KOGI UNDER SEIGE: Four killed on fresh attack in mosque

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61683

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

KOGI UNDER SIEGE:

Four killed in fresh attack on Mosque •Church attack: Death toll rises to 20 •Eighty of us could have been killed, victims recount experience •Bomb discovered in another Kogi church; Governor imposes curfew

•CAN, Mark, clerics, others condemn killings

BY SAM EYOBOKA, KINGSLEY OMONOBI, INALEGWU SHAIBU, OLAYINKA LATONA, ISIAKA OYIBO & BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO AGOS—TWENTYFOUR hours after gunmen attacked worshippers at Deeper Life Church, Otite in Okehi Local Government of Kogi State, killing 16 persons, suspected terrorists yesterday attacked men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) guarding Okene Central Mosque and killed two soldiers attached to the

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Continues on page 5

Gunmen attack Sokoto police station —P.8

Damned if they do, damned if they don't •P.17

DEAR BUNMI:

I hide my naked body from him

THE KOGI ATTACK

•P.49

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State, in bullet proof vest, with a victim on her hospital bed.

Another victim, security personnel and sympathisers gather at the church after the attack.

Photos: Boluwaji Obahopo.

Tinubu, Is there hope for Fayemi task Jonathan on •P.36 Nigeria? (2) insecurity •P.6

PHILIP ASIODU:

Mr & Mrs

RCCG ordains 5,000 pastors

•P.7

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

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4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

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Vanguard, WEDNESD AY, A UGUST 8, 2012—5 WEDNESDA AUGUST

POCKET CARTOON

Kogi: Four killed in fresh attack on mosque Continues from Page 1 team.

Sources said that the gunmen came to the premises of the mosque in a white Hilux Jeep trying to force their way into the mosque when Muslim faithful had gathered for their Tafsir prayer, opened fire and killed two soldiers.

The Military men, who were stationed at the Central Mosque returned fire and killed two of the gunmen before the rest escaped.

Kogi State Police Commissioner, Mr. Muhammed Katsina, who confirmed the incident, said that operatives of the command were on the trail of the gunmen.

Responding to the situation, the Kogi State Government declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew within Okene town and its environs.

Governor Idris Wada, who had earlier visited the church and General Hospital, decked in bullet proof vest, promised that the state government would pay the medical bills of victims, gave the directive during a statewide broadcast. He also restricted the movement of commercial motorcycle operators from 6am to 6pm in Lokoja, the state capital and Okene town and its environs.

Unexploded bomb discovered in another church in Kogi To worsen increasing fear of insecurity in the

state, a bomb was discovered at the Revival Church in Lokoja, the state capital. The Church which is located at Eika Adagu in Okehi Local Government Area is now surrounded by officers of the Nigeria Police Force and soldiers as family members of the deceased are coming around in tears, to identify their bodies.

IG orders 24hour surveillance Following intelligence reports that such attacks may be repeated in other parts of the state, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar has ordered a 24-hour surveillance of all places of worship and other vulnerable areas in Okene and other parts of the state.

According to a statement signed by Police Spokesman, CSP Frank Mba, the IG also ordered the immediate deployment of additional units of the Police Mobile Force from other Squadrons to beef up security arrangement in the state.

“The IG further appealed for calm among the people of Kogi State, promising that the perpetrators of ‘this heinous crime will certainly not go unpunished”.

Gunmen planned to kill all worshippers — Victims Narrating how they survived the blood-chilling attack, some survi-

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

A beautiful story by Steve Goodier to illustrate how a person can look at life from a different standpoint with much better results.

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FATHER and his daughter were stopped by a flight attendant before boarding their plane.

The problem? The little girl was clutching a large bouquet of balloons. In sympathetic tones, the attendant told the child that she would not be permitted to travel with all of the balloons. “Only one is allowed per passenger,” she said in a voice that concluded there’s nothing to be done. After all, rules are rules.

Father and daughter decided they could each carry one. So with tears in her eyes, the little child selected her two favourite balloons for the flight. But before she could discard the rest, another passenger intervened. “Here, I’ll take one,” he said. He quickly saw a solution to the problem and proceeded to give one balloon to anybody in line who would take one. As she disembarked, every balloon was returned to the happy child. Never give up on your dreams. Life will make a way.

vors said, yesterday, that if the gunmen, who attacked worshipers at the Deeper Life Church had their way, none of the about 80 worshippers would have survived.

Speaking on a day that the death toll of the attack rose to 20 following the death of four of the victims receiving treatment at one of the hospitals in Okene, the Zonal Coordinator of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Omotosho told Journalists that the plan of the gunmen was to kill everyone in the hall.

The presiding pastor of the church, Pastor Lambe Emmanuel was among those killed in the attack. The church Bible Study meeting usually attracts an estimated population of 80 per service.

He said that they received a distress call from one of the surviving pastors of the church that they were under attack, adding that when they rushed to the scene, it was a gory sight that greeted them as corpses of the worshipers littered everywhere in the church.

One of the victims who spoke from the hospital stated that when the gunmen came, they blocked the main entrance of the church and put off the generating set and instantly opened fire on the worshipers.

“We were in the Church for normal Bible studies on Monday evening when they besieged us. After shooting, they started spraying under benches in the church to ensure no one survived the onslaught.”

However, few members were lucky to have managed to find an escape route amidst bullets fired randomly while they were trying to run for cover.

Another survivor, Mr. Lawal Saliu, who sustained several gun shot wounds, told newsmen on his hospital bed at the Lokoja specialist hospital: “I only saw two gunmen, who entered the church in a flowing gown during our usual bible study at around 11pm. Before we could say anything we started hearing gunshots I only woke up to find myself on this hospital bed, I don’t even know how I got here.

Another victim, Mr

Samuel Ayodele, said he lost his wife and a child.

The Okene overseer of Deeper Life Church, Pastor Roland Egunjobi said the incident was the saddest moment of his life as most of the worshippers who were killed were children who came out for bible study with their parents.

This is coming as leading clerics, CAN, Senate President David Mark among others condemned the attacks and urged decisive action to stem the tide of insecurity.

Among clerics, who condemned the attack yesterday were CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor; the Primate of the Anglican Church, Reverend Nicholas Okoh; and Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Rev. Monsignor Gabriel Osu.

Attack ungodly, wicked —Mark Kicking against the mass killings of worshippers in Okene by gunmen, Senate President Mark, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Kola Ologbondiya, said, “the attack on the Deeper Life Church, Okene, Kogi State as well as the places of worship in other states is ungodly and wicked." He stressed that the wanton murder of people being carried out by gunmen must be combated through communal vigilance and enjoined Nigerians to take routine check of their environment very important to stop the abuse of communal living by gunmen.

Clerics condemn attack Clerics expressed disgust over the continued attack on churches and innocent Christians across the country, without concerted efforts by the security outfits in the country to stop the perpetrators. They were unanimous in their belief that insecurity invariably breeds instability and therefore called on the Goodluck

Jonathan administration to demonstrate the necessary political will to address the problem before it escalates to a full blown sectarian war.

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, condemned the mindless attack on innocent worshippers.

Speaking through the Special assistant to the National President of CAN, Mr. Kenny Ashaka, the CAN helmsman, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor said: “We don’t want a situation where many Christians are daily being slaughtered like animals. The latest attack on Christians is totally condemnable, intolerable because it is callous and inhuman.”

The CAN president therefore called on the Federal Government to take a decisive action on this nagging issue before it is too late, noting “ we have been at the forefront of this call".

Speaking in an interview, National Secretary of the umbrella body of Pentecostalism in Nigeria, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Pastor Wale Adefarasin condemned the attack on innocent Christians in Kogi State, saying it was extremely frustrating to continue to read of these mindless killing of innocent worshippers.

Reacting in a telephone interview, the Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Rev. Monsignor Gabriel Osu also totally condemned the attack and the killing of 16 persons who were said to be attending a Bible study Monday evening.

“Anybody with his right senses and desires peace will condemn a barbaric act such as that,” he said,

noting that life is sacred and what has happened has again demonstrated that life no longer means nothing.

According to him, the latest killing in Kogi should be seen as a wake up call for the security personnel, political office holders and even the president of the Federal Republic, President Goodluck Jonathan and indeed everybody in the country.

Meanwhile the Deeper Life Christian Church has kept mum over the Okene Massacre. All efforts to get the leaders to comment on the issue had failed as they either refused to pick their calls or like in the case of the church secretary, Pastor Jerry Asemota simply told this reporter “No comment” and cut off the line. All other calls to his numbers were simply ignored.

Anglican Primate condemns attack The Primate of the Anglican Church, Reverend Nicholas Okoh has condemned Monday ’s attack on a church in Okene, Kogi state which claimed the lives of 16 people.

Reverend Okoh who spoke with journalists in Abuja said that securing places of worship should not be left in the hands of the church alone.

He called on government to expedite action to secure the lives of its citizenry.

Responding to the call for the resignation of the president by members of the Boko Haram sect, the Anglican Primate said that the sect members are not responsible for Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s election and should therefore not call for his resignation.

6—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Delta judge kidnapped zGbagi, Omon-Irabor appeal for his release

BY EMMA AMAIZE, SOUTH-SOUTH REGIONAL EDITOR

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BEROM DELEGATION VISITS PRESIDENT JONATHAN—President Goodluck Jonathan handshakes the Water Resources Minister, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe while the leader of delegation, the Gbon Gwom Jos, Jacob Buba (middle) watched as the President granted an audience to Berom delegation from Jos at the Aso Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Tinubu, Fayemi ask FG to address insecurity zSay Nigerians may resort to self help

BY CHARLES KUMOLU & GBENGA OKE

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AGOS—THE immediate past governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday warned the authorities to immediately address the insecurity in the land or allow Nigerians to seek self help.

He spoke at the launch of a book, The Nigerian Political Turf: Polity, Politics, Politicians, just as Governor Kayode Fayemi said the insurgency by the Boko Haram Islamic sect has inevitably re-opened the debate on the future of the country as a united federal entity.

The duo alongside, House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal used the occasion of the book launch to praise what they described as the tenacity and resourcefulness of Nigerian journalism.

The launch of the book authored by Mr. Bolade Omonijo, Group Political Editor of The Nation Newspaper also attracted several other governors including, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra state, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, veteran journalist and economist, Haroun Adamu, Mr. Odia Ofeimum, the cream of the

Nigerian media among others.

Tinubu who was represented by Dr. Lekan Pitan, a commissioner in his cabinet said: “The problem of insecurity and bombing ravaging the nation require an urgent action. The government must act quickly to curtail the activities of Boko Haram before Nigerians resort to self-help. The debate for state and community policing has been long overdue and it is time for Nigeria to decentralise the police force, in order to arrest the problem of insecurity.

For Nigeria to move forward, there is need for courageous, visionary and committed leaders at all levels of governance,” Tinubu submitted.

Recommending the book to the public, he said: "The book Polity, Politics, Politicians is well loaded and well articulated with various problems facing the Nigerian political development. Bolade Omonijo belongs to the courageous writers in Nigerian journalism today.”

“All the issues raised in the book are issues that confront us as a nation because it talks about the 1999 constitution, lack of true federalism, problems of Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, and other issues as it bothers on corruption, political, economic and social well-

being of the country.’’

Failure of leadership Governor Fayemi, who was the Guest Speaker, in his lecture titled: The Nigerian Polity, politic and Politicians: Moving from Transaction to Transformation, expressed concern on the increasing militarization of the polity, saying that it portends a great danger.

“At the core of the crisis, either in the Niger Delta or in the North is the failure of politics to allocate authority and legitimise it and use it to achieve the social as well as economic ends that is conducive to communal well-being.

"In this sense the current debate on Boko Haram insurgency is about the status and quality of democracy in Nigeria, a debate about the future of the country as a united, federal entity.’’

Habit of reading Also speaking, Tambuwal commended the foresight of the author, just as he implored other media practitioners to follow his path.

“We are encouraging other journalists to put their experiences in a book form because by reading, we set to know the characters and plots that have taken place in our political landscape in Nigeria “It is only by reading that

we can transport ourselves to different adventures, different cultures and it is with reading of books during our generation that impacted on our lives because it remains the only source of knowledge’’ he noted.

Continuing, he said, "the book that is being launched today is an important topic because it bothers on our day-to-day activities as a nation and it is important we all cultivate the habit of reading in order to have an insight on the political situation in our country.”

The book was reviewed by Mr. Kunle Ajibade.

A R R I — KIDNAPPERS struck again in Delta State, yesterday, abducting a newly appointed judge of the Delta State High Court, Justice Marcel Okoh.

Justice Okoh, a former Director General of Public Prosecution, DPP, in the state, taken captive by some gun-totting men at OriaAbraka in Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state on his way to the oil city of Warri.

Justice Okoh, who is the vacation judge for High Court 4, Warri, was allegedly trailed from Umunede, along the BeninAsaba expressway by the armed men in his SUV and overtaken at Oria, along the Agbor-Abraka-Ughelli road, where he was ambushed.

Spokesperson of the Delta State Police Command, Mr. Charles Muka, confirmed the kidnap of Justice Okoh when contacted by Vanguard, adding, “We have recovered his SUV and a manhunt is on for his kidnappers.

Information at our disposal indicated that his captors are moneydemanding kidnappers, but as at 2.00 pm, they were yet to contact the family for ransom.

Responding to the kidnap of the judge, former chair of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, LACN, and criminologist, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi and chair of the Human Rights Defenders Organisation of

Nigeria, HURDON, Sir Casely Omon-Irabor, appealed to the kidnappers to release him.

Olorogun Gbagi, a former Minister of State for Education said, “With the kidnap today (yesterday) of Justice Marcel Obi, I am further vindicated in my call for a state of emergency in Delta State. Deltans cannot afford to be under the rule of gunmen; we need a total overhaul of our security system”.

“I am happy that after my lecture on the spate of kidnapping in the state, the governor has opted for one of the solutions by saying he wants to do mass employment. I want massive employment of Deltans, the government should mop up and register all the unemployed in local government areas in the state and get jobs for them.

“If jobs cannot be immediately provided, they should be paid a monthly allowance of N10,000 for their upkeep, while government helps them to get a means of livelihood.

The state is rich enough to do this. It is after providing them jobs that government can start separating the real criminals from those who were forced into criminality by joblessness”, he said.

Omon-Irabor said, “I know Justice Okoh, he is a humane judge and activist.

Even when the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Delta state took the decision that lawyers would not defend kidnappers, he differed, arguing that all persons are innocent of crimes they are accused of until found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction”.

AFDB plans launch of infrastructure bond for Africa apex banks

BY OMOH GABRIEL, WITH AGENCY REPORT F R I C A N Development Bank is proposing to raise funds from among Africa central banks and foreign reserves kept abroad, to finance development of infrastructure.

The funds which will come in form of a bond, will be issued to central banks in exchange for five per cent of their foreign reserves.

Disclosing the plan to newsmen, President of African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka said the funds would be invested in viable

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infrastructure projects, offering member states good returns on investment, adding that the proposal would be put to members in Tokyo during the IMF meeting in October.

According to those close to the planning, it will be Africa’s first infrastructure bond to member nations to raise up to $22 billion for investments in projects such as ports and airports.

Africa home of about one billion people and 54 states has witnessed strong economic growth rates in recent years, as a result of commodities price boom and growing consumer power.

But it needs to mobilise huge amounts of money to fund construction of roads, rails and energy generation projects.

Speaking on the plan, Donald Kaberuka, AFDB President said, “the idea is to get a five per cent commitment on the (African central banks’ hard currency) reserves. He said time has come to work with a triple A-rated African institution (AfDB) to invest on their behalf”.

African central banks have generally invested their foreign exchange reserves in northern hemisphere markets, where they earn nothing or very little return, Kaberuka said

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 7

Isiala-Ngwa South LG boss alleges threat to life

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA —THE Transition Committee Chairman of IsialaNgwa South Local Government Area of Abia State, Dr. Reginald Alozie, yesterday, raised alarm that his life was being threatened by unnamed workers of the council for his insistence on using the biometric system introduced by the state government to pay workers salary.

Alozie accused those

VISIT: From left: Mr. Dennis Aremo, Gateway Supervisor, Uganda, Mr. Julius Rubagumya, Manager, Customs, Uganda, Mrs Sarah A. K. Mwesigye, Assistant Commissioner, Field Service, Customs.

Uganda, Mr Olusegun Ihidero, Gateway Manager, DHL Internatioal Nigeria Ltd, Ikeja Aiport, Mr. Sokari Ayah, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja and Mr. A. E Nwapa, Superintendent, Customs during the Ugandan Customs officers' visit to DHL Nigeria in Lagos.

Court restrains Massalla, Okwenna from acting as APGA chair, secretary

BY IKECHUKWUNNO-

CHIRI

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BUJA—THE internal crisis rocking All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, , deepened, yesterday, as an Abuja High Court, restrained factional leaders of the party, Sadiq Massalla and Ifenna Okwenna from parading as acting National Chairman and acting National Secretary of the party.

The order was sequel to an ex-parte application by lead counsel to the party, Chief Patrick Ikweato, SAN. The court also restrained Massalla and Okwenna from in any manner whatsoever, from convening, calling, organising or holding any meeting of any organ of APGA and or otherwise interfering in any manner whatsoever in the affairs of APGA at any level, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice which was adjourned for hearing till August 16.

National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh and National Secretary Alhaji Sani Shinkafi had in the application, urged the court to restrain the duo from interfering in the affairs of the party, saying they were suspended from the party since June 19, 2012.

Shinkafi averred in an affidavit in support of the application that the 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants were members of National Working Committee, NWC, of the party until June 19, when they began a dissident campaign against the national leadership of the

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party.

He averred that “as required by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act (as amended), APGA held a National Convention on February 10, 2010. Prior to the February 10, 2010 convention we held a National Convention on December

2, 2006.

“The National Conventions of APGA held on December 2, 2006 and February 10, 2010 were duly monitored by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which thereafter published reports of the convention.

“As the National Secretary

of APGA, I am aware that the party has 29 NWC members, I am also aware that under the Constitution of the party, only the National Chairman (or I on the directive of the National Chairman) can validly convene or summon the meeting of the NWC o f APGA.”

Anambra monarch freed, 9 days after kidnap

BY VINCENT UJU-

MADU

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WKA—THE tradi tional ruler of Ukpo in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Robert Eze, who was kidnapped on July 29, 2012 regained his freedom, yesterday, after spending nine days in the kidnappers’ den.

Igwe Eze, younger brother to Prince Arthur Eze, was abducted from his palace by a four-man gang who operated in an SUV, as he returned from a church service at the nearby St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Ukpo.

When Vanguard visited the palace, yesterday, a large crowd was seen jubilating and thanking God for the safe return of the royal father.

Among the early callers were several priests from different part of Anambra State, who organised a prayer session in the house of the traditional ruler, as well as the Anambra State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Professor Chinyere Okunna, who it

was gathered, was detailed

by Governor Peter Obi to confirm the release of the monarch and brief him accordingly.

There were also many traditional rulers, who showed up at Igwe Eze’s palace, among them were the traditional rulers of Abagana, Igwe Mbamala and that of Nibo, Igwe Ugonwanne Ngene, as well as members of Ukpo traditional cabinet.

The embattled Igwe Eze

could not appear in public, yesterday, although Vanguard was informed that he managed to come out of his balcony to wave at his subjects, who thronged the palace as early as 5a.m., when they learnt of his return.

It was not clear if any ransom was paid before his release, although the kidnappers had demandedN100millionadayafter his abduction.

Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Raphael Uzoigwe, confirmed that the monarch had regained his freedom.

Community, SDPC commission 1.2km drainage project

BY EMMAARUBI

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ARRI—THE oil-rich riverine Ogulagha community in Burutu Local Government Area in Delta State, in conjunction with Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, have commissioned a 1.2km drainage project to ease flooding in the community.

The two-side drainage on a major road in the community was made possible through the community development scheme fund augmented by SPDC joint

partnership and is meant to drain flood waters directly into the sea.

Leader of the implementation team for the project, Dr. Benka Coker,whocommendedthecommunity executive for the choice of the project, charged them to always maintain it for the benefit of the community.

Earlier, the Chairman of the community,Mr.FrancisBomiebi, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Tony Temeowei said the era of diverting community funds to personal use has past, addingthatthereweremorebeneficialprojectslinedupforexecution by the executive.

opposed to the new system, who he described as being behind ghost workers for the threat to his life.

He said that he was held hostage by his workers, Monday, who resisted bank payment and insisted that they must be paid by cash as against the government’s policy.

Vanguard learnt that the chairman was saved from the angry workers by soldiers of Operation Jubilee, who received a distress call from him

Ebonyi's lifeline for 6 hospitals

BY PETER OKUTU

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BAKALIKI— EBONYI State Government, yesterday, disbursed the 12th tranche of N100 million grant to six private hospitals in the state.

The benefitting hospitals are Mater Miserecordia Hospital, Afikpo; Sudan United Mission, Izzi; Rural Improvement Mission, Ikwo; the Presbyterian Joint Hospital, Uburu and Saint Vincent Hos-

pital Ndubia and Mile Four Hospital, Abakaliki.

Speaking during the exercise, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sunday Nwangele, said the grant was for the implementation of the Rural Health Programme, RHP, of the state government. He charged the hospitals to carry out free maternal healthcare services necessary for the reduction of maternal, child morbidities and mortality rates in the communities.

Abia, SMEDAN sign poverty alleviation pact

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA—ABIA State Oil Producing Areas Development C o m m i s s i o n , ASOPADEC, has entered into an arrangement with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Association, SMEDAN, to “harness and train Abia youths and indigent persons” of Abia State as part of the government’s poverty alleviation programme.

Signing the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, in Umuahia, the

state capital, yesterday, Chairman of ASOPADEC, Chief Sam Nwogu, expressed the hope that the programme will ensure that “hunger and all other criminal tendencies and crimes found in and around Abia State would be a thing of the past.”

Noting that the progrmme was part of Governor Theodora Orji’s poverty alleviation scheme, Nwogu said “youths and indigent persons of the state, more importantly, people of oil producing communities” would benefit immensely from the programme.

8—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

NEMA receives 162 Nigerian returnees from N-Africa

BY LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

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AGOS—THE National E m e r g e n c y Management Agency, NEMA, yesterday, received 162 Nigerians, who were evacuated from Libya, Egypt and Tunisia.

The returnees arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos aboard a chartered aircraft on Monday.

Disclosing this to newsmen, the Regional Coordinator of NEMA, Mr Iyiola Akande, said the arrival of the returnees was informed by a message NEMA received from the International Organisation of Migration, IOM. Akande said the returnees were caught in the crises across some North African countries.

According to him, "the International Organisation of Migration, an arm of the United Nations, has been assisting many African

nationals in war-torn countries in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia to return to their countries of origin, as it has become inconvenient for them to continue to stay in the affected countries.

NEMA officials counseled the returnees by providing the psychological framework for them to reintegrate into the society.’’

"They were not deported or repatriated, but volunteered to return on their own, having been trapped in the crisis in North Africa. They decided to return to Nigeria having been tired of the condition in the countries they had gone to.’’

Continuing, Akande said, "They willingly volunteered themselves to return home.

That is why they are returnees not deportees.

This has become a regular exercise, all the time, they are always returning home.

We hope that they will not return to their old way of life.’’

Sokoto: Bombers used hand grenades to raze station — Eyewitness

BY ABDALLAH ELKUREBE

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OKOTO—GUNMEN yesterday attacked the Divisional police headquarters in Shagari, Shagari local government of Sokoto State destroying the station and police vehicles parked within the premises. Hand grenades were the weapons used by the bombers to attack the station.

An eyewitness, who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said the gunmen numbering about 20 came in a jeep and on motor bikes.

“They were up to 20.

Some were on motorcycles and others in a jeep. They opened fire on the station but when they were overpowered by the Police, they threw hand grenades, which blew off the roof of the station and escaped," the eyewitness said.

AMCOM seeks Citi's advice on nationalised banks' sell-off

BY OMOH GABRIEL, WITH AGENCY REPORT

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IGERIA’S statebacked AMCON yesterday appointed Citi and Renaissance Capital to determine the value of three lenders it nationalised last year before deciding on the best way to privatise them.

AMCON Chief Executive, Mustapha Chike-Obi, confirmed in a message to Reuters.

Nigeria nationalised three lenders last year after they failed to find new investors before a recapitalisation deadline and changed their names to Mainstreet Bank from Afribank; Enterprise

Bank from Spring Bank and Keystone Bank from Bank PHB. The three banks were among nine involved in a $4 billion Central Bank bailout in 2009 when the regulators asked them to find new investors or face nationalisation.

Citi and RenCap have between three and six months to complete their evaluation.

AMCON said more than 20 firms, banks and private equity investors, had expressed interest in acquiring the nationalised lenders, but AMCON is keen to have them valued before starting any negotiations.

El-Rufai to Jonathan: Quit if you can't solve Nigeria's problems ...warns Clark to stop making inflammatory statements

BY SONI DANIEL

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BUJA—AS the spate of violence escalates, particularly in the North, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to quit if he could not solve the growing security threats to lives and property in the country.

In an exclusive interview with Vanguard yesterday, el-Rufai said it was indefensible for the government to allow innocent souls to be slaughtered daily without any response from the administration. El-Rufai spoke against the backdrop of Chief Edwin Clark’s assertion that northern leaders were not doing enough to curtail the Boko Haram sect, apparently to bring down the administration.

While dismissing Clark’s allegation as untenable, the former minister warned the elder statesman to desist from making inflammatory and unverified statements capable of exposing him to ridicule instead of applause that he deserves at his age.

El-Rufai also asked the former federal information commissioner to desist from insulting northern leaders at the slightest opportunity.

According to him, Jonathan has already made it clear to Nigerians and the international community that the gale of bombings in the land was beyond the capability of his administration to handle, a situation, he described as unfortunate. He stated that other Nigerian heads of state had at different times and periods been confronted with serious challenges and they deployed appropriate state apparatus to deal with them without resorting to wrong quarters and the ordinary citizens for help.

“Why is it that only President Jonathan cannot solve Nigeria’s security problem? el-Rufai asked.

“If he cannot do the job for which he was elected to do, he should consider going home. No president has ever sought the help of the ordinary people in tackling security problems in this country.

“The protection of lives and property of the citizens is the basis of any government in power and

if the leadership has failed woefully to deploy the resources and information at its disposal to enforce coercive power for the benefit of the society, then it had no reason to stay on,” he stated.

He said the current situation in the country had made many Nigerians to be worried about the future of the country, warning that if urgent steps were not taken to reverse the dangerous trend, the country could be plunged into a deeper crisis.

On the controversy over the implementation of the budget, the former minister maintained that if the budget had worked, it would have brought some relief to the ordinary citizens who had almost been choked by the economic stagnation in the country. “Yes, all of us would have seen the results if the budget had been well implemented. A good economic system shows in the quality of lives of the people and does not end on the pages of newspapers,”

he added. The former minister said the finance minister alone cannot change the current gloomy economic outlook in the country, as a tree cannot make a forest.

On the allegations that he was making noise preparatory to contesting the presidential election in 2015, he cautioned those making the claims to wait for 2015, pointing out however, that he was qualified to do so if he wanted.

CIBN VISITS UBA PLC— GMD/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza (right) and President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, Mr. Segun Aina, during the visit of the Institute to UBA Head Office in Lagos, yesterday.

Plateau crisis: Berom leaders meet Jonathan ...demand implementation of various reports

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan held an exploratory meeting with the northern elders from Berom, an ethnic group in Plateau State in the State House Monday, on ways to address the killings plaguing the state.

The elders, led by former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs and Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Buba Gyang, urged the Federal Government to act on reports that have been submitted on the resolution of the crisis.

About four reports by different ad-hoc committee set up by the Federal Government to investigate and proffer solutions to the Plateau crises, exist.

The last report was the 339-page report that was

submitted in 2009 by the committee led by the former Judge of the International Court of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola’s Commission of Inquiry.

The commission was set up following the crisis over council election in Jos North Local Government Area, which claimed several lives.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting which lasted till almost midnight from 9.30pm, the Gbong Gwon Jos said, the crisis could not continue indefinitely with no solution in sight, insisting that both ethnic groups must talk and proffer amicable solution that would end the killings and destruction of properties.

The President is scheduled to meet with the Hausa/Fulani ethic group

tonight (Tuesday) after which they will be expected to submit their own report which will be studied before a general meeting of both communities with the President on a yet to be fixed date.

The Berom is one of the ethnic groups that have suffered major attacks and killings in the violence that has ravaged Plateau State in the last four years.

It will be recalled that there was total breakdown of law and order in Plateau State following the massacre of more than 140 persons by suspected herdsmen on July 8 where the Berom people had gathered for the mass burial of 64 persons allegedly killed by the Fulani ethnic militia.

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012—9

Passenger caught stealing N960,000 on plane

Pay Newswatch staff before repositioning —NUJ

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BY DANIEL ETEGHE

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KEJA—THE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, officials, yesterday, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, arrested a passenger (names withheld) on Arik Air flight W3 071 that was leaving for Accra, Ghana, for stealing $6,000 (N960,000) from the bag of another passenger.

The passenger was caught by an eagle-eyed cabin crew when he was stealing the money from a bag in the overhead baggage hold and subsequently raised an alarm which led to the arrest of the passenger by FAAN security officials.

Vanguard gathered that the suspect was later handed over to the police and transferred to Beesam Police Station.

When Vanguard visited the police station, a police officer said the case was not brought there.

From left, Governor Babatunde Fashola, SAN; Mrs Sola Oworo, Commissioner for Industry; Dr. Olusegun Aganga,Minister of Trade and Investment and Senator 'Gbenga Ashafa, at the opening ceremony of EKO Expo 2012.

Crashed Dana plane didn't show any problem — Witness

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH & ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS—A witness, yesterday, debunked the allegation that it was the ill-fated Dana aircraft that had hydraulic problem.

Given evidence before a Lagos coroner, presided

Fawehinmi to Jonathan: Show competence or resign

BY LAZARUS IBEABUCHI

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AGOS—MOHAM MED Fawehinmi Chambers has condemned what it called President Goodluck Jonathan’s poor handling of the Boko Haram menace, challenging him to either show his competence by terminating Boko Haram within one month and start developing the nation properly, or comply with the Boko Haram request to resign.

In a statement by Mr. Mohammed Fawehinmi, the chambers also asked the President to sack allegedly uncommitted ministers.

The chambers also called on the National Assembly to shun partisan politics and put national interest at heart in the impeachment threat against the President, adding that the purported suggestive increase of five years for every elected or appointed political leader is the most absurd suggestion that ever came alive in the nation’s polity and that this had shown that the ruling party had no plan for the country.

He said: “I read with uncontrollable laughter the

KEJA—NIGERIA Un ion of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos State Council, has asked the management of Newswatch Magazine to pay the workers their four months salary arrears before talking about repositioning the publication.

In a reaction to the m o v e b y Newswatch management to suspend the publication of the weekly with immediate effect, Lagos NUJ, in a statement in Ikeja, yesterday, by its Chairman , Deji Elumoye and Secretary, Sylva Okereke,

insult meted out to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, President and Commander-inChief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. What a shame! The docile nature of the President has allowed such an insignificant group of nuisances popularly known as Boko Haram to insult him, thereby insulting the whole nation, by asking him to resign.

“The President has disgraced this country enough, he must either show his competence and willingness to work by terminating Boko Haram within one month and start developing the nation properly, or comply with the Boko Haram requests.

“Those who are not willing to work and are interested in their previous domains in foreign countries should go, and be replaced immediately with people who are interested in working for Nigeria. These include Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, Minister of Finance/Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Mr. Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Trade and Industry; Mrs. Diezani AllisonMaduke, Minister of Petroleum and Resources; and Prof. Bart Nnaji- Minister of Power.

over by Mr. Alexander Komolafe, the General Manager, Air Worthiness, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Kayode Ajiboye, an engineer, said a different aircraft owned

by Dana Airline with registration No- 5N-SRI, had hydraulic pressure failure in the air on May 10, 2012 while on a return trip to Lagos from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

According to Ajiboye, who was answering questions from lawyers, the incident preceded the June 3, 2012 aircrash of Dana aircraft with registration No. 5N-RAM. Clarifying the hydraulic failure issue, the witness told the coroner that the public was fed with different information that the recent aircraft involved in air accident had hydraulic pressure failure.

He said: “Because of this problem, the plane had to be quickly cleared ahead of others, to make emergency landing on arrival in Lagos.”

He said some of the passengers who boarded the plane eventually intimated the Consumer Protection Department of NCAA to complain about the state of the aircraft and its failed air-conditioning system.

To right the problem, Ajiboye said the affected plane was eventually sent for repairs to an aircraft maintenance and servicing company; Mi-Technic Company Limited, Turkey.

The General Manager, added that the ill-fated Dana plane that crashed also underwent services including a flight check on June 2, 2012, a day be-

fore the crash.

He maintained that it was observed that the crashed plane did not show any sign of problem while a flight-check was carried out on it.

He added that this was why it was scheduled for flights the following day, which made it to embark on “three take-offs and two landings”, adding that it was on the return trip that it crashed at Iju-Ishaga, Lagos.

Another witness, Managing Director of SO Aviation Fuel Limited, a subsidiary of Sahara Group of Companies, Mr. Alistair Morrison revealed that his company supplied 4,000 litres of aviation fuel to Dana Airline between 5 p.m and 6 p.m a day to the crash in Abuja.

Morrison said: “On the average, we fuel about eight airlines per day, all receiving fuel from the same tankage.''

LASTMA warns officials as PDP faults new traffic laws

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & DAPO AKINREFON

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AGOS—FOLLOW ING the signing of the Lagos Road Traffic Law, General Manager of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr Babatunde Edu, has warned traffic officials against bribery, corruption and to avoid overzealousness in the discharge of their duties in the cause of enforcing the new law or face the wrath of law.

Edu handed down the warning, yesterday, during an interactive session with the traffic officials at LASTMA Headquarters, Oshodi.

He further warned that government would not hesitate to bring to book any of the personnel found to have engaged in illegalities that could tarnish the image of the government.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party,

PDP, has faulted the Lagos State government over the new traffic law.

The party frowned at the government’s decision to hide the holistic provisions of the law from the public, thereby making it difficult for its thorough analysis.

In a statement, PDP's Publicity Secretary, Mr Taofik Gani, described the style as typical of Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration whenever it wanted to be ”mischievous or lacks moral confidence.”

According to the party, “yes, we have heard about a traffic law, but nobody can claim a copy of the whole provisions. Now there is controversy on the commencement date.

While the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation says later, the Attorney-General says immediately.

The party added that “Lagosians are just pushed around and confused by the antics of Fashola’s administration.

wondered why the Chairman of Newswatch Magazine, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, will be talking about repositioning the publication without considering the welfare of the workforce which stands at 106. ‘’How can you be repositioning when in the last 15 months when Jimoh Ibrahim bought 51 per cent controlling shares in Newswatch he has been finding it difficult to pay staff salaries and it came to a peak that workers have not been paid since May 2012. ‘’So, what is there to reposition when even management is also having problem to pay common weekly transport claims to the editorial staff and that as at today the claims(BTA) for over 10 weeks are yet to be cleared.’’

According to the union, '' we are aware the publication is doing well on the newsstands and the fear of the management is to pre-empt the move by journalists in Newswatch to down tools going by the content of the letter they wrote to Jimoh Ibrahim last week, a copy of which was sent to Lagos NUJ.’’ The Council said it swung into action upon receiving the letter which culminated in the holding of a Congress in Newswatch newsroom on Thursday, August 2 , 2012 ‘’where it was resolved that management, going by the earlier assurance of the Chief Operating Officer, Mr Ige, should be given up to Thursday, August 16, 2012 to clear all outstanding salaries and allowances.’’ ‘’We were, therefore, shocked on Monday , August 6, 2012, when workers were given one hour notice to attend a meeting with the CEO, Mr. Ibrahim, by 1 pm during which the management was now singing a different tune including suspension of publication and repositioning.

The council added that the management should have a re-think about suspending the publication ‘’and rather tackle headlong the issue of low morale among the staff due to non-payment of salaries and allowances.’’

10—VANGUARD , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

From left, Dr. Paul Akintelure, Chief Launcher; Prof. Hope Egbagba, Dr Leke Pitan, Princess Grace TLaoye -omori, Deputy Governor, Osun State; Mr & Mrs Mobolade Omonijo, the author , at the launch of the book, ''The Nigerian Political Turf'' Polity,Politics,Politicians, at MUSON Centre, Lagos, yesterday.

Photo: Biodun Ogunleye

Fasoranti, Adebanjo, Falae're political beggars, by Akande ...they are picking crumbs from Mimiko's table

BY GBENGA OLARI-

NOYE

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SOGBO—NA TIONAL Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Chief Bisi Akande, has described leaders of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Olu Falae, as political beggars, who fed on the crumps from the tables of any politician in power.

Chief Akande, who spoke on an interactive programme monitored on the television service of Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, OSBC, Osogbo, declared the trio as liabilities to any political party.

Akande, who was reacting to the endorsement of Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, for his second term in office by the Afenifere leaders, stated that their action never came to him as a surprise.

He said: “The three of them are glorious political beggars who have lost relevance in the nation’s politics. They are always at the government houses for any person in power to beg for crump.

“The so-called leaders are only looking for what they will eat. Of what relevance are they? They cannot point to any individual as their followers even in their home-state.

“Falae, for instance, has always brought bad luck to any political party he

belongs to. He brought bad luck to Alliance for Democracy, AD, in 1999 when he was endorsed as the party’s presidential candidate.

“Fasoranti was the man who single-handedly ruined Afenifere. It was in his room that he destroyed the group, while Ayo Adebanjo has never contested any election in his life. He only prides himself as a Yoruba leader without any follower. How do you rate the acceptability of a politician who has never contested any election in his life?”

The ACN leader, who was Osun State governor between 1999 and 2003, alleged that “when former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was in power, the three of

Truth Commission recommends Daniel's wife, monarch, others for trial

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA—THE Ogun State Truth Commission submitted its final report to Governor Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday, and recommended that Yeye Olufunke, wife of the erstwhile governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; ex-Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Bukola Olopade and other four people for prosecution by the state Attorney-General.

Chairman of the commission, Justice Pius Aderemi (rtd), said the commission came to the conclusion because Mrs. Daniel, Olopade, Mr. Akeem Odejimi, former Chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government; Olofin of Ado-Odo, Oba Lateef Adeniran and three

others engaged in acts of political violence, abuse of office or hooliganism.

He said the commission affirmed that Daniel's wife led policemen, government officials and thugs to the house of Ambassador Tunde Oladunjoye, former chairman of IjebuEast Local Government Council whom she slapped as well as ordered the policemen to beat up Odunaya Rasheed, his Personal Assistant.

It stated that: ‘’It is the view of the Commission that the victim established a prima facie case of criminal offence against Mrs. Olufunke Daniel.

She undoubtedly held herself out as a public officer by moving to the petitioner ’s house with armed police escorts and

ordered the policemen to beat Mr. Odunaya. ‘’The proven excesses of Mrs. Olufunke Daniel arose from the widespread abuse of spouses of governors and presidents when there is no legal basis for the office of First Lady in Nigeria.''

It, however, recommended former chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government to be prosecuted for the murder of one late Gbenga Apolola, whose corpse could not be found.

In the case of Olopade, the commission said he was found to have attacked one Ajasa Olayiwola at Car Wash, Adatan Area of Abeokuta with thugs and hoodlums and had him beaten with sticks and metals resulting in bleeding from his head.

them were always at Lagos State Government House, when Gbenga Daniel was in Ogun State, the same set of people were always there, so they must have been going to Akure to pick crump from Mimiko’s table.”

Another Egba chief dies

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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B E O K U TA — BARELY five months after an Egba chief, Apagun Oluwole Olumide, reportedly committed suicide, another Egba chief, Segun Taiwo, yesterday, died mysteriously in his sleep.

Chief Taiwo was the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Senatorial Chairman in Ogun Central.

Family sources told Vanguard that Taiwo, a confidant of former governor of the state, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, had told one of his wives that he was feeling uncomfortable and needed to rest immediately after he went to bed and never woke up.

The former Commissioner for Sports and Culture during Osoba’s tenure, appeared to have had a premonition about his death.

It was learnt that Taiwo, the Oluwo Ake, had invited his wife and a daughter who lived overseas to return home to spend the long vacation with him.

The source further told Vanguard that the late Egba chief, shortly before his death, had earlier in the day attended a meeting, promising to see his aides and wife later. ‘’Shortly thereafter, he had attack and was rushed to Sacred Heart Hospital, Lantoro, where he gave up the ghost at 5a.m. yesterday.”

One of his confidants, Aremo Osoba, one of the early callers at his Ake family home, said his friend of many years died as an highly-honourably person.

Osoba said: ‘’He was a strong member of the party in the state; we are not going to mourn him, but celebrate him. It hurts, but I thank God for the way he died. Oluwo had been involved in the transformation of Ogun State. His ideas and programmes have been very helpful to the transformation of the state. ''In the Egba traditional set-up, Oluwo Ake was one of the kingmakers, a member of the ‘’Idi-Ere Judicial set up”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 —11

JTF, civil society groups differ over sea piracy in Bayelsa, Rivers

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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TOWN HALL MEETING: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (middle), Queen Victoria Ikechukwu, Delta State Commissioner, Directorate of MDGs (right) and Dr. Precious Gbeneol, Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, during the National Advocacy and Sensitisation town hall meeting, in Asaba, yesterday.

Pollution: Monarch, others urge SPDC, NNPC to clean up Ethiope

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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ARRI—TRADI TIONAL ruler of Idjerhe Kingdom, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, HRM, Erhiekevwe I, has appealed to the Federal Government to prevail on Shell Petroleum Development Company and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to urgently clean up River Ethiope, polluted with crude oil spill from their pipeline.

In the same vain, the Duke and President General of Amukpe in Sapele Local Government Area of the state, Deacon Edeki Believe and Mr Francis Eguegu, respectively, said the river was the only source of drinking water to the communities in the area.

HRM Erhiekevwe I, who said the people were suffering as a result of the spill, which occurred three months ago, urged

the state government, and members representing the constituency in the state House of Assembly to prevail on all concerned to come to the aid of the people.

Conducting journalists round the river through the Amukpe-Idjerhe axis, Deacon Believe and community leader, Eguegu, expressed sadness that the peoples’ means of livelihood had been destroyed by the spill.

Both leaders lamented that many of their people were languishing in hos-

pitals with severe pains arising after drinking from the contaminated water, which had also destroyed the aquatic lives and other edible crops planted on the banks of the river.

Eguegu appealed to government and the oil companies to provide materials and compensation to the people to assuage their predicament, or else, more people would starve to death as they have nothing to fall back on.

He claimed that two

Delta assures on adequate power distribution, transmission

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—DELTA State Commissioner for Power and Energy, Mr. Charles Emetulu, has assured the people of the state of adequate distribution and transmission of power upon the deregu-

lation of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. Emetulu, who inspected the 132 KVA Double Circuit Transmission Lines from Ughelli to Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area and 7.5 MVA Injection Transform-

Oshiomhole welcomes PDP’s decision to government and other accept guber result political parties and interBY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—GOVER NOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said that the decision of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, not to contest the July 14 election result at the tribunal was a step in the right direction, as the result of the election showed an overwhelming support for him across the

women and two children allegedly killed by the fire explosion last year, on the same river through spill from NNPC pipeline were yet to be compensated.

Former Secretary General of Idjerhe Clan Development Union, ICDU, Evangelist Flourish Agoda, also expressed worries that if urgent steps were not taken by the appropriate authorities to clean up the entire river, there could be another fire out break.

18 local government areas of the state.

He said: “I wish to extend my hand of fellowship to all men of goodwill to join hands with government to move the state to the next level, because, despite all the successes recorded in the last three and a half years, Edo State is still work-inprogress.

“I look forward to more collaboration between my

ests in the state. I want to restate my full respect for PDP leader, Chief Tony Anenih, whom I hold and will continue to hold in high respects.

“I also wish to assure PDP governorship gandidate, Maj.-Gen Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), whom I regard as a friend, that now that we have put the election behind us, my doors are open, so that together, we may lift our state to the high level where it should be."

er Sub-station at Ovwor Olomu, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Station 33KV Relay Panel Transformer in Ughelli, Emetulu frowned at the belief by some people in the state that the ministry was now Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. He said: “We are doing most of the work Federal Government should have done as both traditional rulers, community leaders, landlords and PHCN staff come to us with their complaints and want us to do something for them.

“It is now so bad that people think the ministry is now PHCN, because we solve all power problems. I assure you that if and when PHCN is properly deregulated, the state will really hold power, distribute and transmit it as it deems fit."

ENAGOA—JOINT Task Force, JTF in the Niger Delta, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, yesterday, differed with members of civil society groups in Bayelsa State over the latter ’s claim of high rate of sea piracy and violent crimes on the creeks and waterways of the region, describing recent incidents of kidnappings and attacks on ships as isolated and not an indication of insecurity in the region.

Civil society groups led

by Civil Liberties Organi-

sation, CLO, through the state secretary, Mr Alagoa Morris, had expressed concern over the resurgence in cases of kidnapping, sea piracy and attacks on the creeks of Bayelsa and Rivers States and called on the State and Federal Governments to step up security in the region.

CLO said though with the offer and acceptance of Presidential Amnesty and military presence in the Niger Delta, it was puzzling that the twin problems of sea piracy and kidnapping were still raging on the region’s waterways.

Anioma group awards scholarships to students

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GANIHU Anioma, a socio-cultural group, has awarded scholarships to seven undergraduates from Anioma area of Delta North Senatorial District.

Chairman of the group, Mr. Chris Ogbechie, accompanied by prominent members of the group, presented cheques to the beneficiaries: Anne Monye, Chibuogwu Azubuike, Joseph Ukpele, Godwin Eborka, Ochonogor Jus-

tice, Sylvester Morka and Philip Olite.

The presentation which took place in Lagos, was attended by some of the group’s founding members, including Prof. Pat Utomi, Mr. Hyacinth Enuha and Mr. Igwe Enuoyibo.

Ogbechie noted that the scholarship award is the association’s little way of empowering the youths of Anioma communities through education.

Ugborodo youths urge Chevron to reinstate sacked workers

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ICE-CHAIRMAN of Ugborodo Community Youth Development Council, Comrade Joseph Uwawah, has urged the Delta State Government to intervene and ensure the recall of over 400 casual workers sacked by Chevron at its Escravos Tank Farm in

Warri South-West local area.

The youth leader alleged that the workers, who had been in Chevron's service for over 11 years, were victimised when they joined NUPENG in a bid to secure a formidable platform to pursue their demands.

Delta clears waterways, demolishes illegal structures

BY GODWIN OGHRE

S

APELE—FOLLOW ING the directive by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan that illegal structures obstructing natural waterways in major towns in the state be demolished to check incessant flooding, officials of Delta State Ministry of Environment, yesterday, began the demolition of structures hindering natural flow of water in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of the state.

Flooding in recent times, had caused loss of property in major towns

in the state.

The team led by the Commissioner for Environment, Chief Frank Omare, mobilised three heavy duty swamp boogies to Sapele, clearing the blocked gutters and natural waterways on Commercial Avenue and other areas of the town, while structures blocking natural waterways, including, residential buildings, motor parks, churches, market places and heaps of refuse dumps, were cleared.

Chief Omare told Vanguard in Sapele, that the exercise would take several days to complete.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Ogoni self-govt on course —Diigbo

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HAR C O U RT — FAC TIONAL President of Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, Dr. Goodluck Diigbo, has said Ogoni will not go back on their declaration of autonomy.

Diigbo, in a statement, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, said there was nothing like MOSOP Provisional Ruling Council, noting that he was the authentic spokesman and president of MOSOP, the apex body of Ogoni people.

He said that his August 5 declaration of autonomy for Ogoni should not be treated as a mere internet statement because the Ogoni were already celebrating the action.

He said: “Already, 2,720 elected village council members and 66 district representatives began meetings with local politicians on August 6, after the thanksgiving on August 5, to mark our self-government declaration. There may be distractions, but Ogoni selfgovernment cannot be derailed.

“Any decision outside of

our declared course of action will not be approved by MOSOP and will not be supported by the Ogoni people. If it is absolutely necessary to take further action, that decision will be made after the process announced is completed.

“There is nothing called MOSOP Provisional Council to represent another face of MOSOP. Neither MOSOP nor Ogoni is for sale. Double talk is ruled out and Ogonis cannot be fooled again. Selfgovernment for Ogoni is

on course.

“I look back; I remember how much we were ignored in the 90s.

Doubts abound on facing ruthless military dictators and the powerful AngloRoyal Dutch/Shell. But, the gravity for any mistake now will be heavier for Nigeria, if this peaceful process is ignored.

Injustice now puts the fate of Nigeria at risk, just as the petroleum industry was brought into question by reckless operations. I realise Nigeria’s elites hardly learn from history.”

Ijaw youths in Edo call for speedy LG polls

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—IJAW Youths in Edo State, have appealed to Governor Adams Oshiomhole to ensure speedy conduct of elections in the 18 local government areas of the state, to speed up development in the rural areas.

Ijaw youths, in a statement by Mr. Andrew Igiri, yesterday, noted that the governor se-

cured a landslide victory in the just concluded governorship election in the state due to his achievements in the past three and a half years and challenged him to ensure that free and fair elections were conducted at the local government level to get the best candidates for the people.

Describing Oshiomhole’s victory as well deserved, the youths admonished the governor to “maintain his good name and standard."

Lori-Ogbebor leads protest over land acquisition by govt

BY EMMA ARUBI

W

ARRI—HUN DREDS of Itsekiri indigenes of Okere community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, were yesterday, led on a protest by Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor against alleged forceful acquisition

of their land, measuring over 3.197 hectares by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for the building of a model primary school.

The protesting community had gone before a Delta State High Court sitting in Warri, alleging trespass on their land and urged the court to restrain the state

Dickson slams LG bosses over poor performance

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—GOV ERNOR Seriake Dickson has decried the conduct of the eight local government area chairmen in Bayelsa State, describing their poor attitude to governance and nonperformance as a shame to the indigenes of the various councils in the state.

Dickson, who accused the council bosses of turning the local government system into a “cocoa farm” and illegal harvest of development funds into private pockets, said his administration was awaiting the final report of the state

House of Assembly on the probe conducted into the administration of Local Government Councils in the state.

Speaking in Yenagoa at a public function, he said: “The local government system in Bayelsa State is nothing to write home about. Due to the poor performance, the state Assembly recently examined the system and we are waiting for the report and we will act appropriately.

government from further trespassing on the said land.

Other defendants in the suit are the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Delta Pride and Gold Energy Investment Ltd. The plaintiffs, who sought for an accelerated hearing in the matter, contended that if the defendants were not restrained and were allowed to finish building the school, it would foist on them (plaintiffs) a fait accompli.

The people of the community got angry, when, yesterday, at the court, the vacation judge did not show up while construction was going-on on the disputed land.

Chief Lori-Ogbebor, who led the community to court, consequently marched to the Office of Secretary to the State Government, to lodge formal complaints while Okere indigenes proceeded to the work site to dislodge the workers.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 13

C M Y K

14—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

DAY 2: RCCG CONVENTION

Cross section of newly ordained Assistant Pastors at the convention Newly ordained deacons and deaconesses of Niger 1 Province at the 60th Annual Convention of Redeemed Christian Church of God at Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Photos: Lamidi Bamidele Expressway.

RCCG ordains 5,000 pastors

By SAM EYOBOKA &

OLAYINKA LATONA

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ITH a simple proclama tion: “I ordain you in the name of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven….” a total of 2,654 members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, were yesterday adopted into the club of assistant pastors in the church.

Before their ordination the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye gave reasons why he would not be able to personally lay hands on the candidates, saying that it was impossible for him to lay hands on them all because of the huge number.

BRIEFLY••

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“In the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the ordination into the office of assistant pastor is done by pouring anointing oil, lying of hands and the proclamation, but because of the number it will be impossible for the General Overseer to lay hands on all of you. So, the ministers of God will do the anointing and as they do that their hands would be laid and I will come up to make the proclamation,” he said.

The humbling ceremony took place at the Holy Ghost Arena, while the mass choir sang and played solemn music in line

with the mood of the occasion and after which the G.O. came to make the proclamation to welcome them to the exalted position of assistant pastors.

At the end of the ordination, those ordained took time off to entertain friends and relations with food and drinks while taking photographs to mark the milestone occasion.

Preaching a short sermon titled; “Greater Anointing”, Pastor Joe Olaiya admonished the new assistant pastors to regard their new assignment as a call to duty and not an opportunity to do otherwise.

Newly ordained Asst Pastors from Ondo Province 3

L-r: Asst Pastors Gogo Levi Charles, Hon Commissioner for Budgets, Rivers State; Paago Tom -West and Kenneth Koko during their ordination as assistant pastors yesterday

Number of babies rises to 17 babies

T

HE number of babies born during the ongoing 60th annual convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, at the Redemption Camp along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has risen to 17. The convention which opened on Monday has as its theme “Come up higher” has witnessed an outpouring of babies some of whom came on the very first day of the spiritual fiesta. This is in fulfillment of Pastor Adeboye’s dream of 70,000 babies to mark his 70th birthday anniversary.

According to the records at the Redemption Maternity, additional 12 babies were delivered after the Vanguard crew left the maternity, Monday, thereby bringing the number to 17. Out of the 12 babies delivered yes-

T the time of this report, participants at the convention, which is swelling by the day, were trooping to the Arena for the Welcome Service and the first plenary session scheduled for 8.30 p.m. There will be graduation of Bible College students this morning.

Scarcity of water Many of the participants, yesterday, complained of scarcity of pipe borne water, as many of them were seen taking water from muddy flowing canal water in the camp. Authorities of the church had warned against such acts but because of the scarcity they are left with no choice than to make do with every water available.

Electricity Power has remained constant in the camp except for a few moments black out. It will be recalled that the Redemption Camp has its own power generating system which is very efficient.

Mrs Ogundolu Adesuwa

terday, seven are girls while the other five are boys. The babies and their mothers are in great health.

Our reporters spoke to some of the mothers who were in very high spirit, jubilating to be counted among the mothers during this year’s convention.

Mrs Ireti Taiwo, member of Four Square Gospel Church “I have a baby girl here in Redemed Christian Church of God because I believe that they have the best maternity home. My testimony is that I was tested positive to HIV but when I got the report I rejected it because I only believe God’s report. I proceeded to another hospital where I was tested negative. I can boldly proclaim that God of Pastor

Adeboye never fails.

Mrs. Abimbola Antiabong of Living Faith Church.

“God has blessed me with a wonderful baby boy and I am blessed and privileged to have a convention baby. I choose RCCG maternity because of the spirituality attached to their treatment.”

Mrs. Folashade Opabiyi “ I have been praying that my baby should be among the 70,000 babies that God promised daddy Adeboye as his birthday gift and this has come to pass today. ” Mrs. Ogundolu Adesuwa “ I did not plan to have my baby at the camp but I came to have the convention experience.

Here I am with my baby girl.”

Mrs Imabong Agbede

Mrs Ireti Taiwo

Mrs Abimbola AntiaObong

Mrs Ajiboye Kemi

Mrs Folasade Opabiyi

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012—15

Oil importers shun Iran, turn to W/Africa

‘Islam, Christianity share common tenets'

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

A

BY OMOH GABRIEL, with Agency Report

A

SIA is set to import record volumes of crude oil from West Africa, mainly from Nigeria, this year as increasing supplies of high quality crude drive down its export prices and some buyers shun their traditional supplier, Iran.

Available data showed that in the first quarter of 2012, Asian countries imported 1.82 million barrels per day of crude oil from the West Africa region, mainly from Nigeria. This is against the 1.79 million barrels per day in the first quarter of 2011.

In 2010, first quarter import of crude from the region was 1.71 million barrels per day as against the one million barrels per day in 2009 and 1.21 million barrels per day in 2008.

In the second quarter of this year, crude oil export from West Africa to Asian declined to 1.76 million barrels per day, but was higher than the 1.57 million barrels per day in the second quarter of 2011 and lower than the 1.73 million barrels per day in 2010.

Two months into the third quarter of 2012, import of crude by Asian countries stand at 1.64

PROTEST: Widows of Police officers protesting non-payment of pensions and insurance entitlements at Force Headquarters, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Deceased Police officers' families storm hqtrs over pension, insurance

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

A

BUJA—NO fewer than 1,000 families of deceased Police officers, owed arrears of pensions and insurance, running into billions of naira, yesterday, stormed Police Headquarters in Abuja, in protest over their outstanding entitlements.

Among the protesters were those whose benefactors were killed in the line of duties and whose money for insurance benefits were seized by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, during the Mr. Tafa Balogun saga as Police Inspector-General.

Vanguard learnt that though EFCC had been directed to release the money, close to N700 million, which had been seized, nothing has so far happened in the matter.

The protesters, who as-

sembled at the police headquarters at 7:30a.m., with placards of various inscriptions, chanted “give us our cheques.”

They said they were incensed on reading an advertisement placed in a national daily by the police in July, asking the prospective beneficiaries to come to Abuja for a “final screening.”

Addressing the protesters at Force Headquarters, Deputy InspectorGeneral of Police in charge Administration, Mr. Suleiman Fakai, assured the next of kins of the deceased police officers that they will soon be paid.

He explained that the delay in payment was due to late release of funds as state commands that were invited to Abuja failed to streamline processes of payment to beneficiaries.

He said: “We had a minor problem because the

NIGCOMSAT to manage N75bn security project

BY SONI DANIEL

A

BUJA— FEDRAL Government has intensified effort to complete work on the $470 million (N75 billion) Nigerian Public Security Communications System, NPSCS, with the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, NIGCOMSAT, designated as the sole manager of the project.

The implementation of the project, which is being handled by a Chinese firm, ZTE, has already reached an advanced stage, with the deployment of over 3000 cameras in Abuja and Lagos.

BUJA—MINISTER of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, has described Christians and Muslims as people with common values and beliefs as contained in their holy books.

Maku in Abuja, yesterday, at a dinner hosted by Ufuk Dialogue Foundation to promote peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims in the coun-

The Federal Government is sourcing $399,500,000 loan from China Exim Bank to finance the project, which is meant to provide closed circuit television cameras and a communication network to monitor designated Nigerian cities against terrorists and other criminals.

Findings by Vanguard reveal that under the tripartite agreement, NIGCOMSAT is to serve as the operator of the security project, while the Federal Ministry of Finance is the borrower and the Ministry of Police Affairs classified as the beneficiary.

The agreement indicates

Federal Government’s desire to provide adequate and sophisticated communication system to enable the Nigeria Police and other security agencies combat rising crime in the country.

The contract documents as seen by Vanguard, yesterday, authorise NIGCOMSAT to operate, manage and commercialise the excess capacity of the NPSCS project.

NigComSat-1R is expected to use the NPSCS platform to provide highend broadband internet connectivity across the country for Virtual Private Network, VPN, for public and private institutions.

benefits (pension of dead officers) were not paid and now government has released the money through Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. “The pension is for between 2004 and 2010. But unfortunately, the process of streamlining the payment had not been carried out at the state level, so

we invited them here to Abuja.”

He admitted that there was communication gap between police authorities and the beneficiaries, noting that they had been prevailed upon to go back to their respective states after completing the process, and await the payment.

try, identified respect for human life as one of the shared value for both religions, adding that those who truly believe in God must not willfully harm others.

He urged adherents of both religions and African traditional religion to learn to live together in peace and harmony. He said with inter-religious harmony, Nigeria could become a testimony to the rest of the world on how people of different faiths could live together peacefully.

He said if the Northern part of the country lags behind as a result of the current insecurity plaguing the region, the rest of the country would be negatively affected.

He advocated dialogue as the only way forward for leaders at different levels of the nation to promote peace and understanding.

In his remarks on the occasion, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State identified suspicion between adherents of the two major religious groups as a major factor fueling insecurity in the country.

16—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Time for self-appraisal, repentance

T

WENTY days gone now in the month of Ramadan! How much has Ramadan affected you positively and how have you adjusted to the requirements of the month? What have you been doing that you would not want to do again? Would you like to continue doing what you always do in Ramadan? It is indeed a time for stock-taking.

The remaining nine or 10 days could help to either consolidate on these areas or help to change them for good.

Fasting in Ramadan can, in fact, be the perfect time to cut down on food in-take and bad habits like lying, back-biting, cheating, among other vices. Muslims are expected to be better persons at the end of this month. That was why the Prophet adviced that this month must not pass without Muslims seeking forgiveness of sins from Almighty Allah and turning out to be a better person. Therefore, a re-appraisal is necessary at this junction.

Fasting during this month is a way to protect you from evil and learn patience, humility and control. It is also considered to be a shield against evil and allows Muslims to get rid of their sins.

The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: “Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah will have all of his previous sins forgiven.”

One important benefit of fasting is that it helps you understand the suffering and pain of the poor. It also allows human beings to understand how those who do not have enough money for a meal

survive through the day. Therefore, it is believed that fasting makes individual a better person as it allows them to associate with the pain of others. No fasting Muslim will observe the Ramadan fast very well, keeping all the dictates, will remain the same. It will no doubt leave us a better person both physically and spiritually.

Besides, the Prophet (S.A.W.) was reported by Bukhari that Allah said: “The Fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it, as he (the one who observes the fast) leaves his sexual desire, food and drink for My Sake. Fasting is a screen (from hell), and there are two moments of pleasure (moments of happiness or joys) for a fasting person: one at the time of breaking his fast and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord. And the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better in Allah’s Sight than the smell of musk.”

Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W.) said: “My nation is given five privileges in the month of Ramadan that no nation was given before: “The khaloof (odour of the mouth of a fasting person) is sweeter in the sight of Allah than the fragrance of musk; “The angels keep praying to Allah to forgive the fasting people until they break their fast; “Allah decorates Paradise every day saying to it ‘My righteous slaves are about to be comforted of their burdens and sufferings and enter you; “The Shaytan are chained during this month; “Sins of the believers are forgiven by the last night of Ramadan.”

Ezekwesili heads new Africa Devt Initiative “My foundations have a public policy advisory cenBY EMMANUEL AZIKEN

F

ORMER World Bank Vice-President, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, has been appointed to lead a new economic initiative for Africa termed Africa Economic Policy Development Initiative.

The new initiative, announced yesterday, will operate under the aegis of the George Soros-funded Open Society for West Africa.

Ezekwesili, who is to operate from Abuja, is to advise “the leaders and policymakers of the countries on their economic strategy and policy reforms that can help boost investment and create job growth in the Mano River region.”

The initiative, in the next three years, will expand to include other countries across Africa.

“I am delighted for Oby to join our team working on Africa,” said George Soros, Chairman and Founder of Open Society Foundations.

long been committed to fostering economic development in post-conflict countries and nations transitioning to democracy,” he added.

In her role as Senior Economic Advisor, Ezekwesili will oversee the creation of

tre in Abuja that will collaborate with Paul Collier, the professor of economics, who focuses on developing countries, and others to provide economic policy solutions to pro-reform governments starting with Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

12 tertiary institutions get N25bn TetFund boost

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

A

BUJA—TERTIARY Education Trust Fund, Tetfund, has given 12 tertiary institutions across the country N25 billion through its special intervention programme.

Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i at the 2012 Strategic Planning Workshop organised by TEtFund for tertiary institutions in Abuja, gave the names of the benefiting institutions.

The schools are University of Lagos and The Polytechnic, Ibadan, representing

South-West; Anambra State University, Uli and Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri, representing South-East; Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa and Benue State University, representing North Central.

Others are Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aleiro and Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, representing North-West; University of Calabar and Federal College of Education, Agbo, representing South-South, while Bauchi State College of Education and Modibbo Adamawa University, Yola, are representing North-East.

— 17 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012— “If a leopard sells goat meat, few people will buy it.”-Kenyan Proverb.

ORMER Presidents Obasanjo and Babangida issued a joint statement last week appealing to Nigerians to stand back from the abyss. Just any public collaboration between these two these days is matter of considerable public interest. These two leaders have given the nation its most defining characteristics today.

Babangida’s schemings at the head of a military government had ended in near tragedy for himself and the nation. Salvage efforts took years and ended up with a President in 1999 whose most outstanding credential was his being Yoruba. The “big man and his ethnic group” syndrome assumed a central place in Nigeria’s political system. Obasanjo in turn made full use of his larger-than-life powers as President to foist successors and reinvent himself, which came unstuck with the demise of Yar’Adua.

Both lost substantial ground after 2011. Babangida’s ill-fated involvement in the PDP northern consensus candidate shrunk his stature even more sharply.

Obasanjo lost substantial ground when the ACN chased the PDP out of the West, and lost even more ground when President Jonathan’s handlers felt he was better-off with some considerable distance between him and the man who engineered his emergence at the national level.

These were the two giants with feet of clay who released an impassioned plea to Nigerians to help find solutions to the crises facing the nation. They singled out widespread insecurity and pervasive cynicism over the survival of the nation as threats to the very foundations upon which the country rests. They advise that efforts by various governments to confront the escalating security challenges across the country should be more involving and inclusive.

You would think that anyone closely related to the President will pause to see what impact, if any, the long lamentations of the two former Presidents will have. If anyone did, they did not reckon with Chief E. Clark.

F

Damned if they do, damned if they don't Muslim who has not publicly condemned the insurgency.

Clark's simple solution

O

Ex-president Obasanjo

It is possible that Chief Clark had read the careful wording of the joint statement, which even avoided a direct mention of the Jamaatu Ahlil Sunnah Lidda’awati Waj Jihad (JASLIWAJ) (Boko Haram), or the plea for negotiation coded under “inclusive and involving” strategies. If he did, he was not impressed. He chose his own forum and language to say that northern leaders should condemn and rein-in the JASLIWAJ insurgency, and stop blaming Jonathan for incompetence and ineptitude. The northern leaders under reference include all prominent northern politicians who took a stand against Jonathan’s candidature or elections, such as Generals Babangida, Buhari, Aliyu Mohammed, Atiku Abubakar, prominent politicians in

opposition parties, and any northerner who was unhappy that Jonathan contested or became President, or who

,

Gen. Ibrahim Babaganida

Olusegun

Nigerian politics breeds extremes and desperate people.Statements by former Presidents won’t do, and people like Chief Clark just make it worse

,

wants him to fail. They will also include traditional and community leaders in areas where the insurgency has taken root, or is spreading. They will also include every northern

ld man Clark provides a rather simple solution to a very complex problem: if you do not publicly condemn the insurgency, then you support it.

If you condemn it, it will go away, and President Jonathan can then get down to the serious business of running the country.

For an elder who had spent most of his political life in the trenches, it will be unfair to say that Chief Clark is indifferent to how his statements affect the Jonathan Presidency. The very careful language by authors of the joint statement suggests that it is a public relations exercise targeting citizens who expect their leaders to do a lot more than they are doing. It did not say one thing on the performance or role of President Jonathan, other than a vague reference to all leaders at all levels of government to improve the manner they relate to the spreading threat of violence.

But it asks citizens to shun violence, be more patriotic, accommodating, humble and forgiving. There is no mention of scandalous exposés on corruption and the appearance of a weak political will to deal with them; or the palpable absence of any capacity to build political bridges to mitigate widening gulfs between regions and groups; or the absence of strategic thinking on how the insurgency can be

contained for good.

Whatever good that statement did, Chief Clark’s elephant-ina-china-shop outing would have obliterated it. One of the signatories of the statement is in the front row of those accused of foisting the insurgency, or fueling it by not condemning it. Hundreds more covered by innuendoes and hints will note the suggestions that they are both the inspiration behind the insurgency, and the very people who should bring it to an end. Very few people ask why anyone who lit the JASLIWAJ fire would want to put it out, if it is serving the interest for which it was started?

Could these interests also include the devastation of the economy of the north; the traumatisation of millions of its people; the destruction of vital relations between northern Christians and Muslims; the killing and maiming of hundreds of Muslims and Christians and the decimation of the political clout of the political north to aspire to lead the nation in the near future?

What political interest, except those which are fundamentally anti-northern and anti-Islam, can be served by the condition of the north today, and the disarray among the Muslim community? Is it not, in fact, more plausible to argue that if the worst enemy of the north needed a weapon to destroy it politically and economically, they could not have found a better one than this insurgency?

This game of passing the buck is not new, and it will not help the President. Northern leaders do condemn the insurgency, and many live in fear that they laid the foundations which allow it to flourish. They are not alone.

Nigerian politics breeds extremes and desperate people. This insurgency needs a solid united effort to deal with it. Statements by former Presidents won’t do, and people like Chief Clark just make it worse. If anyone has evidence that any northerner, no matter how highly-placed, is involved with this insurgency, they should please throw the book at them.

Otherwise, just shut up and focus on the problem.

OPINION

BY ADEWALE KUPOLUYI

Continued from the Viewpoints' pg

I

WONDER how far the law maker will go in their adventure, going by the odds against them and the growing divisions among them and the apparent absence of a common purpose goal, coupled with the crisis of credibility, arising from the bribery allegation levelled against members over the years.

Most recent is that of Farouk Lawan who used to be chairman of two important committees: the controversial Adhoc Committee on Monitoring of Subsidy Fund and that of Education. The oil magnate, Mr. Femi Otedola had indicted Lawan for allegedly taking bribes to influence the committee’s report.

Lawan is a well respected legislator and leader of the “Intergrity Group” which sprear-headed the removal of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Olubunmi Etteh over the N628 million house renovation/ upgrading scandal. Lawan is now battling to protect his own integrity since the alleged $620,000 bribe scandal broke out.

Again, the House may never be taken seriously, going by the way previous impeachment threats have gone, culminating into the widely-held opinion that the legislators could softpedal once they are ‘settled’; in other words, they hang on impeachment threats whenever they are ‘broke’.

A few examples suffice. On August 13, 2002, the House passed a resolution asking President Olusegun Obasanjo to resign within 14 days or be impeached. The motion catalogued the alleged presidential offences which, it said, amounted to “grave misconduct”.

As usual, solidarity marches to the Presidential villa were

Jonathan's impeachment: How far can the Reps go? (2) arranged across the country; traditional rulers were summoned and ‘mobilised’ to condemn what they said they saw as an attempt to “heat up the system”, prominent citizens and former Heads of State were approached to plead with the House leaders.

At the end, the allegations were quickly and quietly dropped after some time and Obasanjo, who ruled the nation till 2007, described the threat as a “joke carried too far”, thereby infuriating many members of the National Assembly.

For allegedly embarking on selective implementation of the 2009 Appropriation Act, members of the House of Representatives threatened to impeach the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. They also accused Yar’Adua of endorsing the withdrawal of N119.12 billion from the Excess Crude Oil Account to cushion the shortfall of revenue for the year without the approval of the National Assembly. It was stated that of the N119.12 billion withdrawn, the Federal Government got N51.79 billion (52.68 percent), while states and local governments shared N67.33 billion and additional sum of N127.37 billion proceeds from the sale of government houses and other transfers within the first quarter of the year.

Yar’Adua had in a four-page letter of Wednesday, May 13, 2009, expressed his inability to implement the budget as a result of shortfall in revenue, disclosing the sharing of the sum of N127.37 billion realised from the sale of government houses and other transfers within the period under review.

At another time, the lawmakers also pushed for Yar’Adua impeachment, for being away from the country for days without notifying the National Assembly.

So, how far can Gbajabiamila and his colleagues go? Already, he has raised the alarm that a faceless and amorphous group has been after him since he moved that Jonathan should be impeached if he failed to do the right thing. The opposition leader claimed that though he was sanctioned for professional misconduct, at a time, but was neither tried in any US court for any criminal offence nor convicted.

Gbajabiamila said: “To the discerning, it is clear where these attacks are coming from and indeed a crying shame that an elected representative can no longer speak freely in defense of those who elected him and in the interest of the country. I find it rather curious that these attacks came on the heels (only three days) of my moving for articles of impeachment against Mr. President come September 18 if the proper thing is not done and the Constitution and laws of the country continue to be violated. At no time did I ever think taking on a powerful office would be a tea party or would not produce virulent attacks.

Such it would be naivety on my part. However, I am propelled by the belief that the hottest part of hell is reserved for those who say nothing when they should”.

For now, Jonathan’s party, PDP, had admitted that the “President is making errors that require impeachment”, but vowed that it will not force the House to drop the impeachment plot.

Is the impeachment threat business as usual or a joke carried too far? Time will definitely tell!

Concluded

*Mr. Kupoluyi wrote from the Federal University of Agriculure, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY AUGUST 8, 2012 FOR months on end, communities lying close to the Lagos coasts have cried themselves hoarse for government to come to their aid and remove ship wreckages that have led to the rapid disappearance of their land into the Atlantic Ocean. And for years, foremost environmentalist, Dr Desmond Majekodunmi, has gone on air to warn of the dangers of allowing these condemned vessels to continue to litter the coasts, as many of them contain radioactive wastes and residual petroleum products.

The Lagos State Government (LASG) showed some interest last year as it sent its officials to assess the extent of the problem but little was heard thereafter. It seemed as if the matter was forgotten as is usual with the attitude of government to matters concerning the welfare of citizens.

But suddenly, the LASG and the federal agency charged with securing our maritime affairs, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) are now on a collision course as to which of them has the right to clear the wreckage. It all started when the LASG placed

Harmonious Removal Of Wrecked Ships advertisements calling for those who were suitably qualified to handle the job to apply.

NIMASA suddenly woke up from its slumber and placed its own counter advertisement, telling the public to disregard the LASG call for tender, saying it is its statutory duty to clear the wreckage.

We, as a newspaper, are gratified to note that both the federal and state governments are now paying attention to this menace. We have been at the forefront of this crusade.

In August 2010 in an editorial entitled: “The Vanishing Lekki Beach”, followed later in April 2012 in another editorial with the title:

“Ridding our Coastlines of Wrecked Ships”, we called attention to the dangers of allowing disused shipping vessels, most of which originated from foreign lands, to continue to float on our maritime jurisdictions.

The situation does not call for a face-off between the federal and state agencies. It calls for cooperation. Lagos is the economic nerve centre of Nigeria and the maritime sector is our second largest foreign exchange.

The LASG is wearing the pinching shoe and feels duty-bound to act even when an issue is under federal preserve, especially when the latter is sleeping on its responsibilities.

The federal government owes it a duty to collaborate with the state government to solve problems, eschewing selfish interests, unhealthy politics and muscle-flexing.

NIMASA must now move fast and remove these vessels and help in redressing the damage already done, such as clean-ups and restoration of eroded coastline to enable communities living in these areas to feel they belong in a country where they are safe from natural and manmade dangers.

OPINION

BY TONY ODIADI

T

HE first official recommendation for state police came up in the Constitutional/Law Review Report of the National Think-Tank early in 2009. The next recommendation following that came from the National Vision 20:2020 Report handed the Federal Government of Nigeria 2009-2010. In both cases, the thinking being that the first essential requirement of policing is knowledge of the community, the local environment.

Local policing has firm roots in Nigeria and never a new idea. In the colonial times, alongside the Nigeria Police Force, were the Native Authority Police. Despite cases of abuse, the NA Police were very effective in the regions, particularly the Northern and Western regions responsible for local and community policing combating crimes and criminals up until the early seventies. It was just after the civil war that General Gowon peremptorily integrated the Native Authority rank and file into the Nigeria Police Force and thus began existence of a single police force in Nigeria.

There are many problems associated with full scale centralised policing in the last three or four decades in Nigeria. There has been complaints of uneven distribution of policemen and material, with some states getting more than their fair share while

State police and effective policing in Nigeria (1) others are left unmanned open to unchecked criminal activities; second, many states are also frustrated after committing huge state resources into a federal police force yet having no real or legal control over their use and utility; third, countless cases of men without knowledge of the local environment deployed to man or take charge of places, violating several local sensitivities leading to ineffective policing; fourth, cases of stunted careers of generations of officers not favoured by the political control of the police forces which led to lack or loss of morale and reduces professional output.

To be sure, section 214(1) of the 1999 Constitution provides: ‘’There shall be a police force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police Force and subject to the provisions of this section no other police force shall be established for the federation or any part thereof ’’. Those are the words in the Constitution. What the Constitution has done is to limit the potential of effectively policing the Nigerian state by rigidly prescribing one single federal police force. Truth however, is, as Nigeria continues to consolidate and evolve on its federal structure, certain anomalous governance institutions must begin to give way for the federating units to take proper care of their local and state

challenges. One of such is the police force and by extension the correctional centres, i.e the Prison services. As a federal republic, the imperative of state police and state prison service is obvious and a contradiction of the federal arrangement if otherwise and that is why this heady disagreement within the governors ranks only shows how frightful we often are to take first steps in solving obvious national problems. A new framework for effective policing is needed now.

T

here is the legal absurdity of a federal police enforcing state laws, prosecuting state laws in state courts, and incarcerating state offenders in federal prisons. That kind of arrangement does not allow effecting governance in a federal arrangement or even in a modern democratic state. No state government can budget properly for security and crime control and criminal management. The state governments cannot invest in more men to man the streets because they are federally provided; the prisons are congested because states cannot bring state offenders into their budgeting lines. This is a fundamental problem in addition to the chain of command which is directed elsewhere to the higher federal authority.

Now, only a few days ago, the Lagos State

government signed into law a radical traffic regulation with stiff monetary penalties for offenders. This then is the issue: How can a federal police buy into the states traffic or policing agenda when the state may see huge revenue potential in the law and the matters thereto are peculiarly a state’s local challenge? It is natural for some conflict and passivity to follow the enforcement of the law as both the legislative initiative and policing possibilities are of divergent sources. This is not to say that the said Lagos traffic law, as it stands, has or may enjoy popular acclaim knowing for example that infrastructure deficiencies- bad roads, limited access ways, insecurity on the highways, lack of street lights, etc, in part,are often responsible for limited or outright non-compliance with several road regulations.

In all the comparative studies done on federal states across the globe, nowhere else do you have this large amount of police and correctional forces under one, single command.

Continues tomorrow on pg. 18

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

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012— —19

, T

HAT the unconstitutional office of Nigeria’s ‘First Lady’ is a conduit for siphoning public funds while self-aggrandising has been brought to the fore by the ongoing face-off between the immediate past occupant of that office, Turai Yar’Adua and the ‘current champion’, Patience Jonathan, who, unlike Turai, is also a Permanent Secretary, PS, in her husband’s home state of Bayelsa. In title-crazy Nigeria, that is not a mean feat. But beyond the mere craze for titles, the PS status is, no doubt, also meant to serve as a fruitful egg nest for Patience during those years that must, as day follows night, come when her lovely Macbeth vacates Aso Rock Villa. Turai Yar’Adua who didn’t have the foresight to get one of her late husband’s lieutenants to confer on her a similar rank should, therefore, be careful in how she takes on the new power behind the throne now that ‘power has changed hands’. I had not imagined that I would have cause to go back to the ‘First Lady’ issue

any time soon after last week’s piece on Mrs. Jonathan. But it is part of our unfortunate fate as a country that we are, like Sisyphus, condemned to a repetitive cycle of doom in which we have to take on the same meaningless task over and again. Truly, we cannot say it too loudly or too often that part of our bane as a nation (and I use that word very loosely) is the desire by our so-called leaders to use power without responsibility. It is in Nigeria that you find somebody without claim to any personal distinction stumble into power and decide to play Caesar. For in the ordinary scheme of things who knew anything of these two women before their husbands found themselves in power? But here we are today forced to watch the folly of two power-mongers playing Bill Gates with the commonwealth of a nation.

I said earlier that it was Mrs. Yar’Adua’s lack of foresight that prevented her taking steps to fortify herself with enough titles to prepare her for the kind of battle

,

that she’s today found herself in with her successor. For had she acquired as many titles and offices as she cared to and planted as many of her known supporters such as former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, in the government she was obviously planning to formhad Turai tried just a little more to take these cautionary steps, she wouldn’t have been so easily browbeaten by the same woman whose husband she’d turned into a virtual lame duck even when, as Vice President, he was effectively positioned to take over running of the country as President Umaru Yar’Adua remained on his sick bed.

B

ut Turai took none of the steps I talk about now because she had, without any known contract with Nigerians, come to the conclusion that she could rule the country in her own right while she kept her ailing husband locked up in virtual house arrest from everybody. In other words, Turai already saw herself as president, so there was no need for the kind

Jonathan's impeachment: How far can the Reps go? (2)

BY ADEWALE KUPOLUYI

Continued from yesterday

A

S a build-up, the original motion on the alleged non-implementation of the budget was moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Rules/Business, Albert SamTsokwa, who sought an interface between Jonathan and the leadership of the House on why it had been difficult for Ministries Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to fully implement the budget.

In the course of debate, lawmakers amended the motion, saying that a meeting with the President was not necessary, as another amendment to the motion advised Jonathan to direct the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to “stop forthwith”, what it termed the violation of Section 6 of the Act. The amendment, which was proposed by the Chairman, House Committee on Works, Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, demanded the immediate release of all the funds earmarked for projects in the first and second quarters of the year. He said it was a breach of the law to hold on to funds budgeted for projects. The session overwhelmingly endorsed the amendment.

A twist was, however, added to the scenario when the Chairman of the Committee on Capital Market, Ibrahim El-Sudi said the impeachment threat was a mere handiwork of the opposition in the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

He claimed that contrary to the widelypublicised reports on the impeachment threat, the House of Representatives had not taken any decision on what would be Jonathan’s fate.

El-Sudi said the impeachment threat “came from members of the opposition and they are entitled to their opinion. It was not

a resolution of the House. The House resolved that the President should implement the budget as passed. The House has not taken a decision on what will happen come September”.

Another member, Karibo Nadu, representing the President’s constituency, Ogbia Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State equally kicked against the impeachment threat. Nadu accused the Reps of deviating from the motion. He argued that Gbajabiamila’s call for impeachment was “irrelevant” to the purpose of the motion.

“Mr. Speaker, the issue of impeachment of the President is not relevant to this motion. What has that got to do with budget implementation?” he queried. He was however, shouted down by lawmakers who urged Gbajabiamila to continue with his submissions.

The spokesman for the House, Zakari Mohammed, had insisted that the resolution on impeachment proceedings against Mr. President stands. “It is a resolution of the House, not a resolution by one person. There is nothing that can be done to change that resolution before September 18.The House is on break; we are not working now. We cannot continue to respond to the same old issue,” Mohammed averred.

Contrary to El-Sudi’s claim, he said the threat to impeach Jonathan was the decision of all members of the House. “The resolution of the House was clear and simple.

Gbajabiamila’s prayer was taken as part of the resolution of all the members,” Mohammed, a Peoples Democratic Party member said.

Mohammed alluded to the fact that there had been attempts to heat up the polity over the decision of the House “by diverting attention from the main issue, which is poor budget implementation”.

,

Plot 1347 and the roforofo fight of two ‘First Ladies’

Our ‘First Ladies’, like their husbands, are veritable spongers on our commonwealth; Nigerians need not confer constitutional status on such drain on national wealth and pride

of titles such as Permanent Secretary that Patience is busy acquiring right now. But then the bubble suddenly burst and Turai and her ilk could no longer hide what they thought they could hide when the news broke that President Yar’Adua had passed after months of speculation. Had Mrs. Yar’Adua foreseen things could end that way, she would have certainly registered everything she did as ‘First Lady’ in her name. Her failure to do this is the reason she has to do a roforofo fight over a mere plot of land, numbered 1347, with Patience who is now busy building her own castle in the air.

Sooner than later, Patience too would learn the same lesson that Turai is being bitterly taught, namely, that power is acquired but for only a while.

Turai Yar’Adua had in her time in Aso Rock acquired this piece of land to provide a base for her ‘pet project’ as ‘First Lady’, a so-called Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation, after paying mindboggling sums of money running into hundreds of millions of Naira to procure the Certificate of Occupancy. Certainly the monies paid for the C of O couldn’t have come from the personal account of a woman who neither traded nor had the foresight to get herself appointed Permanent Secretary in her years in Abuja. But no sooner was she out of Abuja following the unfortunate passing of her husband than Patience initiated move to covert the plot of land to build a house for her own ‘pet project’, the African First Ladies Summit, a group made up of wives of African heads of state (one wonders why the spouses of at least two of Africa’s leaders that are women have to suffer the discrimination of being excluded from this forum, even if, of loafers) who she hosted in Abuja over a

It is evident that the problem of budget delays and noncompliance with its implementation is a virus that must be eliminated for the nation to operate a sound fiscal system

,

As the law makers remain divided, the Federal Government admitted that it could not achieve 100 per cent budget implementation by September, as directed by the lawmakers.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, argued that achieving 100 per cent budget implementation was not feasible. She said: “In terms of 100 per cent implementation, I think that what I read that was said by sections of the National Assembly was that we would have to do 100 per cent implementation of the budget by September”.

T

he minister identified some of the challenges facing the efficient implementation of the budget to include the inadequate time frame needed to get the designs and conduct feasibility studies for constituency and new projects in the budget, as well as the problem of movement of funds by the National Assembly, from one category to another, to where ministers could be able to implement.

As the House of Representatives was perfecting its impeachment strategies, the Senate, the upper house is allegedly in the know of happenings and may swing the way of the Reps.

It is regrettable that over the years, the

week ago. So for Patience, she has certainly turned her very office and that of other women in her position across Africa into a full time job. What time would she have left to work for her pay as Permanent Secretary then? Are the people of Bayelsa content to have a ghost worker, even one as high up as a ‘First Lady’, on their pay roll? Is Mr. Dickson taking note of what other potential ghost workers could do in the circumstance?

What right would he have to sanction others if he turns a blind eye to this obvious case of dereliction/abdication of duty?

Well, we do not know yet what the courts might say as Turai has dragged Mohammed Adoke, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice who now has a new madam to serve- Turai has dragged him and Patience to court even though Mr. Adoke is trying to pour oil on troubled waters in an out-of-court settlement. They must all be regretting how the matter got into the open in the first instance. But that’s God’s own way of letting Nigerians into the stinking lockers of our so-called rulers. People whose only motivation for high office is their own personal gain and comfort.

Our ‘First Ladies’, like their husbands, are veritable spongers on our commonwealth. They have little or nothing to recommend them; they are of mediocre intelligence and serve no useful purpose beyond being mere decorative pieces. Like Lady Macbeth, they are the forces whose raw ambition, greed and presence in the corridors of power often feed into the stuffs that bring about the fall of their husbands. Nigerians need not confer constitutional status on such drain on national wealth and pride.

nation’s budgetary process had suffered delays for a number of reasons, ranging from inadequate planning, late submission of estimates, too long a period for its passage, faulty procedure for scrutinizing the budget, corruption, poor implementation and inadequate mechanisms for monitoring.

In most cases, budgets were approved as late as the third quarter of the fiscal year.

Worse still, supplementary budgets were usually concluded at the tail end of the financial year. All these flops do not allow for proper execution of projects, coordination of programmes and the overall monitoring of the budget resulting in decay of infrastructure and economic downfall.

Speaking in the same vein, a former Minister of Finance, Mansur Muhtar, in the Daily Trust issue of May 27, 2011 had observed that: “During the bilateral discussions and budget defence meetings that led to the finalisation of the 2010 budget, many MDAs clamoured for additional resources in excess of their 2009 capital votes but were unable to demonstrate commensurate executive capacity to justify increased allocations”.

Also, a World Bank chief, Onno Ruhl, in allAfrica.Com noted that: “What happens to the budget is that the projects are there without all the necessary plans. There is a debate between the government and the National Assembly on why the budget did not get implemented; it would never get implemented because there were no plans.

This is what people skipped when they want to talk about political debates. Even if you have those plans, my experience is that any project always takes longer than the plan, not just in Nigeria, but also in other places”.

It is evident, therefore, that the problem of budget delays and non-compliance with its implementation is a virus that must be eliminated for the nation to operate a sound fiscal system.

Continues on Hakeem Ahmed's pg *Mr. Kupoluyi wrote from Federal University of Agriculure, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

20—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8,,2012

Debate of the masses

Can anything good happen here?

BY EBELE ORAKPO

T

*The happy couple with their miracle baby

For the Nwanebus, cry of joy 13 years after

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

W

HEN people get married, they rightly expect children to start coming almost immediately. New born babies are usually welcomed with relish. Parties are lavishly thrown to herald their entry into any family.

The joy of parenthood equally push parents to dedicate their children to God in church each time a new baby arrives.

Conversely, childless couples do everything possible, including going to medical doctors and undergoing all manner of tests, visit native doctors, churches as well as spend their last kobo to get babies. Many couples get swindled by fraudsters as they keep searching for babies. As a last resort, some prefer to adopt babies but the criminallyminded ones go the extra mile to steal babies!

A pastor of Assemblies of God Church Nigeria, Reverend Bethel Nwanebu and his wife were among the not-so-lucky couples. For the couple, the situation was so tense and most trying despite the palpable love they have for each other. They fasted, prayed and visit-

ed several hospitals for 13 years in search of a baby! When the baby eventually arrived, the happy parents gladly called her Faithfulness, Oluomachi, Ebube.

There was the sad side of their suffering. Within this same period, some people were heard querying why Reverend B, like he is fondly called by his parishioners, should waste his time praying, laying hands on children

,

I must confess that our sorry situation periodically discouraged me, my being a pastor notwithstanding

,

who were not his own and blessing other childless couples when he had nothing to show for his long years of marriage.

Another sad thing is that these nasty statements were sometimes made to the hearing of the couple. As human beings, these careless talks worried the soft-spoken Reverend Nwanebu.

Hear him: “Parents who

had no problems in making babies may not fully appreciate what my wife and I passed through for 13 whole years. It was not easy for us at all. People said all manner of things about us but we kept waiting anxiously on the Lord,” the pastor recounted.

Continuing, Reverend Nwanebu said: “I must tell you the truth. As a human being, I must confess that our sorry situation periodically discouraged me, my being a pastor notwithstanding. I was almost asking if God was still there for me”.

He affirmed that they went for all manner of medical tests in different hospitals and were repeatedly told that they had no problems. Why they remained childless was a huge problem to the couple; indeed, it remained their cross.

Pastor Nwanebu recalled that he was gladdened when his wife, at a point, was confirmed pregnant, adding that their joy was, however, short-lived because “she had a miscarriage three months after ”, adding that it was akin to saying that they had buried their first child.

“My wife was so devastated and refused to be

consoled. As a remedial measure, I planned a vacation and took my wife away to the United Kingdom. We came back in August last year and to the glory of God, she conceived the following month. Today, I am a happy father,” Nwanebu said with glee.

The pastor ’s wife, Ngozi, was so overwhelmed and short of words when Vanguard Metro visited the family.

She put her account this way: “God has blessed me with a beautiful baby girl after 13 years of my marriage. I feel excited about being a mother. You may not appreciate what it means to wait for the fruit of the womb for 13 years.

Honestly, I was in a wilderness of tears but today, God has wiped away my tears”.

At the child dedication service, the District Superintendent, Owerri District of Assemblies of God Church, Rev. Mishell Ashiele, drew a thunderous applause when he advised the couple to “fire on, especially now that God has opened the door”, adding that it will not be a bad idea if people are invited again for another child dedication service in the next six months.

are spending the money on the people and not stashing it away in foreign accounts.”

“What nonsense! Is that the infrastructure that will benefit everyone and help in the development of the state?” asked Japh.

“It may be working for them. I believe if you can fix the man, every other thing will fall into place,” said Tobi.

“So how do they fix the man? By using tax payers’ money to get a few hooked? Is that how their economy is going to grow? The more sensible thing would have been to build schools, factories and skills acquisition centres to train and equip these people and at the end, give them soft loans to start off. I feel that is the best way to go rather than marrying wives for them,” argued Ade. “You have missed the point. Send them to school and train them to stand on their own?

Hmmm, you are far away from reality. If these ones are trained and empowered financially, where will the elite who use them as cannon fodders to destabilize society get people to do their dirty jobs?” asked Charlie. “If these suicide bombers were earning like N50,000 a month, do you think it will be easy to get them to go and blow themselves up? Of course not! But because they have absolutely nothing to live for, they are easily persuaded to die and go to paradise for a better life and they foolishly obey without asking those who send them why they too are not willing to go and enjoy paradise.”

“Imagine promising someone N15,000 to go and plant a bomb somewhere and may be die in the process. Unfortunately, he was only paid N6,000 and the balance was to be paid after the job. Sheer wickedness!

So if he died in the process, the balance will be history. They will use it to entice another person to go and die,” said Sam.

RAFFIC was unusually light this Monday morning along the perpetually busy ApapaOshodi Expressway.

Then said Sam, a commuter in the Apapa Wharf-bound passenger bus: “Hmm, I hope all is well. I no understand this road today o. Monday of all days! And morning for that matter!”

“Yeah, I’m surprised too,” said Ify. “Don’t you believe that anything could change for the better in Nigeria?

Why are we so negative?

Always seeing the worst in our nation!” asked Nikky, disgust written all over her. “It’s so terrible that any good thing that happens is attributed to a mistake somewhere. If you have electricity supply for a whole day, something must be wrong!”

“Tell me one positive thing we have achieved as a nation,” challenged Sam. “So many things! But you have all chosen to see the bad ones. The world is wired in such a way that you see what you want to see,” replied Nikky.

“Agreed, the private sector may be performing, but what about the government in whose hands we placed our commonwealth?” asked Ify. “Oh, Lagos State is working with rapid infrastructure development,” stated Nikky.

Said Mercy: “Kano State is working too. I heard they conducted mass wedding for 250 couples in a bid to address the high rate of divorce cases in the state.

The government spent not less than N46.6 million in purchasing gifts for them. Individuals also contributed. The 250 brides each got a sewing machine from the Vice-President’s wife, three crates of eggs, two cell phones per couple, assorted fabrics, beds and beddings, bags of rice, cartons of spaghetti, household items and N20,000 each as take-off capital to the brides.

That is laudable. They CONTACT: mykeboh@yahoo.co.uk

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 21

FDC advocates closer business ties with India, China

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

T

HE federal government has been called upon to strengthen its trade ties with emerging economies, especially China and India in order to ensure a positive trade balance.

Remarking on the state of the economy recently, Mr. Bismark Rewane, Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company, FDC, said, “Despite the global economic contraction, these countries have continued to show fast and stable growth.”

He explained that China, which is the world?s second-largest economy, grew by 7.6 per cent in the second quarter of 2012, while India, Nigeria’s leading trade partner by country of destination, recorded growth rate of 5.3 per cent in the same period.

“The stable growth trend in these countries, despite the odds, is favourable for Nigeria, as their national consumption is unlikely to soften anytime soon.

“Trading with neighbouring countries will minimize costs and will encourage bilateral agreements,” he said.

Citing an example, he said that importing palm oil from the Ivory Coast is both easier and faster than importing from Malaysia and Indonesia.

“Finally, encouraging production (for example, through the provision of tax incentives for local manufacturers) and stimulating domestic demand will reduce exposure to external shocks. In China for instance, the government has employed various measures to stimulate domestic demand and balance trade growth. Nigeria can take a cue from this,” he affirmed.

Deputy Chief Security Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, Igba Austin Iwar (fourth from the right); handing over office furniture items to DPO, Ikoyi Division of the Nigerian Police, Aisha Haruna, as part of the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). With them are other officers of the Division.

NIMASA to go after importers over proliferation of arms

BY GODFREY BIVBERE & GODWIN ORITSE

M

ANAGEMENT of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has said that they would go after importers of arms and ammunition that are being used along the nation’s waterways by pirates and sea robbers.

Making the position of the Agency known in Lagos, its Director-General, Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi, said they would no longer fold their hands and watch the high level of illegalities in the waterways continue.

Akpobolokemi who stated this at the NIMASA organized Stakeholders’ Breakfast Meeting in Lagos, noted that policing the nation’s territorial waters was crucial to the maritime

Nigerian frieght forwarders groan under foreign domination

W

BY GODFREY BIVBERE HILE the freight forwarding business in the country is

175.70

+1.90

2,402.00

+4.00

21.73

-0.27

109.42

+0.48

91.92

+0.52

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING CFA KRONER EURO POUNDS RIYAL SDR FRANC DOLLAR WAUA YEN RENMINBI

0.2709 0.2809 25.595 25.6777 190.5088 191.1239 241.3029 242.082 41.2916 41.4249 233.2811 234.0343 158.4408 158.9524 154.86 155.36 232.8007 233.5524 1.9785 1.9849 24.3183 2 24.3973

0.2909 25.7603 191.739 242.8611 41.5582 234.7875 159.4639 155.86 234.304 1.9913 24.4763

CBN Exchange rate as at 07/08/2012

suffering from foreign domination, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN, the body established to regulate and protect the business is concentrating on revenue generation.

The Council has just completed its membership registration exercise which has fetched the body several millions of naira. While Nigerian freight forwarders are condemned to struggling for the crumbs in the clearing and forwarding business at the ports, the foreigners are totally in control of the oil and gas component of the business where the money is.

Investigation revealed that these companies are gradually drifting to the ports to struggle for available business with their local counterparts. Some freight forwarders who spoke with Vanguard estimated that the country losses about N100 billion annually to foreign operators.

Efforts to reach the Chairman and Registrar of CRFFN, Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju and Mike Jukwe respectively on the issue proved abortive as they did not pick up their calls after several attempts.

However, the Council Chiarman had

told Vanguard before he became head of CRFFN that there is need for government to control the involvement of foreigners in the freight forwarding business in line with its local content policy.

Olanrewaju, Managing Director, Talod Oceanair Freight Ltd, noted that we must ensure restriction of the freight forwarding business to Nigerians to protect the nation’s economy and security.

Similarly, Jukwe was quoted as saying that CRFFN would begin the enforcement

by February, 2012, and that only those who have been registered by the council will be allowed to operate in accordance with the provisions of the CRFFN Act 17 of 2007.

He noted that they have completed the first training of the trainers programme earlier in January, which was held in Lagos between 3rd and 9th. This training, which was conducted by FIATA trainer, was for those who are going to in turn, train freight forwarders in the country.

Founder of the the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniegbonam, told Vanguard that the situation is in accordance with what is obtainable in other parts of the world.

administration, and that is why the Agency entered into Private-Public Partnership to ensure the safety and security of Nigerian waterways.

According to him, the number of arms and ammunition coming into the country through our waters is alarming, and there is need for NIMASA to know who is responsible for their importation. “We want to sanitise the Nigerian waters to ensure that the nation is safe from proliferation of arms and ammunition,” he stated.

The NIMASA boss said that government alone cannot solve the problem of piracy due to bureaucracy that projects of this nature are usually subjected to, noting that “an Agency that is involved in search and rescue operation, that could be involved in emergency anytime and anywhere must not subscribe to the civil service way of doing things, there should be some creativity,” he pointed out.

He said that taking delivery of four 1,200 horse power engine boats would ensure adequate policing of the Nigerian waterways. Each of the boats namely; NIMASA Lagos, NIMASA Portharcourt, NIMASA Warri and NIMASA Burutu were acquired by Global West Vessel Specialist Limited as part of the subsisting Memorandum of Understanding that currently exists between the company and the apex maritime regulatory agency.

He explained that the acquisition of the boats is to enable NIMASA to go back to fulfilling its mandate which is maritime security and ensuring a pollution marine free environment.

“We want to perform our statutory obligations. What the NIMASA Act told us to do is what we want to put into practice. Our mandate is to provide safe marine environment, secure marine environment and a pollution free marine environment,” Akpobolokemi said.

22—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

IOSCO, CPSS plan regulation on financial market infrastructure

BY MICHAEL EBOH

T

HE Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems (CPSS) and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) have hinted of plans to regulate and create a benchmark for Financial Market Infrastructures, FMI, in financial systems across the world.

According to a

statement by both organizations, signed by Carla Vitzthum, spokesperson of IOSCO, the regulation and benchmark will ensure that systemic disruption are resolved without systemic disruption or exposing the taxpayer to loss.

“To achieve this in the context of FMIs, relevant authorities must have powers to maintain an FMI’s critical services.

Accordingly, all types of

FMIs should generally be subject to regimes and strategies for recovery and resolution.

“An effective resolution regime must enable resolution without systemic disruption or exposing the taxpayer to loss. To achieve this in the context of FMIs, relevant authorities must have powers to maintain an FMI’s critical services,” she said.

She stated that financial market infrastructures

play an essential role in the global financial system, adding that the disorderly failure of an FMI can lead to severe systemic disruption if it causes markets to cease to operate effectively.

Vitzthum reiterated that the CPSS -IOSCO Principles for financial market infrastructures published in April 2012 require that FMIs have effective strategies, rules and procedures to enable them to recover from

financial stresses.

She also noted that the Financial Stability Board’s Key Attributes of Effective Resolution Regimes for Financial Institutions, published in 2011 further require that jurisdictions establish resolution regimes to allow for the resolution of a financial institution in circumstances where recovery is no longer feasible.

Commenting on this, Paul Tucker, Deputy

Governor, Financial Stability of the Bank of England and CPSS Chairman said, “The vital role of the financial system’s infrastructure makes it essential that credible recovery plans and resolution regimes exist. FMIs need to be a source of strength and continuity for the financial markets they serve.”

Also speaking, Masamichi Kono, Vice Commissioner for International Affairs, Financial Services Agency, Japan and Chairman of the IOSCO Board, said, “This is even more important as a safeguard given the commitment made by G20 Leaders in 2009 that all standardised OTC derivatives should be cleared through central counterparties.”

T

From left: Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Dr. Margaret Kudirat Ladipo; President Yaba College of Technology Alumni Association, Chief Emmanuel Unachukwu and Executive Director, Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Gbenga Ademulegun, at the commissioning of theYaba College of Technology Alumni Association's ICT/Multi purpose Hall financed by Skye Bank Plc

UnityKapital declares N514.2m profit in 2011

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

U

N I T Y K A P I TA L Assurance Plc has declared a profit for the financial year ended December 2011.

The insurance company under the leadership by the Managing Director, Mr. Kins Ekebuike, raked N413.6 million profit after tax in the year under review 201, stating that the company is now poised to take the Nigerian insurance sector by storm. This recorded profit is against a negative profit of N190.234 million recorded in 2010.

Ekebuike said that would the company has declared a profit before tax of over half a billion Naira for 2011, the first

year of the operation of the Cautious Dynamism p o l i c y .

He said, “With the new Broker-centric thrust of the company, whereby the brokerage arm of the Nigerian insurance industry has become the centerpiece of marketing in the company, UnityKapital Assurance Plc has recorded a tremendous continuous increase in profitability ”. ”The company declared a profit before tax of N514.2 million in 2011, almost a miracle, compared to the N6.6 million in the same period of year 2010 showing an increase of over 7000 percent” ”This performance was destined to be vastly improved upon, as the new and improved

growth strategy implemented by Mr. Ekebuike and his Management team, has

reaped immense benefits for the company ’ s shareholders”. ”This is surely going

to be good news for the shareholders of the company who have waited over 5 years for the company to declare dividends”

he Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, had last week experienced an almost similar problem, recording a complex technical hitch in its trading infrastructure, a development which led to a disruption in trading.

Commenting further, Vitzthum said CPSS and IOSCO have published for public comment, a consultative report on the recovery and resolution of financial market infrastructures.

The purpose of the report, she said, is to outline the issues that should be taken into account for different types of FMIs when putting in place effective recovery plans and resolution regimes that are consistent with the Principles and Key Attributes.

FG intervention, investors Q2 expectations boost market stability — Operators

C

APITAL market operators have stated that market stability was due to the government’s decision to intervene and investors’ expectations from companies’ in the first half of year.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that positive expectations from the ongoing discussion between the Federal Government and capital market community had strengthened investors’

confidence.

Mr. Emeka Madubuike, President, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria, said that the market had witnessed some level of stability following discussions between stakeholders and the government on the future of the market.

“A lot of investors are hopeful that the market would experience a rebound because this is the first time since the market crash the capital market operators will

meet with the Minister of Finance,” he said.

Madubuike said that stakeholders were also making efforts to ensure the commencement of market making.

He said that the market might experience mixed performance this week as investors embark on profit taking.

Mr. Sehinde Adenagbe, the Managing Director of Standard Union Securities Ltd., said that interim results released by companies last week

contributed to the positive trend in the market.

Adenagbe said that investors who left the market at the heat of the capital market probe were gradually returning after the restoration of Ms Arunma Oteh, DirectorGeneral of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

He said that the market growth trend would be sustained as the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) releases more company results.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012—23

EDITED by Adekunle Adekoya

DIARY Select ICT events zSIGGRAPH 2012.

Holds 5 -9 Aug in Los Angeles, USA. zInternet Show Africa. Holds 11-12 September in Johannesburg, South Africa. z Submarine Networks World. Holds 11-13 September 2012 @ Marina Bay Sands - Singapore.

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New inventions shaping life and living

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CT MINISTER @ BETA COMPUTERS: MD, Beta Computers Limited, Mr Will Anyaegbunam, Communications Technology Minister, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Ola Ogunleye, Special Adviser to the Minister on IT, at BETA's SPEEDSTAR Computers assembly plant last week in Lagos when the Minister visited the plant and unfolded the Federal Government plans on students PCs ownership scheme. Photo by Emeka Aginam.

FG plans PC ownership for students in tertiary institutions zIn partnership with local computer manufacturers

BY EMEKA AGINAM

V

ERY soon — later this year — students in the nation's tertiary institutions will begin to own notebook computers made here if plans by the Federal Government in this direction come to fruition.

Minister of Communications and Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson at the weekend ave indications that the Federal Government will partner indigenous PC manufacturers, including Beta Computers Limited, on a students PC ownership scheme. The scheme is

Lagos Auto-Reg: The good and the bad

expected to be the market elixir for locally manufactured personal computers in the country.

Mrs Johnson who said this when she visited the SPEEDSTAR Computers

brand plant of Beta Computers Limited last week in Lagos disclosed that the scheme, which is still in the works, is a public-private arrangement expected to equip Nigerian students in

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iPhone apps that help break bad habits

‘Why e-govt projects fail in Nigeria’

tertiary institutions in the first phase with notebook computers and relevant content and broadband connectivity. This, she said, is needed to face the challenges of bridging the digital divide and fully integrating Nigerian youths into the emerging global knowledge economy.

More IT jobs coming Excited by the motorized conveyor driven assembly plant of Beta Computers, Mrs Johnson assured that the scheme when fully im-

plemented will create thousands of jobs in the country for a lot of Nigerians that will be involved not only in the manufacture of the computers, but also in distribution, sales and support of the deployed computers.

Speaking further, the students PC ownership scheme, which will be launched later this year will make personal computers available to students of tertiary institutions at affordable prices with the payment structured in such a way that students may pay as little as N3, 000 every Continues on Page 32

Father reunites with long-lost son via Google+Hangout

24 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Showyou

If you are more of a casual fan of the Olympics and want to find footage of events or back-stories of athletes and nations that most interest you, the free Showyou video discovery app is worth downloading. Showyou helps you find video clips from sites like YouTube or Vimeo that are shared by your Facebook friends or people you follow on Twitter. The app has indexed nearly 30,000 Olympicsrelated clips so far, and is incorporating hundreds of new videos each day.

Lagos Auto-Reg: The good and the bad

L

ITTLE by little, we will get there. With the will and determination to be like progressive countries of the world, it is assured that Nigeria will get it right, and bet it — technology, yes, information technology — is the vehicle that will get us there.

I am talking about the phenomenon of e-government, whereby services that governments nationwide render to the people are being automated. One such is the motor vehicle administration system, which in Lagos, as in many other states, is now automated. Before the automation, the system was so porous that people who had nothing to do with it, those we call touts, plugged into the system and made away with billions of naira over the years that should accrue to government.

There are thousands of people who operate in the motor vehicle licensing system; they register vehicles, do insurance, and “help”people obtain driver’s licenses.

In the process they built houses and lived and are still living very well from a system that does not know them, officially. On many occasions, innocent vehicle owners have been arrested by the Police for possessing fake registration papers, no fault of theirs, but these operators.

Now, with automation of the system, the average motorist can be rest assured that his vehicle papers are genuine. In Lagos where I live, you get an SMS from the Vehicle License Registration Agency (VLRA) informing you that the details of your vehicle has been received and stored, and further, that you will receive a reminder about a month to its expiry.

And the reminder comes. This is good, as it enables citizens who wish to be law abiding to stay within the law by promptly renewing their vehicle papers. After renewal, VLRA acknowledges by SMS. Even the insurance renewal is done by PIN,

delivered through a scratch card. Good, good.

The downside to this service from Lagos AutoReg is that it charges A whopping N200 for SMS alert.

HA! All of N200 for just two SMS in one year — one reminder, and the other an acknowledgment!!!

This is extortion writ large, and from where I stand, is simply indefensible. In a country where bulk SMS is as low as N3, why is Lagos Auto-Reg charging N200 for just two SMS? As we go along and our democracy matures more, perhaps one day taxation will ecome an electin issue in this country as it is in others. Beginning January, we started paying more for fuel, food, drinks, and every o t h e r t h i n g .

PAYE is there, for those of us who draw salaries, while majority of us who don’t get electricity have already started paying more. Those using pre-paid meters are already complaining that the card runs out faster than before. In the schools, the teachers are getting wiser daily, asking th children to bring in anything from toilet roll to broom, and at end of term, asking them to pay as much as N2,000 for endof-term party. At the party, each child gets a plate of rice, a piece of meat or fish as big as the child’s thumb, a bottle of mineral drink (som schools in the suburbs give a bottle to two children) and then a souvenir valued at N300, all for N2,000.

What have we become as a nation? The truth is that government leads the way in extorting the people, and the people simply take their lead. That is why governance in Nigeria has become one self-serving circle of extortion, powered bu intractable corruption.

Let Auto-reg revise the SMS charge downwards to N20, and show the way out of governance by extortion.

Let Autoreg revise the SMS charge downwards to N20, and show the way out of governance by extortion

,

Michael Johnson Motiv8

zThe BBC's Olympics app

Follow the Olympics, download apps!

W

HEN the Summer Olympics were held in Beijing four years ago, apps were just hitting the pop-cultural radar and there were a limited number of titles to download. Today we live in a world with more than 1.5 million apps available for smartphones and tablet devices.

So whether you are interested tracking the performance of a particular athlete or country, want to watch competitions not easily found on television, or dream to one day go for the gold yourself, there are several apps to tap into. Here are some of the best.

London 2012: Official Results App

The best way to track the performances of the approximately 10,500 athletes who are representing more than 200 countries is through the London 2012: Official Results App. Developed by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, the free app provides comprehensive and up-to-date information about virtually every competition through the end of the Paralympics on September 9. From Archery to Wrestling, the app details everything from what nations are collecting the most medals to the biographies, event schedules and performances of every participant.

NBC Olympics Live Extra

Although far from a Perfect 10, this app from the exclusive Olympics television rights holder in the United States is a worthy download that showcases

more than 3,500 hours of live and prerecorded video from virtually every event at the London 2012 Games. Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way here first. After an initial trial period, the app makes users confirm that they subscribe to a cable or satellite service that carries

CNBC and MSNBC. So the NBC Olympics Live Extra app is a great option for Olympics junkies who want to watch live and recorded video footage from all the events from the office, on the road, or anywhere without access to a television screen.

For anyone with aspirations to one day compete in the Olympics,the Michael Johnson Motiv8 iPhone and iPod Touch app is a worthy investment. The app includes training tips and motivational speeches from the 4-time Track and Field gold medalist. Upload music tracks to the app, and Johnson will even offer feedback on your selections. More functionally, the app also maps the distance and speed of your runs, and brag about personal bests to your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

— From Appolicious

Samsung Academy is incubation centre, says Gov Fashola

BY EMEKA AGINAM

L

AGOS State Gover nor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has described Samsung Engineering Academy as an incubation center that is expected y to equip young entrepreneurs with the technical skills neeeded for self reliance in the competitive job market..

Fashola while speeking at the opening ceremony of the Academy located within the premises of Government Technical College, Agidingbi, Ikeja, noted that there was an urgent need to develop technical skills in students noting that existing technicians must have knowledge that are relevant to modern technology.

“Upcoming technicians must be exposed to cutting edge technology if they must remain competitive. There is no doubt that a sound knowledge of modern technology is the most important resource for entrepreneurship and wealth creation for technicians,” he said.

He noted that the college is not only a knowledge hub but will also open up job opportunities for the people of Lagos which is in line with

OPENING: Governor Babatunde Fashola dspeaking at the commissioning of Samsung Engineering Academy while Nicholas Chin, MD, Samsung Electronics West Africa looks on. his administration’s drive to create jobs especially for young citizens.

In his remarks, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Nicholas Shin said that the aim was to promote co-operation, innovation, wealth creation and to facilitate thought leadership in communities where we operate in response to the real need and conditions”.

“Samsung Engineering Academy is our CSR initiative, undertaken in response of the need to train skilled workforce of technicians who will become service experts empowered to create

wealth. Samsung as a quality service-oriented company aims to link CSR activities to sustain our level of innovation, which can only be achieved if we invest in quality education to empower the youth”, he explained.

Samsung started the first phase of the academies in South Africa in March 2011. The South African Academy officially ended its pilot phase of the program as the first class of students graduated in January, 2012. In February, a second Academy was launched in Kenya.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 —25

TD partners Mercury on power solutions Stories by PRINCE OSUAGWU

I

CT Distributors, Te c h n o l o g y Distributions Limited has added Mercury products to its bouquet of international ICT brands saying the partnership would usher a new era in power solutions.

Speaking while consummating the partnership in Lagos at the weekend, Executive Director Marketing, TD, Mrs. Chioma Chimere,said that it would be natural to expect that the resources of TD and Mercury in terms of experience, technology, distributive channel, and finance would resolve most of the challenges arising from Power in the West African sub region.

The addition of Mercury to the TD family, according to Chimere will provide Resellers with a wide range of Power products, computers and lifestyle products to meet the needs of the market She added that these included Power products like UPS, AVR, Inverters, surge protector , among others.

Other products, included Computer Parts like main board, casing, networking products and Accessories such as speak-

*L-r: Salim Shaik suppots Engineer ,Kobian, Etiene Etukudo, ED ICT Brokers, Shahnawaz Khan, Country Head, Kobian, Chioma Chimere ED Technology Distribution and other participants, after consumating the partnership in Lagos

ers, PC camera, Media disc among others.

Chimere also said that Nigerians would be able to easily access Computer Systems like tablets, notebook etc.

For her, the TD/Mercury partnership would bring immense benefits to the West African ICT market because of the opportunity to confront and domesticate trusted Indian technology even as she described the partnership as a typical South South collaboration.

Also, the Country Head of Kobian Computers, Shahnawaz Khan explained that Mercury is a brand from Kobian Computers and expressed satisfaction at the partnership. He said that Kobian computers maintains service centers wherever they are operating not only for the purpose of supporting

sold products but also as a means of building technical capacities among the local communities. He said that the Mercury products are backed by a strong warranty that is delivered by these service centers. Recounting the benefits of the partnership, he said, that the existing TD Resellers would acquire more technical experience as their businesses get bigger and more profitable.

In addition, Mr. Khan said that the pricing of Mercury products is very competitive as they are produced for the mass and not the class market.

Technology Distributions Limited commenced business in May 1999 as bulk distributor in West Africa for HP, Microsoft, APC by Schneider, and Epson.

SAP showers Fate foundation competition winner with Business one solution

I

N an apparent move to support the small and medium-size entrepreneurs, NetServe Africa, a SAP channel partner recently awarded its top prized solution, SAP Business One to the first prize winner of the 2012 Fate Foundation Annual Business Plan Competition The Fate Foundation competition included entrepreneurs who have enrolled in the programme and presented their business plans to potential investors.

SAP Business One according to the company officials has all the processes needed for a young entrepreneur to run his entire business. The solution provides complete business management functions covering financials, sales, customers, inventory, and operations.

It is designed specifically for small businesses, it is fast and easy to implement from two to eight weeks.

Explaining the reason the company made granted

the solution award,Managing Director of Netserve Africa, Adenusi Adebola who presented the solution to Sir William Park, the winner of the competition, said that the company has been in the IT business for a good number of years and has come to understand that for business to grow, it needs to be automated, manage the processes as well as having access to business data immediately.

He said this helps to or-

ganise business activities, giving a better view of total operations.

He also noted that “NetServe has been in partnership with Fate Foundation for some time now, and we are thrilled to present SAP Business One to the winner. We are confident that through the SAP Business One application the winner, Sir William Park will be able to streamline his business processes, act on time, and accelerate profitable growth.”

Nigeria Internet Group presents cheque to Internet for Job I4J winners recently: 1st from right is the NIG President, Engr. Adebayo Banjo, 1st from left is the I4J Competition Coordinator/NIG I4J Committee Chairperson, Miss Nkemdilim Uwaje while 3rd from right is the I4J 2012 Grant Winner, Mr. Doyin Talabi and team members at the cheque presentation in Ikeja

26—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 27

Airtel targets low income users with Quick Talk

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

‘Why e-govt projects fail in Nigeria’ A

,

forum to discuss possible ways of successfully implementing the CBN’s cashless policy, organised by the Electronic Payment Providers Association of Nigeria, EPPAN in Abuja recently uncovered why several e-government initiatives keep failing, saying that until those loopholes are plugged, cost of governance would remain high.

Chief among the problems, the forum discovered, was inability of government to invest in technologies that could easily drive governance and administration of its various processes and systems. Besides, the forum also frowned at the inability of government to always deliver on its promises and responsibilities to the people, saying that this has created apathy and caused every initiative of government to suffer lack of confidence and trust from people.

The two-day event tagged E-payment for Government Forum, was held as part of a knowledge building and skills development initiative in government circles in preparation for cashless Nigeria.

Apathy on e-govt

Delivering a paper titled Getting Government closHere’s an absolutely amazing story of a man who was reunited with his son in an interesting series of events facilitated by some caring people and the power of the Internet.

Here’s the story Months later, Ron’s son sees the video on YouTube and James facilitated a reunion/meeting over a hangout. The father and son had never met before.

LATE in 2011, a writer for the website True American Story came across a homeless military veteran named Ronald Paul Burden and recorded a short video detailing his struggle.

Little did Burden know, his long-lost son would eventually come across the clip on YouTube, and coordinate the most unlikely of Google+ Hangout sessions — a father and son, half the country apart, speaking to each other for the very first time.

er to the people, at in utilizing varithe event, Director ous e-payment Payment Solutions services and assoand VAS, Interciated infrastrucswitch, Mr ture by majority of Charles Ifedi said the citizenry. that the current attempt by CBN to Way entrench a cashforward less transaction After several destructure in the liberations by macountry was a jor stakeholders at laudable initiative the event, it was that can easily agreed that for place Nigeria government to among the 20 leapfrog from its world economies past experiences, on or before the it must adopt a year 2020. He howmulti-channel revever regretted that enue collections the initiative may system where revalso suffer setback zMr Charles Ifedi,Interswitch’s enue collections if past mistakes of Director for Payment Solutions & can be carried out government are VAS at bank branches not addressed and Closed card systems and other chanadequately cornels as well as rected. For him, like voters card, naencouraging on“several failed attional ID card, etc are line revenue coltempts at entrenchlection. ing e-government not adding value Stakeholders initiatives like the also advocated for National ID card a citizens health manageproject has created some the citizens” adding that form of apathy and mis- until these schemes were ment solution that can deliver healthcare servictrust on any project from harmonised or done away es to citizens through government.” with, government might partnerships with not be taken seriously on HMOs; personnel manDifferent card any e-government issue. agement solutions that schemes, no real Other factors he identified can ensure efficient emas against the e- govern- ployee management and values ment progress in NigerHe also lamented that ia, included that of inad- thereby eliminate leakagthere were “several closed equate IT infrastructure to es, particularly those systems with different drive e-payment in Niger- caused by ghost workers. cards for different purpos- ia, inadequate support Government was also ades like the Voters Card, from government which vised to automate the disNational ID card, State ID leave most of the initia- bursement of social benecards, Health Card among tives largely pioneered by fits to deserving citizens others, which are not add- the private sector and lack so that people get exactly ing any tangible value to of the needed know-how what they are deserving of.

,

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

Father reunites with long-lost son via Google+Hangout zA chance blog post brings father and son together after years of searching In December of last year, Worley spotted the homeless veteran chasing down a bus in order to help a handicapped man board it. Worley was so touched by the gesture that he shot a video as Burden explained what life on the streets is like. Worley posted the video to True American Story, where it sat for several months. Thanks

to a lucky hit on YouTube, Burden's son Travis came across the video and contacted Worley in hopes of tracking down his father. Worley eventually organized a Google+ hangout so the two could chat for the very first time.

In the heartwarming video, Burden and his son, Travis Prescott, spend a solid 47 minutes

catching up on things and generally enjoying each others' company for the first time ever. Prescott currently lives in Texas with his wife, while Burden resides in Florida. The elder talks of his fruitless search for his son, and the two speak excitedly as they anticipate meeting face-toface in the near future.

I

N its drive to offer more its customers more talking opportunities, Nigerias telecom operator, Airtel Nigeria last week unveiled Quick Talk package in Lagos.

The innovative package is designed to empower it customers especially the youth and those with lower purchasing power connect easily to friends and loved ones, as well as sustain their commercial activities. The new service stretches both a 50 and 100 naira recharges to give 60 seconds of talk time up to N50 or above in their to any network in Nigeria every day for three and seven consecutives days respectively.

Airtel’s COO, Deepak Srivatrava, said “the offer is yet another initiative from Airtel to drive home

its resolve to consistently delight Nigerians with innovative telecommunication offerings that makes sense and bring affordability to the masses that would benefit greatly from telecommunications.

“Airtel has been at the forefront of providing customer-centric and affordable services in the Nigerian market. This has seen the brand delight subscribers in Nigeria especially its customers including the youth, with excellent service packages that not only provides them with fun and excellent, but adds value to their businesses and love lives irrespective of economic status or present financial constraints. The Quick Talk package will further enhance the virtues.”

Olympics: Glo offers 77% discount on roaming

T

OP telco, Globacom, has introduced a special promotion which offers subscribers up to 77% reduction in charges for roaming in the United Kingdom.

The promotion, called “Summer Olympics Promo”, is targeted at Glo Nigerian pre-paid subscribers in the United Kingdom for summer holiday, or for the on-going Olympic Games which ends August 12. The reduced charges are for calls and sending text messages (SMS) and will last from July to September, 2012.

Steve Stretch, Head of Glo Gateway and Glo 1, said “prepaid subscribers roaming on the Glo network in the UK between July and September will enjoy 77% reduction in tariffs when making calls by paying only N100 a minute instead of the old rate of N441. Similarly, the tariff for receiving calls during the period of the promo has been reduced

by 39% from N49 to N30 per minute, while the SMS charge has been slashed from N63 to N30, which is a 52% reduction.”

Mr. Stretch assured all Glo prepaid subscribers roaming on the company’s partner networks in the UK that they would enjoy seamless communication with their Glo lines while making and receiving calls or sending SMS. He explained that the huge tariff slash was made possible through special discount deals Glo negotiated with its mobile operator partners in the UK. “We want them to have a blissful time spending summer in the UK or attending the Olympics. All they need do is to top up their account to benefit from the unique tariffs and enjoy seamless communication with their friends, family and business associates back home in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.”

Firm donates IT lab to school

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

A

S part of its corpo rate responsibility of giving back to the society, an IT firm, EMC has donated an IT Laboratory and new computers to Iwerekun Community Senior Secondary School, Lakowe in the Ibeju Lekki Local Government area of Lagos State.

Delivering his speech at the commissioning of the EMC's " Youth IT Literary Project", the Senator representing the Lagos East Senatorial District, Senator Gbenga Ashafa expressed his profound appreciation to EMC for

their belief in Nigeria and redefining the template in practical ways worthy of emulation in contemporary Corporate Nigeria.

Senator Ashafa, said " It is no longer news that government alone cannot fulfill and meet all social and infrastructural expectations. All over the developed world, the private sector remains the catalyst of real infrastructural development across all major sectors of the economy; and it is absolutely important for government, at all levels of our polity, to facilitate condition conducive for business to thrive".

28—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 29

C M Y K

30 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

ONDO GUBER:

Politics of picking deputies THE major political parties in Ondo State have picked their gubernatorial candidates for the October 20 election.

But the choice of their deputies is laced with deep intrigues and proxy wars.

BY DAYO JOHNSON

I

T was not surprising that the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN decided to defer the selection of a running mate to its gubernatorial candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

After all, the party is yet to fully recover from the crisis that followed its selection of Rotimi Akerodolu as its flag bearer for the October 20 election.

The ACN, remarkably, is presently the only one among the major political parties in the state that as of press time was yet to announce its choice of a deputy governorship candidate.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Candidate, Chief Olusola Oke, picked Saka Lawal, one of the aggrieved gubernatorial aspirants formerly in the ACN as his running mate. While the incumbent and Labour Party, LP candidate, Olusegun Mimiko has sustained his deputy, Alhaji Ali Olanusi for a fresh term.

Mimiko’s decision to pick the 70 year old Olanusi, who is from the North was despite the temptation arising from the return of Dr. Olu Agunloye to the party.

It was not surprising that one of the rival political parties in the state sought to stoke a crisis in the party with reports that Mimiko was set to dump

S

ENATOR Arthur Nzeribe it appears has not lost his amazing instinct to stand out for good or for bad. It is no surprise that he earned for himself the epithet of ‘the maverick’ one in the nation’s political landscape.

I will never forget how during his days in the Senate he lured two successful Generals in the Senate, Senators David Mark and Tunde Ogbeha into a battle with Senator Adolphus Wabara, only to abandon them in the heat of battle.

With Senator Mark was firmly enthroned at the peak of the Senate leadership and Nzeribe out of the Upper Chamber in the past five years, it is hardly surprising that the Senate has had a kind of stability that eluded the House in the past.

When he was outfoxed by Achike Udenwa using Osita Izunaso as a proxy in the 2007 senatorial election, it was not surprising that many of his critics heaved a sigh of relief that he had finally received his comeuppance.

Senator Nzeribe is, however, not one to be that easily dismissed. After almost four years

use his popularity in the area to deliver the votes from the senatorial district to the party while Lawal would complement him by mobilizing support in the North.

However, it is suggested in some quarters that the ChristianChristian ticket of the PDP could backfire as the other political parties have started using it as a campaign issue.

Besides, the PDP is equally faced with the internal challenge by party members, who are questioning the choice of a new entrant in the person of Lawal as some are asking why none of the existing faithful members from the North was not chosen.

Campaign committee

*Akeredolu

*Mimiko: Iroko Olanusi, a move that would have inevitably generated ill-wind for Mimiko in the Akoko region of the state.

“We do not have a crisis in our party and it was all the figment of the imagination of the opposition,” a close aide of

Mimiko told Vanguard as he added “why should we change a winning team?”

The decision of PDP leaders to give the deputy governorship slot to the ACN defector was seen as a political calculation to compete with the LP for the votes in the

POLITICAL METABOLISM with

EMMANUEL AZIKEN

The re-emergence of the maverick politician of political hibernation, the political craftsman last Monday re-emerged with a damning commentary on the polity.

He was especially critical of the threat by the House of Representatives to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan on the basis of the latter’s perceived failures in the implementation of the 2012 budget.

It was not as if the four -time senator was especially fond of Jonathan as he berated his handling of the Boko Haram crisis, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and sundry issues of governance.

His depiction of the House of Representatives was, however,

particularly condescending.

“Nobody respects the average lawmaker anymore in Nigeria.

With the kind of corruption in the system, I do not think the impeachment threat is real,” he said.

Nzeribe’s depiction of the moral fiber of the Nigerian lawmaker apparently stems from the recent failures of the legislature in taking its place of authority in the polity.

After raising the hope of many Nigerians the legislators have several times turned around to betray that hope. Not too long ago as the leadership of the House of Representatives sought to gain the moral high ground, it emerged that members of the

North given that the LP chose its running mate from the area while the ACN picked its own gubernatorial candidate from the region.

It is believed that the PDP picked Oke from the South in the hope that the candidate would House invited to the Offshore Technology Conference, OTC in Texas, United States, had rejected the sponsorship of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC to the conference.

The OTC in all respects, has in recent times been variously described as a jamboree or a carnival for legislators and NNPC officials.

After making the world believe that they would not go to the conference, senators and House members turned round to join the jamboree. The Farouk Lawan case, the Herman Hembe affair, the Power probe scandal that preceded this House and many other cases are examples of the comedown of the Nigerian legislature that led Senator Nzeribe on Monday to depict the moral incapacity of the legislators to tackle President Jonathan.

It is not as if the other arms of government or sectors in the polity are free from these moral failures.

However, the focus on the legislatorse arises from the significant position of the legislators to address the failures

Even the appointment of one of them, Dr Dare Bada, as the Director-General of the party’s campaign committee to placate the people from the Central is seen by many as inconsequential. However, it is being speculated that Dr Bada may have been promised the position of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG if the party is able to uproot Iroko.

Other members of the campaign team include another former governorship aspirant, Comrade Alaba Isijola and former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mayowa Akinfolarin Expectation that the choice of Lawal would favour the LP was pooh-poohed by some leaders of the PDP, who say that the youthful Lawal is a silent operator that can only be ignored by his opponents

Continues from page 39 of society. Remarkably, few doubt the capacity of the present leaderships of the Senate and the House to give their colleagues the right bearing. They may have done well thus far but they should do more.

Postscript

In a worthy demonstration of solidarity with his constituents, Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, yesterday, swiftly condemned the atrocious killing of 16 members of the Deeper Life Bible Church within his constituency in Okene, Kogi State the day before. It was a commendable action that many other Northern leaders should emulate from the young senator who did not mince words in showing his revulsion over the action.

Many of those challenged by Chief Edwin Clark to condemn the killing of innocent Nigerians should follow the lead of this young man in speaking and standing against the terror in the land.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 31

during a visit to the United States in 2009. He told us the magnitude of the equipment and declared his seriousness to get the project executed to the letter.”

Demokun further disclosed that the equipments would soon be distributed to all hospitals in the three senatorial districts in the state.

“As you can see, the contents of the containers are enormous, the design is that all hospitals in Kogi are made to benefit from this gesture so that the basic items will no longer be the cause of deaths in our various hospitals,” she added.

A look into a 15-page document which detailed the various equipment, revealed the availability of various items in different fields of medicine.

The equipment

*The medical equipment donated by Adeyemi

Adeyemi's healthy touch in Kogi With the National Assembly drawn in battle with the executive over the execution of the 2012 constituency projects, Senator Smart Adeyemi moves to bridge the gap in equipment and consumables in Kogi hospitals.

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

G

IVEN the dispute over the implementation of constituency projects in the 2012 budget, the people of Kogi West Senatorial District may have a reason for cheer.

Senator Smart Adeyemi, representing the constituency in the Senate, has been able to mobilise health equipment and

consumbales worth more than N100 million for the facilities in the district.

Using the platform of a NonGovernmental Organisation, NGO, the Kingstone Charity Organisation, KCO, the equipment and consumables were recently presented to the people as a mark of the Senator's identity with the health challenges of the people.

The event in Kabba, was a watershed for the people of Kogi West, given that it appeared to have signalled the beginning of a new dawn in their health sector.

Speaking during the presentation, Senator Adeyemi who is also Chairman of KCO, stated that the donation was informed by the dire need for a proper healthcare system in the state.

The politics of picking deputies Continues from page 38 to their peril. He spat fire during the recent PDP congress where he was picked, saying “If Mimiko has seven strategies to win this election; I will tell him I have 14 strategies to bring him down. The good omen for me is that I have about 264 leaders across the 203 wards in Ondo State and out of these 264 leaders, just two of them refused to follow me to PDP. I can tell you that 98 per cent of the people I mobilized in ACN have equally joined me in the PDP. “What I have decided to do now is to begin house-to-house campaign and in the next one month, it will be clear to everybody in Ondo State that come October 20, 2012, the People’s Democratic Party will win the election.”

However, it is speculated that many of the leaders of the PDP do not believe in the Oke ticket and have decided to Sidon look.

The ACN on its part has been remarkably quiet on the choice

of its running mate to Akeredolu besides the disclosure that the choice would be made from Ondo South.

About 10 persons are believed to be presently scheming for the position.

The zoning of the Deputy governorship slot to the Southern area by the ACN is strategic in the sense that they want to split the votes in the riverine area believed to be the stronghold of the PDP candidate.

But the party is apparently yet to decide on who to pick to confront Oke in his domain.

The party had waited for Mimiko to pick his candidate believing that the incumbent would succumb to pressures and drop Olanusi from the North for the present Commissioner for Special Duties Hon Niran Sule Akinsuyi who hails from Owo. ACN was hoping that the people from the North would show their grievances by voting against the LP. However, sensing the landmine ahead, Mimiko who is

fondly called the Iroko of Ondo politics surprised the opposition party when he told the mammoth party faithful at the party’s congress that he would run with the “old horse” despite pressures to drop his deputy.

The ACN leaders' who are yet to recover from this according to sources within the party are now perfecting their Plan B to rattle Iroko in the coming election.

*Olusola Oke

The list indicated: "various categories of Catheters suction14fr; catheters suction 16fr and other types of Catheters in over 1,000 packs, 6,000 packs of universal bed covers and convertors; breathing system connectors; cervical collars of different ranges; catheters urinary Foley of different types; more than 10,000 disposable seat covers; defibrators/pacemakers; adult disposable diapers; drainage bags; surgical items including disposable drapes; dressing

He said that having toured round the state during his campaigns, he discovered that many were dying because of past neglect of the health sector.

Adeyemi maintained that instead of waiting on the F e d e r a l Government’s Millennium Development Goals,MDGs, programmes to perform similar function, he embarked on the project as a personal sacrifice.

"The equipment were not donated to us, we bought them through the efforts of the NGO, which I chair and this is a way of appreciating my people in the rural areas, who gave me their mandate to serve. *Adeyemi: Health is wealth I believe health is wealth and I have and dressing seen many medical centres foams lacking basic medical equipment petrolatulum among others.”

Others are; ‘’over 500 packs for diagnosis and even blood pressure measuring devices, not of assorted abdominal pads; to talk of syringes and equipment absorbent solidifying agents; adult easy cap adapters; for anesthesia.

I believe that I must do all I can Esophageal tranchea, single and to augment the efforts of the State compatible; assorted amnu bags; and Federal Governments and blood gas analyzers; airways 28frkn; other philanthropic organizations Nasopharyngeal towards improving the health of applicators, cholarep applicators; Kogi West people and the entire general purpose aprons; aspiration collection canisters Kogi State,” he said.

Giving further insight into the (assorted) and Patient tote bags."

There are also "dental ejectors; largesse, Administrative Officer of the NGO Barrister Bola eye ware safety plastics; feeding Demokun, described the tubes; filters, heaters and equipment and consumables as moisture exchangers; thoracic all brand new products which cartherters; gauge dressings of were paid for instalmentally from different sizes numbering over the manufacturers in the United 15,000; gloves , chemotherapy exam, pf medium kn, disposable States.

She said, “the distinguished gowns; exam powder gloves Senator, who is the Chairman of small and large; infusion the NGO, approved the pumps(PCA) and many more. installment payment for the goods

32 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

FG plans PC ownership for students in tertiary institutions Continues from Page 23

month over up to 24 months to own a laptop.

While assuring the Board of Beta Computers represented the chairman, Dr. Anthony Oboh, and two other directors, of government commitment to BuyNigeria, the Minister said: “We are going to work with the banks. We will work out the payment structure so that no student runs away without adequate payment for the PC. We cannot continue to be consumers of foreign products. With our large student population, we will create

MTN rewards MyOffice users MTN Nigeria recently rewarded some SME customers using MTN MyOffice application. Here, from left are SME Segment Manager, Sharaf Mohammed; Regional/ SME Sales Manager, Mr. Leke Adekunle presenting Mr. Keku Daniel of Pahek Security Service with a gift pack comprising of an Ipad3, Modem, and other items at MTN MyOffice customer reward prize presentation ceremony in Lagos, last week.

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Arguments on technicalities A critical look at the opinion and related statements did not present any argument on technicalities as to the reason why indigenous software is not of reckoning to the aviation operations and services.

This opinion is a fallacy and goes a long way to publicly display the deep ignorance of how software product functionality, quality and integrity emerges and are sustained. It is therefore constructive at this junction, to emphasize that “No software in the world is perfect” – that is why continuous versioning of applications and solutions are strategic imperatives.

Software engineering is about transforming organisational policy, functions, business processes and operations culture into an automated systems solution.

To state that Software Nigeria can not deliver related solution is a great misconception.

Indigenous software: SAHCOL got it all wrong! applications are predomi-

,

HE purpose of this write up is to present an empirically informed understanding of the processes inherent in software development dynamics as a professional response by the Institute of Software Practitioners’ of Nigeria (ISPON) to statements credited to one Adejare Adekitan, a staff and head of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) at Skyway Aviation Company Limited (SAHCOL). The views would definitely not go unnoticed by discerning IT professionals and indigenous software developers. This response aims to correct the very misleading impression by the source – Mr. Adejare.

Mr Adejare in his remarks emphasised the continued patronage of foreign software as against indigenous software (Software Nigeria).

He missed the point by expressing the view that Africa has no credible software developers which is equal to saying that orthodox medicine cures all illnesses in Africa

It is important to emphasise the following to debug and debunk the fallacy embedded in the statement of Mr Adejare: 1. All software solutions of the world are delivered with one, many, and several process flaws or malfunctions in them – that is why there are many versions, leading to system capability and maturity model (CMM). Even at that, the complexity of human needs continues to demand more drive for perfection that makes flawless software process a mirage.

2. There are numerous foreign software – imported into Nigeria and deployed\implemented by the aviation and banking, oil and gas sectors and other core industries at colossal costs to shareholders and the national economy - that have either FAILED to perform, or fulfil the contract scope of works!

3. I doubt if Mr Adejare is listed in the membership registry of Professional IT/ Software Practitioners’ of Nigeria and his opinion to say the least is grossly uninformed and a layman's view. His views are grossly misleading, ignorant of software attributes and should not be taken as expert

opinion. Lest Mr Adejare forgets, an electrical engineering graduate who to my view had never ventured or written any reasonable software application for the aviation industry, should not arrogate to himself to be an expert judge on indigenous software. By extension, he missed the point by expressing the view that Africa has no credible software developers which is equal to saying that orthodox medicine cures all illnesses in Africa. Nay, the matter is about human intellect and creativity – that is software - and Africa/Nigeria have them plenty. Let it be said that various indigenous application software are driving the significant operations of some of Nigeria’s top performing industries, in aviation, banking, oil and gas, and so on.

The critical issue of this subject matter is focused on the fact that Software development lifecycle has two fundamental elements: Domain Knowledge and R&D-driven Professional Expertise on Analytical Process to codify the required solutions – applying specific tools and standard procedures. In that context, aviation

nantly and indirectly addressed and specified by domain knowledge resources from the sector (who generate the operational policy roadmap brief) working directly with software analysts’ engineers and developers who apply technology process logic and tools to deliver the assessed needs of the client. Same applies to space exploration, communications, financial, accounting, payroll, construction, medical, agricultural, oil & gas solutions to mention but a few.

Software solutions Application software solutions, from the above mentioned domain are often subjected to intensive domain brief and research, through various channels of investment – particularly encouraged by the financial institutions.

The gestation period is long – maturity timeline ranges from minimum three to five to seven years and upwards to many decades at the enterprise level. To the best of our knowledge, there has not been any of such classified investment into the software industry in Nigeria either by the aviation, oil and gas, banking or any other venture capitalist sector. What Mr Adejare seems to forget is that indigenous software developers read from the same universities, books and use the same tools as their foreign coun-

terparts. Enabling environment may differ. But Nigeria is and will remain our primary laboratory for practice and quality assurance.

Indeed, the domain policy, operational requirements and briefs from the clients are then matched with the technology needsassessment of the clients to enable the software developers come up with the desired design and appropriate tools capable of delivering the solution.

Software - simply defined as computer software, or just software, is the collection of computer programs and related data designed to provide the logical instructions directing a computer hardware or related devices on what to do. The term was coined to contrast to the old term hardware (meaning physical devices). In contrast to hardware, software is intangible, meaning it “cannot be touched”. Software is also sometimes used in a more narrow sense, meaning application software only.

Most of these applications software are derived from DOMAIN needs and replicate the operational characteristics of such domain.

Coming from the Aviation sector which should be concerned about the growth of the economy, this is really heart-breaking and goes a long way to show that majority of our aviation service providers and institutions are not committed to the growth of Software Nigeria and the economy.

Mr Adejare of SAHCOL got it all wrong by asserting that foreign software solutions are the answer to Nigeria’s aviation sector.

He has not stopped to think of the peculiarity of adaptive technology which can only be guaranteed by local developers.

To be continued

demand for our local manufacturers with a level playing ground and healthy competition among them.”

Mrs Johnson, who has been preaching Buy Nigeria goods assured that the present administration was committed in device penetration among Nigerians but lamented that only 10% PCs in use were locally manufactured.

What we saying is that more devices will be pushed into the market through this scheme so that local brands can create jobs for Nigerians. This is the only way to move forward and create captive market for local computer manufacturer’s , she said.

Beta boss lauds FG Earlier in his response, the Managing Director of Beta Computers, Mr. Will Anyaegbunam was full of praise for the minister for conceiving the laudable scheme and the methodical way and thought process that is very evident in her approach to its implementation. He assured her that “we are ready to partner with the government on this scheme. We have the capacity to do that with our high quality SPEEDSTAR range of Computers.”

While commending the federal government on scheme, Mr. Anyaegbunam identified negative perception as the major challenge indigenous brands face in the market today. This he said is in spite of the fact that there is no real difference in what foreign brands are doing in PC manufacturing and what the locals are doing .

All the Laptops contain the same Intel processors and motherboards and the chassis known as “barebones” come from the same top ODMs (Original Design Manufacturer’s) in Asia.

He assured the Minister that with BETA’s over 20 years’ experience in the ICT industry in Nigeria, SPEEDSTAR Laptops offer the best value in the market for propagating the desired e-learning experience of Nigerian scholars at every level which is part of the requirements of the 21st century knowledge economy.

Anyaegbunam further said that their PCs products have been put through stringent quality tests that ensure the user gets the very best in performance, stability and compatibility while providing excellent scalability and practical functionality for both home and enterprise computing demands.

Vanguard,WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012—33

Money Laundering: Falana seeks global measures against ‘Safe haven’ banking

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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ECENTLY appointed Senior Advocate of Nigeria and President West African Bar Association, Mr. Femi Falana has called for global measures against ‘safe haven’ banking to streghten the fight against money laundering and corruption “A global effort is essential to force banks that elude regulations to discontinue managing accounts for corrupt leaders”, he said in Dakar Senegal on Monday “If the banks are held accountable for their clients' illegal activities, there finally will be an incentive to prevent money laundering”he said at the Regional Sensitization Workshop on Anti-money laudering/Counter Terrrorism Financing Civil Society Organizations convened by Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).

In a paper titled, “The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Fighting Corruption-Issues and Challenges”, Falana said, “While money laundering is only one aspect of the problem of grand corruption, eliminating safe hiding places for kleptocrats to stash their wares is a fundamental step in preventing grand corruption. ´It is absolutely important to create a coalition of international financial centers committed to denying access and financial safe haven to kleptocrats. There is also the need for developed countries to allow their legal systems to prosecute corruption offences and to voluntarily

transfer seized illicitly acquired assets. Money launderers go to great lengths particularly to hide the source of their funds”.

Accusing western financial institutions of encouraging money laundering, he said, “In spite of the undeniable fact that western financial institutions promote money laundering and corruption in Africa the United States government lacks the moral integrity to talk down on Africans over the corrupt practices of a few rulers. In the same vein the Transparency International should stigmatize Switzerland and other countries that

keep stolen wealth from poor nations as the most corrupt countries in the world.

“Switzerland operates a fraudulent banking system which provides a safe haven for corrupt leaders to keep stolen wealth. Through such dubious banking system Switzerland has frustrated all legal measures to recover billions of dollars stolen from poverty stricken nations.”

He said that while civil society organisations have a role to play in the fight against corruption and financial crimes, they cannot successfully wage the war against corruption, money laundering and terrorism financing without

forming an alliance with political parties, trade unions, women and youth organizations with a view to fighting together for a society where the welfare and security of the majority of the people will be the primary purpose of government.

“The vital role of the Civil Society Organizations is to maintain and achieve public accountability, trust and probity in public service. The first steps for the CSOs in their efforts at ensuring transparency in government is to call on the government to adopt all measures put in place by the international community towards fighting the corruption scourge”, he said.

GGRIEVED tax payers have a right to seek redress from government approved agencies within 30 days of receipt of tax assessment, Chairman Publicity Committee, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Chukwuemeka Eze has said.

Speaking at the Mandatory Professional Training Programme for tax stakeholders, organised by the CITN in Ibadan, he explained that aggrieved taxpayer is expected to send a letter of objection to the relevant tax authority where, the liability attached to him will be challenged.

However, the objection must be raised within 30 days of receipt of the tax assessment after which it may be sustained, rejected, or the revised

ACCA develp apps for enhance knowledge acquisition

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SSOCIATION of Chartered Certified Accountants) (ACCA) has d e v e l o p e d Two new applications (apps)s for students and people working in the accountancy profession to enhance knowledge acquision.

Known as the Student Planner and the Research and Insights apps, they provide.

ACCA students and accountancy professionals access to information at their fingertips, to keep them organised and informed of key accounting issues.

The Student Planner app is free to download and is available on the iPhone.

It contains advice on how to get started with the ACCA qualification, pass exams, gain experience and behave ethically and professionally.

It also features a countdown to key dates relating to exams and recording experience, with the ability to set alerts for these events and synchronise them with their iPhone calendar.

Plans for gaining experience

From left: Barr. Ayodele Da-Silva (Chairman, Education Committee, CITN); Barr.

Chukwuemeka Eze (Chairman, Publicity & Publications Committee, CITN); Dr. (Mrs.) Teju Somorin (Deputy Vice President and representative of the President, CITN); and Dr. Yusuf (Chairman, CITN Ibadan District Society) at Lafia Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo State, venue of the Mandatory Professional Training Programme (MPTP), where Barr. Eze spoke on Dispute Resolution and Improved Relationship between Tax Authority and Taxpayer.

Aggrieved tax payers can appeal in 30 days, says expert

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depending on facts presented. A rejection may be backed up with a Notice of Refusal to Amend Assessment (NORA).

He said that the National Tax Policy envisages that there would be disputes between taxpayers and organs of government and has made specific resolutions on them. The policy recognized that that the organ of government that is responsible with the primary activities of assessment and collection of taxes and levies at the Federal and State Government levels respectively are the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the various States Internal

Revenue Service (SIRS) or State Boards of Internal Revenue (SBIR).

However, he said that in the course of performance of their functions, the tax authorities have had cause to disagree with taxpayers.

Options available for dispute resolution may be by arbitration or litigation. The FIRS has a Tax Dispute Resolution Committee (TDRC) for this purpose while a State like Lagos has the Tax Audit Reconciliation Committee (TARC).

He said that an aggrieved taxpayer may approach the relevant committee in a tax authority to resolve a dispute. Beyond these internal dispute resolution mechanisms, litigation is

another means of resolving tax disputes.

He said that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 provides for judicial resolution of disputes and the National Assembly has been empowered to, in appropriate cases create additional courts for this purpose.

He said that the FIRS Act is not superior to section 251 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution, which gives exclusive civil jurisdiction on tax matters to the Federal High Court. In any case, decisions of the Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT) are subject to further appeal to the Federal High Court, and finally to the Court of Appeal.

The application is an interactive tool to work out when they might become an ACCA member, based on their progress and if they stay on track with their study and plans for gaining experience. And it provides an insight into how fast they are progressing and tips on how to move faster through to ACCA membership.

It provides a free Research and Insights app has also been produced for the iPad, which keeps users up-to-date with the latest reports that have been published.

The app also explores trends and issues crucial for business, economies, society and the accountancy profession, now and in the future.

There are other features to the app such as exclusive video interview with ACCA’s leading experts and interactive infographics.

Ewan Willars, policy director at ACCA, said: “These apps have been designed to make it easier to access information on technology that more and more people are now relying on, such as smartphones and tablets, in their busy day-to-day lives.

“This is part of ACCA’s digital strategy, which is about making our products and materials available to the online community.”

34—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

BRIEF ASIC bans director, cancels firm’s licences

Stories by ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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NSURANCE experts have said government must see to it that insurance premiums are included in yearly budgets of its organisations to reduce the incidence of non-payment of premiums which characterises insurance operations over the years.

Accordingly, it was stressed that government, which represented the largest chunk of insurance consumer, needed an acceptable insurance roadmap to maximize its insurances and minimize wastages.

President of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, Mrs. Laide Osijo said payment of insurance premiums by clients is a pre-condition for any insurance contract in line with Section 50(1) of the 2003 Insurance Act, which stipulates that failure to pay premium, the insurance companies would not pay claims when a loss occurs.”

In a presentation at the public hearing by the House of Representatives on Government Insurances recently, Osijo stressed that insurance brokers and underwriters involved in government accounts must always be invited to defend budgets and premium charged, to reduce the rampant allegations of insurance frauds, as well as provide government the opportunity of checks and

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The Managing Director LASACO Assurance Plc, Mr Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi presenting a cheque of Two Million Naira to the Chief Executive, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Mr Fola Arthur Worrey as donation of the company towards the security trust fund.

Govt companies urged to include insurance premium in yearly budgets balances.

“It is unfortunate that most of the allegations placed at the doorstep of the insurance industry were occasioned by inadequate information or knowledge about the operation of insurance and its conditions. This should be reduced to the barest minimum through constant interface between the industry

and government clients,” she said.

In order to develop the industry's manpower, the NCRIB boss submitted that government must constantly upscale the skills of its insurance desk officers to apprise them with the changing dynamics of insurance practice. She also advised that only

professionally qualified insurance personnel should be recruited henceforth to man such insurance departments or units.

The NCRIB boss commended the National Assembly for its oversight functions and promised the continuous support of the Council to the legislature in the discharge of its duties

NCRIB plans re-certification of Associates T

HE Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, NCRIB, said plans are already being concluded for the re-certification of NCRIB Associates.

The move, according to the NCRIB, is in a bid to dignify the Associateship certificate of the Council.

According to the President of the NCRIB, Mrs. Laide Osijo the re-certification is in line with the desire of her administration to dignify the practice of insurance broking and give more value to members.

She said “The new certificates will be adorable with securitized marks and would bear the passport pictures of members. Similarly, a window of opportunity will be open to insurance professionals who desire to join the broking fraternity, but are not yet associates of the Council. This will be done in tandem with the usual practice in other professions in order to widen the coast of broking profession in Nigeria. It is my hope that those that desire of this opportunity will take the

advantage when information goes round in due course.”

Meanwhile, on the 50 th anniversary of the NCRIB which will be coming up later in the year, Osijo said that the Council has decided to stream line the celebrations for maximum effect.

She said “Principally, events highlighted for celebration are

the commissioning of the NCRIB building and the launching of the 50th Anniversary book of the Council. Similarly, there would be conferment of Fellowship and Distinguished Awards on eminent dignitaries who had contributed to the growth of the industry since its inception. Anniversary Dinner

is to be held in Abuja. The Awards Night will be preceded by an Anniversary Lecture with the theme 50 Years of Insurance Broking in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects. We have gotten the Director General of British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA), Mr. Eric Galbraith to deliver the paper.”

Why people are not buying insurance products — CCO Mansard

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hief Client Officer of Mansard Insurance Plc, Mr. Tosin Runsewe has said that people are not buying insurance because many people are not aware of the benefits of insurance.

According to Runsewe, people need insurance so that they can provide a standard of living for their loved ones.

“For instance, we have a lot of customers who have borrowed money like N15million, N20million,who died in the recent Dana plane crash. If not because of the life insurance cover that they had

with us, the bank would have seized their property or apprehend their family in trying to collect the money. So we need to take this message out to people, enlightening the people.” He added that Nigerian insurance industries must be well capitalised, well regulated and certain to be sure that claims are paid as at when due. We need to continue to enforce regulation.

“In Mansard, If you buy your policy today, within 48 hours, your policy is in your hand, within 24hours you will get an email. All of these things we

have designed implemented and executed. We are very certain that as our customers continue to enjoy us in the next one, two years, we expect to see even more growth.

“Our institutional customers who are close to us, know the strength of our people, the depth of our technical expertise, they have experienced it and tested it" he said.

We are underwriters to all the five major companies in Nigeria today. We have open more distribution channels.

he director of a national financial services company has been permanently banned by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

The regulator says the decision to ban Dennis Cardakaris, a director of Sydney-based Morrison Carr Financial Services, from providing financial services and engaging in credit activities stems from its concern that he is “not of good fame and character.”

ASIC also cancelled the company ’s Australian financial services licence and Australian credit licence.

Morrison Carr provided financial planning and credit advice nationally through a network of 42 authorised representatives and seven credit representatives. ASIC says they will be asked to inform their clients of the licence cancellation.

An application to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review and stay of the ruling against Morrison Carr was withdrawn, although Mr. Cardakaris retains the right to seek a review of his own ban.

AIG beats forecasts for solid profit

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he resurrection of AIG continues, with the US insurance giant reporting a net profit of $US2.3 billion ($2.2 billion) for the three months to June 30, up 27 per cent from $US1.8 billion ($1.7 billion) for the corresponding period last year.

The profit was almost double that forecast by analysts, with an improved performance from its insurance operations the driver behind the profit bump.

AIG President and CEO Robert Benmosche lauded the insurance business for posting “solid profits” for the quarter.

The property and casualty business, Chartis, posted net profit excluding investment income of $US936 million ($895 million) for the quarter, up 20 per cent from $US783 million ($748 million) for the second quarter last year, while the combined operating ratio improved from 104 per cent to 102 per cent.

“At Chartis, second-quarter results demonstrated the continued progress in strategic initiatives to improve the mix of business, loss ratio and risk selection, all of which ultimately increases the intrinsic value of our global franchise,” Mr. Benmosche said.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012—35

Anenih@79: Politics and humanity in his blood TRIBUTE

By SUFUYAN OJEIFO

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HIEF Anthony Akhakon Anenih, who turned 79, Saturday, means different things to different people in the ecology of Nigerian politics: to some mischief makers, he is “Mr. Fix It.” To some mafia-minded people who have more than scant interest in politics, he is understandably “the godfather,” while to many others with a deep sense of appreciation of his humanity, he is “The Leader.”

But expectedly, it is the sobriquet of “The Leader” that Anenih himself relates to simply because that is what he, in all measures of reasonableness, truly is. People who are close to him pointedly address him as such to emphasis their loyal followership and it resonates well in his consciousness. None, close to him, has ever or can ever look into his eyes and address him as “Mr. Fix It” or “The godfather.”

The deprecating aura that both exude in the nation’s political arena does not aptly convey the essential content of the Anenih persona. Yet, the other camps have always played them up in their deliberate scheme to demonize him within and outside the cosmos of political affairs where he hit the limelight.

It is, indeed, paradoxical that politics, which brought him fame, has also earned him scorn. But then, he has chosen to bear the cross, his own cross: politics is in his blood and he plays it with all the passion and devotion of a religious aficionado. He accepts the compliments that come with it as well as the bashings. He relishes the victories, the accomplishments and the bravura performances of his party and candidates during electoral contests. He has also learned to live with the pains of defeat whenever he suffers any.

in 1992 by the late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua who was the first person to address him (Anenih) as “Leader” in recognition of his ability to galvanize men and harness resources for results. The late Yar’Adua was then jostling for the presidency on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP, while Anenih was then the National Campaign Director of the presidential project.

The description has since then stuck like the old adhesive tape and he (Anenih) has continued to relentlessly apply himself to the rigorous requirements and dictates of the position. Certainly, it is all about his humanity: here is a leader who is always touched with the feelings of the “infirmities” of his associates and followers and he always acts in accordance to bring joy into a grieving heart. It is the legendary generosity of this retired Police Commissioner turned businessman-politician, which is the core of the humanity component of his persona that I eulogize on this occasion.

Born in Uromi on August 4, 1933, he attended Government School, Uromi; Hendon and Scotland Yard Training School, United Kingdom; he was a Federal Government scholar, Brom Shill Police College, Bosing Stoke, Hampshire, United kingdom; International Police Academy, Washington, D.C. U.S.A. He was also at the Administra-

Erroneous impression This is his disposition to politics, which is far flung from Chief Tony Anenih the myth of invincibility that has been created around him by his traducers who have tried to create tive and Staff College, ASCON, Topothe erroneous impression in the minds Badagry in 1975. He was appointed of those who do not know him (Anenih) President, Benin Chambers of Comthat he behaves as a god in human flesh merce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, as far as politics and electoral contesta- 1978-84; and was elected life president, tions are concerned. But here is the true 1990.

He was Chairman of the defunct Naportrait of the man: a grand politician who is loyal to his leadership and fol- tional Party of Nigeria, NPN, in the old lowership; an ardent mobiliser of human Bendel State; he was National Camresources; a political strategist with the paign Director of Shehu Musa Yar’Adua can-do spirit who believes in positive for President in 1992; National Chairthinking as well as the force of great and man of the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP, from 1991 to 1993; he was reasonable expectations.

Consider his text message to his asso- member of the National Constitutional ciates and followers on the July 14, 2012 Conference in 1995 and member of the governorship election in Edo State: “This Presidential Policy Advisory Committee is to specially thank you for your com- of PDP in 1999. He was Minister of mitment and contributions to the efforts Works and Housing from 1999 to 2002 by the PDP to reclaim Edo State in the and later became Chairman of the PDP July 14 governorship election in the Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2007. He State. Although results appear complete- was Chairman of the Board of Nigerian ly at variance with all reasonable expec- Ports Authority, NPA, until the dissolutations, I encourage you to rest assured tion of all the boards this year. He holds that your sacrifices and labour of love will the traditional title of Iyasele (prime minister) of Esanland. He was conferred not be in vain….”

This has only reinforced his humanity with an honorary doctorate of the Uniwhich lends more credence to his capac- versity of Agriculture, Abeokuta. He also ity to play the role of a dependable lead- holds the national honour of Commander er, which fact was recognized way back of the Federal Republic, CFR.

Madam Rebecca Ayonmike

result of her concern for killings in Warri at the height of the ethnic crisis in the oil city. She urged the church to pray for the restoration of peace. Yet, she was ever punctual in church activities, the climax of which resulted in her winning the special Outstanding Weekly Attendance Award of the church on May 9, 2010.

She will undoubtedly be missed by all, especially her honest and outspoken perspective to issues. The love she showered on members of her household, especially her children cannot but be forgotten. In particular, her children and other members of her household remember with nostalgia that she was a disciplinarian who had no room for laziness, she does not tolerate discrimination in any form, “When Mama gives a task, she follows it up till it is done. The discipline she instilled on her children is seen as a beacon of light.

“Nothing like a dull moment with Mama”.

Definitely Mama’s children found in her a worthy mother that should be emulated, whose lifestyle challenged everyone to stand up for the truth. A firm believer in hard work and unrelenting will to succeed in life’s endeavours, everyone agrees that Mama was a great counsellor who related to newly married couples and helped young women to cope with matrimonial stress. They similarly remember her as a woman who stoutly stood for the unity of her family.

Madam Rebecca Ayonmike (1931-2012) TRIBUTE

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By ALICIA EJAYE

ACH time we travel with Her Excellency, Deaconess Roli Nere Uduaghan, to see her mother, Madam Rebecca Ayonmike, at Ugbuwangue, Warri, Mama’s smile always keeps us in a happy mood. There is an air of freedom and so much laughter. Blessed is the memory of the just! We remember Madam Rebecca Ayonmike in so many ways. And this gives us reasons to rejoice because she led a life worthy of emulation. Indeed, Mama was determined to show love to everyone that came her way.

A symbol of motherhood and an epitome of strength, Madam Rebecca Ayonmike was born on November 10, 1931 to the late Chief Oritsemogho Ayonmike of Ugborodo, Warri South West LGA, a Warrant Chief nominated by the then colonial masters to represent the people of Ugborodo and one of the most influential community leaders of his generation in the entire Itsekiri kingdom, and maternally to Ineburagho, the daughter of Egbe of Orugbo and Uwangue family of Jakpa.

Mama was undoubtedly caring, charming and had an open mind. Her kind-heartedness was legendary. You could almost touch her cherished soul each time you encountered Mama.

But her unwavering faith in God stood her out among other virtues. Since she was introduced to the Baptist faith, Madam Ayonmike never relented in her trust and total dependence on the Almighty.

She is best noted for total commitment to the propagation of the gospel through the Itsekiri language. President of WMS, Mrs. Patience Ikomi, recalls with fond memories that Mama was a trailblazer in many respects: “She encouraged young believers to read and memorize Bible verses in Itsekiri language. Sunday School classes were particularly interesting because she would come to the class with at least one memory verse for everyone to recite.”

Moreover, Mama was also a strong member of the Itsekiri Intercessors of First Baptist Church, apart from pioneering the now famous Tuesday Prayer Group in the church. Insiders within the church revealed that the Tuesday Group came into being as a

Good memory The Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, has often said that there are three women who are important to him, his wife, his mother and Mama who is his mother-in-law. He said they are important because of their prayer life. Mama saw him as a son not as an in law. Everyone married to mama’s child automatically becomes her own. When they are faced with challenges the only word you hear her say is “let us pray, there is nothing God cannot do”.

Every one of them had one good memory about mama especially her sense of humour and her daily devotion. Amazing stories; in the year 2011, Mama took ill but came out strong to celebrate her 80th birthday. During the celebration, she told guests of how she had a divine encounter, the Lord Jesus told her to return to the world.

This time her faith in God increased then her message to everyone centred on the redemptive power of God. In her last days, Mama made sure she called all her children to come, she had a word for each of them. During her granddaughter’s traditional marriage, Mama prayed: “I will not die; I know I will see your baby.” A request God granted. On Friday July 6, she carried her great grand daughter.

Having accomplished her mission, three days later about 5.00pm on July 9, 2012; the angels came to take Mama away, she passed on peacefully. She left behind six successful children, three men, three women, two brothers, three sons in-law, three daughters in-law, thirteen grand children, one grandson in-law, and a great granddaughter. May the soul of Madam Rebecca Ayonmike rest in perfect peace.

36—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Is there any hope for Nigeria? (2) ple, made me extremely sad. A few constitutional amendments Continues from yesterday would also be useful. There BOVE all, a far-reaching should be provision for inderationalization of the Min- pendent candidates. Some outistries and Agencies of Govern- standing independent candiment taking into account the dates will get elected and help Oronsanye Report. to improve the calibre of memThere must be a drastic reduc- bers in the legislatures. tion in the cost of governance Consideration should be givat Federal, State and Local en to increasing the memberGovernment levels. Let us con- ship of the State Assemblies to sider that the Federal Govern- make it more difficult for state ment of USA is run through 12 governors to direct and manipDepartments (our equivalent of ulate the State ministries) and no American Assemblies. They should not be State has more than 6 persons full time but have two sessions of the status of our state com- of two - three months each a missioners. Here some states year. Their salaries and allowhave more than 24 Commis- ances should also be drasticalsioners and scores of Special ly reduced to free resources for Advisers and Special Assis- capital investments. The Fedtants. eral and Regional Legislatures If above suggestions are strict- before Independence and durly implemented, we would be ing the First Republic -1960-66 aiming for target resource allo- were part time. cation of at least Recurrent to The 774 Local Governments Capital ratio of 45 Recurrent, 55 recognized under the 1999 concapital, compared with the ra- stitution are too many. Many of tio of 74 Recurrent, 26 Capital them are too small to be able to in the Federal Budget of 2012. deliver their constitutional services unlike the situation before Independence and the First Republic where you had Local Governments like the Lagos City Council, the Kano Native Authority, and the Benin Native Authority etc. which were large enough and had the resources to maintain professional and technical departments, able to deliver good services in health, educational, and public works sectors. In CHIEF PHILIP ASIODU our present circumstances of very atomized LGAs Considerable resources will consideration should be given then be freed to be invested in to enabling several LGAs to be ‘ Education, Power, Transporta- grouped in viable catchment tion, Health and other priority areas to establish competent sectors.

Technical Boards funded equiWe must recall the example of tably per capita by the co-operBalewa, the Regional Premiers ating LGAs to deliver services and all the Ministers, who in in sectors such as Educational 1962 at the launching of the Inspectorates, Teachers Com1962-68 National Plan took 10 missions, Public Health Servicper cent cut in their salaries to es, Rural Roads etc. There is no signal the need for national sav- time to go into other desirable ings to help finance the Plan. re-organization details to enThat measure brought the sala- sure service delivery. ry of a Federal Minister below that of a Federal Permanent Investor friendly Secretary! I should add that in civil service the First Republic, the salaries of a Professor, Federal PermaIt is very necessary and urnent Secretary and Federal gent for the Government to conMinister were about equal. A tinue the reforms towards the Federal Legislator who was part re-establishment of a greatly time then earned about one improved, re-organized, re-orithird of the Minister’s figure. ented, re-motivated, continuCompare the position today! ously trained and re-trained The Private Sector in Nigeria professional, non-partisan, emalso needs to improve corporate powered, well-remunerated, governance and to rein in ex- non-corrupt, investor-friendly cessive executive greed. Some Civil Service which is merit and of the charges in court against productivity driven. This is to some bank managers, for exam- enable the Government delivBY PHILIP ASIODU

A

Map of Nigeria

citizens there are other initiatives a patriotic leadership can take to foster national integration. Supposing following up on the early successes of the National Youth Service, the Nigerian leadership was able to introduce a Language Policy to foster national integration? This people like me would have urged on the patriotic nationbuilding listening leadership which we had then but for the termination of the Gowon Administration by the coup of July 1975.

Such a policy would require each child to learn to read and write the local language where he is born.

By the age of 10, the child begins to receive his instructions in English.

The new policy would be that by the age of 12 or 13 when he or she Annual enters a secondary growth rate school, he/she has to make a choice.

•The impressive If he is in the average annual Two years of North, he must growth rate of six one Southper cent+ from 1962 honest, vigor- choose ern Language -1966; and after the Civil War, the aver- ous, pursuit of which he will be taught to speak, age annual growth the right poliread and write. rate from 1970-75 of The chances are 11.75 per cent. cies will put that the child will •Supposing even chose either Igbo after removing Gen. Nigeria irreGowon, his succes- versibly on the or Yoruba. In the South, the child sors had continued with the disciplined path of growth will likely chose Hausa as a Northimplementation of and developern Language the 1975-1980 third which he will be National Plan, and ment taught to speak, under subsequent read and write. All National Plans, 10 secondary schools per cent+ average annual growth rate was main- will have the necessary lantained for the next two decades, guage departments.

•The upshot of this policy will Nigeria would have escaped from poverty and under-devel- be that within 15 to 20 years all opment and would today be an educated Nigerians (like the African Lion or Tiger amongst Swiss) will, apart from their local language and English, be Asian Tigers.

•Besides economic growth able to communicate in one or and improving welfare for all more Nigerian languages. With

er. Can Nigerian leaders and citizens rise to these challenges and do what is necessary to save the country? Let us recall some achievements in the past: •The achievements in the vast improvement in the provision of education for children, the establishment of plantations and farm settlement schemes and initiating industrial development under Regional Self-Government in the late 1950s and the First Republic up to 1966.

•Despite the dire predictions of the doom of genocide and lynching which would follow the defeat of Biafran Secession, Nigeria surprised the world with the success of its programme of Rehabilitation, Reconciliation and Reconstruction under the 1970-74 second National Plan.

the ongoing inter-action and cultural exchanges and the pressures of globalization, you can imagine the situation among our children and grand children twenty years hence. Such a policy should be implemented after careful detailed consultations and preparation.

Conclusion: Our current circumstances are indeed dire and all sectors of society seem increasingly mired in corruption and self-seeking and engaged in a process which is unsustainable. It does not appear to matter to those engaged in looting and exporting our national resources instead of applying them to local development, that the world has changed and there is little room for successful money laundering.

That indeed when they leave office they will not be able to access their exported loot.

Let me here give you a quotation from the great Lee Kuan Yew who in thirty years led his small island state of Singapore after they were excluded from the Malaysian Federation, from a Third World subsistence economy to a modern First World metropolis and a Regional economic and financial hub. He says: “We cannot afford to forget that public order, personal security, economic and social progress and prosperity are not the natural order of things, that they depend on ceaseless effort and attention from an honest, effective government that the people must elect”.

Drastic change What answer would I suggest? I believe that if President Jonathan today, regardless of how all the key players have arrived at their present positions, calls for a drastic change in the object and conduct of politics and dedicates himself in deeds to good governance and genuine service of all our people on the lines briefly indicated above the vast majority of Nigerians will follow him. Two years of honest, vigorous, pursuit of the right policies will put Nigeria irreversibly on the path of growth and development.

FDI will begin to flow in massively and this time bringing back in great numbers our very competent and accomplished Nigerian technocrats and managers in diaspora.

I still believe in the dream of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe described in his book, Renascent Africa in 1937. I still believe that with all our great endowments of natural and human resources, Nigeria will play a vanguard role in African Renaissance and accomplish for the Black race before 2050, what the Japanese accomplished for the yellow race by the end of the 19th Century.

Concluded

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012—37

Edited by Ogbonna Amadi amadi_o@yahoo.com

9ice, Laide Bakare in UK for movie premiere A

LAPOMEJI star 9ice, left the shores of Naija accompanied by Nollywood Yoruba actress Laide Bakare as the later gets set to premiere her much hyped movie ‘Jejere’ in the United Kingdom.

The premiere will be followed by a world tour as the lady plans to take the movie to other parts of the world. .

9ice it would be recalled played the lead role in the movie which critics say may help reposition the career of the singer.

‘Jejere’ according to the producer, Bakare, tells the story and corrects the general belief of segregating the female child, particularly in the African setting. The movie also teaches different lessons about the human race and inter-relations among people of different race.

After a UK premiere, ‘Jejere’ will also be premiered in five American States such as New York , Maryland ,

Cally, DG NAFDAC and Ras Kimono

NMVA gets NAFDAC nod

BY IYABO AINA

T

•9ice and Laide on set of Jejere California , Texas and New Jersey before returning to Nigeria for what the producers have termed ‘the biggest African premiere.’

The movie also stars the likes Fathia Balogun, Akin Lewis, Ireti Osayemi, Tola Oladokun, Afeez Eniola, Toyin Adegbola and Segun Ogungbe.

Fire eaters, acrobats, 60 year old singer make Nigeria’s Got Talent show

•Acrobats at the Nigeria’s Got Talent season 1 audition

I

T was exhiliration when the Federal capital city Abuja played host to Nigeria’s Got Talent Season 1 auditions on August 1.

The day will be remembered for a long time as thousands of people made their way to the Rock View Hotel to via for a spot in the semi-finals on Nigeria’s Got talent and a chance to win the N10million

prize and a world stage to showcase their unique talents.

The audition was a mixture of razor blade eating magicians, fire eaters to incredibly flexible acrobats.

Producer of the show Debbie Schulman couldn’t hide her excitement as she bemused about the Nigerian Army band veteran who came to thrill the judges with some good old jams.

The train moves to the coal City, Enugu Calabar on August 7, Port Harcourt on 9th and Warri on the 11th. Benin follows on the 13th, Ibadan on the and finally anchoring in Lagos on August 18th and 19th The Nigeria’s Got Talent Show has no demographic barrier as a 10 year old child or an octogenarian can emerge ultimate winner and grab the N10 million prize money.

Nigeria apart from South Africa is the only African country that has been able to secure the Got Talent franchise and is set to experience the magic of the show like other nations across the world.

Nigeria’s Got Talent reality show is powered by telecommunication giants Airtel, and supported by Cool FM, Wazobia FM and Nigeria Info as official radio partners and would run from July to December this year featuring amazing performances and stunts on National television set to thrill its audience across the country like never before

HERE is no gain saying that food and drugs are important to the growth and sustenance of human life. The observation not withstanding, the importance of having genuine, products fit for human consumption cannot be over emphasized.

Speaking at a press briefing recently held at the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) corporate office in Lagos, the Director-General, Dr Paul Orhii, said NAFDAC’s mission is hinged on the premise of preserving the Nigerian culture.

He disclosed that the agency has done a lot to protect Nigerians from consuming unwholesome products and have decided to collaborate with the Nigeria Music Video Awards(NMVA),

to stamp out mediocrity and enthroning professional ethics and excellence in music videos production, and also encouraging musicians, and others to project Nigeria in a positive light by promoting our cultural values.

Dr. Paul Orhii stated that some people may wonder what the correlation is between NMVA, a purely entertainment brand and NAFDAC, a strictly regulating agency for food and drugs.

The reality however is that entertainers are actually also heavy consumers of food and drugs. While they may not be involved with the production and sales of such, they are no doubt very significant by way of direct usage and influence on their fans who constitute the general public.

He went further to state that the only way to reach the Nigerian youth is by using

P-Square buries mum I

F tears could raise a loved one from death, then the late Mrs Josephine Okoye would have arisen last Thursday when her remain was laid to rest in Ifite-Dunu house, Akwa Village, Anambra State.

The burial ceremony which was honoured with the presence of the Anambra state Governor, Peter Obi was preceded by a Church service at St. Gabriel Catholic Church after a lying-in-state which took place at Umunachi, Umudioka Village, Anambra State.

Also in attendance were the twins’ father, elder brother Jude Okoye and other siblings. Square Records’ act May D was also present.

A reception at the late Josephine’s home in Ifite-Dunu followsed.

P Square with Gov. Peter Obi at their mum’s burial

38— Vanguard,WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Cameroon athletes vamoose from Games Village

S

even Cameroon athletes have disappeared while in Britain for the London Olympics, according to the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education.

The seven - five boxers, a swimmer and a footballer - are suspected of having left to stay in Europe for economic reasons.

“What began as rumour has finally turned out to be true.

Seven Cameroonian athletes who participated at the 2012 London Olympic Games have disappeared from the Olympic Village,” David Ojong, the mission head said in a message sent to the ministry.

Ojong said a reserve goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team, Drusille Ngako, was the first to disappear. She

was not one of the 18 finally retained after pre-Olympic training in Scotland.

While her team-mates left for Coventry for their last preparatory encounter against New Zealand, she vanished.

A few days later, swimmer Paul Ekane Edingue and his personal belongings were also not found in his room.

Ojong added that five boxers eliminated from the games, Thomas Essomba, Christian Donfack Adjoufack, Abdon Mewoli, Blaise Yepmou Mendouo and Serge Ambomo, disappeared on Sunday from the Olympic village.

International Olympic Committee officials said on Tuesday they had heard nothing about the missing athletes.

Powell drops out of Jamaica relay team

F

ormer 100m world record holder Asafa Powell has

•Asafa Powell

been ruled for the rest of the season after he picked up a groin injury in the final of the men’s 100m last Sunday.

His agent Paul Dolye disclosed that tests showed damage to the adductor muscle, along with tissue issues, but underlined that Powell will certainly return next season for the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Moscow.

Powell pulled up midway through the race as compatriot Usain Bolt successfully defended his title with a 9.63-second clocking ahead of World champion Yohan Blake, 9.75, and Justin Gatlin, 9.79.

Powell anchored Jamaica to a then World record 37.10 seconds for the 4x100m gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

•Edith Ogoke leaving the ring after her loss to Nadezda Torlopova of Russia in the quarterfinals of th

Ogoke: There was too much N igeria’s female boxer, Edith Ogoke has revealed that the pressure put on her to win and advance to medal zone of the middleweight category of the women boxing event became unbearable.

Ogoke was the ‘last man’ standing in the Nigeria boxing team to the London

2012 Olympics, but she failed to go beyond the quarter-final after having the misfortune of being pair with the world rated number two boxer, Nadezda Torlopova of Russia

Interesting characters B

The 1st Lucozade Sports Open Air Workout held at the National Stadium, Surulere on Saturday, August 4 and feature five-a-side football competition involving five teams. Picture shows Tolu Odukoya, Brand Manager, Lucozade Sports(right) presenting winning gifts to captain of the winning team, Marcel Mbanaso.

who outpointed Ogoke with an overwhelming 18-8 points margin.

“Pressure was too much on me. If I switched on my phone or switch off the callings kept coming,” said the

oxing is awash with larger-than-life characters. And with the introduction of women’s boxing into the Olympics for the first time, there is a whole new list of intriguing back stories to tell.

Indian police officer Mary Kom, the mother of five-yearold twins, was gulping with emotion after battling her way into medal contention just 24 hours after her children’s birthday back home.

“I speak to them every day ,” the diminutive, but feisty, figure told a phalanx of Indian reporters clustered round after her victory over Tunisian Maroua Rahali.

For her, this was a real milestone.

“It is not easy. How many years have we been waiting for the Olympic Games to include us?”

American Marlen Esparza is the new face of Cover Girl Cosmetics. She puts on makeup and perfume before each match. Her icon is U.S. talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

One of the biggest problems she faced in her bout against Venezuela’s Karlha Magliocco was keeping her hair in her headgear. ‘“My hair is really thin. That is why I braid it. But it got pushed out because this new headgear is so tight as its new,” she explained.

Britain’s Natasha Jonas, a selfconfessed chocoholic, took up boxing seven years ago to lose weight. Now she is in the history books as one of the first women boxers at the Olympics.

“I am amazed just to be here.

People don’t realise the struggle I had

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 39

Idowu begs Britons for triple jump dismissal We were cheated, Canadian ritain’s Phillips Idowu apologized for letting B down the home fans on women cr cryy out Tuesday after the former world triple jump champion crashed anada’s beaten soccer Canada’s coach John out in qualifying at the C players accused Herdman initially shied away London Olympics.

Norwegian referee Christiana “I have seen the crowd give so much support this week and I accept I let them down,” said Idowu, who never looked comfortable and registered only two of his three jumps.

“You guys have seen me over a number of years, and this wasn’t me. Not a great competition. My main goal was to deal with being pain free. The timing wasn’t there for me,” he told reporters.

America’s 22-year-old world champion and gold medal favorite Christian Taylor topped qualifying with a jump of 17.21 meters, followed by 2008 bronze medalist Leevan Sands of Bahamas (17.17m).

Idowu’s participation in his home Games and fourth Olympics had been in doubt after the 33-year-old pulled out of the national athletics team’s final training camp with a hip injury.

While the Beijing silver medalist had defended his preparations, he failed to make the qualifying mark of 17.10m, finishing outside the top 12 in 14th place with a best jump of 16.53m.

Pedersen of bias towards the United States after their dramatic 4-3 extra-time defeat in their Olympic women’s soccer semi-final.

In a rare move, Pedersen penalised Canada goalkeeper Erin McLeod for holding the ball for too long after making a save in the 80th minute, awarding the U.S. an indirect free kick in the penalty area.

The law states the goalkeeper should release the ball after six seconds, but it is hardly ever applied in either men’s or women’s soccer.

While that decision appeared to Canada’s team to be harsh, Pedersen then awarded the U.S. a penalty resulting from Megan Rapinoe’s free kick. The ball struck the elbow of Canadian Marie-Eve Nault with the player turning away.

The referee was not available for comment. A spokesman for world soccer’s governing body FIFA said: “As is our practice, FIFA will make no comment on this issue and in any case, the referee’s decision is always final.”

e womens middlewieght boxing event.

from the controversy but then added: “She’s got to live with that. We will move on from this. I wonder if she will be able to.”

McLeod told reporters: “The

•Canada's three goal hero Sinclair

pressure on me boxer.

She stated that she has learned valauble lessons from the London 2012 Olympics and they will come handy at the 2016 Games in Rio,

Brazil.

“It was a very good exposure and I’ve gain some experience. At the next Olympics I will do my best to be in the medal zone.”

or women boxing to get here,” she said after defeat by Ireland’s Katie Taylor who listens to worship songs to get warmed up.

Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics in 1896, said women “should refrain from practising violent sports.” He claimed that women competing was “not a proper spectacle.”

Try telling that to the crowd who shouted themselves hoarse in an epic Anglo-Irish encounter that sent the decibel counter soaring.

Canadian coach Charlie Stewart knew he had a star on his hands when watching Mary Spencer knock out her first opponent in just 26 seconds. So Spencer’s shock defeat to China’s Li Jinzi was a bitter blow.

“Half the job is mine. He did his job, I didn’t pull off my end,” she confessed afterwards.

Boxing brought true love to New Zealander Alexis Pritchard.

C M Y K

“Cameron Todd, my coach, decided that I would make a good boxer and I said, ‘Let’s go with it.’ I decided to marry him a few years later. It was a good decision,” Pritchard said.

The boxing world sure knows how to deliver its sound bites with panache.

Who could ever forget the punch lines of Muhammad Ali who boasted he could “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”.

At London 2012, U.S. assistant coach Charles Leverette said of the American team: “We have brought our picks and our hard hats and we are digging for gold.”

•Liu Xiang stumbling over the hurdles

‘A turns tto o hur ‘Acchilles’ jinx re returns hurtt China’s Xiang

C

hina’s Liu Xiang experienced déjà vu of the most agonizing kind on Tuesday when the Achilles injury that forced him out of the high hurdles heats in Beijing four years ago ended his London Olympics campaign at the same stage.

The 2004 Olympic champion at least made it to the first hurdle this time but he was unable to get his lead leg off the ground properly and clattered into the barrier before tumbling to the track, his dream of regaining the

title in tatters.

China’s athletics team leader Feng Shuyong said the initial diagnosis was that Liu had ruptured his Achilles tendon, adding that the 29year-old was not thinking about retirement.

“The injury is the same one he had in Beijing,” he told a news conference. “In the last several years he has had good medical care, but it is still there. An Achilles injury is almost impossible to recover from fully.”

China’s first male gold

medalist on the Olympic track, Liu remains one of his country ’s most popular sportsmen alongside former basketball player Yao Ming.

“It is really hard for him because I think he is one of the best hands down,” said Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt.

“He has shown the world he can do great things. For him to push himself and come back last year ... for this to happen, this is really sad for any athlete.”

40—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Group advocates law on emergency response training for workers

B o m a d i NULGE inaugurates new exco

B

OMADI—Chair man of Bomadi Local Government Chapter of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Mr Roland Osonu, has inaugurated his executive. The 19-man executive, including departmental representatives, took their oaths of office at NULGE Conference Hall, Bomadi.

Administering the oaths, Osonu admonished the newly swornin members to see their offices and positions as avenues to serve the people.

He said: “Our task in this new administration is to improve on the welfare of workers in the face of the current changes being experienced in our national life. To this end, I urge all of you to work hard and treat all issues before you without sentiment.”

He assured that he will not run a sectional NULGE as being insinuated by some workers, and also allayed fears of workers that he would victimise those, who worked against him during the elections.

BY LAJA THOMAS

T

WORKSHOP: Mrs. Maryanne Okonjo, CEO Fine and Country International, principal of Lagoon Secondary School, Mrs. Noemi Garcia, flanked by a cross section of teachers at the recently organised training for teachers in Lagos.

GRADUATION: From right: Mrs. Christie Udoyoh of Vanguard Newspapers; Madam Mary Okoye, proprietress of Immaculate Conception Nursery and Primary School, Ijeshatedo, Surulere; Moses Udoyoh and Mr. Femi Olayinka, coordinator, at the graduation of pupils of the school in Lagos.

Don't approve NDDC's 2012 budget, group tells N'Assembly

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—COA LITION of Coastal/Swampy Oil Producing Communities of Bayelsa and Delta States, has called on the National Assembly not to approve the 2012 budget of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, pending the satisfactory evaluation of the 2011 budget of the commission.

The group in a letter to both chambers of the National Assembly by its chairman, Mr. Francis Amamogian and others, told the lawmakers to urgently constitute an independent panel to evaluate the implementation of the commission's 2011 budget .

It alleged that activities of the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Christian Oboh, negate “provision of section 7 (1) (b) of the NDDC Act, which states that the commission ought to con-

ceive plans and implement same in accordance with the set rules and regulations, projects and programmes for sustainable development of Niger Delta areas in the fields of transportation including roads, jetties, water-ways, health, education, employment, industrialisation and others.

“We are aware that the 2012 budget of NDDC is due for consideration before the National Assembly and we are also aware that the interest of our communities is not satisfactorily represented in the said budget within the purview of section 7(2) of the NDDC Act. In this regard, we are ready to challenge the said

budget and we are opposed to the passage of same in its current form.

“We, as accredited representatives of our communities have the duty and mandate to protect the rights of our people.

It must be noted that we have a right to a clean and safe environment and also to enjoy our God given natural resources."

$8.5bn Mobil estate project in A-Ibom tion, the construction comes alive work which started with

BY TONY NYONG

U

YO—THE Mobil Workers Exclusive Housing Estate project in Akwa Ibom State which had earlier suffered setback, has finally come alive as the developers of the estate have returned to site with a promise to complete the project under 36 months.

The project consultant, Bunmi Ad-Faluyi Con-

struction Nigeria Limited, gave the assurance while presenting traditional items to the chiefs, youths, and stakeholders of the estate, in Ifiayong Esuk, Uruan Local Government Area of the state.

Conceived as a joint partnership investment project promoted by Mobil Workers (Eket) Multipurpose Co-operative Society Limited, and a long term partner, Bunmi Ad-Faluyi Construc-

the construction of the first 100 housing unit suffered setback due to inadequate funds, and delay in the procurement of the necessary documents.

The property to be occupied on a 50-50 sharing arrangement by Mobil employees, is cofunded by Messrs JE Consultants Consortium, UK, and Shelter Afrique, Kenya, with $30 million, and $8.5 million respectively.

HE federal and state governments have been advised to promulgate laws mandating public and private organisations, including corporate bodies, to train their staff in basic emergency response.

Dr. Nnamdi Nwauwa, Chairman, Emergency Response International, ERI, at a lecture in Lagos, yesterday, said: “The last Dana air crash and the Sosoliso air crash of December 10, 2005, clearly showed poor pre-hospital and emergency response system in our country. Even if the crash had occurred right inside the airport, the causality might not have been different, just like what happened in the Sosoliso crash.”

The emergence response and disaster management expert said an “estimated 3.4 million lives had been lost in the last 25 years in Nigeria to air disasters.

“The question is how prepared are Nigerian health institutions? A study done by a group of doctors in the USA led by Wen Ls, assessed the capabilities of emergency

department of major health institutions in Abuja and found that there was gross inadequacy in Nigerian hospitals for emergencies in both personnel and resources and suggested that Nigeria should start training emergency medicine physicians to meet with the work required.

He said: “Apart from the combined effort of Emergency Response International and Shell Petroleum Development Company to beef up emergency readiness at the airports, no other improvement had been made in the emergency preparedness at our airports.”

As a way out, Dr. Nwauwa suggested that “compulsory training should be extended to some government bodies such as Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, civil defense, military and paramilitarybodies. The National Emergency Management Agency should embark on training of volunteer groups of 200 individuals each in the 774 local government areas that made up the country. This will help emergency preparedness.”

Ovade community backs Akpuri for Ovie of Oghara stool

O

VADE community of Oghara Kingdom, Delta State, which is supposed to produce the next Ovie of Oghara Kingdom, has in a letter to the Council of Chiefs and Elders/Kingmakers of the kingdom, said that Chief Macauley Akpuri remains the only nominee from the community for the position.

The letter by Chief Fre-

derick Avwonye and other prominent leaders of the community, said: “Sequel to the directive given by the Council of Chiefs and Elders of Ogharaefe subclan to forward to it the name of nominee for the position of Ovie of Oghara kingdom, the Ovade Community, Oghara forwarded the name of Chief Akpuri as the Ovie nominee.”

Why Nigerians can’t compete with foreign freight forwarders

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

A

FRONTLINE freight forwarder and Chief Executive Officer of Shiba Services Ltd., Mr. Babtunde Shittu, has attributed the domination of the business by foreigners to the lack of technical knowhow of by Nigerian practitioners.

Shittu told Vanguard in Lagos, that most Nigerian operators limit themselves to clearing and forwarding aspect of the

business and lose out on the major aspect, which is more lucrative.

He said: “Our international partners sometimes find it difficult to use the facilities provided by local agents because they believe that they are not well equipped.”

He noted that the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN, had commenced training of registered practitioners to enable them compete effectively with their foreign counterparts.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 41

42—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 43

44— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

How I fortified myself against arrest by Police •Confession of banker turned robber

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE

W

HEN the management of a second generation bank in Lagos engaged the services of Wunmi Oyediran, 30, at their foreign exchange department, they had the firm belief and trust that the best interest of their customers would be protected.

Unfortunately, the reverse turned out to be the case as the young, Ogun State-born banker ended up bringing shame to the bank.

Instead of abiding by the code of their operation which entails keeping all information about their customers close to his chest, the short, black man resorted to supplying his customer’s information to armed robbers.

Unfortunately, the cat was let out of the bag when operatives of the State Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, received information about a six- man robbery gang said to have been terrorizing Lagos state and its environs for a long time. They quickly launched massive manhunt for the gang and ended up apprehending the banker and members of his gang. Crime Alert gathered that the suspect works in the section that oversees the buying and selling of foreign currencies. This, however, made him privy to details of all the customers of the bank that buy foreign currencies from the Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN, through his bank. But in his inordinate quest to get rich quick, Oyediran, was passing vital information about his customers to members of the gang, who would then trail and

dispossess such customers of their money.

In one of their escapades at Marina road, Lagos Island, the gang attacked a middle-aged woman and dispossessed her of the sum of $75,000. They had reportedly been trailing the unsuspecting woman for long until they succeeded the third time. A source who craved for anonymity said, “the woman usually ran that transaction with the bank every Wednesday. Oyediran also reportedly was passing the information to the gang. The first time, they could not attack the woman due to the heavy presence of policemen.”

Criminal intention The next time they followed her, they could not also achieve their criminal intention due to the security situation in the area. But on the third occasion, they succeeded and robbed her of the money. Oyediran had bargained for a 60 percent share of the loot, claiming he would have to share with some other people in his bank. The robbers, instead of giving him his $37,500 share, released only $9,000 and he became highly upset.”

Crime Alert learnt that Oyediran met his waterloo when police detectives who were on the trail of members of the gang arrested their leader. The leader who was identified as Adewale Ogunbiyi, alias Mopol, was arrested after he led a robbery operation at the home of the Eze Ndi-Igbo in Ab-

The suspects, Mopol and Imoh ule-Egba area of the State, where they stole a car, laptops and mobile phones. The police source said Mopol was arrested after the police tracked one of the stolen mobile phones to a user and the user took them to a notorious stolen goods receiver and the receiver then led them to Mopol.

The source added that on interrogation, Mopol did not just confess to the Abule-Egba robbery but he went further to tell his interrogators how he and members of his gang staged and robbed a middle-aged woman of her $75,000 at Marina Road, Lagos Island, through the aid of Oyediran, the banker. “While we were interrogating Mopol, our men were working on tracking other members of the gang. Few days later, we apprehended another member of the gang, Richard Imoh, and when we interrogated him, he confirmed what Mopol told us about Oyediran, their accomplice inside the bank.

Even while we had Imoh in custody, Oyediran, called him and he even sent an sms saying that he had another job for the gang,”the source disclosed.

Armed with the information, Crime Alert learnt that detectives were faced with the challenge of tracking down Oyediran as the robbers could not disclose his

The banker, Wunmi whereabouts. “He had fortified himself in a way that none of the robbers would have been able to lead the police to him. He was so careful that he didn’t give the robbers his full names, he only gave them Wunmi. They don’t know the bank where he works, they don’t know his house address.

The only vital information they had about him was his Etisalat phone number which he was using solely for that operation. They usually meet in a bar at Shasha, Akowonjo area of Lagos, where they plan their operations. So, we were kept completely in the dark.

For about ten days, our operatives were struggling to locate him. But

on the eleventh day, he made an error and we swooped on him.”

When Crime Alert met with the suspected banker turned armed robber, Oyediran, at the SARS headquarters in Ikeja Lagos, he wore a remorseful look and offered apology for his crime. He said: “I am so sorry for what I have done. I wish I could turn back the hand of time and correct my wrongs. I didn’t know that the police would get me; I felt I had fortified myself properly that none of these robbers could lead the police to me. But now I am wrong. I am now in the police net.”

C-A-U-G-H-T I-N T-H-E A-C-T Robbery suspect vows to stay out of Lagos if pardoned

By RUTH CHUKWUEMEKA

T

Ernest Eze

Charles Iweka

HERE was pandemonium penultimate Friday, at the popular Iddo park, Ebute-Metta, Lagos when a team of policemen from the special anti-robbery squad, SARS, Ikeja who were on the trail of a gang of notorious armed robbers stormed the park.

Their assignment was made more herculean because of the method of operation by the bandits who are suspected to be the brains behind series of robbery attacks that occur along Ijebu-Ode Expressway in which many travellers have lost their lives and valuables.

They are suspected to be respon-

sible for both the day and night robbery attacks during which they are normally kitted in police or army uniforms.

The criminals, however, met their waterloo on July 27, 2012 when, acting on a tip-off, the officer in-charge of SARS, Superintendent of Police Abbay Kyari, acted promptly and mobilized a crack team of detectives from his squad to Iddo Motor park. After the raid which lasted barely two hours, the police team succeeded in arresting two members of the gang identified as Ernest Eze (23) and Charles Iweka (27) with an Opel Safira space wagon with

number plate FKJ 676 AP. After interrogation, it was revealed by the hoodlums that they snatched the vehicle at gun point in Ondo State. Not only did they snatch the vehicle, they also shot the driver of the vehicle. The driver is still undergoing treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

One of the suspects, Charles Iweka told Crime Alert how he got into armed robbery. He said: “My brother was taken away by MASSOB (Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra) in Onitsha. After this happened, my mother sent me out of the house to go and look for him.

This is my first time of robbing, all I have done is to pick pockets which I have been doing since my secondary school days. I have not made money from robbery at all. If they release me, I promise to go back to my village. I’ll never near this Lagos again.” He begged for forgiveness.

Lagos State Police boss,Umar Manko who paraded the suspects told newsmen that, “We are going to continue with these arrests. There will be no hiding place for criminals in Lagos State.

We will never get tired. Lagosians should be vigilant and also give the police more information.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 —45

*The Okada where the gun was neatly tucked

*The suspected hoodlums

Lagos task force arrest 85 hoodlums, impound 130 motorcycles, recover gun

By OLASUNKANMI AKONI and MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

L

AGOS State Task force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit, Wednesday, arrested 85 suspected miscreants at different locations of the state in the ongoing flushing exercise of criminal hideouts.

The combined team of task force and the police also impounded 130 motorcycles popularly called “Okada” for violation of various traffic laws of the state in a renewed massive onslaught against the commercial motorcycle operators. There was a shocking discovery of a gun in one of the seized motorcycles at Elere Police Station, Agege area. The police however, refused to give more details about the discovery for security purposes, saying, manhunt has begun for the owner of the bike.

The miscreants, who are currently being detained pending trial in the magistrate court were arrested in Oshodi, Ojota, Isolo, Ilasamaja and Cele early in the week and brought to the task force headquarters in Alausa on a Black Maria.

Those arrested included 14 under-aged children. The children will be taken to one of the Lagos State Correctional Centres for Boys for correction.

Rising cases of robberies Worried by the rising reported cases of armed robberies and violent attacks on innocent citizens in the state and with determination to curb the trend, Chairman of the task force, Bayo Sulaiman, said while parading the suspected hoodlums, that they would be arraigned in court soonest while those found

culpable would be punished according to the laws of the state. He said the task force had stepped up enforcement against street miscreants as they were mostly behind criminal acts across the state, adding that “we don’t want them to come back to the main roads again. We are going to charge them to court. The exercise will be continuous.”

Also, in the ongoing clampdown on erring commercial motorcyclists, the task force and the police had impounded 130 motorcycles in about a week across Lagos metropolis. Sulaiman said okadas were not expected to ply the highways, ride against traffic and breach the laws of the state and many of them were being used for criminal purposes.

He explained that while carrying out a routine search on one of the seized bikes, a pistol

was recovered by the task force and “ we are going after the owner of the motorcycle as he might be an armed robber.”

In a renewed directive not to release seized goods from environmental offenders, the task force has auctioned a large

Bar attendant foils attempt by customer to poison friend

By EVELYN USMAN

I

DIMU bus-stop is usually a beehive of activities particularly in the evenings. But notable in the area is a beer parlour where people from different walks of life gather to ease off in the cool of the evening.

However, at the weekend, an unprecedented crowd gathered at the beer parlour, following an argument between two men. One of them simply identified as Jamiu, was seen trying to force a cup of liquor into a man’s mouth, with the second man identified as Chidi, strenuously covering his mouth and at the same time,

‘I inserted drugs in my anus to give my late father-in-law a befitting burial’

By ALBERT AKPOR

A

MIDDLE-aged man who gave his name as Obivuko Alloysius Ifeanyi has told bewildered operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, that he accepted trafficking in drugs by inserting 210 grammes of the hard stuff in his anus so as to outwit narcotic agents with a view to giving his late father-in-law a befitting burial. But his trick was truncated moments on arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport as the scanning machine gave him out.

He was promptly shoved aside for profiling which resulted in the secretion of wraps of cocaine weighing 210 grammes. But while pleading for leniency the suspect said, “It is unfortunate that I found myself in this kind of situ-

ation. It is the greatest mistake of my life and I have learnt my lessons in a very hard way. I bear no grudges against the NDLEA because they are carrying out their constitutional duties but I plead with them to temper justice with mercy. I got into this mess for the sum of four hundred thousand naira only. See how I have been messed up? All I was doing was to get enough money to give my late in-law a befitting burial.”

The agency’s acting head, public affairs, Ndukwu Chidi Henry, who described the concealment as “unusual” said the airport was witnessing low arrest of traffickers following the onslaught against them particularly with the installation of additional scanning machines donated to the agency by the US government to improve the efficiency of the fight against

illicit trafficking in hard drugs. He said while others have fled to other ports, Mr. Obivuko decided to take the risk and was apprehended.

Ndukwu said that insertion by men is a rare and dangerous mode of drug concealment adding that operatives at the airport were ever ready to beat drug traffickers in their own game. He said: “During interrogation, the suspect who hails from Orumba North LGA in Anambra State said he ventured into the drug business to give his inlaw who died in Brazil a befitting burial here in Nigeria. Until his arrest, the suspect was a dealer on ladies weave-on, and had lived in Brazil for eight years.”

Also arrested by NDLEA operatives was Okoro Christopher, 39 years old, with 1.425kg of substances which tested positive for

number of seized goods from traders who flouted environmental laws across the metropolis. Items auctioned included; clothing, shoes, bicycles, among others while perishable goods are sent to various motherless and remand homes.

methamphetamine cleverly packed in shoes. He was arrested during the outward clearance of passengers from Iberia airline to Germany. The suspect hails from Amazoana village, Orlu Imo State.

He was formerly a motor parts dealer before leaving Nigeria twelve years ago for Germany.

CORRECTION IN our August 3, 2012 edition, we inadvertently referred to Enugu State commissioner of police, Mr. Musa Daura (CP) as Enugu state Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation, Mr Ogenyi. At no time did the state commissioner of police speak to us in the report. The mix up is highly regretted.

— Crime Editor.

using his hand to block Jamiu’s hand.

Just then, a commercial motorcyclist stepped in to demand what the matter was. And to the astonishment of all, Jamiu alleged that Chidi attempted to poison him through his drink. He further explained to the inquisitive crowd that he left his drink uncovered in the care of Chidi to ease himself.

But upon his arrival, one of the bar men reportedly whispered to him that he saw when his friend, Chidi was administering some substance into his drink.

An eye witness told Crime Alert that, “when Jamiu got to his seat, he exchanged his glass with Chidi’s and jokingly asked him to drink the content. But Chidi refused, saying he was not used to drinking from other people’s glass. At that point, Jamiu raised alarm and alleged that Chidi wanted to poison him.”

Policemen from Idimu were invited and both men taken to the station where 26-year-old Chidi, according to police sources, admitted to have put some substance into his friend’s drink but maintained that the substance was not meant to kill him.

When Crime Alert visited Idimu division, the case was said to have been charged to Ejigbo Magistrate court from where Chidi was granted bail by the presiding Magistrate, Mrs. M. B. Folami, in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum. He was, however, remanded at the Kirikiri prison pending when he would fulfill the bail conditions, with the case adjourned to August 29, 2012.

46— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

OYERINDE: Controversy trails Ugolor's arrest •Civil society organisations protest his incarceration •Wife raises alarm: ‘Police wants to poison my husband’ arrested four persons who had killed the PA to the governor.

ONTROVERSY has And that is a credit to the continued to trail the police.”

On Friday, July 27, 2012, the killing of the Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Executive Director of the Network for Oshiomhole, Comrade Olaitan African and the Oyerinde, by men suspected to Environment be assassins. Comrade Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Rev. Oyerinde was killed at about David Ugolor was arrested by 2.00 a.m, May 4, 2012, at his the police at about 2.00 p.m in Ugbor Road residence, GRA connection with the murder. It Benin City. Following his will be recalled that Ugolor is gruesome murder which was a close friend of Oyerinde, and perpetrated at the heat of the as a matter of fact, was the one governorship campaign in the who took Oyerinde to the state, Governor Oshiomhole hospital after he was shot by placed a N10million ransom on the suspects.

It was said that Ugolor the head of the killers of Oyerinde, whom he described dropped Oyerinde at his house at about 11p.m as a son. after they came After the killing, back from an President Goodluck outing.

After Jonathan ordered Oyerinde was the Inspector shot at about 2.00 General of Police, a.m, Oyerinde’s M u h a m m e d wife, ran to Abubakar to Ugolor ’s place investigate the Investigation close by to inform killing and ensure him that her that the perpetrators into the husband had are brought to book. matter took shot. It was Consequently, crack another twist been Ugolor who then team of detectives informed other from the Force last government headquarters in Wednesday, officials before Abuja led by a they rushed him D e p u t y when the Commissioner of State Security to Benin Central hospital where he Police, Mr. Ezike Services gave up the and Supol Irioge ghost. stormed Benin City (SSS) in Mr. Innocent with forensic experts Abuja , Edemhanria, with a view to paraded six Programme/ unearth the killers.

Policy Officer at Nothing was heard persons who ANEEJ, who was about the confessed to the office when investigations until have been the at the armed Wednesday July 11, mastermind policemen 2012.

While making of the murder stormed their office said: “At s e c u r i t y about 2.05 pm on arrangements for the Friday heavily governorship armed security election in the state, operatives some the IGP declared to wearing Federal journalists that the SARS jacket, killers of Oyerinde have been found but, however, others in plain clothes, failed to give details of how swooped on our office and took they were found. He said: “I away our Executive Director, want to announce that we have Rev. David Ugolor." The

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

C

The late Olaitan Oyerinde security operatives, who numbered about ten had picked him up from somewhere in town and brought him to the office. They had ransacked his private home and office and took away some items. Staff of the office had their cell phones taken away from them and switched off for as long as the security men held them hostage which lasted for about three hours.

They later returned the phones at about 4.35 pm before vacating the office premises. A staff of Centre for Social Justice, Mr. Kingsley Nnajiaka was at ANEEJ secretariat then and was held hostage for the same period”.

Inspector General of Police, he lamented that “the condition of the said Rev. David Ugolor is totally bad as he is in a cell where there is no toilet and he is using bucket for this purpose at the Area Commander's office, Benin City, and where there are cells that have such facilities in good condition. While we are not obstructing police investigation on the murder of

Confession from a suspect It was said that Ugolor was arrested following a confession from one of the suspects that one “David” gave the gang money to kill Oyerinde. It was also alleged that there was a call log which buttressed the point that Ugolor and the suspect had a discussion.

Ugolor’s arrest came as a shock to many in the state due to his antecedent as an environmental activist and one of those who have fought doggedly for the prudent management of resources by state and Federal Governments.

It was not surprising, therefore, that civil society organisations in the state have been protesting his continued detention by the police.

Solicitor to Rev.Ugolor, Afolabi Olayiwola, alleged that his client was being framed up by the police. In his petition to the

Police IG, Abubakar Olaitan Oyerinde, we are seriously appealing to you to reconsider the health condition of the said Rev. David Ugolor and take a critical look at his present condition and do the needful in the following: Either grant him bail to a reliable surety because he has made statement to the police wherein he denied the allegation.

"Or equally remove him from the police cell at Area Commander's office, Benin City which has no basic toilet facilities where he is been detained with criminals who use this same deplorable facilities and are made to empty

the bucket regualrly in the soak-away pit".

Last Wednesday, members of the civil society organisations protested on the streets of Benin declaring that his continued detention is an attempt to divert attention from the real killers of Oyerinde, adding that the way and manner the arrest was made was ‘clearly stage managed in order to indict an innocent person.” Some of the organisations that protested include the Gani Fawehinmi Movement for Good Governance, Edo State Conference of NGOs (CONGOs), South South Youth League, Downtrodden Forum For Development, DFFD, Niger Delta Youth Congress, Voice of the Masses and ten others.

In their address to newsmen, they noted: “We have examined the situation and reached the conclusion that some faceless persons who feel threatened by the lawful activities of Rev. Ugolor and his organisation have planned to dent his image and taint him with the murder of comrade Olaitan”.

Investigation into the matter However, investigation into the matter took another twist last Wednesday, when the State Security Services, SSS, in Abuja, paraded six persons who confessed to have been the mastermind of the murder. The Deputy Director, Public Relations Officer of the service Marilyn Ogar, who paraded the suspects, said “investigation revealed that careless statements made by Ali Ihade, Oyerinde’s security guard, at various times about is master ’s position in government attracted the attention of the prime suspect, Mohammed Ibrahim.

On the day of the robbery, Abdulahi specifically instructed other gang members to tie up the Ihade before they entered the compound so that Ihade will not see his face”. She added that the suspects confessed to have shot and killed Oyerinde because when he ran into his badroom and attempted to go underneath his bed, they believed he was trying to reach for a gun.

According to Ogar, “Oyerinde was shot and killed by the prime suspect Muhammed Ibrahim Abdulahi, when he ran into his bedroom and attempted to go under his bed.

Abdulahi said he believed Continues on page 47

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 47

By SUZAN EDEH

W

HEN the Bauchi State Government announced plans to construct a 30 megawatts solar power project in the state in collaboration with a German company - Siemens Nigeria Limited, residents of the state gave a sigh of relief because of the numerous benefits the project will bring to the state. Besides the fact that the project will improve the supply of power generation in the state, it will create massive employment opportunities as well as bring more investors to the state.

The need to generate more power supply in the state has been one of the topmost priorities of the administration of the Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda.

It is also in line with his vision of meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the people as he reiterated after his re-election for second tenure in office, stating: “This time around, it will not be business as usual. I want to correct all the mistakes that was made during my first term in office by ensuring that all on-going projects in the state will be completed while new ones that have direct bearing on the lives of the people will be embarked upon”.

It is no longer news that recently a delegation of Siemens Nigeria Limited paid Bauchi State a visit. The purpose of the visit was to attend the flag-off ceremony for the construction of 30 MV solar power project that would be located on a 90 hectares of land at Inkil village on the outskirt of Bauchi metropolis. Although the project was not initiated during the first tenure of the Governor, it came at a time when there was a restructuring in the power sector.

The demand for power supply has been growing at an alarming rate in the State hence the need to augment power generation from the national grid. It could be recalled that last year, the state government declared it would produce 75 megawatts of electricity to boost the supply of power in the state through a project known as the Yankari power project. The state government, who revealed that the project has reached an advance stage, informed that power requirement for both domestic and industrial use was between 40-50 megawatts. The excess megawatts to be produced by the Yankari Power Project according to the state government will

Governor Mallam Isa Yuguda and Mr. Richard Sellers at the event.

Celebration in Bauchi as solar power excites cheers be sold to neighbouring states in order to generate more revenue for the state.

While stating the enormous benefits of the project to the state and the nation as a whole at the Flag-off ceremony, the state Governor, Isa Yuguda observed that the project will be completed in 18 months and it will create massive employment opportunities for the people of the state.

Communal clashes “This project is actually the first of its kind in the entire West-Africa region.

Many nations in the world view Nigeria as a country that is plagued with communal clashes, conflicts associated with politics and religion, terrorism among other social vices. The reason for all these upheavals in the country is because there is lack of job creation for the people. With an opportunity such as the solar power project in the country, employment opportunity will abound, thereby reducing the high rate of insecurity in the country. With this project which will become a reality in the state, most industries that have left Bauchi will return and our youths will have jobs to occupy them”.

He told those at the event, which included diplomats, federal and state government officials and notable businessmen, that “if this is the only thing I have done in Bauchi in eight years, history will judge me right.”Yuguda, who noted that the project would make Bauchi one of the first states in the

country to be self-sufficient in electricity supply, observed that with the advent of solar power, the Northern states would soon surmount their Southern counterparts in terms of adequate power supply. He also noted that power is one of the most profitable ventures into which any wise investor can invest, and further observed that no country in the world that grow without power. The governor recalled that for the past decade, Bauchi State had been managing a daily rate of four megawatts of electricity, saying however that with the flag-off of the 30 megawatt solar power, the jinx has been broken.

The event which took place at the solar power project site was cheer by many dignitaries among which are the special adviser to the German government on energy, German Ambassador to Nigeria, Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, the president

of Helios Energy Germany, royal fathers and people from all works of life. In his speech, the Director General of the Siemens German Company, Mr. Richard Seller promised to partner with other foreign partners to make the project of international standard, the German Ambassador to Nigeria in her speech congratulated Bauchi state as the first to have something to show in German Nigeria Energy partnership.

Also in his remarks at the occasion, the Senior Special Adviser to the president on power and Energy, Ibrahim Gidda noted that the country cannot continue to depend on gas to generate power because the demand for electricity is growing at an alarming rate. He commended the initiative of the German Company in supporting Nigerian to construct the project, adding that solar power generation is efficient and cost-effective.

Oyerinde: Controversy trails Ugolor's arrest Continues frompage 46 Oyerinde was reaching out for a gun under the bed and, therefore, shot him”.

The confession threw the entire investigation into confusion as members of the public are at a loss whether to believe the police who held Ugolor as one of the suspects, or the SSS. Following the Abuja revelation, members of the civil society stormed the police headquarters in Benin City, Thursday morning demanding for the immediate release of Ugolor. The protesters barricaded the State CID, after it was learnt that the police had stopped the wife of Ugolor, Ngozi from seeing him and that they (the Police) will now be responsible for his feeding.

Sobbing profusedly she said between sobs: “they have prevented me from gaining access to my husband. They said I should not bring food any more

that they will take care of that. I appeal to the President to intervene in this matter. My husband is innocent, some body is framing him up and God will expose the person. They want to poison my husband just like they have done to many others. The public should help me please”.

In an address to newsmen, the civil society groups noted thus: “We have examined the situation and reached the conclusion that some faceless persons who feel threatened by the lawful activities of Rev. Ugolor and his organisation have planned to dent his image and taint him with the murder of comrade Olaitan. The question on the lips of people in the state now is who are the real killers of Oyerinde? Is the police trying to bastardise the investigations or being used by some highly placed individuals to achieve a point? Only time will tell.

48 — Vanguard , WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY,, AUGUST 8, 2012

Obama laments mass killings in US P

RESIDENT Barack Obama said on Monday that mass killings like the shooting rampage at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin were occurring with “too much regularity” and should prompt soul searching by all Americans, but he stopped short of calling for new gun-control laws.

“All of us are heart-broken by what happened,” Obama told reporters at the White House a day after a gunman opened fire on Sikh worshippers preparing for religious services, killing six before he was shot dead by a police officer.

But when asked whether he would push for further gun-control measures in the wake of the shootings, Obama said only that he wanted to bring together leaders at all levels of American society to examine ways to curb gun violence.

That echoed his pledge

last month in a speech in New Orleans to work broadly to “arrive at a consensus” on the contentious issue after a deadly Colorado shooting spree highlighted the problem in an election year.

But like his earlier comments, Obama offered no timetable or specifics for such discussions and did not call outright for tighter gun control laws.

Talk of reining in America’s gun culture is con-

Romney for November election. “All of us recognize that these kinds of terrible, tragic events are

WHO warns Africa over alcohol use •Obama sidered politically risky for Obama, who is locked in a tight race against Republican challenger Mitt

N

IGERIA and other African countries have been urged to curb the high rate of consumption of alcholic beverag-

Iran backs Assad to choke Aleppo

S

YRIA’s President Bashar al-Assad won a pledge of support yesterday from regional ally Iran as his forces tried to choke off rebels in the northern city of Aleppo.

Seeking to restore his authority after suffering the gravest setbacks so far in the 17-month-old uprising, culminating in

happening with too much regularity for us not to do some soul searching to examine additional ways that we can reduce violence,” Obama said at an Oval Office ceremony to sign an unrelated bill.

the defection of his prime minister on Monday, Assad was shown on television meeting a senior Iranian official.

It was the first footage broadcast of the 46-yearold leader for two weeks, and came a day after Syria’s new caretaker prime minister was televised chairing a hastily called

cabinet session, possibly to rebut reports that other ministers had deserted along with premier Riyad Hijab.

Saeed Jalili, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Iran would not let its close partnership with the Syrian leadership to be shaken by the uprising or external foes.

“Iran will not allow the axis of resistance, of which it considers Syria to be an essential part, to be broken in any way,” Syrian television quoted Jalili as saying.In Aleppo, rebels trying to fight off an army offensive said they were running low on ammunition as Assad’s forces tried to encircle their stronghold in the southern approaches to the country ’s biggest city.

es on the continent, to improve on their economic development.

After years of turning a blind eye to alcohol abuse, politicians from South Africa to Kenya and Zambia have come under pressure to tackle the problem of drinking bing which is adding to Africa’s burden of HIV, birth defects, road accidents and violent crime.

An official of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva, Dr Vladimir Poznyak said Africa has become a boom market for international brewers and distillers whose sales are often flagging in the wealthy world. He said “It’s true that most people in Africa don’t drink for cultural, religious and economic reasons but those who drink, drink a lot,” Africa has the world’s highest proportion of binge drinkers, even though its large populations of Muslims and evangelical Christians generally abstain from alcohol.

Afghan Defense Minister quits

A

FGHAN Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak resigned on Tuesday after losing a no-confidence vote in parliament, leaving President Hamid Karzai scrambling to find a replacement for one of his top security tsars as insurgent attacks mount.

Wardak, in charge of the army and one of the country’s two key security ministers, told reporters he accepted parliament’s decision, which has clouded NATO plans to hand security responsibilities to Afghan forces before the end of 2014.

“I respected the parliament’s decision to twice appoint me as defence minister, and now

•Abdul Rahim Wardak I accept the parliament decision to remove me.

I resign my position,” Wardak told journalists.

Karzai’s increasingly unpopular government was already under a cloud, with Finance Minister Hazarat Omar Zakhilwal vulnerable as a result of accusations aired on Afghan television that he stashed more than $1 million in overseas banks.

BRIEFS June records highest job rise in America

P

OLITICAL actors in Republican and Democratic parties are have found their voices in the steady recovery of the US job market which made its highest recovery since the past four years in June although the pace of hiring slowed from the prior month, government data showed yesterday.While the report gave talking points to for the upcoming general election, investors on Wall Street shrugged off the rise in the jobless rate to a fivemonth high and boosted stocks to their highest level since early May. President Barak Obama told Americans that the country has notv gotten to its desired pace which his Republican Party challengers shrugged off the report of the slow but steady recovery in Job openings. a measure of labor. demand - rose to 3.76 million, the highest since July 2008, from 3.66 million in May, the Labor Department said in its monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.

Nigeria to advise UN on post-2015

D

ETERMINED to keep the United Nations focused on its programme, the UN Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-moon yesterday swore in Nigeria’s Amina J. Mohammed of Nigeria as one of his Special Advisers on Post2015, the terminal date for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Moham med, who is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, New York, had served as Senior Special Assistant to President Jonathan on MDGs. She currently serves on several boards, including the Global Development Program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Secretary General’s Global Sustainability Panel. She is the founder of the Centre for Development Policy Solution.

Amina Mohammed will serve in an ex officio capacity on the panel.

VANGUARD,

WEDNESDAY,

AUGUST

8,

2012—49

He won’t have sex

My brother-in-law wants us to start an affair Dear Bunmi, I’m almost 50 and my husband is eight years older. We’ve been married for 25 years and have three grown-up children, but I have this feeling that we’ve drifted apart.

I care a lot for m y husb a n d but I don’t love him any more. He is the boss in our relationship and he’s always made me feel weak.

I live for my children— and they say I’m the one who holds

the family together. My husband loves our children but shows little interest in them. He works long hours and when he’s at home, all he does is watch sports on TV, ignoring me if I try to talk to him. I seldom see m y friends.

The problem is that I’ve fallen in love with my brother-inlaw who is younger than me. He has a girlfriend but says that neither of them is happy. He tells me he loves me and he’s encouraging me to sleep with him. I’m

He tells me he loves me and he’s encouraging me to sleep with him. I’m greatly tempted, but I’m scared

He’s had two failed marriages Dear Bunmi, I’ve been with my partner for three years and we currently live together. He’s been married twice and cheated on both his wives. He even slept with one wife’s sisters.

I thought he’d changed when he met me, but now I’m not so sure. I recently found his exwife’s number on his mobile phone, under a different name.

I asked him if he was still seeing her and he denied it. Should I trust him or try to catch him out?

Dora, by e-mail.

Dear Dora, What’s the point in trying to catch him out? The big question is: If you found out he was an unrepentant rat, would you leave him? His track records are not that impressive. On top of which you don’t trust him— all valid reasons to end the relationship.

If you want the relationship to work at all cost, then I’m afraid you have to turn a blind eye on his activities— for your own peace of mind at least!

greatly tempted, but I’m scared. I’ve never had an affair and I don’t want to lose my kids’ love in case it blows open.

I’ve been told by friends and family that I always put other people’s needs before my own.

Should I grab this chance of happiness with a man I’m truly and deeply in love with?

Jolaade, by e-mail.

Dear Jolaade, It’s obvious that you and your brother-in-law feel lonely in your relationships, so fantasising about an affair is enticing.

You might be fond of one another but you’re blowing this out of proportion. You’re scared of the double betrayal it entails and the possibility of being disappointed with no turning back.

You need to switch off the telly and talk to your husband and share with him all the confusion and loneliness that you feel. While you raised the kids, he was busy earning enough to pay the bills, so you had separate roles. Now your goals have largely been achieved and you have to find different dreams to reunite you.

He’ll soon be retiring and you need to plan for that and the children’s marriage, which would be sooner rather than later. Your brother-inlaw should be ashamed of himself to even proposition you with an affair and you need to tell him to respect your marriage from now on.

His violence is really frightening Dear Bunmi, My boyfriend is in his late thirties, never been married but a single father. We’ve been together for over four years. Towards the end of last year, we separated for four months because of his excessive drinking.

More than once, he has pinned me down and put his hands around my throat. He didn’t actually hurt me, but I was really frightened. I asked him to leave my flat but he apologised and we ended up back together again.

He continued his excessive drinking but we got along better.

Recently, after a heated argument, I again walked him out of my flat but he came back later, roaring drunk. He forced his way in and grabbed at my throat with such a force that I almost blacked

out. He suddenly let go and started crying that nobody loved him.

Well, I do love him but I can’t live with his problems. He’s not frequent at my flat as before, but I’m worried that he’ll soon bounce back and the same thing will happen— and I might choke to death! I want to feel happy and safe with him or get him out of my life and meet someone better. I am 29.

Ngozi, by e-mail.

Dear Ngozi, Asking your boyfriend to leave your flat when you’re dissatisfied with him is a display of power that seems every bit as threatening to him as his display of drunken anger seem to you. It looks as if neither of you can tol-

erate the other’s behaviour and the acute insecurity it breeds within you. It is tragic that where there was once a strong attraction in this relationship, there is now mutual fear that will be hard to get rid of.

Each of you has to acknowledge your weaknesses by doing some serious thinking or seeking the counsel of more experienced people. Your boyfriend’s wounded pride might prevent him from agreeing to serious discussions as this might mean he will have to admit to his chronic abuse of alcohol.

If that’s the case, I’m afraid he will remain a chronic alcoholic and, as you suspect, you can have no future together. Be ready to distance yourself and move on.

Dear Bunmi, Last year, my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He’s now much better but our sex life has deteriorated.

I’m only 40 and I’ve tried to be understanding, but don’t know how much longer I can go without making love. I want things back to the way they used to be.

Christina, by e-mail.

Dear Christina, A major life-threatening illness can put people off sex completely. So I can see

where your husband is coming from. But I also appreciate your point of view— this crisis has hit you hard and you need the comfort of sex.

There’s no easy answer, but two things will help. The first is to listen to how your husband is feeling, and lovingly explain the impact his illness has had on you.

The second is physical affection. Even if love making is not on the agenda, ask your husband to give you cuddles and kisses to show you’re still close.

He calls out for her in his sleep Dear Bunmi, Last year I discovered that my husband was sleeping with one of his workers in his office. She is a girl I was fairly used to and when confronted, my husband admitted everything and promised to call things off. He did and the girl in question eventually found another job.

Since she left my husband’s employment, things have been getting much better in our relationship, but one thing really baffles me: he calls out this girl’s name in his sleep, saying how much he wants her and at the same time, he is caressing me.

I’m really devastated by this. Do you think he still loves her? He tells me he has no recollection of even dreaming about her.

Jolade, by e-mail.

Dear Jolade, Your husband is justified. You

are trying to come to terms with your husband’s affair and rebuild the trust in your marriage when you are faced with something you can’t really control.

What you may not realise is the fact that your husband might also be trying to come to terms with the end of the affair.

It’s not that he wants his lover back— his affair ended for good when she left the scene and he is obviously still feeling guilty and bad about himself.

His bedtime antics might be his efforts to flush her out of his system and not necessarily an indication that he still hankers after her. They’re much more likely to be the final emotional pains as he lets her go for good.

As long as your relationship is getting steadily better, trust what happens when your husband is awake rather than asleep.

I hide my naked body from him Dear Bunmi, I’m average in height and not quite slim. My bum is the problem. It is massive and not proportional to my figure. I’m in my 30s, and a single mother of a lovely son. For almost three years now, I’ve been in love with my current partner and he’s never seen me naked.

I’ve always worn a nightie when we make love. Recently, he’d started grumbling about my weird attitude to sex. He said I must be confident enough to let him see me naked. I would really like to relax with him but I’m not that brave!

Christy, by e-mail.

Dear Christy, That’s the way we women think. Although they do get

turned on by what they see, they get turned on most by what they feel. The fact that your partner wants to make love to you means he already adores your body. What he needs now is for you to feel good about it too.

So, start off slowly by removing your nightie but with the light still off. Gradually introduce more light; soft at first, each time you want to be seen, until you two are familiar with your naked bodies.

My bet is that your partner’s pleasure, when you do this, will not only surprise you, it will also make you feel a whole lot better about the way you look. Who knows, you might even discover your man is one of the men who get extremely turned on by big bums!

Share your problems and release your burden.

Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos. or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

50 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 51

52 —

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Boxing coaches blame Ogoke’s loss on pairings T

HREE boxing coach es have blamed Nigeria female boxing hopeful, Edith Ogoke’s early exit at the London Olympics to her pairing against world’s number two, Torlopova Nadezda of Russia.

The coaches, Sunday Nwamuda, Shehu Yussuf and Gabriel Coker said in Lagos that Ogoke’s early exit was also due to her lack of exposure.

Nwamuda of Sunny Clay Boxing Club said that it was Ogoke’s first Olympics appearance

and it was unfortunate for her to have been matched against one of the best boxers at the Games.

“Edith Ogoke put up a good fight but luck was not on her side. For her first Olympic outing, she was matched against one of the world’s finest boxers.

“She was unfortunate to have been paired in a group loaded with champions at her first international outing and her inexperience contributed to her early

ousting in the competition,” .Nwamuda said.

The coach, however, said that he still believed in her and that she would perform better, given another chance at the next Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Yussuf, who discovered Olympian Muyideen Akanji and his brother, Monsuru, a National Sports Festival medalist, said that although Ogoke put up a good fight, it was not enough to pull her through.

Coaches express shock at Bakare’s resignation GOOD BYE ••• Edith Ogoke of Nigeria bids bye to the Games after her points loss to Nadezda Torlopova of Russia in the women’s middleweight boxing quarterfinals of the 2012 London Olympics. Photo: AFP

Eagles camp records full house

A

LL the 26 players in vited to camp for the August 15 friendly against Niger Republic in Niamey had a full training session together on Tuesday morning with Head Coach, Stephen Keshi fully in charge of proceedings.

Late Monday evening the four players of Sunshine Stars of Akure, who were expected, finally joined camp with Keshi heaping praises on them for their above average performance against their Algerian counterparts in the CAF Champions League cracker. The four players are Sunshine Stars skipper, Godfrey Oboabona, goalkeeper Moses Ocheje, one of the scorers in the 2-0 win, Izu Azuka and newcomer, Kwambe Solomon.

“What I always insist is for national team players to distinguish themselves in their clubsides, so that they can be called worthy national team call ups and you demonstrated that on Sunday, congratulations to the entire team, Super Eagles players who played the game and specially for goalcorer Azuka, who showed the type of fighting spirit I’ve always expected from him”, Keshi declared.

He went on to dissect areas where some of the players did not do well in

the game but added that overall the Nigerian side was the better of the two sides.

B

ASKETBALL coach es on Tuesday in Lagos expressed shock at the announced resignation of the D’Tigers coach, Ayo Bakare, after their last Group A match against France at the ongoing London Olympic Games.

Coach Bakare, who qualified the national men’s basketball team to its first Olympics, resigned on Monday following their elimination from the Games with a 73-79 loss to France.

He has yet to formalise

OMINATIONS for the maiden edition of the Nigerian Sports Awards, NSA, are now open. Aimed at recognising and rewarding outstanding Nigerian Sports men and women, the awards are being put together by Unmissable Incentives Limited in conjunction with Mastersports International Limited.

According to Mr. Kayode Idowu, General Manager of Unmissable Incentives, nominations opened 30 July 2012 and members of the public are invited to visit the website www.nigeriansportsaward.com to nominate their top three sports personalities in each of 16 designated categories.

There are categories for athletics, boxing, football, the physically challenged, federations, media, sports administrators as well as individuals and teams.

Only sportsmen and

women of Nigerian origin, who excelled in sporting endeavours in the 2011/2012 sports calendar, are eligible for the awards.

“In addition, nominees would be expected to have displayed a reasonable code of conduct and sense of fair play.

Issues of ethics, doping, would be considered in selecting the nominees,” Mr. Idowu said.

• Ayo Bakare, geria Basketball Federation (NBBF) my notice as I am no longer interested in the job”.

Rufai survives robbery

Nominations for Nigerian Sports Awards open

N

the resignation by submitting his letter to the nation’s basketball governing body, Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).

The team had in their opening game at the competition, defeated African champions, Tunisia 60-56 and then lost to Lithuania 53-72 and the U.S. 156-73.

They also lost 93-79 to Argentina.

Bakare, a FIBA licenced coach said: “In the next one month, I will be serving the Ni-

•Peter Rufai

Former Nigeria international, Peter Rufai, has been attacked by armed robbers, with his Murano Jeep snatched.

Rufai was attacked over the weekend.

The former national team first choice goaltender, according to an impeccable source, was attacked in the early hours of Saturday while returning from a prayer v i g i l .

Our source said: “He (Peter Rufai) was attacked by the armed rob-

bers and his Murano Jeep was carted away with but the car had since been recovered.

The incident was reported at Alakara Police Station in Mushin.”

Rufai, popularly called Dodo Mayana in his playing days, was in goal for the senior national team for more that a decade.

He was a member of the Gold winning Super Eagles team to the Tunisia 2004 African Cup of Nations.

M ilo Basketball: Queen of the Rosary boasts of defending title

BY SOLOMON NWOKE DEFENDING Champions of the Nestle Milo Secondary School Basketball championship in the Girls’ category, Queen of the Rosary Gboko Benue State started their title defense on a good note as they defeated Saint Judes Girls’ Secondary School Bayelsa by 25-18 points.

Queen of the Rosary who are two time cham-

pions dazzled spectators at the Indoors Sports Hall of the national Stadium with their beautiful moves and showing flashes of their ambition to win the championships which is the 14th in the series.

Speaking shortly after the exciting match, Coach of the victorious Girls, Yende Terkimbi declared that they were in Lagos to defend their title, saying their victory was a pointer to that.

Terkimbi said,“there is

no doubt that the competition will be highly competitive because the champions, the runners-up and the best losers in the conference are converging here for the finals, so it’s not going to be an easy task for any team here.

But strictly speaking, we are here to defend our title.”

Coach Torunarigha Nelson of St. Judes said that they were determined to improve on their second position achieved last

year, and go for ultimate victory. He could only, but gnashed his teeth after his Girls fell again to their superiors. He was, however, confident of lifting the championship’s trophy, this year.

Also speaking was the Captain of the Queen of the Rosary, Kpengwa Mary, who also corroborated her coach’s earlier statement saying they have trained hard for the championship.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 53

Chukwumerije, Isa get opponents Continues from B/P open his accounts on August 11 against the fourth seeded Cuban, who is the 2011 World University Championship champion while Isa will fight on August 9.

The two fighters have been slugging it out day and night preparing for the D’ day. President of Taekwondo Federation of Nigeria, Dr Jonathan

Nnaji who visited the Village yesterday said that the athletes were doing well but warned that people should not put them under immense pressure. ‘’They are ok and battle-ready. We don’t want people to put unnecessary pressure on them.

They know what is at stake and they will do their best for the country”, Nnaji said.

Odumosu, Oke raise hope for Nigeri Nigeria Continues from B/P

yelled “I’m feeling good. This is great.”

On getting to the finish line Ajoke screamed, celebrating her feat.”I’ll give it the shot of my life,” she said of the final today.

Tosin Oke jumped 16.83 to place 9th in the Triple Jump. 12 jumpers are in the final.

The jumpers did not generally have a good day here. Christian Taylor of USA won the World Championship with a 17.96 jump.

“I think it will be our day of glory,” Nesiama

said, referring to the way Ajoke powered home to win her event. She is now enjoying rave previews but the Nigerian camp is being careful in order not to mount pressure on her.

Blessing Okagbare ran the 100m final carrying the weight of 160 million Nigerians. She cracked.

And out of the blues(in terms of global standard) came Ajoke Odumosu who has shown great prospect of winning a medal here.

“I think Ajoke is up for a medal,” said Mark Ouma, a reknowned athletics writer from Kenya

IOC: 900 million watched Olympics opening ceremony •Team Nigeria on

T

HE International Olympic Committee estimates that almost 900 million people watched at least part of the London Games opening ceremony on television. The IOC’s television and marketing director Timo Lumme says it is the target figure for “global viewership … that’s all eyeballs across the world.” The final, official rating will be lower than 900 million.

It counts viewers at home who watched for longer periods, and will be announced within months. Lumme says around 80 of 200 national television markets have audited figures.

Others are estimated.

Lumme says Usain Bolt’s win in the 100meter final on Sunday could reach an official rating of 200 million.

It will likely be the sports event with the highest TV viewership at the London Games.

parade during the opening ceremony.

Boxing: Ogoke’s conqueror bows to her

E

DITH Ogoke may have lost her quarterfinal boxing event here but the Nigerian pugilist has been receiving plaudits even from her conqueror, Russian Nadezda Torlopova who hailed her as a force to be reckoned with in the squared ropes.

Ogoke was so good that the crowd jeered the disparity in the scores that gave the fight to the Russian. The fight ended 18-8 but most of the fans queried the scoring system which was not in tandem with punches that hit target from Edith. Many other countries too had

contested results but that of Nigeria drew so much condemnation from everywhere.President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engr Sani M. Ndanusa who watched the fight with Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Chef de Mission to Team Nigeria, Dr

Patrick Ekeji were equally shocked at the final judgment.

Edith Ogoke felt elated when the Russian acknowledged that the Nigerian gave her a fight to remember and prophesied that she would go places in boxing.

54 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 — 55

C M Y K

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012

Chukwumerije, Isa get opponents •As Nnaji warns against undue pressure

C

APTAIN of Team Ni geria, Chika Chukwumerije and Isa Mohammed carrying the cross in the Taekwondo

event of the London Olympics have been drawn to fight a Cuban and Jordanian respectively.

Chukwumerije, a bronze medalist in Beijing Olympics would

Continues on Page 53

Odumosu, Oke raise hope for Nigeri Nigeria “I

T may be our day of glory,” was the simple way Technical Director of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Navy Captain Omatseye Nesiama described today.

Blessing Okagbare last night failed to qualify in the Long Jump event as she jumped 6.

34m.

Before then two other Nigerians qualified for

the final of their events today. Nigeria has never had it so good in these London Games.

Ajoke Odumosu had pushed in the race of her life to set a national record in the Women’s 400m Hurdles event.

She finished first in her semi-final heat with a time of 54.40 secs and

Continues on Page 53

MEDAL TABLE 1 China 2 United States 3 Great Britain 4 South Korea 5 Russia 6 France 7 Italy 8 Kazakhstan 9 Germany 10 Netherlands 11 Hungary

Gold 34 30 22 12 8 8 7 6 5 5 4

Silver 20 16 13 5 17 9 6 0 14 3 2

Bronze 17 20 12 6 19 11 4 1 7 6 3

Total 71 66 47 23 44 28 17 7 26 14 9

•More stories on pages 38, 39 & 52 TODAY'S

PUZZLES

•Ajoke Odumosun YESTERDAY'S

•Tosin Oke

ANSWERS ACROSS 1 Adapt (6) 5 Faucet (6) 9 Turn (5) 10 Reflect (6) 11 Stray (6) 12 Symbol (5) 14 Fog (4) 17 Offer (3) 18 Lake (4) 20 Overcoat (5) 22 Balloted (5) 23 Steal (7) 24 Regale (5) 26 Decoration (5) 29 Nervous (4) 30 Pendulum (3) 32 Christmas (4) 33 Purchaser (5) 35 Journey (6) 36 Rank (6) 37 Smooth (5) 38 Being (6) 39 Rock (6)

DOWN 1 Nearly (6) 2 Gibberish (6) 3 Study (4) 4 Pulsate (5) 5 Stitched (5) 6 Plot (4) 7 Device (6) 8 Rotated (6) 13 Spoilsport (7) 15 Pondered (5) 16 Romany (5) 18 Cash (5) 19 Royal (5) 21 Sever (3) 22 Vigour (3) 24 Condition (6) 25 Appalled (6) 27 Sweet (6) 28 Chief (6) 30 Hector (5) 33 Beat (4) 34 Scour (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 4, Boost 7, Appeal 9, Wet 10, Gas 12, Ahead 13, Zeal 15, Spore 17, Roster 19, Rude 20, Endow 22, Cab 24, Popular 27, Pal 28, Reign 31, Grit 33, Sadden 35, Waste 37, Flag 38, Stain 39, Eat 41, Net 42, Liaise 43, Screw.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Dazzle 2, Upward 3, Hag 4, Bear 5, Other 6, Standing 8, Last 11, Speculate 14, Loop 16, Oral 18, Swop 21, Neurotic 23, Beard 25, Pass 26, Reef 29, Inlaid 30, Nugget 32, Twine 34, Deal 36, Anew 40, Tip.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.