of his speech gives hope because of his assertion that in spite of the country witnessing impressive GDP growth rates over the past seven years, there is an absence of a corresponding reduction in the unemployment rate in Nigeria, which has risen to 23.9 percent in 2012 relative to 13.9 percent in 2000” at the onset of democracy.

To singularly highlight this

point and promising to direct most of his energy to correct the dangerous trend is very comforting. He intended to achieve these noble objectives by the “direct method” used by the developed economies and visibly recently by the 2008 targeting of the US car industries by the Obama administration (my example).

I must add that Nigeria has used the direct method in the past and in the near present. It failed because the instrumentation of “subsidized interest rates, legal restrictions, and direct credit” were crudely applied without proper monitoring but most often destroyed by larger doses of insincerity, favoritism and downright corruption. I hold my prayerful breath for the Governor.The new CBN Governor mentioned certain specific sectors that will enjoy CBN’s credit allocations and direct interventions namely power, agriculture, MSMEs, oil and gas but forgot to include software, micro biological and technical research enterprises that would place Nigeria at the forefront of industrial growth.

If the CBN gets it right in collaboration with the Federal Government policies and other stake holders in ensuring that Nigeria becomes a working factory again then the development of the shipping industry which will be needed to lift the semi finished and finished cargoes for export will be half done - making the efforts of organization like NIMASA’s strategies of Ship Acquisition, Ship Building and manpower development very fruitful.

Meanwhile I will advise that the CBN liaises with NIMASA to assist serious indigenous ship owners to build vessels that will enable Nigeria participate in the cabotage oil and gas trade. This will greatly help to preserve the nation’s scarce foreign exchange resources.

does not represent Islam, the implication of such weighty repudiation is bound to resonate.

Madani said on his visit and his views about Boko Haram: “We are here to express our solidarity with Nigeria in facing up to this terrorist organisation and to condemn all terrorist acts they have been committing, and to express our condolences to the Nigerian people, and the families of those affected.

“The OIC has issued statements that are very clear, that these people are outlaws, what they do is criminal act, it has absolutely nothing to do with Islam, Islamic teachings, the religion of Islam, the history, the culture, the civilisation of Islam, therefore we should identify them for what they are: a terrorist group.”

The last religious authority to visit Jonathan in solidarity with the government and people of Nigeria was the Archbishop of

Canterbury, Rt. Rev. Justin Welby, who is the leader of the over 70 million Anglicans world wide.

The Archbishop, accompanied by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh; the Chaplain to the President, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba; and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Board, Mr. John Kennedy-Okpara, condemned the spate of bombings and killings perpetrated by Boko Haram and assured that, as Christians, there is hope that the killings would end soon in fulfilment of the word of God. The significance of these visits is not so much that they were made by religious leaders. The significance lies in the fact that with the convergence of agreement by both Christian and Muslim leaders that those who kill and maim in the name of a particular religion are anything but what they pretend to be. This may be the beginning of a synergy that may bring to book those who use religion as a cover for their heinous and dastardly act of killing innocent people.

Mr Godwin Emefiele assumed duty as the 11th Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. He took over the leadership of the apex bank from Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi who is currently fighting his suspension from office. Experts have been speaking on his 10point agenda aimed at creating a ‘’Central Bank that is professional, a central bank that is apolitical, and people-focused.”

MR John Patrick O. Egesi, a former DG, National Maritime Authority (now NIMASA), and National President Nigerian Institute of Shipping (NIS), diagnoses the agenda His maiden address greatly reveals what his agenda is likely to be. His impressive record as the former Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc is a great plus as well as problem for him. Given the meteoric success of Zenith Bank, one would congratulate President Jonathan for making such a good choice. For the same reason, one would expect him to achieve the near impossible in his role as the Governor of CBN. His maiden address entitled, “Entrenching Macroeconomic Stability and Engendering Economic Development in Nigeria”, has the hallmark of one who has a sound grasp of both the problem and probable answers to them. One cannot help but pray for him not to lose his way in the hustle and bustle of Nigeria fiscal monetary and national development battle.

I am delighted, given our immediate past experience that he will be non-political or “apolitical” as he said. While I do not expect him to shout wolf where there is none, one will expect him to be a watch dog both for the Federal Government and for the people of Nigeria and this should be done through proper channel

with balanced trade structure not to mention our import dependent trade. As the new Governor rightly observed, the pressure on exchange rate will be immense.

The sweetest part of the speech is the Governor’s vision to create

The new CBN Governor mentioned certain specific sectors that will enjoy CBN’s credit allocations and direct interventions namely power, agriculture, MSMEs, oil and gas but forgot to include software, micro biological and technical research enterprises that would place Nigeria at the forefront of industrial growth vestors borrow money at a cheaper rate to encourage further investment and job creation. Attractive as this option is, it tends to put pressure on money supply even for established economies

Aso Rock Vibes

a people- centered CBN through delivering price and financial system stability and promoting sustainable economic development. It is gratifying to note that our new Governor is aware of the

By Ben Agande

Chibok: Spiritual support for Aso Rock

S

C M Y K

INCE the abduction of the over 200 girls from Gov ernment Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria has been at the centre of the world attention as the international media descend on Nigeria to give coverage to the story of the abduction. The incident, which caused further world revulsion with the admission by the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, that he indeed abducted the girls and would sell them to slavery, has, sadly, put Nigeria on the map of ignominy as a country where seeking knowledge through education is a crime.

Nigeria is receiving assistance, mostly from the world’s developed military powers of United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Israel and China, to rescue the kidnapped girls.

Apart from the offer of military assistance, most world organisa-

tions, from the United Nations, to the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, have risen in unison to condemn the action of Boko Haram, which President Goodluck Jonathan described as a strong message to the sect that their activities have no place in sane society.

Last week, Jonathan received a different kind of solidarity visitors: Christian and Muslim leaders.

First to visit were the leader and members of the Islamic sect, Tijaniya, led by its spiritual leader, the Senegalese cleric, Khalifa Sheikh Ahmad Tijani Inyass. The group met with the President and some of his cabinet members at the conference hall of the First Lady’s Office.

Spokesman for the group, Ahmed Tijani Sanni Alwalu, the grand son of the cleric, who spoke with State House report-

ers at the end of the prayers, said Khalifa Inyass’ presence in Nigeria was for Maulud celebration of Ibrahim Inyass Gombe but he was invited to Abuja by Jonathan for spiritual support.

Khalifa Inyass, by visiting Jonathan, was only continuing in the footsteps of his father who also visited then Presidents, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Gen. Aguyi Ironsi.

The second religious leader to visit the President, last week, was the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Sheikh Eyad Ameen Madani. As the leader of the 57member mostly Muslim country organisation, the voice of Sheikh Madani cannot be dismissed with a wave of the hand. So when the leader of the OIC told State House correspondents, after meeting with Jonathan, that,Boko Haram, which has terrorised Nigeria for several years

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014,

curity and welfare? Has he laid the substructures of irreversible development suggesting that the next stage would be the erection of superstructures herding the society into the future?

These questions have already been answered by what we have on ground. There is no sphere of activity that has not had a touch of positive transformation arising from the policies of Aregbesola. From the human beings straddling the length and breadth of the state, to nature and such inanimate things as roads and school buildings and hospitals there has been a new lease of life imparted to them by the Aregbesola era.

The unprecedented employment of 20,000 youths at a go in the governor’s first 100 days in office shot a lowly state into the record books. A federal agency, National Bureau of Statistics says this stroke of political move rated Osun as the state with the lowest figures in unemployment.

The state is also reputed to have the second lowest poverty statistics in the federation. Poverty and unemployment breed insecurity and lack of happiness (welfare) in the society.

The governor is also laying the foundation for the enduring se-

Aregbesola: A settled matter

BY KUNLE OYATOMI

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF A governor’s rating ahead of the poll The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government-Chapter 2 of the Nigeria Constitution (1999)

I

F the ultimate goal of govern ment is to work round the clock towards ensuring the happiness of its citizens, then to be sure a date with the ballot box to see if this has been achieved is not a bad idea. It is indeed a great and compelling demand of democracy that, periodically, a government, political party or candidate must submit to the scrutiny of the poll.

And were it not for this limiting imperative, the system would be riddled with so much corruption as to make it lose every sense of civilization and sanity. It was the point Alfred Lord Tennyson made in “The Passing of Arthur” when he penned the famous lines: “The

old order changeth, yielding place to new, And God fulfills himself in many ways; lest one good custom should corrupt the world.”

What he meant was that no matter how good a system (or person) is, still a time must come that the system or the person must give way to a fresh good one so that “one good custom” should not stunt (corrupt) growth and development.

Now those who mischievously apply Tennyson to politics say elections are meant to vote out a sitting government even if it is good. Not at all! The objective of such recurring exercises is to renew the mandate of a performing government or to annul it if it is not meeting the expectations of the people. It is also to fulfill the constitutional requirement that after a term or two-term tour of a cumulative eight years an incumbent governor leaves the scene for a new hand.

Given this preamble, I now allude to the State of Osun where the people will be trooping out on August 9, 2014 to have a date with the ballot box over the per-

,

VIEWPOINT

The grand result is that the Ogbeni’s policy has met the constitutional directive: the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government!

,

formance of Governor Rauf Aregbesola on his current four-year term. The question they will be answering with their vote is whether Ogbeni Aregbesola has fulfilled his oath to abide by the Constitution which commands that government’s “primary purpose” is the pursuit of “the security and welfare of the people.” The poser before the electorate is two-fold: Has Aregbesola offered the people se-

A deputy governor in village square VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Dividends of democracy in Imo State

L

ITTLE was known about Flight Lt John Jerry Rawlings of Ghana until 1979 when he was first arrested and tried on charges of a coup plot.

While the trial was on, his associates sprang a big surprise and freed him from detention. Upon his release he staged another coup leading him to form a military government which enabled him to initiate revolutionary changes that have since been described as the second independence of Ghana after the one the founding president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, midwifed in 1957.

The rest is history because, like Nkrumah, Rawlings’ lifestyle was based on a close-knit relationship with the grassroots. For both, their philosophy was that a government only succeeds when they bond with the people. That connected Rawlings with market women, artisans and workers

The need to be vigilant VIEWPOINT

BY BITRUS KWABEH TRIBUTE IN BRIEF

No to pornography on television

N

IGERIANS tend to think certain things cannot happen in their country. Until two years ago, when suicide bombing was premiered in Abuja, precisely at the headquarters of the Nigeria Police, it was widely assumed that no Nigerian, given our fun-loving disposition, would consider killing himself in a bid to kill others. We are wiser now.

We still need to be a lot more, as there are some other things, while not here yet, that may take root here. One of such is pornographydelivered to us at home via paytelevision. For now, it seems farfetched. Soon, it may creep in on us. Why do I think so? I recently returned from South Africa, where

the decision of the country ’s broadcasting regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), to licence pornographic channels is causing massive public resentment.

On Digital Media (ODM) is on StarSat’s pay-television platform (backed by the Chinese-owned StarTimes) in South Africa.

Last November, ODM started broadcasting two pornographic TV channels – Private Spice and Playboy TV – in a separate StarSat sex TV package. This was shortly after being granted a licence by the South African broadcasting regulator. It is widely believed in South Africa that pornography was added to the viewing menu in a desperate bid to shore up flagging subscriber figures. Subscriber figures for the four-year old South African payTV operator, currently in business rescue, have dipped to between 100,000 and 120,000 from

autonomous communities and settlements.

A report said: “He is hitting villages and communities long neglected by previous administrations that came before the government of Owelle Rochas Okorocha. He is selling the Okorocha principle of popular governance to deepen support for government”.

The reception prompted the people of Egbema in Ohaji/Egbema council to send a passionate plea to Madumere to avail them of his presence

,

“As Madumere is currently holding village square meetings, visiting various Imo communities, the people are coming out to ask questions, making suggestions and their opinions felt.”

As a result of that, monarchs and their 150,000 a few years ago.

The newest face of the opposition to the porn broadcast is the group, Doctors for Life, which represents 1, 400 doctors. The non-governmental body has filed an application at the High Court in Pretoria, the country’s capital, seeking a revocation of the broadcast licence.

Its application has since been joined to the applications of the Justice Alliance of South Africa (JASA) and the Cause for Justice organisations, which submitted separate applications in the Western Cape High Court.

JASA and Cause for Justice contend that South Africa’s broadcasting regulator, which initially rejected ODM’s porn channels application before approving it a year later, acted illegally in its failure to consider that the constitutional rights of children outweigh the rights of StarSat’s freedom of expression.

In its application, Doctors for Life, contends among other things, that pornography is addictive and has the potential to be harmful to the human brain in ways similar to

subjects eagerly look forward to seeing him, especially as it has become another means of getting more projects sited in their towns and villages.

Significantly, Madumere’s visits to Amaulu Mbieri and Obazu has been described as outstanding. A huge turnout of rural dwellers including commercial motorcyclists, youths, traders and students trooped out to meet their number two citizen.

The reception prompted the people of Egbema in Ohaji/Egbema council to send a passionate plea to Madumere to avail them of his presence. The community believes the deputy governor’s presence would hasten the provision of electricity to the area. To them, “Governor Okorocha has pressed some buttons and some communities in Imo now have electricity. Let the same button be pressed for Egbema to get electricity.”

The four discernible objectives of Madumere’s strategy of connecting with the grassroots in achieving his objectives are germane. First is enabling government to reach out to the source of its mandate. His firm belief is that, “Every government worth those of substances like heroin, cocaine and LSD. Doctors for Life appear to have based its position on a recent study by German psychiatrists, which suggest that watching pornography may result in reduction in the activity of certain areas of the brain.

JASA’s application requests the court to review the broadcasting

,

BY CHRIS ANIECHEBE

as they instantly recognized him when General Fred Akuffo allowed the trial proceedings to be beamed on TV. He would leave the air force barracks to mix freely with the people.

So, the massive support came naturally from the people when he eventually became the head of state. This support partly explains the success of the Rawlings regime.

The lesson here is that it is not enough for government to hatch great policy ideas, but how it gets the people to buy into it; and substantially accommodate and integrate the grassroots population into it by working out modus that factors the people into the implementation of such vision. That template will more than any other format help the mission of total grassroots galvanization.

It also happened to a great extent during the IBB MAMSER Mantra that produced the watershed that June 12 represents.

These issue comes to mind as reports of Imo State Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere’s village square meetings take firm root. So, far the encouraging report has it that Madumere has embarked on a series of trips from Owerri, to far-flung

,

VIEWPOINT

Last November, ODM started broadcasting two pornographic TV channels – Private Spice and Playboy TV – in a separate StarSat sex TV package

,

regulator’s decision in granting a licence for porn television channels to StarSat, formerly the TopTV brand, and for ICASA to ensure a correct application of the

Page 45

curity of the citizen in the future through his polices in education.

He is taking the Osun child into the digital age of the distant future, beyond blackman’s manual and analog dispensation. This holistic and futuristic approach has seen him fulfill the dream of the youth, offering them an ICTdriven education system enabling them to have an encounter with opon imo (electronic tablet) at a tender age so that they can compete with their peers in the advanced societies of the West. He is also building their physique with splendid nutritious meals every school day. Is there a greater source of security and welfare?

The grand result is that the Ogbeni’s policy has met the constitutional directive: the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government!

It makes us conclude that the citizens are secure in the welfare of the present to enable them have hope in the future. As far as they are concerned, the outcome of the August poll is a settled matter. It is Rauf Aregbesola for four years again! *Oyatomi is the Director of Publicity, Research & Strategy of All Progressives Congress (APC), State of Osun. its honour must constantly look back to the origin of its power and authority. That cradle is the people.

Madumere has repeatedly said, “In repeatedly going to its roots, the government is declaring that the trappings of office have not severed its cord with its parentage, being the people.

This makes the government to remember all its electoral promises during the campaign for votes. Again, going to the people regularly as we are doing allows the government to update itself concerning fresh needs at the grassroots level. And finally, a government that is a regular caller at the abode of the electorate would not have much campaign to do at the next election, because half of its job on ballot day would have been done through the previous tours.”

For him, “This is the simple but efficient political ploy great administrators resort to in their quest to deliver the dividends of democracy and good governance to the people. A peopleoriented government such as we have in Imo cannot be an exception to this rule which has worked quite effectively elsewhere. Indeed it gives depth and meaning to Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy being “government of the people, by the people and for the people.”

•Anichebe, an architect, lives in Orlu, Imo State. law and broadcasting regulations.

The current wave of anger is a continuation of what began last year, when ODM (operating as TopTV) was licensed to broadcast three adult content channels— Playboy TV, Desire TV, and Private Spice-in South Africa. Late last year, ODM’s shareholders voted to accept the business rescue plan offered by Star Times, following a slump in fortunes.

The rescue plan was, however, immediately hit by a gust of public disapproval, chiefly from South African religious organisations, which argued that the pornographic channels could expose youngsters to explicit materials and could breed a society of perverts and increase sex related crimes.

South Africa’s Muslim Judicial Council, MJC, described ICASA’s decision to grant licence for pornographic broadcast as as “inconsistent”.

•Kwabeh, a statistician, lives in Abuja

PAGE 46—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014 sameyoboka@yahoo.com

Boko Haram: Religion

can't offer solution ---Rev. Thompson

I

NSTEAD of proposing a post-adoption plan for the over 275 schoolgirls of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State adopted on April 14, 2014 who definitely have been ex posed to all manner of dehumanising ordeals, many Nigerians are still busy seeking who to blame for the failure of certain elected officials to understand the fundamentals of governance. Faced with several discordant tunes since the April 14 episode, our correspondent approached a courageous Nigerian pastor who, long before the current explosion, has been chronicling activities of terrorist groups in the country for a correct analysis of the current situation. Rev. Ladi Thompson, founder of Macedonia Initiative and Special Adviser to the CAN president on Terrorism, flew in from Benin at about 7.00 p.m. to keep the appointment. Rev. Thompson's submission is timely, incisive and patriotic.

He opin-ed that the Chibok saga is a veritable opportunity to address the hydra-headed monster that is poised to sink the nation albeit the Africa continent or destroy our collective destiny. According to the Ibadan-born General Overseer of Living Waters Unlimited the situation Nigeria has found itself today can be traced to a hydra-headed monster located in the but not limited to the militants that we have concentrated on. Excerpts....

Origin of terrorism in Nigeria We have that one; we have the sink-sank, the administrative rule, the intelligentsia: those who have penetrated government, those who think ahead, who are in charge of all the demand and supply. Then we have the workings of the Media---global and

local; their own job is to maximize the wheels of terrorism and use it to destabilize government and project the aim of the Boko Haram or Al Qaeda or whoever. Then finally, the one that most people ignore; we have the clerics of hatred. As one suicide bomber is dying, they recruit another suicide bomber by deceiving them. They won’t carry the bomb, but they know how to profile psychologically young children who they use the cover of religion to deceive.

Talking solutions First of all, we must be careful when we are talking solution because a lot of people are looking for the future in the past. There used to be three major problems in the world: poverty, racism and military actions. The most recent example that everybody is trying to learn from when they are looking at Nigeria right now is the American Civil Rights Movement under Martin Luther King. That’s why you see people marching. We thank God for those who are marching, but they should remember that poverty, military action and racism are not exactly the same problem here.

So the ultimate solution is that the whole world, having seen the balance of Christians and Muslims in Nigeria know that if terrorism can be solved in Nigeria, it’ll be solved in Africa and all over the world. And I want to tell you the truth; it’s going to be solved in Nigeria. Before we bring out the African solution, or the Nigerian solution, number one we have to warn the people that, if you have heard the definition of these things, it puts Muslims under unnecessary pressure. So we must remove that pressure from the Muslims so that they can be free to unite with everybody and join us to win this war in this nation.

For instance, you saw Abubakar Shekau, shouting how Allah told him to sell the girls. Immediately, Muslims all over the world started denouncing him, saying this is not us; on Chibok we stand. Do you know this is the first time the actions of Shekau have portrayed the present problem as a socioeconomic, socio-philosophical, sociofinancial, socio-lingua problem hiding under religious cover?

So, the first thing we must do is to remove his religion cover, and un-

*Rev. Ladi Thompson

08023145567 (sms only)

forces with the civil rights, cultures and everybody to fight the common battle. A lot of people don’t know anything about this issue, and they are making matters worse, killing more people without knowing it.

Number three, when we are going out, we are not out to attack people, we are out to attack evil.

In dealing with Shekau, there must be some compassion in our hearts, as humble or as nasty as he is, or else we will become like him. We must realize that most of us who are throwing stones, if they have the same orientation, we will not be different from him. And if we don’t search ourselves, we will find ourselves going after individuals, nursing more hatred in our own hearts; and hatred cannot quench hatred, murder cannot kill murder. We have to use love, love is a universal language. Everybody says that God is love, so let us think about that statement and move forward from there. Everybody who claims that God is love will agree with us that Shekau is not our arch enemy, he has declared war against the citizens of Nigeria, he’s a victim of socio-economic, socio-philosophical gabbed under religion, just as Obama was also a victim of it.

Apart from that, number four, for all of us who are out to resist this evil, we must understand that some of the people who don’t really understand these things you have said will oppose what is right without knowing, therefore, the people who are ready to oppose this evil should make sure that we have a future for our children, must know that if it is necessary, we have to suffer a bit in some ways. For us to educate and help people to see the truth and for peace to reign, we must be prepared in our hearts that this is not about making money. You won’t become an expert just because you want to make money.

You must remember that there’s a tomorrow, and if we don’t secure that tomorrow today, no matter what money you have, all properties will devalue.

I said this in 2001 in Kano State ahead of time; I said it Kaduna before properties began to devalue in 2000. We shouldn’t wait until the Nigerian currency becomes N3,000 to $1 before we realize that we must be ready to accept without retaliating fire for fire. The weapon that is inside us must be the goodness, through wise, indigenous use of the force of the soul, the spirit and all wisdom to get results.

What is the connection?

We have now seen that Jonathan is not the enemy. Buhari is not the en-

known to Nigerians, Chibok helped us to remove the religious cover but we did not capitalize on it.

It’s a shame!

Now what are the things we must take note of before we move forward?

To apply the African solution, we must find a nonviolent option and stop leaning on just military action. Military action is a part of it, but if we rely on it, we will lose like many nations lost before us. We must realize that this non-violence is not a sign of weakness but a strength. But when you appeal to what God deposited inside everybody on a one-byone basis, you will discover the reason why they don’t allow soldiers in a battle front to mix together because if they do, they begin to discover that they have relatives; they begin to discover they can play chess together, they begin to discover common things together.

So the nightmare of most military generals is; don’t let the infantry mix, because they will resolve their problems among themselves. In non-violence, we are going to be appealing to the basic goodness that God put in mankind. If you do that, you are going to look beyond religious lines, because there’s evidence of wickedness on every side of religion.

Religion can never be the solution to this problem; the more you pour in religion, the worse the problem becomes.

So let the Nigerian church leadership know that it is their duty to help this nation to remove pressure from the Islamic leadership and let them join

emy; Shekau, as bad as he is, is not the enemy. The true enemy is that socio-militaristic, socio-economic, socio-financial hiding under religion. And if we now accept that, we must now know what our strength is, number one; all our specific activities must avoid violence; we must not use violence to kill violence.

We must admit that truth is the ultimate weapon; without truth being the ultimate weapon, we are wasting our time. Right now, the ultimate weapon of truth, if we believe that we can defeat Boko Haram without defeating corruption, we are deceiving ourselves. So, the single answer and solution that we will provide will not only take out the Boko Haram, but we must take out all the corruption that we have permitted. I will advise us to have an anti-corruption programme based on amnesty. We are all guilty. Twenty years ago, it wasn’t as bad as this. We allowed social and financial corruption to increase to the point we are now.

At this point in time, whether you pay money to get your children or you are paying bribe to collect your passport, or you buy a visa, or pay somebody to do exams on your behalf, it's all the same thing: corruption. So we should be prepared to realize that we need to persuade Jonathan himself for his own sake, to protect his own life and the lives of his children’s children that there are times when we have to oppose him, not because we hate him but because we love the future for his children.

When we see that he has not adequately understood that he is dealing with a socio-economic hazard disguised under religion; the more he plays into their hands, the more he’s shutting down the destiny of Nigeria. There are moves that have been affected by this cancer in government, in religion, in finances, in economy, in education. There are moves everywhere, Continues on Page 47

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 47

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ESUS shocked every one by saying: “Un less you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

(John 6:53-54).

Eating or drinking blood is expressly forbidden in the Law of Moses. God says: “I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from his people.” (Leviticus 17:10).

As a result, John reports that: “From that time many of (Jesus’) disciples went back and walked with him no more." (John 6:66).

Unprofitable flesh Jesus tried in vain to explain that he was not speaking about drinking the blood that flows in his natural body. He was talking of the “blood” that flows in his spiritual body. He said: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.

The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63).

If, indeed, the flesh profits nothing, then the blood from Jesus’ natural body cannot provide atonement for sins. If that is the blood we are required to drink, it would have run out a long time ago. In any case, God is spirit: he has no physical blood. The “blood” Jesus was referring to is his spiritual blood. That spiritual blood is the Holy Spirit.

Today, we don’t have access to Jesus’ physical blood.

In any case, physical blood cannot touch the soul.

However, Jesus’ spiritual blood is not limited by time and space. We can still ac-

Sin-washing blood

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE BLOOD OF JESUS cess today the same spiritual blood available in the time of Jesus.

Life of the Spirit The life of a man is in his blood. When the blood stops flowing, he dies. The life of God is the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, there can be no spiritual life. Jesus says: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6).

This means the spiritual man cannot be quickened by natural blood. He can only be quickened by the Holy Spirit; the equivalent in God of the natural blood in man. Therefore, in the scriptures, it is the Holy Spirit that is “the blood of Christ.” (Heb-rews 9:14).

Without the Holy Spirit, man cannot have eternal life. When Jesus maintained we must drink his blood in order to obtain eternal life, he was not harking back to pagan mystery religions. He was asking us to “drink” the Holy Spirit. He said: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, streams of living water will flow from within him.” (John 7:37-38). That living water is the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit cleanses us of sin by writing God’s commandments with an indelible pen in our hearts and minds Shed blood Jesus provided us with a symbol of the coming of the Holy Spirit by drinking wine from the same cup with his disciples at the Last Supper. He then declared to them: “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:28). However, this blood was only “shed” symbolically at his crucifixion on the cross of Calvary. Jesus’ real sin-remitting blood was “shed” on the Day of Pentecost.

At Pentecost, Jesus’ disciples drank his blood, which is the Holy Spirit. Onlookers thought they were drunk with wine. However, Peter pointed out that they were drunk with the Holy Spirit.

He told them Christ “has shed forth” his Spirit, which they now see and hear. (Acts 2:33).

Jesus hinted at this new departure when he said at the Last Supper: “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine

from now on until that day when I drink it NEW with you in My Father's kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29).

The new way of drinking “wine” in the kingdom of God is by receiving the Holy Spirit.

Communion of the Spirit We are told in Acts that: “(God) has made from ONE BLOOD every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth.” (Acts 17:26).

That “one blood” is the Holy Spirit. Blood determines lineage. People of the same family are called blood relatives. The “blood” that unites all believers in one family as members of the family of God is the Holy Spirit.

This makes Christian “communion services” today empty rituals. The true communion is “the communion of the Holy Spirit.”

Now that the Holy Spirit has come to concretise our communion with God the

Father, there is no longer any need for symbols and rituals like those of the socalled Holy Communion.

Indeed, the way of Christ is not a way of symbols, rituals and ceremony. When a man is born again, he automatically receives new life.

That new life is the very life of God, and it comes from the Holy Spirit.

Jesus says: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” (John 6:56). He then prayed specifically for this.

He asked God that believers may be in the Father and that the Father may also be in us. (John 17:20-22). This prayer is answered through the process whereby the Holy Spirit of God comes down to in-dwell every true believer.

By this answered pray-er, Jesus became “the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:24). Again, the blood that is sprinkled on believers and the blood that speaks is none other than the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks in our hearts the love and mercy of God. Therefore, we are counseled: “See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks.” (Hebrews 12:25).

The Holy Spirit is the true blood of Christ which still is flowing and cleansing souls from sin. (Revelation 1:5). He is: “the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanses our consciences from acts that lead to death.” (Hebrews 9:14).

Anything washed in natural blood turns red. However, John talks of those who “wash-ed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14). This white blood-washing is the work of the Holy Spirit.

John says furthermore: “If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (John 1:7). The Holy Spirit embarks on a lifelong laundry process, whereby he purifies our hearts by feeding us with the true bread of life. On a daily systematic basis, he brings to our remembrance the words of Jesus.

So doing, he teaches us the righteousness of God. He also fulfils God’s promise of the new covenant: “I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you” (Ezekiel 36:25-26). “I will put my law in their minds, and write it on their hearts.” (Jeremiah 31:33).

The Holy Spirit cleanses us of sin by writing God’s commandments with an indelible pen in our hearts and minds.

Religion can't stop Boko Haram, says Pastor Thompson Continued from Page 46 and any other methodology than what we are seeing right now, I cannot see it working.

reflect in your speech, in your attitude, in everything you do. And you are prepared to suffer if need be for being right while the president of the country is wrong.

So what are we going to do?

We must use information well, we must educate everybody. I challenge anyone to a public debate. I challenged 22 American professors publicly to an open debate to prove to them that what they're saying as experts were wrong; and because they are wrong, the lives of Nigerians are being spilt on a daily basis. Experts from all over the world have shown up again talking about how it is a poverty problem.

This is an insult to the Africans. We who have learnt to endure poverty with dignity through the ages, you are saying that this socio whatever hiding under religion is caused by poverty. If we allow them to continue to do that, they will destroy us.

So we must not only educate, we must also get people to be committed to this thing we are saying. Across the entire nation, every religious divide, every social and economic divide; we must all gang up together and negotiate.

Religion never produces peace; we must learn to accommodate each other. Nigeria is a unique country in the world because of the balance of religions that is here,

Having said that, how do we all now sit down and be reconciled?

I said to you that all these things that people are talking

About 1,400 years ago, this same Boko Haram equivalent happened in North Africa and displaced many families in the 8th and 9th centuries. One of the caravans that ran away from North Africa escaped into West Africa, and that caravan passed through an original settlement which consisted of only 13 com-

One of the caravans that ran away from North Africa escaped into West Africa, and that caravan passed through an original settlement which consisted of only 13 communities when they got there. The name of the North African was Oduduwa

, *Rev. Ladi Thompson doing now, if you march to Aso Rock with hatred in your hearts, you are an enemy of the future of Nigeria.

If you are marching to Aso Rock

with an idea of pulling out Jonathan, you are an enemy of Nigeria. If you are marching to Aso Rock to ginger Jonathan to do what is right, and then it will

and if we realize it, we must sit down and understand each other, listen to the views of everybody, to isolate the religious cover of this threat. That

way, you find out that as we negotiate and talk to each other and do all these, if we

cannot find out negotiation, we go to what all these people are

about, it has never in history been able to quench what is happening in Nigeria. What is facing Nigeria is what divided the people across North Africa. In Nigeria, we must not let it happen. We are the hope of the entire world; this is why we now bring an indigenous solution which as usual, most Africans will despise.

Northern Nigeria is trying to be Arabic, southern Nigeria is trying to be Western. The whole of northern Nigeria has no identity, the whole of southern Nigeria has no identity. They are trying to be either British or American or French. This is not right, God has put a solution to this global problem in Africa.

Where is that solution?

,

munities when they got there. One of the original settlements was a place known as Ile-Ife. The name of the North African was Oduduwa. When he arrived there as a victim of the Boko Haram of his days, he did all of us a favour by doing something.

What was the favour he did to us?

First of all, he started a revolution, created an economy, created refinement, but more than all these, he inflicted conflict resolution programme into the civilization he created in such a way that in 1,400 years, you will never hear that a Sango worshipper ever fought with an Oya worshipper.

To be Continued

PAGE 48—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

japhdave@yahoo.com 08056402376

PRESENTATION

T

he Federal Palace Hotel, on Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, is always beehive of activities but last weekend it witnessed an unusual visitors as people from all walks of life especially those who believed in the Nigerian project, converged at the venue to celebrate with one of Nigeria’s brightest stars in the person of Chude Jideonwu during the presentation of his thought provoking and timely book titled”Are We The Turning Point G eneration” How Africa’s Youths can drive its urgent revolution.

It was a nice gathering at the event as many came to celebrate with the author, who is undoubtedly one of the shining lights of his generation in Nigeria.

The book which is a collection of essays aptly captures the evolution of youth-led ideas in managing Africa’s leadership and social development challenges. With each chapter addressing some of the difficult questions on the paradox that is Nigeria. Why do many leaders ‘change’ once in office? Will the present generation of Nigerians do any better than its predecessors? Was occupy Nigeria indeed a failure? Do we need a ‘Nigerian dream’?

Is ‘one Nigeria’ really worth it? The launch which was chaired by former World Bank

Jideonwu offers youth-led ideas in managing Africa’s challenges

Celebrities and other guests lend their support for Bring Back The Girls at the event Vice-President, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, ignited a conversation between two generations of Africa leaders-the brightest of Nigerian leaders from two generations majored on what the new generation must actively do in view of Africa’s development. ut one of the highlights of the evening was the issue which has dominated major discussions in Nigeria and beyond, the abduction of of Chibok school girls by the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents and as a way of remembering them, there was the lighting of the candle for the abducted girls of Chibok and others whose lights in one way or the other have been dimmed, even as they also prayed for their release.

B

Speaking at the event, Hon Abike Dabiri, noted that with this remarkable collection, Chude makes a crucial statement that will reshape our continent, we will require thinkers, and we will

,

By JAPHET ALAKAM

cially for young Nigerians, as well as employing the media as a pro-active tool for positive social action.

In a country defined by its closed spaces, the platforms

The book which is a collection of essays aptly captures the evolution of youth-led ideas in managing Africa’s leadership and social development challenges

require builders. He is clearly b o t h .

On her part, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, former World Bank Vice-President said that Chude’s life work is centered on creating opportunities, espe-

,

he has created and helped launch provide some rare opportunities for the historically disadvantaged to find space to build themselves and add value to their immediate environments”.

Entertaining and challenging

the consciousness of the audience to the Nigerian reality, Chude read a few of his essays titled, “we need to kill God, Nigeria is a sinking ship but we must not desert it, five stories, and 52 things we need to do.

Apart from this new book, Chude is one of the brains behind the incomparable Future Awardswhich is an annual award ceremony that recognises and gives awards to youths between the ages of 18 & 31, who have had o u t s t a n d i n g achievements(s) in the year under review. Chude is also one of the great minds behind the highly successful Y!Naija publication, while he is the executive partner in charge of Red Media, one of the fastest growing media content and communications outfit in the country. Called into the Nigerian bar in 2007, after emerging best student in Land law from the University of Lagos, hude has received several awards, which include the British telling stories competition, he is also the youngest recipient of the Nigeria Media merit award, wining for entertainment journalist of the year, the Sowambe awards as best social media activist, among others.

C

Rays of hope as children battle in cultural fiesta CULTURE

U

pon entering the Agip Recital Hall of Muson Centre, Onikan Lagos, penultimate week, guests were greeted by a bold art work of the map of Nigeria which stood at the centre of the stage. The amazing piece was protected with beautiful alluring material with rainbow colours. Both the art work and the clothe material were more than stage accessories; they symbolised unity and peace which were the main thrust of the 2nd edition of the Macmillan Youth Cultural Day competition. The culture event was tagged, My Country, My Pride.

Also, seeing the organising committee members clad in various native attires representing one ethnic group or the other, told guests that the ocassion was indeed a cultural fiesta. The invited schools which formed part of the audience, arrived early and waited with much enthusiasm for the commencement of the event as they hoped their schools would triumph.

The show kicked off in time and Baptist Academy, though not among the competing schools,

set the stage alive with a most brilliant teaser that got the audience wishing they had competed. Their act was a breathtaking theatrical portrayal of challenges of the country as well as the need for Nigeria to remain united. They harped on the importance of honesty and forgiveness in antion building.

Ifako International Private School, the defending champion; Focus Secondary School, Ebute Meta; Edidot College, Badore Ajah; Jubril Martins Memorial Grammar School, Iponri; Methodist Boys High School, V/I and Yaba College of Technology Staff School, Lagos, were the 6 schools that competed. They performed based on sub themes such as; Governance, Culture, Religion, Education, Attitude and Security, respectively.

Edidot College, Ajah set the ball rolling with their presentation that covered the area of religion.

In an attempt to interpret their sub themes, a whole lot of issues ranging from cultism, kidnapping, Chibok abduction, poverty, gambling, corruption, lack of quality education, water, light, etc, were highlighted.

The children’s performances exposed how knowledgeable

they are about happenings in the country, which is an indication that Nigeria Leaders should see beyond politics and put things in order.

At the end of the day, the judges; Dr Felix Emoruwa and Mr Steve James, who judged the competitors based on their originality, expression, dexterity, interpretation, creativity and understanding of the theme, adjudged Focus Sec School, the winner. The Second position was taken by Edidot College while Methodist Boys came 3rd. ll participating schools got certificates while special prizes – Punctuality and Best Actor Prizes were presented to Focus Sec School and Gerald

A

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By PRISCA SAM- DURU & VERA ANYAGAFU

A scene from a performance by the children run down, hated, roughed up, discriminated against, neglected and discouraged, we can still stand strong and tall

The children's performances exposed how knowledgeable they are about happenings in the country, which is an indication that leaders should see beyond politics and put things in order Oghenekaro from Methodist Boys, respectively. The Managing Director, Macmillan Nigeria Publishers Ltd, Dr. A. Adelekan explained that the theme of the cultural event was chosen to encourage “the youths that while we have been

,

as a country…In truth, Nigeria is still work in progress.”

Dr Adelekan who noted that “We are challenged to keep building in spite of the various obstacles the nation faces…Our strength lies in our diversity.”, added that the fact that “Nige-

rians have been known to have strong mental aptitude, creative, adaptive and strongwilled,” are enough reason we should be proud of ourselves and the country.

H

e regretted that while re sourceful Nigerians are unheard, only scoundrels and terrorists make headline news.

Nigeria’s foremost filmmaker Chief Tunde Kelani who was guest of honour at the competition, described the country as an exciting place to be due to its cultural diversity, stressing that “ I value Nigeria’s cultural values because they are the greatest gift God has given to Nigerians.”

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014—PAGE 49 japhdave@yahoo.com 08056402376

Engr Guy Otobo- A Life On The Roads: A Tribute

BY AMBASSADOR DR. PATRICK DELE COLE (OFR)

REVIEW

B

L- R Former Minister of FCT, Alhaji Amza Abdulahi; Minister of Works, Arch. Mike Onolememen; Dr. Edwin Clark, father of the day; the author of the book, Engr. & Mrs Guy Eboe Otobo, during the book launch by Engr. Guy Eboe Otobo in Lagos. Photo by Diran Oshe have been experts in digging tunnels and crossing the Red Sea without a bridge!! Then the Germans – middle name efficiency, until they came to Nigeria. They employed us who had no idea of the shortest distance between two points; a symbiotic relationship ensued. The German sees a road he thinks ought to be straight; he asks his Nigerian engineer – Onye Hassan Alabi – why is this road not straight? The Nigerian is non plussed and says – “but it is straight”; it may be straight but going at a totally different direction or it may be undulating – no matter what – an amendment is necessary, new drawings, cost overruns etc.

I have always believed that a lot of claims people make as to which schools they went would be unnecessary if we were each asked to name 5 persons who went to school with us. Engineer Guy Otobo’s book clearly shows that he was at Government College Ughelli, and at Mc Gill University by the abundance of names of colleagues. He is very unlikely, though he trained in Montreal, Canada, to say that he went to the University of Chicago in Toronto!

Guy is a guy – descended from a clan who had loved the King’s wife. This led to the deportation

,

Y definition the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

Simple. Q.E.D. (Quad erat demostratum). All those definitions were before Nigerians burst on to the scientific or political scene. No Nigerian that I know of believes that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Why do I say so? Well, I do not know about many of you but try and employ a bricklayer and I wager you anything you like, he would be unable to draw a straight line! If he plasters your walls it looks like a tsunami up and down, curves – anything but a straight line, despite the most accurate plumbing material ever invented. Why are we like that?

We have this penchant for obfuscation; when we want to leave a job, we do not resign or retire, we step aside.

All Nigerian engineers must be driven to distraction by this inherent inability to draw a straight line.

When engineers drewthe plans for the autobahn, or expressway or freeways the idea was to drive as quickly as possible from point A to point B. In fact the cars were so designed that speed controls were installed so you could set your car at 65mph and the car would go at that speed without your foot on the accelerator.

Now in Nigeria (and some of you are laughing already) could you imagine your setting your car with speed control? One thing is certain – neither you nor your car would know where you will end up – definitely not on that road.

So our friend Engineer Guy Otobo arrives from McGill University, Canada’s premier university. There are no express roads, no autobahn when he arrives; he is enthused- great challenge. He commissions express roads at first8 lanes. Then there are English engineers and road builders, Italians, Germans. French, Israelis, Scandinavians Icelandic etc. let us first look at the English – England is described usually as picturesque because the roads are narrow, winding, likely to be shared with cows and sheep – definitely not for speed control. You all remember the roads in old GRA throughout Nigeria – narrow, winding and full of that great English invention – The Round About!! No mind but the English could have devised a round about – a road going round and round but leading nowhere!

And then people wonder why Nigeria is not going anywhere – we cannot, we are stuck in a round about. !!! But our Canadian trained engineer is not to be stopped. He was employed in the Federal Ministry of Works, Highway Division.

Design after design, quotations galore and what do we do – we give some of the roads to Italians, others to the French and yet others to Germans and Israelis. Italians? I beg you. These are the greatest fantasist of the world – Michael Angelo, Leonardo da Vinci, - artists yet unmatched by the beauty of their creations – the sculpture of David, the last super at the Cistern Chapel – people who paint on ceilings. Great artists but they had forgotten that once they were Romans who excelled in road building – The Appian Way and hydro physics- the Aqueducts. But by the early 1970s most Italians like their Nigerian counterparts could not tell a straight line from a cork screw!!

So forget the English and the Italian. How about the Israelis – they

Minister went about it was the wrong one. The Minister should report to the President that the civil servant was disloyal and that he could not work with him and he should be transferred; the Minister should make vague references to his holdings and property overseas (not in writing) tell the President that he wasafter his wife/ and or latest girlfriend of the President whom he just sent to Paris for shopping. If ever you are made a Minister please make sure that there is no one else with Mr. President when you report a top civil servant. The Minister reporting the top civil servant must weave into his story that the lady in question is one of high taste, with several Brazilian hair attachments, each not less that N250,000; that she would be staying at George V or Plaza Athenee in Paris a stone’sthrow from the exclusive shops at Rue Honore. The coup de grace of the Minister’s story is that he had just approved a conference for the civil servant in Rome but the true rendezvous would be Monaco where the love birds will spend two days before returning to Nigeria. Eng. Guy on level 17 then had a consolidated salary of £2212. To deck out a beauty of the type suggested will far overrun his annual salary; therefore he must be on the take.

I have always believed that a lot of claims people make as to which schools they went would be unnecessary if we were each asked to name 5 persons who went to school with us

of the whole clan. Now I understand all I need to know about Isoko.

Ibadan Expressway – road designed to carry 10 tons, weigh bridge etc. installed: vandalized so that truck of 20 – 25 tons could use the road!!

The civil service he joined, was full of men of character and promise who understood obligations and duty. But the Ministry of Works was a snake pit and many fell into it. Within a few years there were commission of inquires – Justices Adebiyi, Adefarasin, Okuribido – Engineer Otobo was exonerated in all of these inquires.

But in 1986 there came a pharaoh who knew not Joseph. This Minister had it in for Engineer Otobo and accused Engineer Otobo of disloyalty – a cardinal crime to the military.

There are ways to get rid of a top civil servant; but the way the

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In this scenario, the civil servant is gone. The President would make a perfunctory inquiry to the Head of Service who cannot say yes or no but that he would investigate.

Make sure Mr.President calls HOS again in 5 minutes and ask him whether it was not time to shake up the whole service – sacking a few more top officials, Mr. Minister should leave Mr. President’s office with the list of those to be sacked. Make sure all this happens between 12 noon and 2 pm so that the announcement is made at 4 pm Radio Nigeria News. If, as in the case of Mr. Otobo,you give a good civil servant the opportunity, he will bury you in officialese and the Minister has one foot out of the door. This particular Minister should have withdrawn his charges by simply withdrawing the letter and saying that he would give Engineer Otobo another chance.

The eleven charges made against

Engineer Otobo further illustrates my point – they were written by another civil servant who obviously knew Engineer Otobo would get off – e.g charge (vii) you usually exhibit signs of disloyalty and lack of commitment on issues where decisions are against your personal interest….. this is pure grist to the civil service mill.

Or (vi)That in pursuit of your selfish interest you have systematically ruined indigenous construction companies.

Engineer Otobo’s reply is the example par excellence of the civil servant: he talks about his professionalism, team work in the office, management meetings (attached are minutes of the management meetings the procedures within the Ministry, the various levels of these procedures and appropriate minutes), the work of the Ministerial Tenders Board, Promotion Boards, Posting Boards, the Highways division – 5 sub sections progress a co-ordinating section, Highway Budgeting and General specifications Section - it goes on and on.

The Minister’s goose is already cooked. Engineer Otobo knew more people in Government as friends than his Minister!!So how could the Minister accuse him of bad mouthing previous administration? The Minister’s accusations were tendentious, (he had favourites) he was high bamteal and had not done his home work well.

Nevertheless Engineer Otobo’s account itself provides small minded people ample opportunity to nit pick. He tells us that on the Apapa Road project the consultant’s figures were N56 million that only 7 of the original 17 contractors finally bided and the bids ranged from N61 million to N93 million. And that the World Bank had a fundamental disagreement with the scope of work – wanting two lanes instead of the proposed 3 lanes presumably if we had gone with the WorldBank they too would have been forced to revise their scope of work. Because of the difficulty of the terrain. In the end the road cost N175 million – the cost he has simply justified by the details given on the soil, topography and materials. For me, what stands out is that this was the first expressway in Africa built to International standard which should make us proud.

This episode between Engineer Otobo and the Minister also showed the strength of the civil service I joined – where civil servants could, with due respect, disagree with the Minister without losing his job. That attitude was due

to the extensive knowledge of civil servants who had nothing to fear when you were diligent in your work. You would stand before Kings and not mean men.

There is the 17.3 miles of bridge in Lagos. Another 8.9 bridge between Lagos and shagamu over the Ogun River and expressway to Ibadan – Oyo etc.

The People of the Niger Delta do not begrudge any of these incredible works – I am not including the various arteries to Magodo, Berger etc. But put together they are over 200 miles of roads and bridges which was rightfully put in this project at that time derivation was 1½%! Spare a thought further; please people of the Niger Delta if they claim that a similar gargantuan effort should be made to connect them to the rest of Nigeria!!

The highlights of Engr. Guy Otobo’s life began soon after the Minister tried to remove him. He was promoted Director General (Permanent Secretary) Federal Ministry of works. In that capacity he designed the Federal Housing Policy in 1991 National Housing Policy, attempted to reorganize the Federal Mortgage Bank as the vehicle of choice. That was unfortunate because no Ministry ever wanted the Mortgage Bank to succeed even till today.

A few years later he was named as Director General of Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, He proposed that the bonny state of our solid Minerals should be funded by crude oil allocation.

Engr. Otobo was active in the Nigeria Road Federation, International Transportation Research Board In conclusion This is an unhappy book for me.

It is ultimately a record of how a brilliant competent nationalistic mind could be frustrated by Lilliputians whose stock in trade is denigration, gossip and abject hypocrisy.

The people of my village will do well in Abuja. Most of them have only one and one passion in life, to frustrate everybody: nothing suggested by anyone, no matter how meritorious, mustsucceed. If you want to build a hospital for the sick, someone will find an excuse why this would be unacceptable – including saying that the hospital will bring diseases hitherto unknown in the community, or let everyone contribute to the hospital knowing full well that no one would contribute or a committee be formed or that our ancestors are unhappy, all aimed at only one thing – you would not build that hospital.

Engineer Otobo after 30years of highway construction cannot bring to fruition his idea of a highway monitoring team, a functioning Highway Agency, or even a Highway Maintenance Agency that is not riddled with corruption and nepotism. He advises a Minister on what she should do to make her work succeed and immediately raises her hackles – he at over 70 is about to overshadow her!!

Engineer/Teacher, Scholar, Lecturer, Tennis and Cricket and golf player. Socialite, a born aristocrat who through excellence has learnt humility infused with a burning desire to serve. I salute you Engineer Otobo. To those of us who know you it’s been a great privilege. Your autobiography is a pleasure to read but above all a lesson in service, a beacon of hope, nevertheless tinged with sadness of what could have been.

PAGE 50,

C M Y K

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014 , PAGE 51

NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY AT 15

Faces of Democractic Rule (2) T

his is the concluding part of the icons of democracy in this Republic. Last week, we published eight personalities and why they deserved to be honoured as those who have played defensive roles in this Fourth Republic. Last week’s prologue was ancored on the metaphoric role of Anambra State where the good, the bad and the ugly of this Republic played out. Here, we present the second batch.

ominence per deliver Raji Fashola: FFrrom obscurity ttoo pr prominence deliveryy F OR someone who was barley known in the political circle before 2007, the choice of Raji Fashola as Tinubu’s successor left a lot of people wondering what would become of Lagos.

While those who doubted his administrative competence were aloof, Fashola took everyone by storm. The result of that is the massive transformation the state.

Since he came to power in 2007, Fashola has, through hard work, dedication and a principled stance, made Lagos a destination not only in Nigeria but in Africa.

In fact Fashola’s transformation of Lagos is such that other state governors are replicating.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Fashola has demonstrated that a governor can succeed without playing politics with the destiny of a people.

A straight talker, Fashola is also a developmental administrator. What with his delivery of democracy dividends to the envy of his colleagues.

While those who doubted his administrative competence were aloof, Fashola took everyone by storm

Tambuwal: Pooh-poohed political demagoguer demagogueryy

E

MERGING as the Speaker of the Seventh House of Rep resentatives in a keenly contested election, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal surprisingly changed the process of leadership emergence in the House, which had hitherto happened through consensus or imposition.

Tambuwal, who scored 252 votes to beat his closest rival, Mrs Mulikat Akande-Adeola, the anointed PDP candidate, had the support of most lawmakers, who were bent on torpedoing the PDP zoning formula. The PDP had ceded the post to the South-West geo-political zone, where Akande-Adeola hails from. Rudely enough, only 6 members of PDP extraction were elected into the House. Particularly, some PDP

members and opposition lawmakers, had questioned the zoning structure and vowed to remain defiant by pushing for a candidate independently chosen by the House.

In a system where bipartisan relationship, was a rare occurrence, the process that produced Tambuwal was one of the uncommon times when lawmakers spoke in unison across party lines.

Remarkably, his emergence succeeded in enthroning democracy in the National Assembly for the first time, as well as redefining the future of political activities in the country.

But that development which was largely hailed across the country, did not go down well with most party leaders, who were not used to having the will of the majority prevail.

It was such that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, recommended that that the Speaker and other principal officers, resign within two years to allow for the proper implementation of the zoning arrangement.

But for some usual legislative disagreements among legislators, the House under his watch has shown some level of competence in the conduct of its business since 2011.

This was evident in the uncommon wisdom, which Tambuwal had applied in addressing some critical national issues. That informed the conviction of many that he fashioned out a clear agenda and legislative assignment for the House which is tailored towards promoting good governance and respect for constitutionalism.

Therefore, it would be safe to say that the good faith displayed by most Nigerians on the activities of the House, has not been lost on the leadership.

Tambuwal, who scored 252 votes to beat his closest rival, Mrs Mulikat AkandeAdeola, the anointed PDP candidate,

Ghali Na’Abba: Survived executive meddlesomeness

A

SSUMING the House of Represent atives leadership at a time when the lower legislative arm of the National Assembly was littered with banana peels, naturally placed Ghali Na’Abba in the eye of the storm.

This is why it was not a surprise that he achieved political stardom when he was barely six months in office. The various executive/legislative squabbles of that era particularly made that possible.

Under his watch, the House witnessed what many believed was the highest level of executive interference in legislative activities.

So alarming was the executive orchestrated distraction that money allegedly provided by the executive for Na’Aba’s impeachment was displayed on the floor of the House to the chagrin of the world.

That display of shame did not only rid-

icule the collective sensibilities of Nigerians, it further exposed the desperation of the then Presidency at ensuring that the House was brought to its knees. Na’Aba, whose legislative commitment was not beclouded by party loyalty obtained in Nigeria,

championed the resolution to the then President Olusegun Obasanjo to resign or face impeachment in 2002.

The two weeks impeachment notice diminished Obasanjo’s overbearing image, so much so that he became more preoccupied with plotting his survival.

The combination of Na’Aba’s leadership style, which was all-inclusive and intellectual rascality, he was able to survive the various wars he fought as Speaker.

Na’Aba deployed a political survival skill that has almost become a norm in today. It was not a surprise that the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, ensured that he was not re-elected.

Though is back to the PDP after his stint in the APC, the Kano born politician has remained a progressive in disposition and position on issues.

Na’Aba’s impeachment was displayed on the floor of the House to the chagrin of the world

C M Y K

PAGE 52 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY AT 15 Faces of Democractic Rule (2)

or Joe Odumakin: Gender rights is her ffor ortte F

ROM an obscure activist in Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, Dr Joe OkeiOdumakin has metamorphosed into an activist of global acclaim.

That steady rise was not unconnected to the continuous governmental flip-flops, which had necessitated her mobilising the civil society against the leadership class.

These relentless battles against operators of the institutions of state saw her being detained and harassed at various times under the military.

While the inherent dangers in activism were supposed to have dampened her spirit, especially being a woman, Okei-Odumakin, married to another activist, gets toughened with each battle won or lost.

As the President of Women Arise, her advocacy for gender rights remains unrivalled in Nigeria.

That is in addition to her role in creating and sustaining a vibrant civil society in her capacity as the Head of Campaign for Democracy.

These did not go unnoticed, as the United States government honoured her with the 2013 Woman of Courage Award.

Indeed, she is a woman of courage and a leading light for Nigerian women.

Odumakin has metamorphosed into an activist of global acclaim

Adams Oshiomhole: Symbol of eternal struggle

F

OR Oshiomhole, becoming the symbol of the eternal struggle for good relationship between the working class and employers of labour did not come easy.

As a staff of the textile industry in Kaduna, he experienced the exploitation

of the proletariat by the bourgeosie.

Such conditions which undermined the International Labour Organisation’s Decent Work Agenda,DWA, threw him into the struggle for the emancipation of the working class.

From being the leader of the workers union in Kaduna, he rose to the pinnacle of unionism, after spending nearly four decades in trade unionism.

As the President of Nigerian Labour Congress,NLC, he waged and sustained the war against incessant fuel price hike by the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo. Similar feat was replicated in his numerous protests for better wages for workers across the country.

Seen as apolitical when compared with another past NLC President, the late Pascal Bafyau, Oshiomhole’s declaration of intent to run for the governorship seat in Edo State was a

surprise to many.

Though he was not declared the winner of the excercise, the quest for the actualisation of his mandate was another mass movement that took the nation by storm.

Like a few who had their mandates returned through the courts, his governorship was a product of obedience to the rule of law, which was highly adhered to by the late President Musa Yar’Adua.

Unlike the norm in Nigeria, where public office easily makes a progressive to change his ideological leaning, Oshiomhole has been acting to the contrary.

Infact, he has remained steadfast in his advocacy for accountability and transparency in governance. All that matters to him is for democracy to be deepened at all levels of government.

irirsst among equals Peter Odili: The ffir D

r Peter Odili can be described as the primus inter pares(first among equals) among the governors who governed the 36 states during Obasanjo’s presidency.

Though being a governor of an oil rich state could have made that easily possible, there was more to Odili’s fame.

River State under him got results for their oil money-a feat that had not been achieved before him.

Alongside other South/south governors, he sustained the offshore/onshore controversy to a logical end.

From being a frontrunner in the 2007 presidential race to a possible running mate to

the late President Umaru Yar ’Adua, he was eventually dropped as a result of highwire politics.

Odili was dramatically dropped at the PDP convention venue in Abuja, making him the chief loser of that power game.

However, his determination to forge ahead with his campaigns in the face of stiff opposition from other parts of the country depicted him as a man who believes that everyone is entitled to aspire in a democracy.

Lamido Sanusi: The aristocrat-turned-activist

W

HILE his signature was on every Naira note that circulated during his tenure as Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN, people still wondered if Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was actually a government appointee or an activist. But that was Sanusi, the aristocrat turned activist, who could not allow governmental excesses under the government he served pass unnoticed. This trait earned him C M Y K

the tag, whistle blower.

So ready was Sanusi to let the cat out of the bag even at the expense of his job that other government establishments also felt the heat of his activism.

For such to be happening in a country, where hypocrisy and sycophancy are booming trades, singled Sanusi out as an unusual Nigerian public officer.

While he may have his

shortcomings like any other person, a large section of the country find him a more of a revolutionist.

Sadly, he was always crucified particularly by the ruling class each time he spoke against any unfavourable government policy.

For instance, his alarm over alleged missing oil money did not come without attracting hard knocks from the establishment.

As the President of Nigerian Labour Congress,NLC, he waged and sustained the war against incessant fuel price hike

Though being a governor of an oil rich state could have made that easily possible, there was more to Odili’s fame

So ready was Sanusi to let the cat out of the bag even at the expense of his job that other government establishments also felt the heat of his activism

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, PAGE — 53

Prove your critics wrong, Emeduofu tells Osaze

BY OJIEVA EHIOSUN

F

ORMER Nigerian Junior International Tony Emeduofu, has charged Super Eagles and Stoke City striker Peter Osaze Odemwingie to prove his worth at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Commending the Stephen Keshi -led Super Eagles technical crew for recalling Osaze back to the national team, Emedofu, however expressed dissatisfaction with the big boss for turning his back on some old All star friends in Benin city, a place that is regarded as Keshi second home.

“First and foremost, I want to express my joy over Osaze’s recall to the Super Eagles, we his friends are very happy about it, and we also want to use this medium to thank the head of the Super Eagles technical crew Stephen Okechukwu Keshi for his magnanimity, but for him, Osaze won’t have the opportunity of playing for the national team again. We are in deed very happy about it. This is why we are calling on him not to disappoint us at the Mundial. He must take his game very seriously, be-

I pledge to Nigeria... Osaze getting set for action cause the only way to shut the mouth of his critics is for him to prove to Nigerians that his recall to the National team was not a fluke. We want him to put his enemies to shame, and we believe he has what it takes to make his fans happy.

We will continue to pray for the successes of the Nigerian team why they are away to Brazil. The World Cup is a platform for stars to show their stuff and also make money and fame for themselves,” Emedofu said.

He added that the Nigerian national team has what it takes to beat any team at the World soccer fiesta in Brazil as long as they play to instructions. He advised the players to avoid being selfish adding that the game of football is about team work.

“We have highly competent players that are capable of beating any country that they come across both at the group stage and other stages of the tournament, the only thing I want to tell our boys is that no body should play selfish and stylish game, they must play like a family, because the game of football is a team work. They must also put their pride behind, not minding the kind of club they play for. When it comes to a national team, every player is one.

They can only win the battle if the house is united, but where by the house is divided they will only come home with shame trading blames on one another. I have no fear about Argentina, Iran or Bosnia, they can parade world class stars against us, we will over run them if only we can play as one united team without bias. I see Super Eagles reaching the quarter- finals,” he said.

Kemi Adekoya: A loss to Nigerian athletics

BY BEN EFE

K

EMI Adekoya raised eyebrows when she did 54.59 seconds in the women 400m hurdles at the Doha leg of the Diamond league in April.

Only last year, she was just another home-based Nigerian athlete working hard to reach the top. And it seems, she has taken the centre stage to display that she has a future in the event, currently she has the second fastest time this season on the IAAF world list. From all reckoning and barring any unforeseen circumstance she is primed for a good outing at next year’s World Championships in Beijing, China. Her dream of becoming a world champion is been oiled by Bahrain a rich Arab country. The Arab nations have somehow lured some of the best Nigerian coaches and athletes in the recent past.

Adekoya, 21, came into national lime light last year when she gave national record holder, Ajoke Odumosu a fright at the CAA grand prix in Warri and also the national trials in Calabar, but Adekoya was dropped from the team to the world championships in Moscow. However, this season; she has showed signs that she

could be the next Nawal El Moutawakel, the first African woman to win the 400m hurdles gold at the 1984 Olympics.

Adekoya appeared in the colours of Bahrain at the Doha meet and that spoke volumes of where her allegiance lied. Otherwise she would have been chasing Odumosu’s national record of 54.40 and the 53.73 seconds African record held by South Africa’s Myrtle Bothma.

“I am happy with my decision to run for Bahrain. I don’t have any problem with the Nigerian federation, they are like my parents.

“I am not based in Bahrain. I train mostly in Nigeria.

“My joining Bahrain is a life story which I can’t tell for now,” said the athlete.

She maintained that she was looking forward to the challenge of being in the world top five of the 400m hurdles.

“I am so happy being among the top athletes in the world. But all is God’s doing and hard work.”

Judging from comments made

by Athletics Federation of Nigeria officials, it is plain to see that they have come to terms with the loss of the athlete to Bahrain.

“At a certain time in your career as an athlete, you might want to

change nationality. No doubt, Adekoya changing nationality, is a huge loss to Nigerian athletics.

What is left for us to do is to do the things other countries are doing to attract our athletes. We have to do it so that they will stay and enjoy their athletics career as they run for the country,” said AFN medical and doping director, Dr. Ken Anugueje.

Technical and performance director Nesiama also spoke in the same vein.

“We are not going to block her change of nationality. If she has pledged allegiance to Bahrain, we have no problem with that.

“This is because if she is forced to run for us, she might not put

on her best performance. We have the capability to raise other athletes just like we have done with her, she wasn’t trained abroad, and she is still training here. So we have others who we are grooming.

“Just as she is going, athletes of other nationality are also interested in running for Nigeria,” said Navy Commodore Nesiama Secretary-general of the AFN, Bamidele Bamiduro revealed that Adekoya, is in the clear as she has not violated any transfer rule.

“I have nothing negative concerning her transfer so far. If the technical committee states otherwise then we will know what to do next.”

Bahrain Train... Kemi Adekoya digging for gold in world athletics.

Ex-Arsenal coach tells coaches, refs to go to school

By AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE, Warri.

A

former assistant coach of Arsenal, Mark Ellis has urged football referees, coaches and players to develop themselves academically in order for them to cope with the challenges of the modern-day game.

Stating this during the coaching clinic held at the Warri township stadium, Ellis said that it has become necessary for coaches and referees to keep abreast with the developments of the game through education.

Speaking at the forum, organized by the Delta State Sports Commission, Ellis said “go and learn and get the best of education because, it is the knowledge you have that determines your growth in anything you do especially football, the more knowledge you have the more powerful you become.”

Ellis, while appealing to coaches, referees and players to continue to train and re-train themselves also advised them to imbibe the culture of discipline, good habits and hard work in order to be role models to the upcoming ones.

Chairman of Delta State Football Coaches Association, Evumena Daniel on his part acknowledged lack of funds as a limitation to sports development in Delta State,

Warri Relays: Montsho to clash with Nigerian women

F

ORMER world and current African 400m champion, Amantle Montsho is set to lead a strong Botswana relay team to the CAA grand prix and Warri Relays, billed for June 14 in Warri Delta, State.

Montsho won the 2011 world championships in Daegu, South Korea. She denied up and coming Nigeria’s Regina George the gold at the 2012 African Championships in Porto Novo.

The Botswana athletics star who trained at the IAAF high performance centre in Dakar, Senegal over the years has eclipsed Nigerian 400m women, but with the good showing of George, who pushed Montsho to running her personal best of 49.54 seconds at the African championships, and also a resurgent Folasade Abugan, it seems the long reign of Montsho in Africa may be coming to an end.

The Warri Relays could reveal the shape of things to come for the 400m where Falilat Ogunkoya’s 49.10 seconds still remains the mark to beat. Montsho who is the Commonwealth Games defending champion from New Delhi 2010 will be aiming to use the race in Warri to shape up for Glasgow 2014 and the African championships in Morocco.

PAGE 54, SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014

Scolari predicts Brazil, Argentina final B

RAZIL coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, has predicted that Argentina will be the most likely opponents – if the hosts can make it all the way to the World Cup final.

“From our analysis, the final we see happening is Brazil on one side and Argentina on the other,” Scolari said at the team’s training camp outside Rio de Janeiro. “Hopefully that will be the final. It would be a South American final, with great players, a lot of quality.”

The rivals cannot meet at least until the semi-finals. If both teams finish first in their groups they can only face each other in the final at the Maracanã Stadium. “I don’t want to see Argentina being eliminated in the first round

or the second round,” Scolari added. “I want to see Argentina playing its football as usual.”

The coach, who led Brazil to glory in the 2002 tournament, was quick to remind everyone that his main concern is about his team.

“I have to get Brazil to the final,” he said. “After that, whichever team gets there, it won’t really matter. I have to make sure my team is in the final.”

Brazil and Argentina have faced each other four times in World Cups. The only Argentinian victory came in the round of 16 at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, when Diego Maradona and Claudio Caniggia were the inspiration behind a 1-0 triumph.

Brazil won 2-1 in the second round in 1974 and 3-1 in the second round in 1982. The rivals drew 0-0 in the second round in 1978, when the Argentinians hosted and won the tournament.

TUG OF WAR... Oscar of Brazil fights with Argentina’s Javier Mascherano during a match.

Can they make it to the final of the world cup?

Ronaldo’s return boost Portugal C

RISTIANO Ronaldo has given Portugal a boost on the eve of the World Cup by resuming training.

The Real Madrid forward has been struggling with tendinosis in his knee and a muscle injury in his left thigh since the end of the domestic campaign and there were serious fears he may miss Portugal’s opening game of the World Cup against Germany on June 16.

However, the Portuguese Football Association confirmed encouraging news on Saturday, nine days before the country’s

opener in Salvador.

The FPF statement read: ‘Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul Meireles integrated with the remaining group of players.’

Despite his injuries, Ronaldo has spoken of his desire to win the World Cup with his national side.

And while the national team captain admits Portugal are not favourites for the World Cup – they have been drawn in a group with Germany, Ghana and the United States – he said he would like to win a title with the national team ‘one day’.

Ronaldo

Manu Garba backs Eagles to shine F LYING Eagles coach, Manu Garba, has assured Nigerian fans that the Super Eagles will perform creditably

at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Garba stated that Coach Stephen Keshi knew what was best for the country and the

Germans rue Reus’ injury

G

ERMANY attacking mid fielder Marco Reus was ruled out of the World Cup on Saturday with an ankle injury sustained in a 6-1 friendly win over Armenia.

The German Football Federation said that Reus suffered a partial ligament tear in his left ankle in the match on Friday and will miss six to seven weeks before he can resume training again.

“For him and for us this is extremely regrettable,” Germany coach Joachim Loew said. “Marco was in excellent form; he made an outstanding impression in the training camp and in both (friendly) matches against Cameroon and Armenia. He exuded enthusiasm for the game. He played a central role in our planning for Brazil.”

The 25-year-old Reus was one of the few German players to have impressed consistently

calibre of players that would suit his strategy for the event.

According to him, Keshi says he will be taking 23 fighters to the World Cup. “It is the coach that knows the type of players he will need for such an assignment.

“When he said they are ‘fighters’, he means that these are players he believes in will do the nation proud,” he said.

Garba noted that the coach vowed he would not take players that could not win balls, noting that if they were able to make it through the group stages; they would get far in the tournament.

“I believe that when they get to the knockout stage, no team is impossible.”

WORLD CUP FACTS •Brazil are the most prolific team in World Cup history in terms of goals scored, with 210 so far.

•Italy, the long-standing defending champions (winners in 1934 and 1938), travelled by boat rather than plane to the 1950 World Cup, a journey of three weeks from Naples to Santos.

•Brazil’s World Cup track record is impressive. They have five titles, the most of any team: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002.

• Brazil are the only team to have featured in all 19 World Cups played so far.

•FIFA’s first World Cup trophy was the Jules Rimet Trophy, which was permanently awarded to Brazil after the Selecao’s third title in 1970.

•.The “adidas Brazuca” is the 12th official World Cup match ball since the Telstar was introduced for the 1970 edition.

•Pele is the youngest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history and the only player to have won three FIFA World Cups.

• Number 9, the shirt number of Ronaldo, the top goalscorer in World Cup history with 15 goals.

•The 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil will be the 20th time the event has been held. It first took place in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, in 1930 and included 13 countries from three continents. The decision to create the tournament had been taken just two years before in Amsterdam on 26 May 1928. 10. The first FIFA World Cup in Brazil in 1950 was an unrivalled success, with nearly three times as many spectators as the FIFA World Cup in France in 1938. A total of 1,045,246 people watched the games in Brazil - a record that would stand until England 1966.

•All six cities that hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1950 - Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo - will do so again in 2014, but only Rio’s Maracana Stadium will have been used for both events.

•In the 19 FIFA World Cups so far, six host countries have been crowned champions: Uruguay (1930), Italy (1934), England (1966), Germany FR (1974), Argentina (1978) and France (1998), much to the delight of their home fans. Meanwhile, Brazil (1950) and Sweden (1958) both finished as runners-up. Chile (1962), Italy (1990) and Germany (2006) all finished in third place.

• A national team with a foreign coach has never won the FIFA World Cup. The 18 winning coaches to date have all been in charge of their home nation. Of these, Italy’s Vittorio Pozzo is the only coach to have won the trophy twice, guiding the Italians to the title in both 1934 and 1938.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 8, 2014, PAGE 55

C M Y K

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 8, 2014

Eagles coaches still hopeful on Echiejile W

BRAZIL 2014

ITH scan results incon clusive on the hamstring injury suffered by left back, Elderson Echiejile, coaches of the Super Eagles are still hopeful that he will feature in their plans for 2014 Fifa World Cup finals in Brazil.

Coach Keshi disclosed that he was not in a hurry to take a final decision on the player who picked up the injury dur-

ing the friendly against Greece.

“There is no conclusion on Elderson yet. The team doctor has been working on him and a final decision will be made later today concerning his status by the head coach (Stephen Keshi),” said team media officer Ben Alaiya.

Keshi can still make a late replacement in the case of Echiejile being ruled out of the World Cup before their first game against Iran on June 16.

Keshi: I am feeling the heat S

UPER Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi admitted that he is a bit under pressure to do well in his debut world cup as coach.

Keshi, against all odds won the 2013 Nations Cup in South African. He became the first Nigerian as coach to achieve the feat as captain of the team in 1994 and then coach in 2013. But facing the world seems to be a Herculean task as it was demonstrated at the FIFA Confederations Cup last year in Brazil.

“I have qualified two countries for the world cup. I did not go to the first one, but I am going to my first world cup in Brazil. Certainly I feel a little bit of pressure. But we are going to work really hard to make an impact,” Perhaps this was why he expected so much from his players in their friendly game against Greece and last night against the USA. “I think I was asking for a lot.

“I have just realised that as a team, we only started training together last week in Philadelphia.

“I know I am asking for too much but I needed to push the boys and ask for more (from them),” said the coach.

Striker, Peter Osaze Odemwingie and midfielder, John Obi Mikel admitted that the team is under pressure to perform.

“Winning the African Cup has put us under pressure.

“Expectations are high but

KICK OUT... Action from the international friendly match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Greece National team in Philadelphia, USA. The Eagles are expected to leave for Brazil today. that will make us step our games up because it is another level from the African Cup to the World Cup. “We need to step our game up one level higher as individuals and as a team and that’s what we are going to do.”

Mikel, however, believes that

We are underdogs, but we can bite — Yobo

J

OSEPH Yobo has stated that he was glad that the Super Eagles have been given an outside chance to qualify from their group F preliminaries.

The Eagles will open their Brazil 2014 account with Iran on June 16; it is a match both countries are desperate to win to increase their chances of progressing. Yobo said that the Eagles will up their game and spring surprises. “We are happy to see people talk about other nations rather than our-

selves. “I think when the tournament begins you will see the real Nigerian team,” the 33-year-old, who will be competing in his third World Cup, told reporters.

“We will go into every game wanting to win - it does not matter who we are playing, Iran, Bosnia, Argentina in the groups, whoever. “Let’s just see what we can do - come out of the group stages and see what happens.”

the Eagles will ride the pressure. “We are representing the whole of Africa, the whole continent in the tournament.

“But it is going to be tough out there. We know that. It’s the highest level.

“We want to go all the way.

We want to get to the final.

“With the team spirit we have and the calibre of players that we have, we think we have a good chance.

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1. House of Reps Speaker (8) 5. Assistant (4) 7. Praise (5) 8. Upright (4) 9. Lantern (4) 11. Tradition (6) 13. Lagos masquerade (3) 15. Exclamation (2) 16. Pig’s nose (5) 18. Agent (3) 20. Glitters (6) 24. Forward (5) 25. Nigerian state (6) 27. Boring tool (3) 29. Ghanaian fabric (5) 31. Perform (2) 32. Oshiomhole’s state (3) 34. U.S. currency (6) 36. Vow (4) 38. Musical quality (4) 39. Inclination (5) 40. Eager (4) 41. Damages (8)

DOWN 1. Sample (5) 2. Niger state town (4) 3. Observe (5) 4. Lecture (6) 5. Everyone (3) 6. Use (6) 10. Inquires (4) 12. Carpet (3) 14. Colour (6) 15. Resistance unit (3) 17. Coax (4) 19. Rollicked (6) 21. Hatchet (3) 22. Satisfied (4) 23. Nigerian state (3) 26. Cry of derision (3) 27 . African country (6) 28. Endure (4) 29. Child (3) 30. Spoke (6) 31. Adorn (5) 33. Baking chambers (5) 35. Asterisk (4) 37. Possessed (3)

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SOLUTION on page 5

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