EFCC arrests Ex-Gov Sylva

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61878

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

EFCC arrests Ex-Gov Sylva

•P.9

NIGERIAN GOVS' FORUM:

Northern elders blast Jonathan •Leave govs alone, face governance, they say •Say NGF is necessary for national development

LOW ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION:

Will Education Bank stem the tide?

•P.25

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

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BUJA—NORTHERN Elders Forum (NEF), yesterday, examined the rift between President Jonathan and governors under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, and Continues on Page 5

COLUMNISTS: Is'haq Modibbo Kawu The Labour Movement and the Nigerian condition •P.17 OCHEREOME NNANNA

Pini Jason, pen musketeer (1)

•P.19

Josef Omorotionmwan HRH Prince Enwaensefe •P.19 Iyiewuaefo-Eweka

Mr & Mrs COLLAPSED BUILDINGS— A building under construction collapsed at 6, Adenaike Alagbe Street,Ejina, in Ikorodu, Lagos, yesterday, injuring two children. Photo: NAN. Inset: Another building collapsed at 4 Community Street, Bariga, Lagos, yesterday, killing one person with many others injured.

Dangote to You can't stop Orubebe, invest $4.26bn ex-aide tells Clark •P.13 in refinery •P.13

DELTA 2015:

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013— 3

4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013—5

POCKET CARTOON

ANENIH VISITS TAMBUWAL—From left: Senator Jim Nwobodo, PDP Board of Trustees Secretary, Senator Wali Jubril; Chairman PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; Speaker House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Deputy Speaker House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha, chatting during the visit of PDP Board of Trustees to the Speaker at the National Assembly Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Northern elders blast Jonathan over feud with govs Continues from page 1 passed a verdict on the matter: Jonathan should

concentrate on the enormous task of solving Nigeria’s problems and

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

A focused, committed group of people who are committed to change no matter how small, will effectively achieve their goal, because change in itself starts with just a few.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

For me, manifesting is not about attracting what you want. Manifesting is awareness and an understanding that you attract what you are —Wayne Dyer

L

OVE can only be attracted by and returned by love. Wayne Dyer says the best advice that he can offer anyone for attracting and maintaining beautiful and spiritual partnerships, is to be what it is that you are seeking. Most relationships that fail to sustain themselves are based on one or both of the partners feeling as if their freedom has been compromised in some way. Spiritual partnerships, on the other hand, are never about making another person feel inferior or ignored in any way. The term spiritual partnership simply means that the energy holding the two of you together is in close harmony with the Source energy of intention.

You must be that which you desire. There’s no point whatsoever in an unloving man or woman bemoaning their inability to find a partner. They’re doomed to endless frustration because they don’t recognize the perfect match when it appears. That loving person could be right there, right now, and their resistance doesn’t allow them to see it. The unloving person continues to blame bad luck or a series of external factors for their not having a loving relationship.

stop dissipating energy on needless war with governors.

Similarly, the Northern elders asked Jonathan to accept governors as partners in progress and desist from treating them as opponents, as they were elected to serve the diverse needs of Nigerians from their respective states, just as the President.

The position of the NEF was made by its spokesman, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, while speaking in an exclusive interview with Vanguard in Abuja.

According to Abdullahi, the North believes that the president should work symbiotically with the governors to produce more democracy dividends for Nigerians rather than continue to flex muscles with those he suspects do not share the same political opinions with him.

Describing the ongoing assault on the NGF chairman and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as unnecessary and unfortunate, the NEF pointed out that the Presidency was yet to explain to Nigerians what offence the governor had committed to

warrant being harassed and intimidated by the Presidency and its agents.

“Well, I think the President created the confrontation which is totally needless. I have not seen any governor who has come to interfere with activities of the Presidency.

“I have not seen one and those who are criticising the governors for forming themselves into a forum to plan for their own meetings should come forward and tell Nigerians how they are disturbing Jonathan.

The President shoudn't be party leader “What seems to be happening is that the President wants to exert himself everywhere as the leader of the party and the country. That is just the problem. But that is totally wrong and inconsistent with the democratic principles of the party because when we drafted the PDP constitution, there was nothing like the President also serving as the leader of the party.

“It is not done anywhere even in the United States of America from where we borrowed our mode of democracy.

But the President is trying to copy what Obasanjo did when he anointed himself and forced the party to appoint him as the leader of the party and the President of Nigeria.

“I am saying so because when we drafted the constitution of the PDP, there was no provision for party leader.

What we had was the Chairman of the PDP. But before we knew it, Obasanjo had concocted something which is applicable in the Parliamentary system of government where the leader of the party becomes the Prime Minister as we have in Britain.

“In the US, the party is totally different from the president. Once the election is over, the president gets on with his job and the governors go to their respective states to do their job of providing services for the people.

“The problem we now have is that the President wants to exercise excessive control over the governors and all other party members and organs. He wants to take everything and that is what is responsible for the conflict between the president and the governors individually or as a group.

“As far as we are concerned, the creation of this conflict needs not be there. What is wrong with the governors getting together under a forum to discuss common problems and issues that can help them to serve their people and Nigerians better? What is wrong with that?

“How does the NGF meeting affect or prevent the President from

doing his own work for Nigerians? Of course, we have been having the Northern Governors Forum because of the history of the North.

There has always been the South-West Governors Forum where they meet to discuss problems confronting them.

“The same thing has been going on in the Eastern Region and so on. So you can see that the meeting of the governors in this country is not a new thing and has never been a setback to any government either at the national or local level.

“So how can the President now begin to worry governors simply because of their regular meetings? Is this not a democratic government that we are practising? I would advise the President to do away with the isolationist approach to governance in this country.

NGF is necessary — NEF “If I were Jonathan, I would rather go for regional cooperation with the governors in order to fast-track the development of Nigeria. So to me, the NGF is a vital platform for enhancing the development and progress of Nigeria and should be encouraged by well-meaning Nigerians.

“I don’t see anything wrong with that at all.

But I think the Presidency fears that the control of the governor is slipping out of his hands especially now that it is clear to him that he is ready to contest election.

“But he is going about it the wrong way and I hope he will continue to go the wrong way so that it becomes easy for the North to get him out in 2015,” Abdullahi stated.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Fresh plots against Amaechi

NDLEA destroys cannabis worth N1bn in Edo

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY — THE Na tional Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Edo State

Command, yesterday, destroyed 102.71 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa (marijuana), estimated at over N1 billion.

According to the Executive Director of the NDLEA, Ahmed Giade, the exercise which took place at Idogbo near Benin City,

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

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AGOS — PLOTS di rected at unseating Governor Chibuke Amaechi of Rivers State allegedly intensified last weekend following moves to incorporate the major security agencies into a plot to finish off the governor.

At the top of the fresh moves, it was learnt yesterday, is a prominent female opponent of the governor based in Abuja but a career civil servant in the Bayelsa State civil service.

The fresh schemes, it was learnt, were rehearsed at a meeting in Yenogoa, Bayelsa State involving the female Bayelsan civil servant and heads of some security agencies based in Rivers State.

The female opponent of the governor, we gathered yesterday, was reported to have charged the heads of security agencies to emulate a certain state Commissioner of Police who has already been lambasted by loyalists of Governor Amaechi of bias.

The meeting, it was learnt, was upon concerns that efforts directed against Amaechi had so far done little in whittling his political base in the state.

Anxiety in Dutse 3 weeks after chief’s abduction

The cannabis sativa (marijuana) being burnt, yesterday. Photo: Barnabas Uzosike.

Gridlock along Oshodi-Mile 2 expressway due to a failed portion of the road and the construction of pedestrian bridge at Ilasa bus stop, yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

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53-yr-old woman remanded over alleged murder of toddler

BY DAYO JOHNSON

Jonathan names Nnamani, Okiro A heads of ICRC, PSC Saro Wiwa’s wife, Comfort Obi, others make lists Kekere-Ekun as Justice of the S-Court

BY ALIYU DANGIDA

UTSE— BARELY three weeks after a traditional title holder of Dutse Emirate Council, Alhaji Idris Kachi, Ganuwar Dutse, along with four others were abducted by unknown gunmen on their way to Maiduguri, anxiety has engulfed people of Dutse.

The monarch left his country home in Dutse with his son, brother, driver and a friend with the intention to condoled with one of his associates who lost his father.

They were driving in a Hilux Toyota vehicle when the incident occurred.

A cross section of people interviewed by Vanguard described him as humble, generous, peace loving and man of the people.

Meanwhile, Governor Sule Lamido has directed the state Joint Task Force to collaborate with its Borno State counterpart to trace the monarch’s whereabouts.

constitutes the largest single destruction of narcotics in the history of drug control in the country, attributing the success to the hard work by officers and men of the command and support from members of the public.

Represented by the Director General, Femi Ajayi, Giade said the agency successfully traced and seized cannabis concealed in vehicles, secret warehouses and other disingenuous places and apprehended 231 suspected drug traffickers in Edo, in the year ended December 2012.

According to him, “we are about to witness the largest single destruction of narcotics in our country’s history of drug control.

We have a total of 102 tons of cannabis for destruction, which is a result of daily raid operations carried out by the Edo State Command. Given the usual sadness when we destroy their wares, today will be remembered as one of the gloomiest days for these enemies of the society.”

BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA— PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, forwarded to the Senate, name of former Senate President, Ken Nnamani as Chairman, Governing Board of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC. Also forwarded for approval was the name of former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro as Chairman, Police Service Commission, PSC. In the letter addressed to Senate President David Mark, Jonathan also named former Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, Yakubu Mohammed; Justice Olufunke Adekeye; Aisha Larai Tukur; Mrs Comfort Obi; Chief Torngee Gem Toranyiin and Dr. Otive Igbuzor as members of the Police Service Commission.

The letter read: ‘’Pursuant to the provisions of Section 154(1)

of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Government of Nigeria as amended, which states that appointments to the Police Service Commission shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate, I write to forward the underlisted names for consideration as chairman and members of the commission. ‘’It is my hope that this will receive the usual kind expeditious consideration of the distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Okiro who retired as the Inspector General of Police, July 2010, will be taking over from the incumbent, Parry Osayande.

Also on the board of the ICRC the president is seeking the Senate’s approval for Mr Aminu Dikko, wife of Ken Saro Wiwa, Mrs Comfort Saro Wiwa; Engr.

Janet Febisola Adeyemi; Mrs Yabawa Wabi; former Minister of State, FCT, Musa Elayo and Mr A.U. Kanu.

Jonathan also submitted the name of Emmanuel Adegboyega

Aremo from the South-West geopolitical zone as the Secretary nominee for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Mr. Adulphus Joe Ekpe’s name was also forwarded to the Senate for confirmation as the Director-General, National Lottery Commission. If approved, he will replace Dr. Peter Igho.

Also yesterday, Jonathan forwarded to the Senate for approval, Justice K.M.O. KekereEkun as Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, just as the letter read: "In conformity with Section 231, subsection (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which gives the President powers to appoint a Justice of the Supreme Court acting on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council and subject to confirmation by the Senate, I hereby present the nomination of Hon. Justice K.M.O Kekere-Ekun for consideration by the Distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

KURE — AN Akure Chief Magistrate Court, yesterday, remanded a 53-year-old woman, Mrs Rachael Abodunrinde, in prison for alleged murder of a 10-month-old baby, Toluwa Fadahunsi.

The suspect, according to the prosecuting witness, cracked the toddler’s skull with a stone.

Abodunrinde, who is a family member to the father of the deceased, was caught in the act shortly after she committed the offence in the deceased mothers bedroom.

Police Prosecutor, Mr Zakari Ibrahim, told the court that the incident occurred on April 30, 2013 at about 12:50 p.m at Iju, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.

According to the charge sheet, the offence is punishable under Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

Ibrahim therefore urged the court to remand the suspect in prison to enable him duplicate the case file with the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, for legal advice.

In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mr Johnson Adelegan adjourned the case to June 21, 2013 pending the DPP’s advice.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013—7

Court remands ‘spirit’ in prison for stealing N20m

BY SONI DANIEL

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ABOVE: Suspected illegal oil bunkerers arrested by the 1 Division Strike Force in Kaduna and (BELOW) Petroleum tankers recovered from them, yesterday. Photos: Olu Ajayi.

BY KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE, OLASUNKANMI AKONI, EVELYN USMAN, EBUN SESSOU & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS — IT was a harvest of collapse buildings in Lagos in the last two days where three buildings have collapsed at different locations in the state leaving at least two dead and several others injured.

While rescue operations were still on to save the lives of victims trapped under the collapsed building in Isheri area of Ojodu Berger, two other buildings located in Ikorodu and Bariga areas of Lagos, caved in yesterday.

One of them located on 9, Shogbemu Street, Bariga reportedly left one person dead while two persons were rescued.

The second, a three-storey building is located on 6, Adenaike Street, Ejina area of Ikorodu.

It reportedly collapsed at noon where two yet-to-be identified children were said to have been rescued from the building and rushed to the hospital.

The three-storey building said to be under construction, had several shops on the first floor.

But it was found to have been marked for possible demolition before it caved in, yesterday.

Vanguard gathered that the injured children were discharged from the hospital two hours later.

Lagos State spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed both incidents to Vanguard, saying rescue work was on-going.

One rescued from Tuesday's collapsed building Meantime, one person was yesterday afternoon rescued and taken to the hospital 24 hours after the three-storey building under construction at 24, Bashiru Street, Ojodu-Berger of Lagos, collapsed killing a worker.

Vanguard observed the rescue of the yet-to be identified workers by NEMA, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, and Federal Road

HARVEST OF COLLAPSE BUILDINGS IN LAGOS

One killed, 4 injured as 2 buildings collapse Building marked for demolition before incident Safety Commission, FRSC. NEMA, LASEMA and FRSC were busy in their operations when suddenly a hand was seen waving from under the debris.

On noticing the hand, the rescue team immediately rushed to the spot where the trapped worker was pulled out of the debris and taken to hospital.

Construction not approved —Ayinde However, Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Toyin Ayinde, said the construction was not approved by government.

According to him, the area belonged to the Federal Government and claimed that the ap-

proval number written on the building was Federal Government's permit.

He said the state would soon investigate what led to the collapse, noting: “We have already captured the permit of Federal Government on the land. When we are able to get the owners of the building, we will be able to confirm if the building permit was genuine. We also learnt that the building has been on for some time. Until we are able to sight the building plans before we will know whether it was a two-floor building that was approved or four storey-building. What the law states now is that after due process and if the result of the investigation indicates that the owner compromises, the property will be

forfeited, and if we are able to get the professionals in charge, we will prosecute them.”

Lawmaker blames Physical Planning ministry A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and Deputy Leader, Lola Akande, has blamed the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development for the collapse of the building.

Akande, who visited the site, expressed shock over the incident, lamenting that the building had been marked for demolition, but was left undemolished until it collapsed, killing two people and injuring others.

Constable docked over Okada rider’s murder

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE & MICHAEL NWOPOKE

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AGOS — A 24-YEAR-OLD police constable, Gaius Asogwa, was yesterday arraigned before an Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos, on one-count charge of unlawful

killing of a commercial motorcyclist, popularly called Okada rider.

Constable Asogwa was alleged to have killed the commercial motorcyclist, Sunday Okoli, 45, by pushing him off a moving cycle on June 27, 2012, at about 8 p.m,

at Iba new site, Ishashi area of Lagos.

According to the prosecutor, Inspector Richard Odigie, “the offence committed by the constable contravened section 221 of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”

USAU — THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, arraigned one Mohammed Yusuf Dabo before Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Gusau, Zamfara State on 11-count charge of obtaining N20 million under false pretence and forgery.

Dabo is said to have defrauded one Ya’u Mohammed of N20 million in a classic Advance Fee fraud scheme.

The fraudster, posing as a spirit named ‘Asmau’, based in Niger Republic, convinced his victim into believing that the mystery female voice had powers to establish schools and mosques to propagate Islam but needed a human vessel through which this could be achieved.

He left the victim with no choice but to accept the offer of becoming the human vessel after threatening him that he would die without carrying out the assignment successfully.

The accused person began to extort his victim and used the money to buy exotic cars and acquire a mansion in the Red Bricks Area of Kano State.

Two nabbed for impersonating naval personnel

BY EVELYN USMAN

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AGOS — TWO persons have been arrested by the Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy for allegedly impersonating naval personnel.

The suspects, Ajayi Toyin and Adeboye Adeleye, were reportedly arrested while harassing members of the public at Iyana-Iba and Coker areas of Lagos. They were reportedly in full Navy rating uniform.

The Western Naval Command Information Officer, Lieutenant Commander Jerry Omodara who confirme d the arrest, said: “Toyin Ajayi was arrested at Iyana Iba, Ojo area and Adeboye Adeleye at Coker Aguda area where they were both harassing innocent people and committing various illegalities claiming to be naval personnel.

8—Vanguard , THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI & NNAMDI OJIEGO

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BUJA—AS condemnations trail Tuesday’s attack on police, army and prison formations in Bama town, Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists which left 55 people dead, the Nigerian Army said, yesterday, that the attack on the 202 Battalion Barracks, with rocket propelled grenades and anti-aircraft guns was aimed at overrunning the barracks and creating mayhem.

Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Ibrahim Attahiru, who made the disclosure, however, noted that the attack was successfully repelled He gave the actual number of casualty recorded during the attack thus: “those killed in action include 21 Boko Haram terrorists, six Police officers, 14 Prison staff, two soldiers and four civilians, including three children and a woman. They were burnt to death by the insurgents”.

Attahiru added: “there has been heightened insecurity in the North East recently occasioned by unprovoked attacks by Boko Haram terrorists in Baga, Marte, Bama and Banki being the most recent. The Nigerian Army successfully repelled attacks on these locations and the situation has been normalized.

“At about 05 10 hours on May 7, 2013, suspected Boko Haram terrorists dressed in military fatigue (Army uniform) attacked 202 Battalion Barracks in Bama with rocket propelled grenades, general purpose machine guns, bombs, 18 seater buses and six Hilux vehicles fitted with antiaircraft guns.

“The attack was aimed at overrunning the barracks and creating mayhem. It was, however, successfully repelled and the barracks was not in any way breached. The Bama Police Station, Police barracks, local government secretariat, INEC office, local magistrate court and a primary school were burnt by the Boko Haram terrorists.

“About 105 inmates were equally set free from Bama prisons.

The items recovered include 4 vehicles, 14 weapons, 12 IED’s, assorted ammunition, several RPG tubes and bombs”.

Quick response groups to patrol major highways “As part of deliberate efforts to contain activities of the Boko Haram terrorists from spreading, Quick Response Groups have been established to patrol major highways nationwide.

“The QRGs are to provide quick reinforcement of troops to troubled spots. The patrol teams operate along designated routes to check the spate of armed rob-

Bama attack: Boko Haram plans to overrun barracks — Army ACN condemns attack; Rights group calls for state of emergency in Borno bery, arms trafficking and kidnapping, as well as any other acts of terrorism. Since its inception, the QRGs have achieved some successes.

“They include reduced banditry along major highways while denying Boko Haram terrorists freedom of action. It has assisted in ensuring military presence along our highways; has denied Boko Haram terrorists and other criminals freedom to convey IED’s and its precursor materials.

“The QRGs have equally improved the Nigerian Army deterrence capability by its constant patrols of designated routes. Additionally, it has equally supported Operation Mesa troops to deal with immediate threats to their respective areas of responsibilities”.

Killings barbric, callous — ACN Meanwhile, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has strongly condemned the attack on Bama town, saying the barbaric attack was another reason for stakeholders to work tirelessly to end the daily carnage in some parts of the north.

A human rights organisation, Youth and Conflict Resolution Initiatives, YCRI, described the attacks on police and military formations in Bama, as a direct declaration of war by the sect on the Federal Republic of Nigeria In a statement in Lagos, yesterday by ACN’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said while every human life is sacrosanct, it is particularly saddened by the mindless killing of security personnel in the course of carrying out their duties of ensuring the protection of life and property.

It also described as barbaric and callous the killing of defenceless citizens, especially women and children, saying the perpetrators of the senseless killings have lost their sense of decency and humanity. "Nothing in the world can justify the kind of killings we have witnessed in recent times, and it is time those who are behind these orgy of violence stopped and retraced their steps,’’ ACN said, adding that the Bama killings, coming about three weeks after the Baga massacre, portray Nigeria as a country where human life has little or no value.

"This unflattering portrayal can only have negative consequences for our country, which

BUSINESS FORUM—From left: Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga; President Goodluck Jonathan; President Jacob Zuma of South Africa and South African Minister of Trade and Industries, Dr Rob Davies at the South Africa/Nigeria business forum in Cape Town on Tuesday.

needs all the goodwill of its global partners, all the foreign investments it can muster, as well as an environment conducive for urgent growth and development,’’ the party said.

It wondered what the insurgents wanted to achieve by attacking women and children in police barracks and targetting health centres, courts and local council secretariat, all areas most likely to be populated by innocent civilians.

ACN urged the Federal Government to work closely with other key stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the Boko Haram crisis, saying the time for flip-flopping and foot-dragging was over.

Also, while condemning the attacks, the group in a statement signed by its Director of International Relations, Mr Efemena Agadama, called on the Federal Government to consider state of emergency rule in the volatile northern state.

“We, again, call on the Federal Government to do more to protect the lives of security operatives by providing them with enhanced safety equipment, combat resources and moral support to combat the insurgency.

State of emergency in Borno “The Federal Government should be considering all options for a state of emergency in Borno State to protect lives and property of all citizens and

the security operatives. Or is the government waiting for the sect to kill everyone in Borno State before it considers a state of emergency?"

YCRI cautioned those playing politics with security situation in the country stressing that what the country is facing now goes beyond 2015 politics. “There is no country in the world that will

be discussing politics and economy when a terrorist sect directs the affairs of a section of that country and in Nigeria, Borno seems to be a state under the command of the Boko Haram sect.”

The statement, however, called on stakeholders to support the JTF and other security operatives in their efforts to subdue the insurgents.

....Jonathan condemns attack, warns insurgents

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BY BEN AGANDE

BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, condemned Tuesday’s attack by Boko Haram insurgents in Bama, Borno State, which led to the death of 55 persons, including soldiers and policemen.

Jonathan warned that "the Federal Government’s consideration of dialogue as an option for the elimination of some current threats to security should not be seen as a weakening of its resolve and determination to use all the forces at its disposal to crush all brazen affronts to the powers and sovereignty of the Nigerian nation.’’

This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Reuben Abati.

Accoording to him, "Jonathan believes that the continuation of such callous and wanton attacks of innocent Nigerians, govern-

ment facilities and security formations flies in the face of ongoing efforts to establish a workable framework for dialogue and the peaceful resolution of security challenges in Northern Nigeria.’’

Jonathan, however, further extended his "sincere condolences to the families and colleagues of the soldiers, policemen and prison officials and other innocent civilians who lost their lives or were injured in the dastardly attack", even as he asked "the armed forces and police not to be disheartened or daunted by the loss of their colleagues, but to remain focused and undeterred in discharging their responsibility for the security of lives and property in all parts of Nigeria with the assurance that the Federal Government will continue to give them "the fullest possible support to enhance their ability to meet the continuing challenges of terrorism and insurgency."

Vanguard , THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013—9

N48bn fraud: EFCC arrests Timipre Sylva from hideout

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, arrested the former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva following his refusal to honour invitations to answer charges over allegations of fraud running into billions of Naira.

The offence was said to have been committed while he served as the governor of the state.

He was picked up at his 3, Niger Street, Maitama, Abuja home.

Vanguard learnt that the EFCC operatives stormed the mansion around 10.00 am and were told by Sylva’s security men that the man was not in town and that they should come back upon his return.

However, the operatives smelling a rat, decided to conduct a search on the house since they were already armed with a search warrant signed by the court.

Apart from discovering the embattled governor in one of the hideouts in the mansion, the search also led to the recovery of what the operatives described as ‘very vital documents’ that could assist in his prosecution.

“Ironically, the ex-governor, who was said to be out of town, was later found hiding in a dingy corner in the upper chamber of his expansive mansion.

“He was immediately whisked away and is currently being interrogated at the Abuja headquarters of the anti-graft agency,” a source said.

The spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest of the former governor, who fell out with President Goodluck Jonathan over political differences in 2011.

He is being grilled in connection with fresh evidence linking him with a bouquet of fraudulent transactions that border on money laundering. Part of the new evidence includes a number of eye-popping real estate acquisitions in Abuja.

The arrest of the former governor followed his refusal to honour invitations by the commission. Rather than appear before the EFCC, he got his lawyers to inform the commission that he was unable to appear because he was sick, and hospitalised in Lagos. The lawyer had promised to appear with Sylva on

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHARISMA FAMILY FAITH MINISTRY This is to inform the general public that the above named ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ;’C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, 1990.

The Trustees Are: 1. Rev. Pastor Ralph Mbata - Chairman 2. Pastor Josephat Okereke (PhD) 3. Evang. Odoemena Marcel N. - Secretary 4. Engr. Eguh Bartholomew 5. Oriaku Ikechi Eziekwu Aims And Objectives: 1. For total evangelization of the world 2. To set the captives of the kingdom of darkness free Any objection to the above registration should be forwarded to the Registrar - General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Evang. Odoemena Marcel N. Secretary

Tuesday but failed to do so.

Before the arrest, the commission had listed many property in and outside Abuja worth over N48 billion, which it claimed to have been traced to the former governor.

EFCC wanted him to stand trial and explain how he came about the stupendous wealth but Sylva has denied ownership of most of the property, claiming that he was being persecuted by the agency for political reasons.

Why we de-register companies — CAC

BY MICHAEL EBOH

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HE Corporate Affairs Com mission, CAC, yesterday, said its decision to delist companies from its register was borne out of the desire to rid the country of inactive and portfolio companies.

Speaking at the 2013 Practice day of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, ICSAN, in Lagos, Mr. Ibrahim Maikwata, Manager, CAC, disclosed that a number of the companies on its register are inactive, with their directors either dead or untraceable.

He said, “we delisted companies because we want to do away with inactive companies on our register. For example, some companies’ directors are dead while the companies are inactive.”

The CAC had within the last couple of years, delisted about 450,000 companies, for various offences, ranging from non-filing and irregular filing of annual return among others.

Continuing, Maikwata stated that the commission was committed to the enforcement of the rules on filings for trustees, such as church, mosques, and charitable organizations among others.

According to him, the Company and Allied Matters Act, CAMA, requires that organisa-

tions designated as trustees appoint qualified auditors to audit their accounts, while they were also required to prepare statement of accounts while filing in their annual returns to the CAC. “In addition to appointing an internal auditor, trustees are expected to appoint an external auditor. The Auditor should be appointed by the general meeting and not by the general overseer as the case may be,” he noted.

Also speaking, Mrs. Oyindamola Ehiwere, a chartered secretary and administrator, blamed the delay in the filing of document by companies on the bureaucracy of the regulators which has made it impossible for company’s secretaries to meet up with deadlines.

According to her, inflexibility of the regulators on issues as the market continues to evolve, adding that lack of understanding from the regulators on issues which require them to be less rigid has contributed in frustrating the efforts of chartered secretaries in the discharge of their duties.

She maintained that some of the major challenges facing chartered secretaries were the CAC’s inefficiencies and poor record keeping function.

NCC sanctions mobile operators over pre-registered SIM cards

BY EMEKA AGINAM

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ELECOMS regulatory au thority, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, yesterday, imposed fines on four mobile services operators including Etisalat, MTN, Airtel and Globacom respectively for contravening the provisions on preregistration of SIM Cards in Nigeria This, according to the Commission, was in furtherance of the ongoing enforcement of the provisions of the Telephone Subscribers Registration Regulations 2011.

The fines imposed, according to NCC, were based on the number of fully activated new SIM Cards that were either reported to the Commission or purchased in compliance with monitoring and enforcement exercises conducted by the Commission, and validated by the offending network.

Each of such pre-registered SIMs found attracts a penalty of N200,000 , NCC said in a statement.

Accordingly, Airtel Nigeria Networks Ltd was liable to payment of a fine of N8, 600, 000 for the availability of 43 pre-registered SIM Card during the exercise.

Similarly, Emerging Markets Telecommunications Service Ltd, EMTS ( Etisalat) was also liable to pay a fine of N5,000,000 for contravening on 25 pre-registered SIM Cards while Globacom Ltd was liable to a fine of N11,000,000 on 55 pre-registered SIM Cards.

MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd was liable to pay N29, 200,000 for contravening on 146 pre-registered SIM Cards.

CONDOLENCE—From left: Dr Ikedi Ohakim, former Governor of Imo State; Mrs Lina Omagbitse; and Mrs Priscilla Onyegbadue, Widow; during condolence to Late Chief Pini Jason Onyegbadue's family at his Lagos residence. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

10—Vanguard , THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Labour petitions Jonathan, issues ultimatum over NIMASA/ NLNG crisis

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

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AGOS—MARITIME Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, urging him to intervene in the ongoing dispute between Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd, NLNG. The union called on Jonathan to compel NLNG to pay NIMASA’s statutory levies in the interest of industrial peace in the maritime industry.

Specifically, MWUN wants President Jonathan to compel NLNG to pay NIMASA all accumulated three percent levies on gross freight and two percent surcharge due on its cabotage contracts to NIMASA within 21 days, failing which the union will shut down all the ports operations in the country.

At a briefing, yesterday, President of MWUN, Anthony Nted said: “We are aware that the law setting up NIMASA, the NIMASA Act 2007 in section 15, stipulates that the agency shall be funded by monies accruing to it from among other sources.

"This is three percent of gross freight on all international inbound and outbound cargoes from ships or shipping companies operating in Nigeria, as part of the funds to meet the operational cost of the agency.

"The law also makes it clear that all ships and shipping companies operating in Nigeria are expected to obey this provision.

“It is a known fact that training and other maritime infrastructure development are capital intensive."

Gunmen kill 20 policemen in Nasarawa

BY BEN AGANDE

A

BUJA — FORTY eight hours after more than twenty police men were killed in Bama, Borno State by suspected Boko Haram insurgents, Governor Tanko Al Makura of Nasarawa State disclosed yesterday that another twenty policemen were killed last Tuesday in Nasarawa state by a militia group, known as “Ombatse” at Atakio Village along the Akwanga-Lafia road. Ombatse in Eggon language means “time has come”.

Governor Al Makura who disclosed this when he came to brief the vice president on the security situation in his state said the policemen were murdered while on official duty.

He said the policemen were on lawful duty to dislodge the militia group when they were ambushed and killed. The governor said that the group, which had besieged the state, were bent on destabilising the State Government. “This group is causing the commotion and insecurity in order to upstage the government,” he said.

Al-Makura, who told the State House correspondents after briefing the Vice President that the State Government had a year ago dislodged the group. He expressed regrets that the group re-surfaced about a fortnight ago, unleashing

mayhem and killing innocent people.

His words: “I am here to meet with the Vice President to brief him about the security situation in my state. Just yesterday, we have a very bitter security problem that has caused the death of some security officers in the state.

“Since January, this thing has not abated and in the past two weeks, it took a total different dimension. This escalated and is causing serious concern for the state. We then decided to hold security meeting to find a way of solving the problem. The solution was to go to the shrine and pick on the cult leader so that the problem will be solved once and for all. But as security operatives were approaching the shrine, unknown to them that ambush had been laid for them, these people attacked them and resulted in the death of more than 20 policemen.

“This is a situation that is so grave and I feel it is very important that I come to brief the Vice President about the security situation and to seek assistance so that we can handle the matter once and for all.

“Already, the group that is from Eggon extraction and called Ombatse has been proscribed since the beginning of this year because of the activities of the members. They go from one place to another, harbouring arms , attacking any area that has any conflict with any of their members. The group is banned and its mem-

bers are those causing this problem in the state and we feel it is necessary to bring this to the notice of the Federal Government.

“Before now, there were one or two arrests. But as a result of yesterday’s event, I am yet to be briefed on the number of arrests that have been made.

Already, I learnt that security operatives are making arrangements to see how they can contain the situation. It is on that point that I will know how many arrests have been made.

“The incident happened in a village called Alakyo about 10km from Lafia, the state capital.

“The position of this militia is unacceptable to the government, already we are taking appropriate steps to see that the perpetrators of this act are brought to book.

That is why I have given the necessary information to the federal level so that by the time we begin to take on these perpetrators, nobody should cast aspersions on the justification” he said.

Also speaking with state House correspondents, Governor Suswam said it is time to be decisive on the security situation in the country.

According to the Benue state governor, “Where people kill uniform people with impunity is totally unacceptable and when there is a situation like that and the security agencies react and people say they are excessive it is not right.

Nigeria's security challenges need comprehensive strategy— US envoy

U

NITED States ConsulGeneral, Mr. Jeffery Hawkins, has said the security challenges facing Nigeria requires a comprehensive strategy.

Hawkins, who spoke at an event to honour Dr. Joe-Okei Odumakin, recipient of International Women of Courage award, in Lagos, condemned the senseless acts of terror by extremist groups in the country.

According to him: “As Nige-

rian government deals with security challenges, we continue to emphasise that extremist’s violence requires a comprehensive security strategy that not only predicate on the force-based approach, but one that also addresses the economical and political exclusion of vulnerable communities in the north. Heavyhanded tactics by security forces strengthen a perception that the government is unjust and abusive, which extremists have capitalised on. Further-

more, if woman cannot participate in the political process, there can be no true security for the next generation. This is why it is important to promote gender equality to bridge the gap.”

Speaking, Odumakin said: “The award is an awesome experience. A society will not live right when there is little or no demarcation between right and wrong, impunity prevails, corruption is king, people no longer blush and young people do not have real role models.”

“You know there must be some fears instill in people. The way we are going, if people can look at uniform people and go out and ambush them and kill them in that manner that it was done, I don’t think that that should be acceptable to anybody no matter the action taken subsequently by the security agencies. I would not support a situation where groups, militias or miscreants will target uniform people. It then means that if the security people now are at threat, it means that we are not protected. So I do not support people who say that security people are excessive at times in the action that they take because they must make sure that such a thing must not repeat itself.

“Where you kill 20 police men by cultist group within the country, I don’t think that should be acceptable and we must be very decisive” he said.

He added that he came to brief the Vice President on the securtity situation in Benue where he alleged there was a serious altercation between the Fulanis and the local farmers in Agatu Local Government which is one of the Local Governments that the Senate President represents “and they almost overran the local government and there was a lot of killings, properties destroyed and I felt that I should come to brief the Vice President who is holding forth for the President”.

He said as a governor, he tries to “be pro-active as much as possible where security issues are concerned to engage the people so that it does not later degenerate to where we will have a lot of killings”.

He said Benue had remained relatively peaceful until that issues with the Fulanis which he said is not peculiar to Benue.

“It is happening across the country and it is also one of the issues that I discussed with the VP and he also has his own perspective to the extent that we think that it should be an issue that should be discussed at the national economic council because for us who are basically farmers, it is killing the economy of the rural populace because people can no longer go to the farms and the ripple effects of that subsequently can only be imaginea.

It is an issue that must be taken seriously”.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013—11

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA—CHIEF of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika, yesterday, lamented that the increasing wave of socio-political and ethno-religious violence recorded in different parts of the country was draining the resources of the Nigerian Army.

Ihejirika stated this in his speech, read by the General Officer Commanding 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Obi Omahi, at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps Warrant Officers/ Senior Non-Commissioned Officers Training Week 2013.

It was held at the 35 Artillery Brigade Officers’ Mess, Alamala Barracks, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He spoke on Contemporary Security Challenges of the Nigerian Army: The Roles of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps Warrant Officers/Senior Non-Commissioned Officers.

Ihejirika explained that personnel of the Nigerian Army have been involved in various internal security arrangements, including the Joint Task Forces set up to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency in the North and to check militancy and kidnapping in the Niger Delta in the SouthEast.

He further said that the in-

SWEARING-IN: Prof. Modupe Adelabu, new Ekiti State Deputy Governor (right), and Justice Ay o d e j i Daramola, Chief Judge of the state (left), during P r o f .

Adelabu's swearing-in in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday.

Insecurity draining Army's resources— Ihejirika creasing wave of the violence and insecurity occasioned by the activities of such non-state actors in different parts of the

country was already straining the Army ’s financial resources.

The Army boss said: “No

Adelabu sworn in as Ekiti Dep Gov T

HE new Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Professor Modupe Adelabu, was sworn in, yesterday, following her confirmation by the state House of Assembly, Tuesday.

The 63-year-old Professor of Education was sworn in by the state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola at the Government House, Ado-Ekiti.

Speaking at the ceremony, which was well attended by dignitaries from different parts of the country, Governor Kayode Fayemi said the appointment of Prof. Adelabu was received with “overwhelming approval” from the people, because she is a round peg in a round hole.

Fayemi, who expressed confidence that the new Deputy Governor would perform well, urged her to continue to endear herself to the hearts of the people as she steps into the shoe

left by her predecessor, late Mrs Funmi Olayinka.

Her speech

In her acceptance speech, the new Deputy Governor extolled the virtues of her predecessor, saying that she really served the people tirelessly and would continue to be remembered for her selfless service.

She promised to continue with the good works started

by Olayinka and see them to completion.

Adelabu also pledged her unalloyed support to the people and government of Ekiti State and assured that she would justify the confidence reposed in her by the governor.

The former SUBEB Chairperson said that she had accepted the new assignment

The general public is hereby notified that the above named ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

The Trustees Are: 1. Prophet Ezekiel Omoalayo Ajide- Founder/G.O. 2. Prophet Falade Segun 3. Pastor Ajide John Sina 4. Evan. Solomon 5. Evan. Ojo Kehinde 6. Evan. Deborah Nnabulhe 7. Evan. Mekuye Hannah 8. Pastor Ajide Gbenga 9. Evan. Omoalayo Titilayo 10. Evan. Christopher Nwankiri Aims & Objectives: 1. Propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 2. Preparing Soul for Heaven 3. Delivering people from satanic bondage 4. Healing to the sick (Isa 61:1-3) Any Objection to the registration should be directed to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Maitama District, P.M.B 198 Garki, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Signed: Prophet Ezekiel Omoalayo Ajide

“in faith and not in fear,” stressing that the state would thrive better during her time.

Roll call

At the event were the wife of the Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; first civilian governor of the state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Alani Akinrinade; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuade Okunola; Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida and Chairman, Ekiti State Traditional Council and Owa Ooye of Okemesi, Oba Gbadebo Adedeji and others.

doubt, you are aware of the increasing wave of socio-political and ethno-religious crises threatening the nation’s security lately.

“This has assumed a high dimension, witnessing spates of bombings and attacks on Key Points, KPs; Vulnerable Points, VPs, and other strategic areas of interest to the country.

“This has left serious demands on Nigerian Army resources. We also know that funding is fundamental to containing this security challenges. Success in this pursuit therefore calls for prudent and efficient management and application of available funds.

“I envision an Army that will effectively manage its available resources to be able to meet contemporary challenges.”

Jeje murder: NJC urged to probe magistrate's

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

A

DO-EKITI—AN octogenarian and former school administrator, Pa Gabriel Adewumi, has requested National Judicial Council, NJC, to investigate a Chief Magistrate in Ekiti State judiciary, Magistrate Richard Adegboye, for setting aside the rule of law and granting administrative bail to the Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Jide Awe, who is standing trial over alleged murder of one Ayo Jeje.

Adewumi is the husband of 76-year-old Mrs Abike Adewumi that was shot along with Jeje at Erinjiyan Ekiti on March 30 this year by agents suspected to be political thugs.

Osun not broke, says Aregbesola

O

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

SOGBO—GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun

State has declared that the state government is economically strong in spite of the massive construction works going on in all parts of the state.

F i e l d i n g questions from newsmen, while inspecting some of the ongoing projects in Osogbo, the state capital, G o v e r n o r Aregbesola stated that contrary to insinuation in some quarters that the state was insolvent, the economy of the state was in the in-

crease.

He described the opposition leaders in the state, particularly from Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, as political jobbers who in spite of the massive transformation of the state in the past two years, sees nothing good about the present administration in the state.

He said: “Don’t mind their claim that the state had gone bankrupt. You can also see that there is massive construction works going on everywhere. So if the state is insolvent would there be that kind of level of development in virtually all parts of the state?”

12 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2013—13

Archbishop prays for Amaechi, lauds landmark achievements

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HE Archbishop of the Niger Delta Province of the Anglican Communion and Diocese of Niger Delta North, Archbishop Ignatius Kattey, has prayed God to grant grace, strength and wisdom to Rivers State governor, and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, to continually perform and overcome every challenge.

Archbishop Kattey, when he led a delegation of clergymen on a courtesy visit to the governor at Government House, Port Harcourt, lauded the governor for his achievements in the state.

He said: “Your administration has made landmark achievements in all sectors of our economy.

Rivers State came first in the country in malaria eradication and control.

The siting of the biolaviocide production factory by ECOWAS in the state is also a significant milestone. This speaks volumes for your government in funding the health sector."

Delta 2015: You can’t stop Orubebe, ex-aide tells Clark

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA—SOUTHSOUTH leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, came under attack over reports credited to him that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, cannot be governor of Delta State, come 2015.

Reacting to the remarks, former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, to Elder Orubebe, Mr. Ekenwan Ekwagbe, said Chief Clark has no power to stop Orubebe from realising his governorship ambition in Delta State in 2015.

Ekwagbe told Vanguard in Abuja, that the remarks on Orubebe by Chief Clark were unbecoming of an elder statesman well respected in the region and beyond.

He said Chief Clark cannot stop Orubebe from becoming the governor of Delta state, advising the elder statesman to stop playing God because he is not.

He said: “E.K Clark’s press conference, that come 2015, Elder Orubebe cannot be governor of Delta State, doesn’t disturb anybody. It doesn’t move anybody because we know where we are coming from and where we are going. All of us in Delta State, in Burutu Local Government Area, where both E.K Clark and Elder Orubebe

come from, know each other. We know ourselves.

“In the last elections in 2011, a former Speaker in Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Frank Enukura, decided to contest election to the House of Representatives. E.K Clark put forward his son, Ebikime, to contest for the same office under the platform of Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, and wanted everybody, irrespective political party, that was contesting the election, to step down for his son.

“But they all refused. At the end of the day, Frank Enukura defeated his son at the primaries of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The boy had to defect to DPP. He used that platform to contest the main election in 2011.

“Frank Enukura, son of a fisherman in Burutu council, whose parents toiled day and night on the rivers, fishing to train him, defeated E.K Clark and his son, not just his son because it was E.K Clark who contested the election indirectly. So, if E.K

Clark’s son cannot win election in Burutu council, can he determine who becomes governor of the entire Delta State?"

On the said Orubebe’s embarrassment of President Jonathan through indicating of interest in the governorship race, the SA noted that Clark had caused a lot of embarrassment to President Goodluck Jonathan in the history of the administration through his utterances by attacking highly placed Nigerians.

BRIEFING: Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (2nd right); his Ekiti, Edo, Ogun, Osun, Imo and Oyo States counterparts, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (right), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (3rd right), Senator Ibikunle Amosun (4th right), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (3rd left), Owelle Rochas Okorocha (2nd left) and Senator Abiola Ajimobi (left), briefing the Press at the end of the meeting of the Progressive Governors of All Progressives Congress (APC), at Imo State Government House.

Rivers Assembly flays invasion by protesting youths

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT— SPEAKER of Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr. Otelemaba Amachree, has condemned Monday’s invasion of the House by youths under the aegis of Grassroots Development Initiative.

It will be recalled that the youths, who stormed the House, protested the suspension of the Chairman, his Vice and the 17 councillors of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

In a statement, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, the Speaker, who described the invasion by the youths as desecration of the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly, said the protesters connived with the police to carry out the action.

He said: “Fellow citizens of Rivers State and Nigerians, I crave your indulgence to update you on the recent happenings, especially with the callous invasion and desecration of the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly by armed thugs

with the connivance of the Nigeria Police, under the command of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu. “We have severally alerted the state and the world of the commencement of the planned gradual collapse of security and democratic structures of our state and called for the transfer of the Commission-

er of Police , Mr Mbu out of the state.

“On May 6, 2013 our democracy suffered a serious setback. Despite our earlier warning, the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, which is directly adjacent to the Police Headquarters, Moscow Road, witnessed a violent and disruptive takeover by over 300 thugs."

Dangote to invest $4.25bn in refinery

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RESIDENT, Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has disclosed that he has negotiated a loan of $4.25 billion from two foreign and Nigerian banks to build a refinery to help Nigeria reduce fuel imports.

Refining “is an excellent business to get into,” Dangote said in an interview with Bloomberg TV’s Ryan Chilcote in Cape Town, South Africa, where he was attending a business forum.

“We have already secured $4.25 billion from two offshore banks and the rest are Nigerian banks,” he said.

Nigeria imports about 70 per cent of the oil products it needs to meet domestic requirements.

The nation’s four refineries process less than the 445,000 barrels a day of their capacities because of aging infrastructure and poor maintenance. The country exports about four times that volume in crude oil.

“Moving into the oil refinery business is smart as there is a clear need for investments in this sector to help the country achieve its GDP growth potential,” Andy Gboka, an analyst at Investment Bank Exotix Ltd., said in London.

14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013— 15

16—Vanguard , THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

2011 elections cost Nigeria N122.9bn — INEC N

IGERIA SPENT the sum of N122.9bn to conduct the 2011 general elections.

This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja, yesterday, by the Chief Press Secretary to the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr. Kayode Idowu.

Idowu said the amount showed that N9bn was saved from N131.4bn initially budgeted for the exercise.

Delta DPP exco dissolved

BY DAPO AKINREFON

T

HE CHIEF Tony Ezeagu-led Delta State Executive Committee of the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, has been dissolved and a caretaker committee put in place.

At a press conference announcing the dissolution, yesterday, in Abuja, National Chairman of DPP, Sir Olisaemeka Akamukali, explained that the National Executive of the party had earlier in the day ratified the dissolution of the Delta State Executive.

This followed alleged "rascality and illegal operations of the party by the dissolved executive committee without recourse to laid down rules and guidelines.

“Can a State chairman, even if properly constituted, suspend a national officer? The rascality of the Delta State Executive can no longer be tolerated," Akamukali said.

According to him: "The National Executive Committee of the party, under my leadership, at its meeting held this morning, approved the dissolution of the Delta State Executive Committee of the party and its replacement with a caretaker committee headed by Mr. Cyprian Mbudiche Ashibuogwu."

He added that the committee will oversee the winding down of the party in Delta State and its proper fusion into the All Progressives Party,APC, at the appropriate time."

The amount spent, he added, included N66.3bn on recurrent expenditure and N56.6bn also on capital expenditure.

He said: “Contrary to lingering speculations, the actual cost of the 2011 elections, including all costs involved in the voter registration exercise, is N66.3 billion for recurrent expenditure and N56.6 billion for capital expenditure – making a total of N122.9 billion or, if you like, $800.6 million at an exchange rate of N153.5 to $1 which prevailed at the time.

“This represented a saving of N9 billion on a total of N131.4 billion that was appropriated.”

He added that the commission appreciated and fully shared Nigerians’ concern over the huge financial costs of elections in Nigeria.

Already, he said the thrust of INEC’s strategic planning was to seek ways of remarkably cutting back on expenditure while safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.

“INEC has, thus, been looking at cost-saving international best practices that can be adapted to Nigerian peculiarities without exposing

the system to abuse,” he added.

He also said it would be wrong to say the commission under Prof. Attahiru Jega has been on a needless spending binge.

He added that every expenditure by the present INEC has been necessitated and strictly undertaken as an investment – with an eye on saving the country further costs in the future.

On the recent Federal Executive Council approval of N2.1 billion budget for INEC to produce 33.5 million Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs that would be issued to register voters, Idowu said the approved fund was for the second batch of PVCs. The PVCs, he said, would be used by the 73.5million eligible voters registered by the Commission during the exercise conducted between January-February 2011.

It will be recalled that before the last FEC approval, the government had in 2012 approved N2.6 billion for production of the first batch of 40 million cards, while the latest approval was for the second phase of the same project.

Anenih urges senators to protect Jonathan’s agenda

BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

A

BUJA — THE chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, yesterday, met with the party ’s leadership in the Senate where he charged them to use their numerical strength to drive President Goodluck Jonathan’s agenda.

In that direction the Senate leadership also, yesterday, resolved to commence consideration of the 2013 supplementary budget presented to the National Assembly last March.

Among issues discussed in the meeting between the BoT and the PDP Senate leadership who were led by the

Senate President, Senator David Mark, were national security, the debate on convocation of a Sovereign National Conference and the speedy passage of the 2013 Supplementary Appropriation Bill.

The meeting in the office of the Senate President, it was learnt, was also a continuation of recent moves by the Anenih led BoT in forging unity in the party.

As part of the moves, Anenih and BoT members have met a number of the party ’s governors and other stakeholders.

Sources disclosed that the visiting delegation stressed the need for cordiality in relations between the legislature and the executive.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013— 17

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The Labour Movement and the Nigerian condition the most serious factor undermining the realisation of our economic potential. Government must not only make commitments to fighting it, government must demonstrate this commitment by its actions, by its style and by its body language”. Even the most optimistic person knows that Omar was talking over the head of the denizens of the ruling elite present at the rally, because as someone ingeniously observed not too long ago, with the characters running Nigeria today, corruption has become the fundamental objective and directive principle of state policy! Well, even the NLC president’s tepid position was not left unchallenged by Jonathan.

“Labour has been in the forefront of the demand for good governance and the increase action [SIC] against corruption…at the core of this perpetration are the senior and junior members of labour unions. Greater attention to peer review action on the part of labour will be much appreciated”. In essence Goodluck Jonathan seemed to be saying that yes, members of the ruling elite that he leads are bandits and thieves; but in the labour movement, there are also senior and junior hardened thieves!

The wheel of corruption resembles that at a casino, and in Nigeria, many hands are participating in the

,

AST week working people celebrated May Day, the international day of working class solidarity. Since 1981, May Day has become a national holiday in Nigeria.

That fact in itself is an acknowledgement of the tremendous role played by the working people in the coming into being and the construction of Nigeria. Even when working class heroes like the late Comrades Michael Imoudu, Wahab Goodluck, S.U Bassey, Alhaji Adebola were not decorated with national honours, those conversant from the bottom, with a people’s history of Nigeria, know that the working class movement has been arguably, the most significant detachment of the anticolonial movement. And at vital points in Nigeria’s history, the working people have been the most patriotic defenders of the country’s integrity.

Yet when one recalls the cake cutting and the presence of members of the ruling elite, from President Jonathan and his ministers in Abuja, to governors in the states, that have become central to the annual May Day celebrations, there are two dialectical forces at play. On the one, labour has managed to earn a space of civil society, which even the ruling classes have to acknowledge with their presence in an event, which must make them feel very uncomfortable.

They are mixing with the most conscious segment of the oppressed classes. On the other hand, the sanitized celebrations also represent the incorporation of the dissent which labour represents in our neo-colonial, capitalist society. The fact that this year, members of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) were arrested while distributing leaflets at the Eagle Square, while the labour aristocracy mixed it up with the ruling elite, further illustrates the depth of the incorporation of labour.

It was also poignant that Goodluck Jonathan issued the labour movement a sharp riposte on the issue of the pervasive corruption within the Nigerian state system. NLC President, AbdulWahed Omar, in his address had pointed out that: “corruption remains

Working people must be central to any serious effort to challenge the reigning orthodoxy of theft; corruption; neoliberal capitalist plunder and the manipulation of the fault lines of ethnicity and religion, central to Nigerian ruling class politics

,

spinning!

The challenge about labour ’s participation in corruption merely

Aminu Tambuwal: Letting lose a cat amongst presidential pigeons W HEN former President Ibrahim Babangida “endorsed” House Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal for a “higher office”, at a recent VANGUARD newspaper event, he probably had a slightly mischievous intention of stirring Nigeria’s political hornets’ nest. This is because the possibility of a Tambuwal candidacy has become one of the more interesting permutations of political discussion around Nigeria.

President Goodluck Jonathan’s handlers are not amused at all about such a possibility. Yet, Aminu Tambuwal, since his fortuitous emergence as Speaker, in one of the most-deft political maneuvers, has shown that he is a politician wiser than his age. Here is a young man with a tremendous ability to build friendships and alliances across Nigeria. Tambuwal leads the House of Representatives, earning the respect and loyalty of his colleagues. He travels all over Nigeria cultivating, shoring up and cementing friendships and earning political IOUs, which he could successfully cash-in, whenever and if ever, he chooses to run, He has not said anything in that respect, yet his silence is as loud as the din of an electioneering campaign!

Tambuwal is not the most popular Speaker with those who never accepted his emergence to lead the

House. Those who subverted the PDP’s power rotation policy to facilitate Jonathan’s presidential ambition were deluded enough to believe they could eat their cake and have it. Tambuwal’s emergence was their rude awakening and they have been suffering a political insomnia ever since. To worsen matters, Aminu Tambuwal has not shown the greed usually associated with high office, which makes occupants of offices susceptible to being set up and becoming available for blackmail and consequently ending up political hostages. He avoids personal controversies; does not covet the perks of high office; refuses official jets for trips; and he is the master of the sound bite, able to say the right thing at the appropriate occasion. He has attributes of a president at a time when the

sitting president is particularly unpresidential! These factors make Aminu Tambuwal such a formidable potential candidate, even when he has not said anything about running for presidency. The Jonathan presidential situation room must be very busy and running at a frenzied pace, tearing hairs at root, looking for how to damage Aminu Tambuwal. The beauty of a pregnancy is that it cannot be hidden forever. We will soon see how things will pan out as we approach 2015. The Niger Delta 'militants' are increasing the din of threat, if Jonathan is not returned in 2015. But Jonathan’s fate will not be determined by these threats.

Nigerians will make a choice and we will be here to see if Aminu Tambuwal emerges as one of the candidates to give Jonathan the scare of his life!

Three weeks after the Baga massacre, where is Wole Soyinka?

HE Nobel Laureate would normally have been on the front pages of the T Southern newspapers, IF the Baga massacre had taken place in the “wrong side” of the country: somewhere in Southern Nigeria. But as it is, Baga

(thankfully!) is in the North! Three weeks after, despite the nationwide condemnation and the worldwide revulsion, Wole Soyinka has not found his voice yet to say a thing. Not that he is not commenting on issues; no. He has lent his considerable weight against executive lawlessness in the unfolding events in Rivers state. But Baga is too far away to bother Soyinka!

reflects a far more fundamental challenge about the place of the labour movement in our national condition.

It is a situation which all patriots, but especially those who adopt a working class perspective in the struggle for our country, must interrogate. I write from the perspective of having spent most of my life in the working class movement and also as a militant in the Nigerian socialist movement.

Increasingly, our movement has lost a significant amount of prestige and influence as a result of many factors: objective and subjective. The collapse of the world socialist system in the 1990s saw the triumph of the world capitalist system and the consolidation of the powers of the bourgeoisie and international imperialism. Neoliberal policies imposed all over the world saw reforms of industrial relations which targeted the weakening of collective bargaining; the casualisation of labour; the erosion of union power and the drop in union membership. The structure of the capitalist system also evolved and the growth of the service sector enhanced petty-bourgeois, consumerist values and the decline of proletarian, class-consciousness.

Casualisation of labour

N

igeria was not spared from this movement; the closure of industry reduced unionized workers while casualisation of labour became a major element of the struggle waged in the past decade by the Nigerian trade union movement. Union leaders have become more and more an “aristocracy of labour”, unable or unwilling to take struggles to conclusions that helped to heighten class consciousness, seemed to be examples of the subjective problems which face the Nigerian working people. Many militants still hold a grudge against the NLC leadership for the manner it abandoned the mass action against fuel price hike in January 2012. But far more central, is that Nigerian working people have continued to abandon politics to the most irresponsible ruling class on the African continent. Yet, we cannot arrive at liberation of our country only by trade union struggles that do not weigh in with political action. The Nigerian Labour Party is only “labour ” in name. It has no class content; not even the most minimalist social democratic ethos. It has been run largely like a mercantilist sect, without principles. It is part of its absurdity, that it has become platforms for characters that do not share the aspirations of the Nigeria working people and the poor. Was it not the party that a controversial character like Nnamdi ‘Andy ’ Uba used as gubernatorial platform not too long ago? When he was thoroughly beaten in the race, he dropped the Labour Party and returned to where he belonged, the PDP. That cannot be the party dedicated to the liberation of Nigeria!

Nevertheless, working people must be central to any serious effort to challenge the reigning orthodoxy of theft; corruption; neoliberal capitalist plunder and the manipulation of the fault lines of ethnicity and religion, central to Nigerian ruling class politics. The crises phenomena that hold Nigeria in bear hug today reflect the failure of all the pseudo-solutions offered by the ruling class. These characters can only lead us to perdition. The working class must translate from class-in-itself to national liberator at the head of a powerful political force of the poor and the oppressed of Nigeria. The fact that we are so far away from this realization threw the dampener into the sanitized May Day rallies of last weekend. We have to offer the rays of hope for national liberation to the mass of the Nigerian people if we don’t want to be consumed by the anarchic wave sweeping the country!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 THE House of Representatives committee querying the Central Bank of Nigeria’s N2.8 billion expenditure on the renovation of its Port Harcourt branch is in a testy situation.

The CBN would not produce documents to support the expenditure!

Audit query of about N4.7bn expenditure has been raised by Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation. CBN was not impressed.

The Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives took up the matter, laying particular emphasis on how the renovation of CBN’s Port Harcourt branch cost N2.8bn.

Committee chairman Mr. Solomon Olamilekan said the cost of re-doing the Port Harcourt branch was an example of the extravagant expenditures of CBN. Olamilekan told CBN officials that without documents to support the expenditures they would be “giving indication that due process was not followed.”

Other expenditures the committee queried were N23m spent on renovating the CBN governor’s residence and a separate N50m quoted for the same purpose. Dates for the works, said to have stretched over “several years”, were not stated.

CBN – Clearing The Shelves More baffling is that CBN bought a property worth N848m for the National Planning Commission. It did not have the transaction agreements. Things got more interesting when the committee gave CBN two days to produce documents on the spending.

Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, CBN, Mr. Suleiman Barau said, “I was not in office when all this happened. I am only defending the institution.” He was the first to give a hint that there were no documents. As if he was not explicit enough, the next speaker told the committee that the matter was dead.

“Many of the documents might be difficult to trace because the bank usually cleared its

shelves every five years,” CBN Director of Procurement, Mr. I. O. Gbadamosi said. His logic was simple – nobody should punish CBN officials over matters that its regulations permitted.

CBN is under the law which says the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation should scrutinise its accounts. Section 85 (4) of the Constitution states, “The AuditorGeneral shall have power to conduct checks of all government statutory corporations, commissions, authorities, agencies, including all persons and bodies established by an Act of the National Assembly.”

The committee in insisting that CBN had to produce the documents or the funds should be refunded to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation would cut CBN’s acclaimed independence under which it is unwilling to allow the law vet its budget and processes. Its understanding of independence is that it is placed above the law in its activities. It is the duties of the National Assembly through oversight functions to protect the public from its institutions. CBN should account for expending public resources.

OPINION

BY YAKUBU DATI

T

HOMAS HARDY, the English novelist, titled his fourth novel Far From the Madding Crowd. It is this same expression that runs through my mind as I pen this piece. Aviation is a global business, with a set of collective standards geared towards the safety of lives and as such it is a sector that should always like, Thomas Hardy’s novel, be far from the madding crowd.

The Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amechi and his cohorts, should live the permutation of 2015, political clefts and other petty egoisms far from the quaint turf of civil aviation. Politicians should be told unambiguously that Nigeria’s skylines are not the canvass for settling political scores.

Aviation is practised globally far from the madding crowd of murky politics.

Some political commentators without knowledge of best aviation practices the world over or those who have decided to be blinded by selective perception have decided to take sides without recourse to the facts of the matter. They have lifted the monomaniac fixation first on the VIPs that were stranded in Akure instead of taking into consideration the abnormality of the flight’s operation in Nigeria, most importantly the alleged colouration of politics even in the face of incontrovertible evidence of flouting the Nigerian and United States aviation rules with impunity. It will be recalled

Amaechi's jet: Leave aviation out of the politics that on April 26, 2013 the said aircraft was refused start-up at Akure Airport due to inadequate and improper documentation. To put it straight, the pilot failed and/or refused to file a proper Passenger Manifest declaring the full identity of all passengers on the aircraft for the intended flight as mandatorily required by the regulatory authorities.

The pilot presented an improper document purporting to be a “passenger manifest”. This raised an eyebrow and led to further reviewing of the aircraft’s records. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, discovered that the aircraft appeared to be operating illegally within the Nigerian airspace. Specifically, it was revealed that the aircraft did not have a valid flight clearance for its operations on April 26, 2013 as the last purported clearance obtained for the aircraft expired on April 2, 2013.

The aircraft with registration number N565RS is currently listed on the U.S. Department of Transport, DOT, Federal Aviation Administration Registry. The registration was issued to “BANK OF UTAH TRUSTEE” of 200 E, South Temple, Suite 210 and Salt Lake City, UT 84111-1346. The registration was

issued on September 28, 2012 and will expire on September 30, 2015. The registration certificate explicitly states that the aircraft registration is NOT TRANSFERABLE. There is also the matter of the Coat of Arms and Identity of the Government of Rivers State being emblazoned and displayed on the aircraft in question, when there is no record or evidence of the state government’s ownership, lease, or other recognised legal or beneficial interest in the aircraft presented to or filed before the civil regulatory authorities. As stated in paragraph 2 above, available records indicate that the aircraft is currently registered to “Bank of Utah Trustee” until September 30, 2015, and the said registration is not transferrable.

The aircraft is currently insured with Alliance Global Risks US Insurance Company. The Policy Holder noted on the Certificate of Insurance is “ACASS CANADA LIMITED” of 6700 Cote de Liesse, Suite 206, Montreal, QC H4T 2B5, Canada.

T

he Certificate of Insurance is dated September 28, 2012 to expire on August 12, 2013, and it appears to have been issued with respect to a “Ferry Flight Agreement” of September 2012.

Furthermore, the presentation of false information or forged documentation to regulatory authorities in the processing of official approvals or permits is clearly a serious violation of the Civil Aviation Act, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations and other extant criminal laws in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The operators of the aircraft in question appear to have deliberately and fraudulently obtained several flight clearances from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities using forged documentation purportedly emanating from Caverton Helicopters. Worse still, the aircraft attempted to and did operate within the Nigerian airspace on April 26, 2013 without any flight clearance whatsoever in total violation of all extant civil aviation laws and regulations.

Governor Amaechi should understand that as an important person in the firmament of Nigerian state and politics, he must be saved from himself, saved from the illegality of operating an unregistered aircraft in Nigeria. The civil aviation authorities in Nigeria have set a precedence by stopping this act of impunity; it is indeed their core mandate and they must live by their responsibilities. No one stops Governor Amaechi from crisscrossing the Nigerian skyline, but first he must get it right! *Mr. Dati, Corporate Affairs manager, FAAN, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013—19

, A

T about 10.00am on Saturday, May 4th 2013, I left my room at the Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto, Canada, to see Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada, Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe in his hotel, the historic Fairmont Royal York Hotel, venue of the justconcluded Canada-Nigeria Investment Conference. He had invited me for details about his invitation to spend a week with him in Ottawa before returning to Nigeria.

Two hours later, I was back in my room, not sure if I really wanted to go to Ottawa or simply follow my original itinerary and return to Nigeria that day. I picked up my roaming Glo line, which I had left in the hotel to recharge and saw so many missed calls. Most of them came from my friend, Abbott, with whom I had travelled from Nigeria to attend the conference. He had left the hotel only a few hours that morning to see his family in New York, USA. It puzzled me that he should have reason to call so many

times so soon after we parted ways.

Just as I was about to return his call, he was again on the line.

“Ochereome, I read Sahara Reporters this morning and came across this horrible news”, he announced, “Pini Jason is dead!”

“What!?”

“Open Sahara Reporters. It is there” As I reached for my Ipad, I started getting a flurry of calls from around the world, one of which came from The SUN’s columnist, Uche Ezechukwu in Abuja. They all sought to verify the report from me. If there is anybody in the media to instinctively reach out for over Chief Pini Jason Onyegbadue, I am that person.

I have known, and been closely associated with Pini for twenty years. I have religiously read his articles since I was a student in the middle 1980’s. We made our first personal encounter in November 1993 when former Chief of General Staff, retired Commodore Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe and his friend,

,

Alhaji Abdulazeez Ude, were given chieftaincy titles by the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Salifu Oyefusi. From then we were never parted with each other.

P

ini took interest in my budding career as a columnist. He, in fact, introduced me to Mr Alan Rake, the Editor of London-based The New African and the African Business, offering me tips on how to get my articles published and get paid in pounds sterling. He also offered avuncular editorial advice while I put together the scripts of my book: Power Sharing in Nigeria and moderated when a crisis of confidence ensued between me and the publisher, my dearest sister, Mrs (now Senator) Chris Anyanwu.

HRH Prince Enwaensefe Iyiewuaefo-Eweka (The Third Enogie of Oghada) -A blend of Royalty and Excellence

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HE people of Oghada Community in Isi Clan, Uhunmwode Local Governent Area of Edo State have every reason to count themselves blessed.

While other people may yet be looking for an example of a perfect blend of royalty and excellence, the perfect example is located at the very heart of Oghada Community.

He is Prince Enweansefe IyiewuaefoEweka, the third Enogie of Oghada.

Kwame Nkrummah (1909-1972) showed by happy illustration that the best pointer to where you are going is an introspect into where you are coming from. That underscores the need to look at the humble beginning of our subject for today.

Prince Iyiewuaefo-Eweka was born in London on November 4, 1962 into the royal and aristocratic family of the Iyi-Eweka Dynasty of the Benin Kingdom. As it were, he was born with a golden spoon in his mouth but he did not allow himself to be carried away by the circumstances of his birth. This is one way of appreciating the fact that he has spent a good part of his life for self-development through education and management training.

He had his early education in Benin City, starting with Emotan Preparatory/ Primary School and on completion of his primary education, he went to Eghosa Grammar School and later moved to Saint John Bosco College, Ubiaja, where he completed his secondary education in flying colours.

He proceeded from there to the prestigious Edo College for his Higher School Certificate, HSC. In his determination to build up the necessary robustness relevant to the machinery and process of service to

humanity, he soon transcended the narrow confines of a secondary education when he travelled to the United Kingdom where he acquired extensive and intensive academic qualifications as well as numerous professional and management courses.

In the UK, he attended South London College, where he read and completed his advance level course, after which he went on to read Sociology with Professional Studies at East London University where he graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in 1991.

After his Bachelor’s degree, he went on to study for a Master’s in Communications Policy at the City University, London and graduated with an MA degree in 1993.

He began his career as a Social/Market Researcher with the Harris Research Centre and later went on to work as a Research Assistant with the Independent Broadcasting Authority in 1994.

Between 1996 and 2002, he held positions in Inforcorp UK Limited as a Data/ Computer Analyst. Between 1999 and 2002, he was the Media Operations Data Manager. He later joined Datamonitor Plc as a Senior Research Manager. He was Senior Analyst/Project Manager with Gartner Group UK limited between 2002 and 2006 and later joined Ebiquity PLC as a Senior Data Manager in 2009.

To date, he is a co-director at a digital marketing/Internet Consulting Company – Vortex Communication Bureau Limited. He also undertakes contract work with past employers on a project by project basis on all direct marketing and database development projects. This involves helping with the development of their data/database solutions. All these bespeak him as perhaps the only rolling stone that has gathered lots

By the time I resigned as Deputy Editor of TSM in August 1994, Pini asked me if I would like to write for Vanguard Newspapers. It was in Vanguard I read all those juicy write-ups of his and other iconic pen-masters, such as Bisi Lawrence, Chinweizu, Ely Obasi, Chris Okojie, Dap Dorman, Lipstick, Ikeddy Isiguzo and a host of others. An opportunity for me to join Uncle Sam’s stable of pen warriors was a heady proposition and I did not hesitate.

Pini gave me a note to Uncle Sam. I did not see its contents as it was stapled. The day I came to the newspaper ’s rather concealed premises was my first time there ever. That was on October 30th 1994. I saw a simple elderly man with charismatic airs, dressed in a blue safari suit and slip-on black shoes. He was sitting behind a large desk in the far right corner of his second floor office. When he read Pini’s note, he got up, walked past me and said in his small, high voice: “Come”.

I followed him to the corridor and he stood near the window looking downstairs at the Press Hall.

“Pini gave you this?” he asked, showing me the note.

“Yes sir”.

“Pini is a man whose opinion we respect so much. If he wrote this, then you must be good. Come”.

I followed him downstairs to the first floor into an office. A dark young man of about my age, wearing a white shirt, blue tie and blue trousers got up and greeted Uncle Sam. He glanced at me and I glanced back. He looked somewhat familiar. He later turned out to be Gbenga Adefaye, one of the riotous chaps one year

of moss.

His technical skills are mainly in the application of technology in the management of customer/ company data for Business Intelligence, BI, which can also be referred to in some

,

Pini Jason, pen musketeer (1)

What am I saying here? My coming to Vanguard owes to Pini Jason; whatever little contributions I have used the column to make owes to the wide latitude of freedom Uncle Sam mandated to his writers, especially Pini and I

We present to you, a man destined to make history, who has a vision and a mission to work with other patriotic Nigerians for the fulfillment of the Nigeria Dream

,

quarters as Customer Relationship Management, CRM. His hobbies include reading fictional and real life crime stories – an avid Alfred Hitchcock fan. He also enjoys watching sports and documentary programmes on television. Other pastimes include travelling and listening to classical/jazz music.

H

e is married with two children – a girl and a boy.

This now moves us to the third phase in the life of this great man.

While this amalgam of royalty and excellence was away from home, he kept a close contact with the people at home. He is now permanently back home. He is the new Enogie of Oghada in Isi Clan, Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria.

As we welcome him home, it is instructive

our senior at the Jackson School of Journalism, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in the 1980’s. He was now the Deputy Editor of Vanguard, a very powerful post in the newspaper. The Deputy Editor is the officer who runs the Editorial Department hands-on.s Uncle Sam told Adefaye: “Check him out. If he is okay, put him on”.

I was checked out and immediately put on. In fact, I was given this column to write, and my first edition of PEOPLE AND POLITICS (a title christened by Uncle Sam himself) was published on December 9th 1994. It was an instant hit, even if I say so myself, no immodesty intended. I was given two full pages a week with the publisher ’s instruction to promo the column on the cover compulsorily.

What am I saying here? My coming to Vanguard owes to Pini Jason.

Whatever little contributions I have used the column to make owes to the wide latitude of freedom Uncle Sam mandated to his writers, especially Pini and I. In 1994, Igbo people did not have much voice in the polity as a whole and the media in particular. They were very much in the middle of the unofficial “marginalisation” policy for their role in the coup of January 15th 1966 and the civil war that ended in January 15th 1970.

Uncle Sam told me to speak out as an Igbo and Eastern person. He gave instructions for me to be facilitated to go anywhere of my choice to attend events, meet people and enrich the paper ’s content the best I could. Now, you know why I sound the way I do!

More on Monday.

that his grand merit is his burning desire to stay with his people at the grassroots. Hear him: “I am not going to be an absentee Enogie. I will live with my people. That’s the only way I can feel their pains and enjoy their gains”.

Today, the Oghada Community welcomes him home and we honour him for his sterling qualities, his spectacular achievements and his shining examples for all those who aspire to leadership positions.

Today, this Column presents a most perfect manifestation of humility, impervious tenacity in the service of humanity and hope for a sustainable future in Edo State and, indeed, in Nigeria. We present to you, a man destined to make history, yet, whose humility belies the robustness of his attainment in life; one man who has a vision and a mission to work with other patriotic Nigerians for the fulfillment of the Nigeria Dream. We present to you, one man who deserves to be honoured, if only to prove the point that a prophet can, indeed, be honoured in his home.

We present to you, Prince Enwaensefe Iyiewuaefo-Eweka, a Digital Duke of the Great Oghada Dukedom, an administrator extra ordinaire, a strategist, a tactician, an adept in computer engineering and information technology, an exponent of human kindness, one man who renders service to humanity without counting the cost.

Our highly revered Prince, on this auspicious occasion of your installation as the third Enogie of Oghada, we congratulate you most heartily.

Oba gha t’ okpere …. Ise

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 — 21

Tobacco coys partner to fight illicit trade in excisable goods

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From left: Director, Caranda Management Service, Col. Aminu Isa Kotangora; Chairman, Dr. Evans Woherem and Managing Director, Nura Kakira, during the Caranda Management Service 4th Annual General meeting, in Abuja.

Photo: Abayomi Adeshida

NASS shuns NPA, NSC on technical regulation of port operations

BY GODFREY BIVBERE & IFEYINWA OBI

T

HE National Assembly is ignoring the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) in its legislative effort to create a technical regulator for port operations in the country.

The legislative body is working at creating a technical regulator that is approved by industry operators, which will look out for the interest of shippers and other port users.

0.05

141.4

2,364.00 -26.00 17.59

-0.22

105.11

-0.35

95.72

-0.44

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

154.75 240.3422 202.9701 164.5751 1.5594 0.2902 232.4596 25.1441 41.2623 27.2294 233.5642

155.25 241.1188 203.6259 165.1069 1.5644 0.3002 233.2107 25.2258 41.3956 27.3174 234.3188

SELLING 155.75 241.8953 204.2817 165.6386 1.5694 0.3102 233.9618 25.3075 41.5289 27.4053 235.0735

CBN Exchange rate as at 08/05/2013

Speaking to Vanguard in Houston, Texas, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Zainab Kure, said the legislators are not in favour of any of the two government agencies taking over the function of the technical regulator of the industry. She pointed out that before the bill, which will soon go through second reading would be passed, it will first go to the public for their input. “We are not going to take any of the existing establishments, it is going to be thrown to the public to decide and whatever they decide will stand.”

She frowned at the fact that there is uniform process for checking arbitrariness of port charges, adding that putting the technical operator in place early enough would ensure sanity in the maritime industry.

On local shipping capacity, Kure

said that the law has not been complied with and when asked who was to blame for non-compliance, she said “I am not going to blame anybody except the economic situation we have found ourselves at the moment.”

She said that the Federal Government should again float a shipping line that will help in the practical training needs of the cadets presently undergoing training across institutions in the country.

The law maker lamented that people are not coming forth to access the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF). When told that operators have actually applied and five Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs) have been appointed to disburse the funds, she said anyone who has applied for the loan and has not been given should write to her committee to enable them take action to ensure disbursement.

HE world’s four largest international tobacco companies have forged a joint venture to fight illegal trafficking of excisable consumer goods.

British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco Group, Japan Tobacco International and Philip Morris International on Monday, launched the Digital Coding &Tracking Association (DCTA), set up to promote international standards and digital technologies to help governments fight smuggling, counterfeiting and tax evasion.

DCTA draws upon the industry’s collective expertise in securing international supply chains and developing sophisticated technologies to help distinguish genuine product from counterfeit.

Eliminating the illicit trade in cigarettes and alcohol requires international cooperation and smarter tools to help customs, border and tax officials tackle the criminals who carry it out. The DCTA offers a proven, secure and cost-effective solution, based on Codentify technology, for this purpose.

Codentify makes the leap into the digital age, offering quick and easy access through a mobile phone to all the information governments need to protect tax revenues, verify the legitimacy of shipments and meet international regulatory requirements, including the World Health Organisation’s protocol to eliminate the illicit trade in tobacco.

Pat Heneghan, spokesperson for the DCTA, said, “Today ’s legal supply chains are global, complex and involve many parties. When combined with the sophistication of the criminals and terrorists, who traffic illicit goods, it means national governments must use the latest advances in technology to secure supply chains if they are to make any real progress in addressing this dangerous and growing problem.

FITC unveils new products to enhance service delivery

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HE FITC (formerly known as the Financial Institutions Training Centre), a special purpose professional services firm owned by the Nigerian Bankers’ Committee, is set to launch some innovative new products, as part of its strategic transformation which started in 2009.

Managing Director/CEO of FITC, Dr. Lucy Surhyel Newman, said the products are aimed at enhancing FITC’s service delivery in line with emerging situations of its stakeholders as well as on-going reforms in the broader Financial Services Sector and national economy, for global competitiveness. The four new

products are FlTC Virtual Learning, FITC E-recruitment, FITC Virtual library and the Nigerian version of the IFC Corporate Governance & Leadership Training Curriculum.

According to him, the introduction of the new products is part of the transformation agenda being implemented by the management of the organisation. “The first phase of the transformation, which started since 2009, hinges FITC’s internal capacity and brand alignment to its brand promises and external stakeholders.

“The second phase of the transformation had to with

infrastructure enhancements and FITC’s relocation from Apapa to present office in Ebute Metta, Lagos, in mid 2010. Third phase of the transformation now has to do with introduction of additional services and products, in order to position the organisation to deliver on its mandate in a more efficient and cost effective manner, thereby extending its services to diverse number of stakeholders within and outside its two physical locations in Nigeria, through appropriate application of modern technology platforms accessible to devices for consumers’ conveniences.”

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY , MAY 9, 2013

Edo to fine-tune industrial policy — SSG

Allocates 108 hectares for industrial park

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

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HE Edo State Government has concluded plans to fine tune its industrial policy in order to boost industrilaisation in the State. The Secretary to the State Government, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, disclosed this when he conducted a delegation from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, to inspect 108 hectares of land belonging to the State government proposed for industrial Park in the state.

The facility is located along Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City.

Ihonvbere said: “This is a launch pad for the industrialisation agenda of the Comrade Governor.

With this kind of land becoming an industrial park, we will make Edo great again. The challenge would be to develop the proposal and make it easy for the Governor to have an overview of the plan and when investors come to us, we then know what to tell them and where to give them. There is a company coming from China that wants to do vehicle assembling in

Edo state. I have no doubt that the whole idea will create job, increase productivity and real income.

The proposal will declare your intention to the Comrade Governor.”

But the state government said it had a strategic plan running through 2016.”

“A section of the strategic plan deals with industrial policy. The planwhich goes on to 2016 is such that any other government that comes will have a flow in and continue from there and can also adjust what needs to be adjusted,” he said.

As for the technical committee on the industrial policy, Ihonvbere said, “I think we can work on that, we can get some people from your side and from

Hong Xing Steel Company Limited during the sealing of the company by SON, recently. our side to look at the policy positions of government and fine tune it and see where we go. Discussions are also on going with those who want to build multi-layer parking

lots.

“Given the work of the Comrade Governor, Edo state caught the attention of international community; three weeks ago, the Governor was invited to

address the World Bank on citizens’ response to public policy, this is very unusual. ”We have a lot of international investors and visitors coming to this state.

SON enforcing standards, workers welfare

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

R

ECENTLY, more than 200 workers(admin, production and management staff) of Hong Xing Steel Company Limited, at Amuwo- Odofin industrial estate in Lagos, were

ordered out of the company ’s premise, leaving only security personnel at the gate.

“Right now, the directive has been given to me by the Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, Joseph Nkem Odumodu, to seal-

off this company and every other company that belong to the group until they are ready to fully comply with the required specifications for Nigeria steel sector which is NIS117: 2004,” said Samuel Ayuba, Principal Standards Engineer, who led a team

of the agency ’s Inspectorate and Enforcement officers to shut down the company.

The workers reluctantly obeyed the police as they filed out, lamenting: “We have not been paid our salary for last month; we don’t

NAFDAC should monitor water manufacturers after issuing licences — MD, Wright Way

BY JONAH NWOKOPOKU

M

R. Emeka Ike is the MD/CEO of Emlo Wright Way Glory Pharmaceuticals Industry Ltd, a company that specialises in table water production. In this interview with Vanguard, he talks about his foray into water manufacturing, the challenges and the need for government to do more than issuing NAFDAC number; they should also monitor people after issuing licenses.

How long have you been in the water business; what are the challenges?

We have been in this business for seven years now. The journey has not been easy. We have series of challenges most especially the cost of raw materials. Sometimes, the cost of raw materials like nylons, packing bags, and water treating chem-

We are expecting a trade delegation from one of the biggest companies in Brazil. We are expecting a trade delegation from China and another from South Africa.”

icals are very expensive.

These costs bounce back on us. So no matter how much extra cost you incur, you cannot increase the price.

Remember there was time water was increased to one thousand naira.

That increase was because the price of the packing nylon increased to about 25 per cent. And don’t forget that we use other things in the production process and we have to change our filters every day. Despite these, we still have to burn diesel because there is no stability in the public power supply; we also have to maintain our vehicles and pay our workers; we have to go extra mile and in that process incur extra costs and to make matters worse for us, table water prices are fixed.

The market is awash with various brands of table waters, how’re you

•Comrade Emeka Ike coping with competition?

We believe that all our effort to produce quality water is to make our water sell because it is only your product that will make you to sell; to stand out in the market where there are many competitors.

And also we know that its market that will determine if your product is good, not the name of the producer. I can’t say it’s not been challenging but just like you have variety of products in the market, whoever will choose Wright Way products will choose it;

that is why people have choices. Also with my experience in marketing, I have come to understand that if my product is good, I can market it but if it is not, there is little I can do about it. So people will buy and confirm if the product is good or bad and if they like it, business goes on.

The greatest challenge we face in this business is our vehicle, it is always breaking down, because of the weight of the water and the poor state of the roads. In fact, vehicle maintenance collects 50 per cent of the profit. If it’s a business that you can just say you have opened up office and customers would be coming to get their supplies, it would have been easier but this one even when you go to sell your water to somebody, the person may even be giving you conditions. He does not care if you are losing or

not. All he cares is his own profit. If the roads are good it would minimize the challenges of punctured tires and vehicle break down and we can even recoup up to 90 per cent of our profit.

Is the water industry in Nigeria being well regulated?

I know that the NAFDAC is the agency that is supposed to be regulating the water manufacturing sector, do not have enough manpower to even regulate the food industry alone, no to talk of regulating the water manufacturing sector effectively. But I would encourage them to open up NAFDAC offices in every local government councils so that they will be able to monitor people they have given their licenses to operate. With that we can have better and healthy water.

know when the company would be reopened; “ why is government doing this to us; “My wife is nursing a baby….”

Ayuba said that the seal off had become necessary because the company was not producing its 10 millimeter reinforcement bars according to standards.

“Reinforcement bars are very critical products in the construction industry. To avoid collapses of buildings and structures, we must make sure that every reinforcement bars that are produced meets the required standards for the country.

“When we came one month ago, we saw what they were doing; we conducted tensile and chemical analysis on the spot and we found some irregularities or defects; and we told the management of the company to adjust their production and ensure that whatever they produce complies with Nigeria’s standards for the steel sector.

“We came back today to verify if they have complied with the specifications or not.

Again, an on the spot tests we carried out showed that the irregularities are still prominent in the products.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9 , 2013 —23

Oil firms boost forex supply with $480m in April STORIES BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

O

IL firms boosted foreign exchange supply with $480 million in April while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sold $2.1 billion at the bi-weekly foreign exchange auction, said Financial Market Dealers Association (FMDA).

Despite this, the naira depreciated across the three segments of the foreign exchange market, losing one kobo at the official market, 15 kobo at the interbank market and N1 at the bureaux de change segment.

In its review of the economy in April, the Association, said, “The wholesale market for foreign exchange experienced higher market demand compared to the previous month. The apex bank offered $2.4 billion and sold $2.15 billion in relation to $1.940 billion offered and $1.9 billion sold in the previous month, reflecting an increase of 23.7 percent and 13.3 percent respectively. The sizeable increase in WDAS foreign exchange supply was compromised by the regressive inflows from energy companies estimated at $480 million which proved short to douse rising demand. We expect to see improved supply trend especially from the

secondary market and anticipated entry of foreign portfolio investments in the Debt markets.”

“The Naira weakened against the dollar across the four segments. The naira depreciated by 1k at CBN WDAS window, 15k at interbank and 100k at BDC and parallel market relative to the average rates in the previous month. The Naira depreciated in the interbank market as a result of demand surge from importers to cover import bills albeit short dollar supply, slow foreign capital inflows and unstable crude oil prices.

“The dollar traded in the ranges of N155.74 –N155.75 per dollar at WDAS, N157.35 – N158.98 per dollar at Interbank, N159.50 – N160.50 per dollar at BDC and N160 – N161 per dollar at parallel market.

Further analysis on month– on-month basis revealed an opening figure of N155.74 per dollar for selling rate at the first working day at the WDAS, and closed the month of April at N155.75 per dollar against the closing rate of N155.74 per dollar in the previous month.

At the Interbank market, NairaDollar relationship opened at N158.6 per dollar for Offer rate

and closed at N158 per dollar in April against the closing rate of N158.65 per dollar in the previous month. The BDC and parallel markets closed the month at N160.5 per dollar and N161 per dollar respectively.

“The premium between CBN and parallel market as at endApril rose to 4.75 percent from 3.04 percent recorded at the end of the previous month. The premium reflects a margin of 0.25 percent below the inter-

national benchmark of five percent, a clear signal of the current pressure on the local currency in the face of the apex bank’s foreign exchange management efforts at nipping volatility in the bud.”

Experts call for renewed approach to Africa’s devt process E CONOMIC experts have called for renewed approach to Africa’s development with particular attention on excluded sections of the population such as vulnerable groups and women.

Speaking at an Expert Group Meeting on Inclusive Growth organized by the Development Research Department (EDRE) of the African Development Bank together with the Korean Development Institute (KDI) and the Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI), participants discussed Inclusive Growth Index currently being developed by EDRE and other related topics covered in the ongoing research on inclusive growth by EDRE and KDI. The meeting

featured presentations on case studies from Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda and Zambia; the effect of fiscal deficit convergence criteria in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) region and the correlates of poverty in Africa.

The participants noted that even as economic growth in Africa has increased, it has not been inclusive enough to address poverty and unemployment. Making their call for a renewed approach to development on the continent, they said the renewed approach would require strategic and practical policy focus by identifying factors that continue to constrain achievement of inclusive growth in Africa. “Learning from Korea’s experience and

Africa’s own past will be critical in this process. The policy toolkit for achieving inclusive growth is more complex and multidimensional.

Most importantly, it calls for a dedicated and visionary leadership coupled with effective governance in order to harness Africa’s abundant labour through quality education and recognising role of non-cognitive skills in human capital development and employment generation.

Concerted efforts in advancing regional integration and intraAfrica trade, and promoting well designed and targeted, self-financing social protection programs for the vulnerable groups were also identified as key pillars for the attainment of inclusive growth in Africa.

24—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 — 25

learning@vanguardngr.com

FG partners Czech Republic on technical, vocational skills Page 26

*Executive Director, Junior Achievement Nigeria, Mrs. Kunbi Wuraola (back right), with the overall winners during the Junior Achievement Nigeria/Blackberry STEM Innovation Challenge for Secondary Schools, in Lagos.

Low access to higher education: Will Education Bank stem the tide?

By AMAKA ABAYOMI

A

S hope rises for the emergence of the proposed Nigeria Education Bank, which scaled the first reading last Thursday in the House of Representatives, Nigerians wonder if planned intervention bank will boost access to higher education in the country.

Though educationists, parents and students have commended members of the House of Representatives for this laudable initiative, they raised pertinent questions that need to be answered to ensure that, if operational, it doesn’t go the way of other government policies.

Commending the representatives, the ViceChancellor, Bells University of Technology, Professor Isaac Adeyemi; Provost, Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Professor Olu Akeusola; and Policy Advisor, Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All, CSACEA, Mr. Wale Samuel, called for adequate modalities to be in place to ensure the smooth take-off and success of

the bank.

According to Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who sponsored the bill, this would provide easier access to higher education for Nigerians through students’ loans and increased access to education for all indigent students.

“This will increase access to funding and prospects for young people, there will be a reduction in the crime rate

and other social vices in the society.”

Titled: A Bill for an act to provide easy access to higher education for Nigerians through interest-free loans from Nigeria Education Bank, it seeks increased involvement of government in the education of Nigerians by offering loans to poor students in varsities and other higher institutions.

Students’ loans are not new

in most developed climes of the world as countries like United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia, among others, have such schemes which have facilitated increased access to education. This, Gbajabiamila intends to replicate here as, according to him, Nigeria cannot develop with majority of her citizens not having ac-

Niger Delta students chide FG over neglect of education Page 28

Exam malpractice justifies post-UTME Page 32

Continues on pg 26

‘Upgrade your low JAMB results to 250 and above?’

By DAYO ADESULU

J

AMBITES who want to upgrade their UTME results to 250 and above should endeavour to read through this article to get help before it’s too late. This tutorial will guide them on how to enhance their JAMB result successfully.

The JAMB database is where your details can be corrected and it is totally safe and secured. It has no side effect for your future because this is the database where everything about your result is stored. However, you have to act fast, calculative and sharp.

The softwares needed to break into JAMB database are these: *Anti hacker *password unlocker *cookies crumble *javalong. O *actionscript2. 0 *key unlocker for exe(pro) *dont spy on me *clearmyipfor os x *netgrim os x *clearmyhistory.

Each software cost some dollars, so you have to buy and verify them with your mastercard, paypal, liberty reserve e.t.c.

After buying and downloading them, install all of them in your personal computer(pc).”

The above statements found at (http:/ /www.topix.net) are definitely from

fraudsters who aim to defraud gullible students who are desirous of getting admission by all means. Unfortunately, many students are falling for this cheap scam.

Read excerpts of some of the students who are already in their net: “Please sir, help me and upgrade my JAMB point. Please sir, I want to go to school sir. Promotion will come your way sir. 270 sir, that is the score I want sir.”

“Hello, my name is Loveth, I was among those that wrote this recent JAMB, my score was 130. I met a man

Continues on pg 26

26 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Low access to higher education

FG partners Czech Republic on technical, vocational skills

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

T

HE Federal Ministry of Education kick-started the process of cooperation with the Czech Government on the development of the nation’s technical and vocational education during the Minister of State for Education, Barr.

Ezenwo Nyesom Wike’s meeting with officials of the Vitkovice Secondary School, Czech’s largest vocational institution in Czech Republic recently.

The meeting and a facility tour of the institution held at the expansive school facility at Ostrava, about 400 kilometres away from Prague, the capital of Czech.

The Federal Government delegation and the school administration deliberated on the implementation process of the collaboration on the promotion of technical and vocational education, fashioned alongside the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.

Wike stated that Nigeria hopes to take advantage of the 180-year experience of the school in the use of technical and vocational education to develop the Czech national economy.

He noted that the negotiations with the authorities of the Vitkovice Secondary School were fruitful as the institution has excelled in linking graduands with relevant in-

dustries after diligent and sustained training programmes.

He said; “The benefits of technical and vocational education are critical to the goals that this administration is aiming to achieve.

"We believe that youths that are equipped with the relevant tools will be self-reliant and employers of labour. That is why we have resolved to seek cooperation with countries that have the capacity and experience to assist us in this direction.

"We have identified Czech Republic as a country with the relevant expertise that will be profitable to our country.

“We are working towards a comprehensive overhaul of

*From left: Ogechukwu Akanwa, Abimbola Balogun and Yetunde Alade, captains of Red, Yellow and Green houses of Leso-Rond High School, receiving awards from a parent, Mrs. Taiwo Akinyemi, during their bi-annual inter-house sports, in Lagos.

Continues from page 25

our technical and vocational schools to ensure that they are relevant to our economy.

"We believe that the partnership we are forging with the Czech Government will help us achieve our goal.

"Our fundamental objective is to have a technical and vocational education that trains the youth in relevant trades that will make them self-reliant and also equipped with the capacity to work in companies within their environment,” he said.

Lubomir Gogela of Vitkovice Secondary School told the delegation that the institution was prepared to put its 180-year expertise in technical and vocational education at the disposal of the Nigerian Ministry of Education.

He added that the school has experience working in different countries of the world, pointing out that the school has developed pragmatic ways technical and vocational education could improve the living condition of youths.

Anaocha Community launches free Igbo lesson for schools

I

N its quest to revive Igbo language in non-Igbo speaking states of the federation, Indigenes of Anaocha Town Union in Lagos State have unveiled plans to organise free Igbo Language

lessons for children in various schools.

The President, Association of Indigenes of Anaocha Town Union (AIALG), Mr Martins Ileme, stated that a survey

conducted by the union revealed a large number of children living in non-Igbo speaking states, born by Igbo parents, who hardly speak their native language.

He expressed shock that some of

‘Upgrade your low JAMB results to 250 and above?’

Continues from page 25 on this Google page by name, Mr. James, this man really help me with my score upgrade, he upgraded it for me to 240 so I really want you to please help me appreciate this man.

He is indeed a God-fearing man, so if you are in such problem I will advise you to contact him on his direct number 07056403123.”

“I need help please my friends; but I hope this is not fake.”

“Please I want to upgrade my JAMB result.

Please help me as you do, God wil help you.”

However, the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Dibu Ojerinde stated unequivocally when he released the 2013 UTME result that

fraudsters should be disregarded as it is not possible to hack into JAMB's database. His words; “Information reaching JAMB shows internet fraudsters are already telling candidates that their results could be upgraded in one form or the other.

This is pure deceit, the public and candidates are hereby advised to disregard these fraudsters since they do not have access to our data."

Already, report reaching Vanguard revealed that desperate students who sat for the exams and could not score up to 250 are making moves to pay N15,000 for this scam.

Students, you are warned!

these children end up registering Yoruba and Hausa languages in their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) at the expense of their local language.

Ileme described as worrisome the loss of interest in Igbo Language in most schools attributing the situation to incompetent teachers and the policy of some private schools that restrict students to only one local language.

He said the union would continue to promote programmes that will encourage the younger ones to appreciate the richness of Igbo language and culture.

cess to quality education.

In agreement is the VC, Bells University, Prof Isaac Adeyemi, who advised that the bank should not be seen as an arm of government and adequate modalities be put in place to ensure its success.

“Such schemes work elsewhere because there are control mechanisms in place to ensure that there are no defaulters. The older generation benefited from scholarships and non-repayable government loans so there is nothing wrong in implementing this.

“To ensure its success, it should be private-sector managed while strategies be put in place to monitor the students when they graduate to ensure that they repay as soon as they start work.”

In the same vein, Mr. Wale Samuel of CSACEA called on government and institutions of higher learning to ensure that students’ trainings are tailored to meet the needs of the nation so as to ensure the success of the Education Bank. “In as much as it would accelerate access and competition at tertiary level and lead to job creation, which is the ultimate end result, but the loans should be for specific courses, else, it would amount to waste.

“These loans would be more beneficial at the basic education level and promotion of vocational studies because Nigeria needs more hand-on skills to achieve our national objectives.” Calling on government to create more jobs rather than giving bank loans which the students are not sure of being gainfully employed after school, the Provost, MOCPED, Professor Olu Akeusola, urged government to revive the free education policy.

“Government is in the habit of formulating policies that are not userfriendly. What should be done is to create employment opportunities for graduates, create scholarship schemes for indigent students, and make education more entrepreneurial by equipping the schools with functional laboratories.”

These, Akeusola said, would allay the fears of the society to know what they need and how to adapt such to work for us.

According to a parent who declined to give his name and whose two children are about to proceed to higher institution, this is a right step as it may afford him the opportunity to send his children to university.

Students were not left out in commending members of the House of Representatives for such laudable policy which, if successful, would alleviate the plight of the common man.

But despite the praises and commendation, some questions that need to be answered are: how sincere is government or would this go the way of other government policies; would it be private sector or government driven; what mechanisms are on ground to ensure that it doesn’t get hijacked by politicians; what would be used as collateral; and what impact the loans would have on job creation, among others.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 — 27

Niger Delta students chide FG over neglect of education

By EMMANUEL AHANONU, UNICAL

T

HE Niger Delta Students Union Government (NIDSUG) under Tombara Michael Yalah national presidency, has organised a twoday national conference on Setting Education as a Priority for the development of the Region.

Selectively, the conference was attended by all the national executives of NIDSUG, regional and chapter leaders, SUG leaders of the various Niger Delta region higher institutions, National Association of Nigeria Students’ leaders, academicians and politicians in the region.

The event which was staged at Ijaw House in Bayelsa State had institutions in attendance including UNICAL, UNIPORT, NOUN, IAUOE, Rivers Poly, RSUST, Oghare Poly, COEWA Warri, Delsu Abraka, FUTA, FECA, NAOS, Rugi Poly, COHTECH, Osutech, c/c Akure, Adeyemi Ajasin in Ondo, UNIBEN, Akwa Ibom State UOE, among others.

The first day of the event featured discussions by students’ leaders, focusing on the various issues that affect the corporate existence of Nigeria.

The major discussion was on the Boko Haram insurgency in various parts of the nation as well as the Federal Government's planned amnesty for the sect; this, the students

leaders were not fully in agreement with.

"The Federal Government will invariably be encouraging crime and war against the country’s corporate existence should amnesty be granted."

Other vital issues which were discussed during the session include “Better welfare packages for Niger Delta students, constant payment of bursary to all Niger Delta students (which they

Exam malpractice Continues from Page 32

described as their inalienable right), and the state of power generation in the country as well as President Goodluck Jonathan's 2015 presidential aspiration.

•Cross section of students during the seminar

Corps member donates N.8m worth of relief materials to school By ‘SEYI OLUWALADE, AAUAA

A

2012 Batch ‘B’ member of the National Youth Service Corps, serving in Adekunle Ajasin University, AkungbaAkoko, Miss Ogochukwu Okoro, has donated three-room modern toilets, 12 sets of school uniforms and 10 pairs of foot wears to the indigent students of Ansar-Ud-Deen Secondary Grammar School, AkungbaAkoko.

Exercise Instruction: Choose the word that is appropriate from the alternatives in the parenthesis.

1. It takes two to (tango/tangle) 2. The police (rounded off/rounded up) a group of teenagers suspected to be criminals.

3. Professor Iwediran (rounded off/rounded up) the lecture at 5.00pm.

4. A. Thanks for your thoughtfulness!

In her remark, Okoro, an indigene of Anambra State and a graduate of Microbiology from Anambra State University, who said the donations gulped about N800,000.00, appreciated the leadership of AAUA and some members of staff of the university for their contributions to the success of the project.

“I thank God for giving me the grace to make people happy. I want to specially appreciate the Vice-Chancellor of

AAUA, Prof. Femi Mimiko, and the members of staff for their support.”

In his speech, the Principal of the school, Mr. Sulaiman Arogundade, showered encomiums on the corps member, saying, “It was a big surprise for us that a corps member could have the wisdom to do something like this. Imagine, a Christian corps member executing a project of this magnitude in a Muslim school.”

B. Don’t mention/Don’t mention it 5. The food is not fit for (humane/ human) consumption.

6. Many people are religious but few are (humane/human).

7. The bride and groom kissed (themselves/each other) on their wedding day.

8. Many Nigerians (descried/decried) the wave of crimes in the country.

9. The number of (fish/fishes) in Ogun River has decreased.

10. Which is the most deadly of all (fish/ fishes)?

11. The Union’s reasoning is based on the (premises/premise) that ‘injustice to one is injustice to all.’

12. You cannot enter the company’s (premises/premise) without a permit.

CORRECTION 1. It takes two to tango 2.The police rounded up a group of

tion sector from imminent collapse is to allow each university to conduct its entrance examination, adding that by so doing, universities would be able to determine the quality of students they admit.

“I still maintain my position that post- UTME is the sure way of maintaining sanity in the admission process.

"Until each university starts conducting admission examination, that is when sanity will be brought into the system."

Also reacting, the Dean of Education, University of Calabar, Professor Florence Banku Obi who commended the JAMB registrar for his various moves to curb examination malpractice, however, lamented that JAMB candidates are devising new methods yearly to cheat as it has become their culture.

She said; “How are we sure that those who scored 300 and above were not among those who cheated but escaped being caught as JAMB registrar cannot be in every place?

"Unfortunately, those who supposed to supervise them in many of those centres connived with JAMB candidates.”

According to Obi, this is to confirm that there is a lot of malpractice going on in the system.

“I will use this opportunity to call on the National Assembly to enact a law that will enable each university to conduct examination for qualified candidates.

"This will reduce examination malpractice and produce the right candidates for admission,” she said.

teenagers suspected to be criminals.

3. Professor Iwediran rounded off the lecture at 5.00pm.

4. A. Thanks for your thoughtfulness!

B. Don’t mention it.

5. The food is not fit for human consumption.

6. Many people are religious but few are humane.

7. The bride and groom kissed each other on their wedding day.

8. Many Nigerians decried the wave of crimes in the country.

9. The number of fish in Ogun River has decreased.

10. Which is the most deadly of all fishes?

11. The Union’s reasoning is based on the premise that ‘injustice to one is injustice to all.’

12. You cannot enter the company’s premises without a permit.

CONTINUES NEXT WEEK. Send requests/problems to Gabriel Osoba, Ph.D, Department of English, Lagos State University, Ojo, through Editor, Teach Yourself English, Vanguard Newspapers, PMB. 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or email: editor@vanguardngr.com & gabosoba002@yahoo.co

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

G

ONE are the days when you had to quickly bite your nails on the assembly ground to avoid being caught for keeping them long. Now, you’re free as a bird to fly with your wings, and free as a cat to keep your claws. Yet, with great power comes great responsibility, so here’s how you can bring out the best in your nails: *Cleanliness is first: Even if you decide to keep your nails long, you don’t have to let all the dirt in the country stay there. Dirt in the nails puts people off and does not give you a responsible look. Wash your hands regularly and keep a cuticle remover handy. *When going artificial: For a school setting, don’t go overboard with your nails. Go for something that has a natural look; not too long or too sharp.

Avoid painting your nails with different colours. When

Nails for school

you do, some lecturers are less likely to take you seriously. You don’t want your manicure to be the reason you aren’t pardoned for submitting a late assignment.

*Watch your toes: It is not that difficult to hide your lack of a pedicure…until you have to wear peep toes. Hurriedly painting your first two toe nails just won’t cut it. Fungus

and bacteria are more likely to attack your toe nails than your fingers nails, so take extra care here. *Colour: In this season, when painting your nails, the

weirder the better. Royal blue is definitely the trend for now, but it’s alright to define your own style. Glitter is also in vogue, but looks more mature when kept to the minimum.

Osun launches computer tablets to boost students' learning

By DAYO ADESULU

T

HE Governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola has vowed to revamp the almost collapsed education sector he inherited from his predecessor few years ago as he launches the distribution of customized computer tablets tagged, OponImo (Tablet of Knowledge) to students of S.S.1 to S.S.3 in public secondary schools in the state.

Speaking through the Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori at a press conference held in Lagos, he noted that the Tablets of Knowledge which are ready for distribution were built to improve learning among secondary school students in the state and also to further prepare them for external and internal examinations.

“The tablets which are designed in the form of an iPad would be distributed to the

students free-of-charge,” he said.

Titi Laoye-Tomori stated that the state government's readiness to launch the initiative which she described as a milestone in the history of education development in the country, will enhance learning.

She noted that the Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led government is determined to ensure that students of the State of Osun are effectively prepared

to meet up with the high standards needed for them to excel in the world of learning and research.

Tomori explained that the Opon Imo are installed with softwares of all the subjects being offered in secondary schools incorporating different textbooks and lesson notes as well as past questions and answers on the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Na-

tional Examination Council (NECO) Examination, as well as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) which will help facilitate the students’ preparedness for these examinations.

“The computer tablets have been preloaded with lesson notes on 17 subjects offered by students in the WASSCE and NECO. "It contains six extracurricular subjects including sexuali-

Students laud council boss on performance

P

UBLIC Officials in Oyo State have been urged to emulate the performance of the newly inaugurated Caretaker Chairman of Atsibo Local Government, Dr. Jacob Ogunmola.

Making this known was the National Association of Oke-

Ogun Students, NAOSS, through its national president, Wasiu Owolabi.

He said they were impressed by the performance of council helmsman within three months in office, adding that they were glad with the payment of bursary allowances to 894 students

of higher institutions.

"Could you believe that Dr. Ogunmola, with what he’s doing, has surpassed the achievements of his predeccessors?

"Distribution of Ajumose First Aid box to all public primary and secondary schools with relevant drugs on monthly ba-

Professional validation of academic programmes imperative — FUTA VC

By LAJA THOMAS

T

ty education, entrepreneurship, civic, computer education, Yoruba, history and traditional religion.

"There are 63 textbooks in the e- library, revision notes for 10 years and a mock test center for students. It also affords students unfettered access to textbooks.”

At the initial take off, Tomori disclosed that 150,000 copies of Opon Imo have been produced as teachers also would receive their copies.

HE Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, has described regular professional validation for academic programmes in universities as critical for maintaining standard and keeping in touch with developments in relevant fields.

Daramola said this while receiving a team from the Town Planning Registration Council of Nigeria

(TOPREC), Abuja, which came for the statutory professional re-accreditation of the university’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning.

He noted that for Nigerian universities to create the needed synergy between content and the needs of the society, professional validation of programmes is imperative. He said FUTA takes such validation as critical since one of its core missions is the production of high level self-reliant

manpower who are trained to contribute meaningfully to solving societal problems and challenges.

The leader of the delegation, Mr. Raphael Ikumapayi, gave credit to the varsity for the high level manpower in the department of Urban and Regional Planning. He said with six members of staff in the professorial cadre, the department has the best manpower among tertiary institutions offering the specialized course in Nigeria.

sis; distribution of exercise books to pupils in public schools and distribution of 400 pieces of digital blood pressure measurement for hypertensive patients and 400 glucometers for diabetic patients, are some of these unprecedented feats.

He does not forget the aged and staff of the council.’’

Wasiu thanked Gov. Ajimobi for appointing Dr. Ogunmola, adding that they will continue to support his administration.

While praising the State Chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, Hon. Yekinni Popoola who presides over the affairs of Irepo Local Government, he urged the chairman to continue to do populist programmes which have continued to endear the hearts of people to their administration.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 — 29

30 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 — 31

32 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

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34 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Almajirai in Katsina State go to school on ‘salary’ from govt

By WALE AKINOLA

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lmajiri, the boy who begs, is not only being taken off the streets of Katsina State, he also goes to school with monetary incentives, according to the State Commissioner for Education, Professor Aminu Kado Kurfi. Kurfi adds that parents in the state are equally being paid stipends to encourage them to send their girl-child to school. The commissioner, who became a Professor of Business Administration in Bayero University at the age of 44, unfolds the goodies in the education sector courtesy of the Governor Ibrahim Shema administration in Katsina State.

You must be brilliant to have become a professor at 44.

I can’t say that I am brilliant, it is the will of God. All my life, since I graduated, I have never worked anywhere other than the university environment. I have never left the four walls of the classroom until I was appointed. I wrote the popular book, Principles of Financial Management, among others.

How did you react to your appointment when you heard of it?

I think it was around July 2011 that His Excellency, Governor Ibrahim Shema, sent for me. I was in Kano because I had been in Kano all my life.

He said I should meet him in his office the following day. We met and he said he was thinking of bringing me on board, education to be precise, and he added that it was a trust because he needed results. He asked my view and I told him that if my service was needed at home, I wish Allah’s guidance. I just heard over the radio the following day that I had been appointed as commissioner.

What is the concept about the girl-child education such that

separate schools are built for them even when some of them still attend the conventional schools?

In this part of the country, we have this problem of the girlchild that some parents are not comfortable having their girls going for higher education.

Part of the strategy to encourage girl-child education was that a new department for the girl-child education headed by a Special Adviser, an equivalent to commissioner, was created.

Also in order to encourage enrollment and ensure that the girl-child continues to be in school even after enrollment, the government introduced incentives for the parents. The state government, in collaboration with the local government established a girl-child school in all the 34 local government areas. They do attend the con-

ventional school where we have the boys and girls but this one is meant only for the girlchild, just to give them that special attention. Majority of the schools that are boarding are for the girl-child.

There is what we call Conditional Cash Transfer. In this scheme, girls from the rural areas are given about N50,000 regularly over a period of time so that they could proceed for their higher education, that is NCE so that on graduation, you are posted to your local government to teach. It was introduced in 2009 and it is still running to date. It is in collaboration with UNICEF. There is another scheme that gives the mother of the girlchild N5,000 every term provided the girl-child attends classes all the time. If you have three girls, you collect N15,000 every term but you must attain

75 per cent attendance.

This action has really stimulated the parents. Now, they are the ones that make sure that their girl-child goes to school, and we have not recorded any drop in attendance.

N5,000 might not make much meaning to you but in the village, it is a lot of money.

If you say you want to encourage the girl-child, what is the concept behind the Almajiri schools?

Before western education came into being, Islamic education had been on. But when western education came in, people thought it was attached to Christianity because, perhaps, it was introduced by the Christian missionaries. Gradually, they began to understand that it had nothing to do with religion. The fact that you are going for western education does not mean you will abandon your Islamic religion.

Some people take these almajiris for beggars but they are not. We are taking them off the streets and putting them in schools. Not only that, they are attended to medically every week as there are ambulances that go to all the schools to attend to them specially.

Remember that the Federal Government is embarking on something similar by building schools for the almajiris.

Beyond the western education they are getting in the schools, they will also be learning and acquiring skills in arts, tie and dye and so on. They are also on some monetary incentives so that they will not only stay in school but to be useful to themselves even outside the classrooms when they graduate.

Virtually all the students in higher institutions in the state are on scholarship, apart from those ones who are in other institutions outside the state that are on the government scholarship. A lot of these students are also studying different courses abroad and their tuition for the duration of their stay which could be between four to six years have been fully paid for.

•Professor Aminu Kado Kurfi

BOWEN graduate out to empower young girls

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

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OSIN Taiwo may look like your normal 23-year-old graduate. Dressed in Tee shirts and slacks, he can blend into any crowd. However, after graduating from Bowen University in 2011, Tosin chose a path that not many Nigerian graduates would; he started his own business. He began using his skills as a Computer science

graduate to repair computers from house to house before setting up his company, Afribolt Technologies in Lagos. “I never liked the idea of waking up early in the morning and going to work for someone else when I could do my own thing.”

Now as an entrepreneur, Taiwo is also doing things differently. While speaking to Vanguard Learning,he said: “Even though everyone wants

to make money, that is not the primary goal of our business.

We use technology as a tool to empower the less privileged, especially the females in our society. We noticed that a lot of girls in the rural areas have nothing to fend for themselves after secondary school. Some of them fall prey to peer pressure, and succumb to unhealthy relationships. A lot of them get pregnant and have their futures truncated. But Afribolt is

about changing Africa with technology. And the best way to change a continent is by empowering the women.”

Taiwo also lamented the poor quality of computer education in the country. “Technology is what moves any country forward,” he said, “that is the reason why a country like India is doing better than we are economically. But until we pay more attention to technology education in this country, we cannot go further.”

Stellenbosch University Business School inaugurates WAA chapter

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HE University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB), South Africa has inaugurated an executive committee for its West African Alumni Association to pilot the affairs of the alumni body within the West Africa region.

To be led under the Chairmanship of Mr. Isa Omagu, the other executives of the association are Ernest Edgar (vice-chairman), ‘Segun Adekoya (networking and communication), Moji Oguntoyinbo (events and programmes), Ralph Nordjo (Ghana), Olusiji Aina, Obi Emenike, Funmi Ojediran and Tunde Akande.

Leading provider of internationally accredited postgraduate management degrees and executive education, University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) is the only business school of an African university with a triple accreditation, having earned accreditation from the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools in Business) and also is the first ‘Africanborn’ school to gain the sought-after AACSB accreditation after previously achieving both EQUIS and AMBA accreditations.

AACSB accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education and has been earned by less than five per cent of the world’s business programmes.

The alumni and graduates of USB are leaders in all spheres of society and play an active part in the school’s activities, including fundraising, involvement in various community and environmental projects, management programmes for SMEs and not-for-profit organisations (NPOs).

The USB Alumni Association has chapters in South Africa (Western Cape, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Central Freestate, Northern Cape, North-West, Limpopo),West Africa, East Africa, Namibia, United Kingdom and Germany.

Entrance Examination

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HE entrance examination into the Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) of Lagooz College, Orile-Agege, Lagos for the 2013/2014 academic session holds on Saturday, May 25, and Saturday, July 20, respectively at the school’s hall, 11-12, Omotoye Estate Rd, Mulero-Agege at 10.00 am prompt. Parents are advised to visit the school for more information on admission procedures.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 — 35

Exam malpractice justifies post-UTME

By DAYO ADESULU

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FTER June 1, the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for 2013 would have been over with 1.7million students left alone to jostle for the 520,000 admission spaces in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

It will be recalled that on April 27, 1,629,102 candidates wrote the Paper-Pencil Test (PPT), while 15,008 candidates did the DualBased Test, bringing the total number of candidates to1,644,110.

Similarly, on 18th May to June 1st, the second phase of the 2013 UTME known as ComputerBased Test would have been ended with 91,610 candidates writing the examination.

For those who meet JAMB cutoff marks for universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education, their chances of securing admission is slim as they are still going to face the challenge of beating their choice institution’s cut-off mark.

In other words, meeting JAMB cut-off score does not guarantee automatic admission into any ter-

tiary institution in Nigeria, if you do not meet your chosen institution’s cut-off score which is usually higher than that of JAMB. Over the years, many students who met JAMB cut-off score (often between 160-180) had ended up not getting admission as they could not meet the cut-off marks of their universities of choice and so could not sit for the aptitude test.

What next? Post-UTME? Yes. “It is a must” says all tertiary institutions. According to some universities, this is the only trusted examination where they can assess the true academic performance of any student seeking admission into their schools.

Thus, a student who scored 250 in JAMB can end up scoring 150 in post- UTME conducted and supervised by each institution.

I know of a student who scored 240 and above in 2012 UTME who did not pass his postUTME. The question many parents and students are asking is: Must students be subjected to this rigorous process before getting admission into tertiary institutions, as many students have to travel hundreds of kilometres to stay for

two or more days for post-UTME? However, the question begging for an answer from concerned stakeholders in the sector is: With the examination malpractice that characterised the just-concluded UTME paperpencil test, can institutions be blamed for insisting on postUTME before admitting a student?

Professor Dibu Ojerinde after the release of last week's UTME result said; “The results of 68,309 candidates from various centres are undergoing further screening to ascertain their culpabilities while 12,110 candidates’ results are withheld for possible disciplinary action.”

He lamented that no fewer than 10 centres were guilty of examination malpractice as invigilators and supervisors connived with students to cheat.

Besides, another point to consider in UTME admission process which calls for urgent attention, is the rationale behind selling of 1.7 million forms to students when JAMB knows that there are only 520,000 available spaces for students in our tertiary institutions.

Similarly, in 2012, they sold

registration forms to about 1.5 million students when they were fully aware of only 500,000 spaces.

The trend which has been on for years is giving stakeholders concern. They said that JAMB seems only interested in the profit generated from the sales of forms and not really in the admission of students.

If the available admission spaces are just 500,000, why allow the sale of forms to the tune of 1.7 million when they know that the remaining 1.2 million candidates will be left unadmitted?

Let us assume all UTME candidates read and prepared adequately for the examination and scored above 250 both in UTME and post-UTME, what will JAMB and the various institutions of higher learning do to admit all the 1.7 million students?

These inadequacies are probably why stakeholders are requesting for more universities, expansion of present universities and upgrading of our polytechnics to universities.

This shortage of admission space might be the reason why students study abroad including neighbouring African countries.

Statistics from JAMB Registrar revealed that many students who sat for the 2013 UTME still preferred the university system to any other as 1,670,833 candidates applied for universities, 28,977 for polytechnics, 28,445 for colleges of education while just 25 people applied for innovative enterprise institutes.

But where are the university spaces for these 1.7 million?

Just like the argument of Stephen Agada, a 2013 UTME candidate who scored 247 in 2012 without admission, and scored 205 in 2013 who said; “When I saw my score, I was surprised because I prepared hard and the questions were very simple. After the examination, I came back home to cross check what I wrote and discovered that I should score nothing less than 250, but to my dismay, I was given 205.” ”I can contest my scores in the four subjects," he added.

Could there be some level of politics played on some students’ results because of the few admission spaces?”

Reacting to this, Professor Ngozi Osarenren reiterated that the only way to salvage our educa Continues on Page 27

Amosun rates Learn Africa books high

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OVERNOR Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has paid glowing tributes to Learn Africa Plc, Nigeria’s foremost learning resource company, for the outstanding quality of its books.

He gave the encomium while declaring open the company ’s 2013 Sales National Conference in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, saying the qualities of the company’s resources were such that would facilitate learning at all levels.

According to the governor, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Alhaji Ambaliu Ishola, “it is noteworthy that Learn Africa Plc books are colourful, beautiful, welldesigned, impressive and inspiring.”

While describing Learn Africa as “a foremost publishing company with amazing capability and skills to respond quickly to timeless challenges in producing top quality books for all levels of learning, Amosu said the company was considered for patronage for the supply of textbooks for schools in the state under the Ogun State Government Free Education Programme C M Y K

because of the quality of its products.

He challenged the company not to relent on its effort at producing impeccable educational materials in spite of the upsurge in the use of information and communication technology.

The conference is an annual event of the company designed to develop and fine-tune its sales strategies, update the skills of the team, launch new products and network.

Managing Director/ Chief Executive of the company, Mr Segun Oladipo, expressed gratitude to the governor for declaring the conference open, even as he expressed delight for partnering the state in its effort at taking education to greater heights.

According to Oladipo, Ogun State had demonstrated its strong belief in using education as a tool of extra-ordinary development through massive investments in the construction and rehabilitation of school buildings, provision of functional and free education at primary and secondary levels, including provision of free textbooks and other instructional materials.

36 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

BY DAYO ADESULU & ADEKUNLE ALIYU

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ONDON Metropolitan University has announced that it has regained its licence to sponsor Tier 4 visas for international students which was revoked in August 2012.

The university declared that staff of the school worked with the the UK Home Office to ensure that the university got the appropriate processes for recruiting and monitoring international students.

Professor Malcolm Gillies,

Vice-Chancellor of the university said; “This is excellent news for our students and our university, which looks forward to welcoming students from around the world who want to study at one of London’s most diverse academic institutions."

Speaking at a media parley in Lagos, the Director of International Office, Nigeria said one of the functions London Metro performs is to ensure that students who enroll through them don’t miss their class as 98.6 per cent lecture attendance in class is compul-

sory for all students.

The director who said studying abroad is part of internal exposure said that with his assessment of Nigerian students over the years, they are good at virtually any course of study.

“London Met has a long history of providing education to international students and we can now continue this long-term commitment to offer them quality education.

Students can have total confidence that our processes are stronger than ever.”

*From left: ‘Opon Imo’ Project Coordinator, Mr. Oluwasun Ngonnase; Permanent Secretary, Osun State Ministry of Education, Mr. Femi Fawole; Deputy Governor & Commissioner for Education, Osun State, Mrs. Grace Laoye-Tomori and member, Opon Imo Project Committee, Mr. Bola Ilori at the presentation of the state’s innovation, ‘Opon Imo’ – Tablet of Knowledge to the media, in Lagos.

Plateau partners NTI on PTTP Teachers Training

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LATEAU State Government has joined the Federal Government to raise the standard of teachers in the country by way of improving the human capacity of its teachers.

The state government which sent an high powered delegation to open discussion with the National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna, led by the state Commissioner for Education, Hon. Nanle Dashen, and the Permanent Secretary, Plateau State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Ruth Biaugten, has the mandate of developing a comprehensive teacher development programme in collaboration with the institute under the scheme, Pivotal Teacher Training Programme (PTTP).

Speaking at the institute’s headquarters in Kaduna recently, the Mrs. Dashen stressed the need to train and retrain teachers for optimum performance and improvement of students who study under their guidance and instructions.

“It is only when young people with genuine interest in teaching as a career are selected for the pivotal teachers’ training programme, that we can guarantee the outcome of

our students who are the direct beneficiaries of the training programme.

This can only be achieved if we improve on the knowledge base of the teachers.”

Responding, the Chief Executive of NTI, Dr. Aminu

Ladan Shehu, assured the team of maximum cooperation in the area of teacher training, noting that the institute has kept fate with the mandate of training and retraining of teachers for effective teaching techniques.

Stakeholders urge FG to implement workable policies in education sector

By OLAYINKA LATONA

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HE Federal Government and various stakehold ers in the Education sector have been called upon to articulate and implement policies that will elevate the standard of education in the country particularly implementing existing education policies, provision of adequate infrastructure for teachers, manpower and teaching aids which would facilitate proper teaching and learning.

This statement was made by Dr. Celine Ogah, an educationist and Director of Religious Education, Department,

Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Rev. Sr. Judith Madueke during the second annual teacher ’s summit of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos under the church's Religious Education Department which was held in Lagos recently.

Presenting a paper entitled; Christian Educators-Coping in educationally challenging society, Celine Ogah called on the Federal Government to collaborate with state governments to review the country’s education policy and overhaul the educational system with greater attention to technical and vocational training.

Is life a game or a battle?

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HE most common definition of life is that life is a battle. The big question is does battle explain the concept of life accurately? Or could there be a better definition that could paint the picture of what life is all about? Examining the concept of battle and game in relation to successful living, we can discover remarkable differences. Battles are not based on principles or rules but rather, they are based on strategies. The reverse is evident in games; games are not ruled or governed by strategies but principles or rules. In actuality, if your strategies for attaining success are not based on the foundation of correct principles, it will lead to an outright failure. Invariably, principles are superior to strategies and they govern life. Battles which are governed by strategies is situational specific rather than universally applicable; different battles involve different strategies depending on the environmental factors; the strength of the opposition and the type of weapons used in the fight. In contrast, life is governed by principles and these principles are universal, timeless and selfevident. Therefore, irrespective of your location or environment; or the age you live in, or the situation, you can apply these principles and it will yield the desired result. So the rules or principles governing a particular game apply no matter the place, time or any other factor. For instance, the rules or principles governing basketball will always be effective everywhere and anywhere in the world. Battles can be lost because even the most effective strategies can fail; it cannot be guaranteed to always succeed. Inversely, when correct principles are accurately applied to life, it definitely will

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UK varsity regains licence, restores hope for Nigerian students

The game of life is a game of giving and receiving; whatever you give out in your thoughts, words and deeds comes back into your life as a boomerang

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produce guaranteed success. People who see life as a battle are always too serious about life; they never enjoy the journey. Battles are not designed to be enjoyed. In fact, battles are generally dreaded and not loved because if lost can ruin lives and keep the person in bondage or servitude under the opposition. On the other hand, when life is perceived as a game, it becomes fun, enjoyable and admirable and even if you lose because of not mastering the rules or principles, you can always bounce back, learn from the mistakes and get into the game again to play to win.

Therefore, principles are superior to strategies. That is the reason why a man of principles always wins while a man of strategies may lose.

To play the game of life to win, you must train your mind and your imagination so that it would work for you and not against you in the creative process. Your rewards in life are determined by your mental capacity to receive it. Your external affairs or condition has a mental correspondence. The game of life is a game of giving and receiving. Whatever you give out in your thoughts, words and deeds comes back into your life as a boomerang.

The game of life is played and won on the platform of the principle of love; the kind of love that is unselfish and gives without demanding anything in return. No harm can come to the person whose life is governed by selfless love because this kind of love transforms the arrows of the enemy into a blessing. Selfless love sees beauty in all things and the divinity in everyone and therefore, is free from all hatred; criticism; unforgiveness; anger and all other negative mental attitudes.

Therefore, to play to win in the game of life; watch your thoughts; imagination and words which culminates into action or inaction and create the condition of your life. Let your thoughts; imagination and words be governed by fearless faith; pure and unselfish love; enlarging vision and be guided by Divine lead (intuition).

The more these principles become ingrained in your nature, the more you are bound to emerge a star in the game of life.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 — 37

38 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

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ITAMIN A is known to be essential for good vision, proper development of embryos, healthy skin and mucous membranes. It helps cells reproduce normally, plays a role in immune system function, growth, bone formation, reproduction and wound healing. It then follows that Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD), considered a public health problem especially in Africa and SouthEast Asia, will lead to high risk of disease and death in children and pregnant women.

Reports say that about 250,000 - 500,000 malnourished children in developing world go blind each year from VAD, about half of them die within a year of becoming blind. As the saying goes, ‘it is better late than never,’ so although VAD was supposed to have been eliminated since 2010 going by the 2002 UN Special Session on Children, Nigeria is yet to get there. But with the efforts of a team of researchers led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in developing vitamin A-fortified cassava, Nigeria is set to meet the target soon. The researchers said the cassava could help put an end to malnutrition due to vitamin A deficiency. In this chat with Mr. Adetoro Adeniyi of Cassava Breeding Unit, IITA, Ibadan, he speaks on what led to the development of Vitamin A cassava. Excerpts: Motivation: ccording to Adeniyi, the team was motivated to search for ways of improving the nutritional value of

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*Some varieties of the yellow cassava and their products being displayed.

IITA set to eliminate Vitamin A-induced malnutrition

By EBELE ORAKPO thought of what we could do to solve this problem of people developing eye problems as a result of consuming white garri.”

The Process: “We started from the seed, to the flower. We crossed the flowers, got the fruits and seeds and after planting the seeds, we got different varieties. The cassava is heterozygous in nature, that means if you have 1,000 seeds from a cross, you will have 1,000 different varieties. So whatever seed you have, it will be a different variety unlike what you have in other plants that are homozygous in nature. So after getting the seeds, we

No IITA variety will yield less than 25 tons per hectare on the average unlike the local variety that will hardly give you 8-10 tons per hectare

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cassava, the fourth largest staple after wheat, maize, and rice with an average consumption of 600 grams per capita per day in Nigeria and having over 200 million people in sub-Saharan Africa relying on it. “When we realised that most people around South-West Nigeria in particular, always complained of eye problems as a result of consuming white garri made from cassava, we decided to think of how to improve the nutritional value of cassava. In the South-West, if someone has eye problem, they say may be he is consuming too much of gar ri. We then

*Cassava flowers and fruits

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planted them and after one year, we took the seeds from the nursery and planted them in the breeding nursery. From the breeding nursery, we took them to cloner evaluation. From cloner evaluation, we took them to preliminary yield trial. From preliminary yield trial, to advanced yield trial, then from advanced yield trial, we took them to uniform yield trial.

“At this point, we tried to see how they will perform in different places outside Ibadan. At the beginning, we might have had like 100,000 seeds but at the end of the five years, we did not

hectare on the average unlike the local variety that will hardly give you 8-10 tons per hectare. So you can see that IITA has really helped the farmer. ccording to the researchers including Dr Peter Kulakow, IITA Cassava Crop Leader, Dr. Norbert Maroya (IITA Cassava Breeder), Paul Ilona of HarvestPlus, Dr. Chiedozie Egesi (National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike), Mr. Godwin Atser, (of IITA) and Jeffrey T. Oliver, “the yellow root colour of the vitamin Arich varieties are products of over 20 years of breeding efforts for improved nutritional quality using traditional breeding methods involving hybridization and selection of cassava seedlings followed by clonal propagation of the selected desirable plants.”

They believe the development of these varieties is a major breakthrough that will change the nutritional status of people living on cassavabased food.

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have more than 20, 25 plants after we have done a lot of *Mr. Adetoro Adeniyi selections which we call recurrent selection,” said Adeniyi. you are seeing do not conCharacteristics we look tain palm oil. You can see the for: yellow root and because we “We breed for disease-re- have different varieties, you sistant varieties, varieties see the difference in their that have high dry matter yellowness, that is the differand low cyanide and those ence in the level of beta with high yields. So after the carotene they contain. The crosses, we came to the va- fufu, garri, eba from the casriety that are yellow, yellow sava are all yellow.” in the sense that they have omparing the yield beta carotene which is a vifrom the local variety tamin A precursor, just like and that of the vitamin A you have in carrots.The body cassava, Adeniyi said; “The converts beta carotene to yield from the local variety vitamin A. is less than eight tons per The level of beta carotene hectare but with improved in the cassava is an indica- varieties, the farmer can tion of the level of Vitamin A have up to 200 tons per hecin it,” he said. tare. No IITA variety will “So the garri and cassava yield less than 25 tons per

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UNILAG don blames Nigeria’s underdevelopment on misuse of intellect

By DAUD OLATUNJI

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Senior lecturer at the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, Professor Aderemi Bidmos, has attributed the nation’s under-development to the misuse of intellect by Nigerians.

Bidmos stated this while delivering a lecture at the National Conference of the Nigerian Universities Education Students‘ Association (NUESA) held at Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

Bidmos, who spoke on the Security Challenges in Nigeria Tertiary Institutions, submitted that misuse of intellect has led to the impoverishment of Nigerians, adding that corruption and its attendant trouble of insecurity are direct consequences of misuse of intellect by individuals in the country.

“If, for example Nigerians are poor, it is due to misuse of intellect. We have the capacity to produce every single item im-

ported into this country. The crude oil that is sold to the West as one single item, is processed and sold back to Nigerians in more than 20 items.

“Nigerians have no business with poverty if they can make use of their intellect in managing the natural resources gracefully deposited in their soil.”

On maintaining peace on campuses, the don urged students to guard against the culture of serving as agents of money bags who recruit and finance trouble shooters on campus. “As students, your numerical strength is a unique asset that you must not waste. If you genuinely desire peace on your campuses, you should not demand it from anyone. You make it happen.”

Earlier in his remarks, Mr. Idowu Joseph, NUESA national president said the conference was organised to highlight the need for peace in the nation's tertiary institutions.

Vanguard, THURSD AY, MAY 9, 2013 —39 THURSDA

Eat these common foods and lower your blood pressure boost.

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

Herbs and spices

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HE high potassium and low sodium in some fruits helps can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. Also the right selection of other foods can keep your blood pressure under control. Bring down your risk of hypertension with these hearthealthy foods.

Sweet potatoes

Oranges

Stock up on oranges the next time you visit the fruit stall. Oranges are bursting with vitamin C, and some studies suggest that people who get lots of vitamin C in their diet may reduce their risk of developing high blood pressure.

Drink the juice. It’s loaded with other compounds that may reduce blood pressure, or eat the whole fruit for some extra fibrer along with the vitamin C. Other sources of vitamin C include guava, grapefruit, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries and bell peppers.

Milk

Getting enough milk isn’t just good for bones. Milk and other dairy products contain a trio of nutrients that may push down your blood pressure: calcium, potassium and magnesium. These nutrients are so important that the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) includes two to three daily servings of nonfat or low-fat dairy products. Choose non-fat dairy products.

Other sources of calcium, potassium and magnesium: Hazelnuts, wheat

Oranges

Chocolates

Salt may be off-limits when you’re trying to lower your blood pressure, but you can spice up your dishes with fresh herbs that are naturally sodium free.

If you like fresh herbs try onions, garlic, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.

Salmon

Few foods have more heart-healthy benefits than this nutritional superstar.

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which studies suggest not only lower blood pressure, but may also boost good cholesterol, cut triglycerides and slow the growth of arterial plaque.

Turn it into a supper staple. Salmon and other omega-3-rich fish are so good for your heart that the American Heart Association recommends eating two 3.5ounce servings per week.

Dark chocolate

Bananas

bran, calcium

Bananas

If your blood pressure has been inching up lately, make bananas your favourite fruit—they’re rich in potassium and fibre. A diet with plentiful potassium-rich foods has been shown to help lower blood pressure. Bananas taste sweetest when their skins are slightly speckled with brown but they’re still firm.

Sweet potatoes

This super-sweet Thanksgiving staple

Herbs & spices

packs a powerful potassium punch, which is why it deserves a spot at the dinner table year round. Potassium causes the kidneys to excrete excess sodium from the body, and keeping sodium levels low can help drive down blood pressure.

Eat them with the skin for a tasty fibre

The next time you crave chocolate, give in. Besides their mood-boosting effects, the flavonols in dark chocolate may protect against high blood pressure and stroke, in part by improving the elasticity of blood vessels.

When choosing chocolate, go as dark as your taste buds can stand. Check labels for the percentage of cacao, which is the source of all that antioxidant goodness. Dark chocolate typically ranges from 45 percent to 80 percent cacao. And eat a square, not the whole bar.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

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USED to be an international gay guy. I have slept with the high and mighty in the country and now I repented, I want to share my story in the newspapers.

I can even give names of my bed mates who mostly are celebrities – Anonymous Hello Anonymous. It is good to know that you are no longer prostituting. However, this column is designed to help people and families with sexual and relationship difficulties. It seems to me that you are more interested in getting attention and destroying people’s lives and careers.

I suggest you go quietly and live your new life. You don’t have to take people down with you. All over the world, people struggle with all kinds of things that they are not proud of, some of which are sexual. The Christian thing to do will be to try and help these people and not destroy them – Uche I have been married for nine years and I am very depressed. I don’t remember ever enjoying sex. I have heard about vibrators. I need three very good vibrators and an orgasm gel to avoid pain. Recommend some nice movies for me too – Mrs. Shittu Hello Mrs Shittu. There are lots of options you can choose from but here are some of the top sellers. The Extreme Tri Twister Rabbit vibrator is a top of the range vibrator for women that rotates in two different directions and is capable of simultaneous penetration, clitoral stimulation and internal G spot stimulation. I also recommend the Inflatable Black Stud. It is the only toy in this category that can be altered in size to become as big as the user wants it. And lastly, is the Clitoral Pump.

It is perfect for clitoral orgasms and gives a sensation different from all the others. And for orgasm gel, take the Spot on G Spot Orgasm Gel. For the movies, you will enjoy DVDs such as Soul Train, Cheerleaders and Reckless – Uche I have started using my Explosive Thunder supplement for hard erections and performance and it is very good but I also want a penis enlarger. Can I combine Explosive Thunder with Max

Size? Fred Hello Fred, all of the above mentioned products are pills and in some ways, they do similar things such as stimulating blood flow to the penis so I don’t recommend taking them together. However, you can take your Explosive Thunder with a penis pump for organ enlargement such as the Remote Controlled Plunger Pump or you can go for any of the enlargement creams such as Maximus Enlargement Cream – Uche Please do you have any drug or something that can increase sperm quantity? Oba Yes Oba. It is a supplement called Max Load and it increases sperm quantity and intensifies orgasms for more enjoyable sex - Uche Hello, I need a vaginal rejuvenator for women who have had children? Mary Yes Mary. Ask for Tight Stuff Oriental Oil and First Timer’s Orgasm Balls for pelvic exercises – Uche My husband suffers from premature ejaculation. But he is too embarrassed to get help. Please what can I get to help him? Thanks – Joke Premature ejaculation is quite common and so are the solutions. You can use a desensitising lubricant or wipe to control it. Lubricants like Max Control Spray will help him or he can use Sex on the Go Desensitizing Wipes to stop it each time you are about to have intercourse. You can see more premature ejaculation solutions on www.zeevirtualmedia.com – Uche My wife has suffered from sexual pain for years until she tried the lubricant you suggested. I have never seen her this happy and I am tempted to buy a whole carton of the Liquid Sex Lubricant – Orji You are welcome. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments and novelties can call us on 08027901621 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. We deliver to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media..

40 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 — 41

42 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9 , 2013

Agents shut down shipping firm over arbitrary charges

BY GODWIN ORITSE

C

USTOMS agents operat ing at the Port Terminal Multi-purpose Services Limited (PTML) at the Tin Can Island port have shut down Grimaldi Shipping Company for imposing chargesreceived from the company (agents) during the last May day celebration.

Vanguard gathered that trouble started when some agents observed the high bill of both terminal and shipping handling charges received from the company noting that the public holiday declared by government to celebrate workers’ day was also computed as a working day and charges imposed.

It was also gathered that for about three days last week, the computer server of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) was down and that for that reason, no single container was released.

Despite the trouble the Customs had with its server, the shipping company still computed charges for affected days, a development that pitched the agents against the shipping firms .

Speaking to Vanguard on the development, Mr Chuks Udensi blamed the shipping firm for the problem, adding that the firm complained that their server was down for almost five days and expected agents or importers to bore the cost of their inefficiency.

He said “ We do not see the reason why they complain that

their server was down for five days and expect the agents to pay for the wasted days, that is the problem agents are currently having with the firm.

“However the leadership of the various groups are currently having discussions with the management of Grimaldi to reverse their decision with regards to the charges”.

Udensi stated that neither importers nor agents will be made to pay for the wasted days, adding that until the issue is resolved, no cargo will leave the

port.

“Even on Sundays that is supposed to be weekend, charges were computed against Sundays, even May day that was a holiday, they charged, the truth is that when they have their personal problem, they want to pass it to the agents.

Speaking in similar vein, another agent Mr Alex Efunode, who supported the reaction of the agents over the arbitrary charges, said that the charges on public holidays by Grimaldi has put more burden on both agents and

importers.

He explained that Grimaldi charges demurrage on public holidays adding that this trend has to stop if agents are to assist in facilitating trade at the ports.

“You cannot imagine that vehicle that is yet to get to its destination, demurrage is being charged on such vehicle.

The placards we are carrying is in line with the current development and we will continue in this line until something is done to reverse the situation.

Director-General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Mr. Ziakade Akpobolokemui, exchanging pleasantries with Dr. Balbaa Ahmed of Arab Academy for Science and Marine Transport while NIMASA Deputy Director, Maritime Capacity Building, Alhaji Ibrahim Jibril looks on.

NIMASA flouts Senate’s directive on deployment, retirement and promotion D

ESPITE the directive by the Senate Committee on Marine Transport to the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to stay action on all staff deployment, retirement and appointment, the agency may have flouted the directive as a new re-deployment exercise has taken place.

Although, the deployment exercise is yet to be made public, sources close to the office of the Director-General of NIMASA told Vanguard that Hajia Lami Tumaka who heads Public Affairs has now been moved to head the Maritime Guard Command of the agency while, Mr. Isichei Osamgbi takes over as Head of Public affairs .

Besides, Mr. Abass Olayemi who until now was NIMASA’s zonal Co-ordinator in the Eastern zone in Port Harcourt is to take over from Mohammed Sanni who goes to Servicom as Head.

Though Vanguard could not

ascertain how many officer were re-deployed, the source also said that some of the affected officers have been given letters to that effect.

Mrs. Mayen Obi has been redeployed to the office of the Director-General as legal adviser One of the affected officers who spoke to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity said that the move by management is a clear violation of the Senate’s directive on such matters.

It would be recalled that the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, the Federal Character Commission (FCC) and the Independent Corruption Practice Commission (ICPC), about three weeks ago summoned the Director -General of the agency Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi to its office in Abuja to explain the rationale behind the pre-mature retirement of some directors and the impending retirement of another set of deputy directors.

Tension and uncertainty now pervades the corridors of the

Agency, as nobody knows what next to expects It will also be recalled the Director General was told to stay action on further issues pertaining staff appointments, retirements and employment following the sudden retirement of four directors whose severance package range between N75 million and N200 million, and impending retirement of another set of deputy directors of the agency appears to have set off the inquest.

The Senate, it will be recalled, was still investigating the matter as at the time of filling this report Trouble started when the Director General of the agency reportedly asked some serving Directors to proceed on their retirement leave even though they were not due to go.

The affected Directors were offered a package that was later referred to as a ‘Golden hand Shake’, meaning that they will get three times their severance package if they accept the offer

and leave.

Investigations revealed that the first set of four directors wrote back to management to know what they will get if they decide to take the offer and the management wrote back to tell them that they will get three times their severance package if they retire voluntarily.

Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that the Nigerian Navy may have withdrawn its men and officers attached to the NIMASA’s Maritime Guard Command (MGC) following Navy’s withdrawal from the Memorandum of Understanding it went into with NIMASA to tackle the menace of piracy on both the nation’s coastal and territorial waters.

Source close to the MGC disclosed that the Navy is only trying to review the MOU it went into with NIMASA with a view to strengthening the partnership.

Customs seizes 35,194 bags of rice

T

he Nigeria Customs Serv ice (NCS) said at the weekend that it has intercepted 35,194 bags of smuggled rice in the last two months with Duty Paid Value of N213 m i l l i o n .

Spokesman of the service; Mr Wale Adeniyi, told reporters in Abuja that customs officers in different area commands across the country intercepted the contraband goods between March and April.

He said the highest seizure of 8000 bags of rice was recorded by the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, Lagos State, followed by another, involving 7,269 bags of rice, in the same z o n e .

Explaining further, he disclosed that: ‘The first two seizures were made by a patrol team of Federal Operations Unit and these were operations that were conducted using intelligence cultivated by our officers and it is an operation that lasted for three w e e k s .

According to him, ``officers had to stay in a particular village monitoring movement on the creeks and monitoring movement of the smugglers before the seizure was made.``The first one was about 7,000 bags of rice .

Minister tasks newlyinaugurated NPA pilotage districts on inquries he Minister of Transport, T Senator Idris Umar has urged members of the newlyreconstituted Pilotage Boards to hold inquiries concerning the conduct of pilots in the districts.

The Minister gave this charge at the inauguration of the reconstituted Boards within the four compulsory pilotage districts of the NPA in Abuja last week.

He also charged the members to license pilots for the pilotage districts on behalf of NPA as well as hold examinations in connection with licensing of pilots for their pilotage districts.

The Minister who reasoned that the inauguration of the pilotage Boards in the compulsory pilotage districts was a necessary requirement, reiterated that this was so as a greater volume of imports and exports one conveyed through the port and safe navigation is required in line with International Shipping and Port Security Code (ISPS).

Vanguard Vanguard,,

THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

—43

YOUR LUCK TODAY

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 TAURUS: Your creativity quotient is enhanced today and if you demonstrate this within your working arena, you’ll earn success and consolidate on your recent progress.

GEMINI: As mercury goes on backward motion today, it is important you don’t take things for granted. Watch carefully what you agree to do. But this is a good day for lovers.

CANCER: Better than yesterday. Others will be willing to give you the needed co-operation both at home and within your working arena. This is a good day for lovers.

LEO: Those of you who are more enterprising will have much to show for your efforts. The more co-operative you are, the better for you. Don’t neglect love.

VIRGO: Mercury starts going on backward motion today; therefore, you will need to re-examine both your personal ideas and advice given to you by other people.

Be family minded.

By Richard Eromosele

M

AN has only one enemy in his life. I guess you want to know who that enemy is? Supposing I ask you to tell me who your enemy is, who would you point your finger to? I am pretty sure

Never be less your next door neighbour will be your target.

Supposing I tell you, your answer is far from the truth, what will be your reaction? The truth is that you are your

own worst enemy.

Even if the whole world is against you, If you don’t surrender to them, you will maintain your greatness and dignity even in death.

Only two things can

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”

happen to a man in life — he is either greater or lesser, bigger or smaller, in peace or in pieces, but if he keeps the good fight, remain loyal to his cause, he will never be diminished. Truly, he will be counted among the great.

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

LIBRA: Provided you don’t allow others to mislead you, things will not go wrong. The more willing you are to take the initiative, the better for you. Take your love life more seriously.

SCORPIO: This is your day. Although you will need to be as secretive as you can, your success will attract others’ attention to you to the betterment of your cause.

Be ambitious.

SAGITTARIUS: People who more influential than you will be willing to support your cause but you will need to make the necessary move. The more self assertive you are, the better.

CAPRICORN: Challenges of yesterday will, today, bring you good opportunities along your career/business lines to the betterment of your finances. Seek supports of powerful ones.

AQUARIUS: Think of the best way to improve on your working pattern in order to enhance your career prospects. If you listeen to your creative self, things’ll work out fine for you. Be more loving.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

PISCES: Success is boldly printed on your cards today.

Think of both immediate and far future while you are savouring goodies offered you by mother nature.

ARIES: You should not have it tough while trying to win the needed supports of others. Take good advice from some of your friends who are creatively gifted.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What June has for me?

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Dear Joshua, I have an important transaction to be carried out come June 2007. Kindly look into my horoscope and tell me what to expect in June.

Sheu, Maiduguri.

Dear Sheu, You have three important periods ahead of you between now and August 2007. Thus you are advised to study them and make good plans accordingly.

This is a positive period for you. Your luck will shine.

Major or good progress will be made, especially through MONEY The major challenge here is some people may be willing to move you out of where you are now to plant their stooge on one hand, on the other hand you may be forced or voluntarily embark on short distance journey capable to bring you disappointment. The last two weeks will bring more challenges at the same time they will make you VICTORIOUS in many ways.

This is a period that will prove both lucky and peaceful.

Genuine LOVE, satisfaction over youngster and real good luck will be yours. Here is a period one can win something like love or LOTTERY . Major warning here is you must learn to put some money away for raining days coming in your immediate future Yes the raining days are here. HEALTH and LAW related challenges indicated . Family issues are making you uncomfortable. Practical approach to health, your being SPIRITUAL and willingness to play ball with those who want high bribery games are important here or else they will want to place higher degree of restrictions on you, financially especially. Yes you have to be more hard working and exhibit maturity. After all your efforts if they prove difficult, then you have to leave them to their conscience; as they will eventually fail, but you must show maturity first.

Commen3

by Lawrence Akapa

44 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

CAN urges Christian to pray without ceasing

‘PDP crisis ruining P-Harcourt's economy'

C

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

P

ORT HARCOURT— LAWYERS in Rivers State have described the crisis rocking Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, in the state as a threat to existing and potential investors in the state.

Two Port Harcourt-based lawyers, Chigozie OrluOrlu and Kinsley Nwangwe, while expressing their concern to Vanguard, noted that the increasing tension generated by the brewing crisis was already taking a toll on businesses and investment activities in the state.

Orlu-Orlu said: “Nobody will claim that all is well. Nothing is working right now except that lawyers stand to gain from the attendant litigations.”

Nwangwe noted: “The suspension of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area cabinet, as an instance, is not just a displacement of the Chairman, his Vice and 17 councilors.

“Their families and dependents have also been economically displaced by the crisis.”

MUDENNA set to check Ndokwa politicians

A

pressure group, Movement for the Unity and Development of Ndokwa Nation, MUDENNA, has been formed to check the excesses and performance of Ndokwa political office holders.

The group, whose membership is drawn from the three local government areas of Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West and Ukwuani, said it was ready to confront the nonperforming politicians.

A statement by the group said: “Of all the 25 local government areas in Delta State, Ndokwa nation is the least developed, yet it has representation in the state.

"Anybody who is not ready to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people should better resign his or her appointment, as it is not going to be business as usual.”

DINNER: From left— Bruce Fullerton, Director, Sales, Skyjets Aviation Services; Mr. Geoff Bailey, Manager, Marketing/Intelligence, Embraer Aircraft; Mr. Steve Ayorinde, MD/Editor-in-Chief, National Mirror Newspaper; Mr. Steven Colin, Vice-President, Marketing and Sales, Embraer Executive jets; Mr. Segun Demuren, MD/CEO, Evergreen Apple Nigeria, and Mr. Alessandro Scarpellini, Regional Director for Africa, Embraer, during the media dinner sponsored by Embraer in Lagos. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

Isaac Boro's remains for burial at Heroes Park, May 16

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—THE remains of late Major Isaac Adaka Boro, which was exhumed from the Ikoyi cemetery, Lagos last month, where he was buried 45 years ago, will be interred, May 16, at the Heroes Park in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, his final place of rest.

The late National Security Adviser, Gen Owoye Azazi, the first Ijaw son to be decorated a four-star general, was also buried at the Heroes Park, a place conceived as the final resting place for all heroes and legend of the state by Governor Seriake Dickson.

Vanguard learnt that the bones of late Boro, the hero of the Niger Delta struggle and symbol of Ijaw nation's agitation for self-determination, was sent to the United Kingdom for DNA test after it was exhumed from the cemetery.

Bayelsa State Commissioner for Ijaw Culture and Ijaw National Affairs, Dr. Felix Tuodolo, who spoke to Vanguard in Yenagoa, said the late Boro’s interment will commemorate the 2013 edition of Major Isaac Adaka Boro anniversary celebration, marked annually by the Ijaw nation.

He said the celebration will kick off May 16 in Kaiama, with the commissioning of Boro Town Link Road, foundation stone laying ceremony of Isaac Boro Mausoleum and free medical services for the people of the area.

He said that a special command performance of Isaac Boro play, written by Simon, and music concert under the chairmanship of Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and Governor Dickson as chief host, had been lined up for the

event.

Tuodolo, the pioneer President of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, added that the celebration would be rounded off on May 17, with a lecture enti-

tled Oil and Peace: Compatibility for Sustainable Growth in Nigeria, to be delivered by former US Presidential candidate and Civil Rights Leader, Rev Jesse Jackson.

HAIRMAN, Christians Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ndokwa West chapter, Delta State, Rev. Fr. Anthony Anamali, has charged Christians to pray without ceasing.

He gave the charge during the monthly prayer session organised by Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Kwale.

The monthly prayer session, which is at the instance of the wife of the Delta State Governor, Deaconess Roli Uduaghan, featured prayers by men of God for peace and security in the country and divine wisdom for leaders.

Rev. Anamali preached after the bible reading by the Supervisor of Health, Mr. Emeke Uti, who represented the Council Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Egri-Okwaji.

Rev. Joseph Brakoru also said prayers.

Aidonojie: Edo chiefs caution Danesi over court judgments, contempt

BY INNOCENT ANABA

P

ROMINENT chiefs of South-Ibie, Estako West Local Government Area of Edo State, have urged Alhaji Aliu Danesi to stop parading himself as the monarch of South-Ibie Kingdom by obeying several court judgments to that effect, noting that his action was tantamount to contempt of court.

The traditional chiefs, who briefed newsmen in Lagos, yesterday, wondered why Alhaji Danesi was still addressing himself as a monarch despite all the court judgments against him. They added that Danesi’s penchant for disobeying court orders had become legendary.

Roll call

The chiefs, on behalf of the village head of Sabo, SouthIbie were Chief Felix Ikhasuagbe; Daudu of Iyerhekhu Village, SouthIbie, Chief Umoru Enakele; Secretary of the Royal Palace of South-Ibie, Alhaji Musa Ibraheem; Professor Inusa Bello, Imam of Al-Hikman University, Ilorin, and a prominent member of the Ogiator ruling house.

They traced the various judgments that had been delivered, restraining Danesi from parading himself as the

Aidonogie of South-Ibie Kingdom.

Judgments

The chiefs quoted a Benin High Court judgment of June 29, 1999, which held that “having held supra that Alhaji Danesi is not qualified to be selected, presented, appointed and installed clan head (Aidonogie) of SouthIbie, he is hereby restrained by way of perpetual injunction from parading and holding himself out as the Aidonogie of South-Ibie clan.”

They also recalled that of the Court of Appeal dated April 7, 2003, which held that “the selection, presentation, appointment and/or production of Alhaji Danesi as the clan head of Aidonogie of Iyakpi SouthIbie by Danesi branch of Okhokho ruling house is hereby declared null, void, unconstitutional and of no legal effect.”

According to Professor Bello, aside these two court verdicts, there was another court ruling delivered by Justice Igbodalo of Benin High Court on May 13, 2009, restraining Alhaji Danesi from parading himself as Aidonogie of South-Ibie.

He said in another recent case on Friday, March 23, 2013, Justice E. Ikpomwen of the Benin High Court chided Alhaji Denesi for his attitude of diso-

beying court orders.

In a libel suit instituted by Alhaji Danesi against some prominent chiefs in South-Ibie, the judge said: “Judgment would not be delivered where the claimant has deliberately flouted the order of the Court of Appeal by describing himself as the Aidonogie of South-Ibie,” and went on to describe Danesi’s action as “offensive and contemptuous.”

The court added that “consequently, it is ordered that any subsequent processes filed unto court in respect of this order for dismissal must not bear the acronym 'HRH' and the claimant must not describe himself the Aidonogie of South-Ibie.”

NJC petition

However, the chiefs faulted threat by Danesi’s to petition the National Judicial Council against Justice Ikpomwen, adding that such action would expose the impunity with which Danesi and his lawyers have been treating court orders.

Bello said: “The most unfortunate thing is that Danesi keeps on misleading everyone that he is a lawyer, when he does not even know the basic attribute of a lawyer— that of respecting court judgments and pronouncements.

"Rather, he prefers to take on the courts and the judiciary on the pages of newspapers.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 — 45

Shell executes N355m projects in Bayelsa community

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—SHELL e troleum Development Company, has said it had spent N355 million on the execution of 10 projects under a Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMoU, in Nembe Kingdom, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Shell disclosed this at the commissioning of some of the projects in Yenagoa by the Bayelsa State governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

Dickson, who lauded the oil company while commissioning 35 Hyundai cars under a revolving loan scheme and printing press, however, expressed concern over the delay in the completion of the link road to Nembe.

Represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah (rtd) an indigene of Nembe, the governor said a meeting would be scheduled soon to discuss issues concerning the road project being handled by Shell and Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, as proper studies were not carried out before commencing the project.

P

NDLM lauds Tambuwal

N

IGER Delta Liberty Movement, NDLM, has commended the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, for his assistance to Mr. Nicholas Mutu, House of Representatives member, representing Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency, in the latter's constituency programmes.

Explaining its support, NDLM President, Mr Ebiyekefe Stow, said: “Our mission is to encourage continuity in office or higher responsibilities for political office holders, who have delivered democratic dividends. In our assessment, the numerous development and human empowerment projects embarked upon

by Mutu inspire faith and justifies support for higher mandate.”

Anenih joined PDP in my sitting room —Uyigue

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—A FOUNDING member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, Elder Sunny Uyigue, has narrated how the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, allegedly begged prominent Bini chiefs and politicians to be allowed to join PDP in 1998.

He said: “I laughed when I read newspaper reports in Abuja quoting PDP as saying that Adams Oshiomhole begged to join PDP in 2007 and 2012 but that he was denied membership. Some of us, who were the original leaders of PDP, decided to leave the party due to some of these lies and we knew the party was going to die in the state. Anenih practically begged me in my sitting room to be allowed to join PDP in 1998.

“When Anenih was chased out of Jerry Gana’s house in 1998, before G34 metamorphosed to PDP, he had an issue with the late Chief Bola Ige who chased him away.

The man came to my house in Benin and I paved way for him to join PDP, when prominent chiefs and politicians held a meeting and warned every Bini politician not to

associate with him politically.

“He came to my house in Benin with a long list of the people holding such meetings and in his presence, I phoned some of the people mentioned in the list. I pleaded with them to allow him join us and that paved

the way for him to join PDP in my house. But he later started playing god and that led to the destruction of PDP in Edo State.

“Mr. Oliseh Metuh, the PDP Publicity Secretary, was wrong to have said that Oshiomhole begged to join PDP even in 2012. How can a

man, who has uprooted PDP with his good work now want to beg to join PDP in order to come back for a second term?

He does not need any body to be re-elected and the same thing happened when he came for his first term. He got the ticker because of his pedigree and nothing else.”

INTERNATIONAL SURVEYORS WEEK: From Left, President Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Bode Adeaga; representative of Mr. President and Minister of Works, Arch.

Mike Onolememen, and the President, International Federation of Surveyors, Chee Hai Teo, at the opening ceremony of the 27th FIG Working Week of International Surveying Congress, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan

Ughelli vigilante team denies killing 28-yr-old man

Bizman sues firm over N40m debt

station operator at 10pm that there was a clash between two rival cult groups at Afiesere Junction.

He said: “We immediately mobilised and by the time we got to the scene, we met the said Avwerosuo and one other in the pool of their own blood. We took them to the police station along with another young boy with a sack of india helm and by the time we got to the station, the Divisional Police Officer ordered that Avwerosuo and the other, who also sustained injury, be taken to the hospital for medical atten-

BY JIMOH WILLIAMS

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—MEMBERS of an Ughelli vigilante team, Delta State, yesterday, denied their involvement in the killing of one Avwerosuo Idoro, describing the statement linking them with the killing as false.

It will be recalled that some youths had, last Sunday, protested the killing of Avwerosuo Idoro, 28-year-old man.

Briefing newsmen, yesterday, chairman of the Ughelli vigilante team, Mr. Matthew Ofiakpovworo, said they got a distress call from a petrol

tion.

“So we dropped them at the hospital and left, only for us to hear the following morning that the said Avwerosuo had died. I wonder why they are linking us with the killing, when we were only on a rescue mission.

“We were surprised that the boys who protested the death of Avwerosuo last Sunday morning later in the night mobilised and stormed the private residence of some of our members and destroyed their property. I wonder why our rescue mission is being misrepresented.”

Bayelsa monarch begs IG to order release of dynasty's case file case file in the court was al-

Y

ENAGOA—THE Pere of Biseni Kingdom in Bayelsa State, HRM Akile Nwaku, Omide X, has called on the Inspector General of Police, to order the Commissioner of Police incharge X-Section, Force Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Abuja, Mr. Amodu Ali, to release the case file of his dynasty, which he alleged was withdrawn from a Bayelsa State

High Court sitting in Yenagoa, in connivance with the OC Legal and AC State CID. He said that after his palace was burnt down three years ago in a conspiracy, which was reported, investigated by the police and the culprits arrested, detained and were charged to court for arson, malicious damage and assault, a dramatic turn of events took place as the

legedly withdrawn by the former OC legal, DSP Agbeiwei, former AC State CID, who forwarded same to CP Ali, who was then CP ‘X’ Squad Section, ‘D’ Department, Force CID in 2010.

He alleged that the case file had been in possession of CP Ali for three years adding that he was made to travel to Abuja several times to retrieve the case file to Yenagoa without success.

A

BUSINESSMAN and his company, Flamin Nigeria Limited, Mr. Femi Ogunniya, have approached the Lagos High Court to recover a N40 million debt from Asset Resource Management Company Limited.

The plaintiffs are also demanding the sum of N10 million as damages for alleged breach of contract between his company, Flamin Nigeria Limited and the defendant company. The plaintiffs, are claiming the sum of N44.836 million being fees for pumping 35,869.5 m3 of sand for the defendant.

The plaintiffs are contending that Messrs Asset Resource Management Company owed him and his company in respect of a contract to create a golf course, inter alia: dredge and pump sand to create a lake and to reclaim or stockpile on their parcel of land situate at Summerville Golf Estate, on the Lekki Expressway, Lagos.

Plaintiffs also claimed that they earlier had the contract with SGF Nigeria Limited under an agreement dated March 27, 2009 which the defendants took over, after the agreement with SGF was rescinded or terminated.

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

2015: I didn’t canvass for war over Jonathan — Kuku

Mechanic docked for armed robbery

'President is wanted back to implement outstanding amnesty package'

BY ONOZURE DANIA

L

AGOS — A mechanic, Paul Ajayi, was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court, for allegedly robbing Omojola Ebenezer of her car with a locally made gun.

Ajayi and others at large, facing a two-count charge of armed robbery preferred against him by the police, was docked before Magistrate Oshodi Makanju.

The defendant, 25, was said to have committed the alleged offence at Ikorodu, along Sagamu express way on April 11, 2013, at about 9.30p.m..

The police prosecutor, Samson Ekikere, told the court that the defendant and others at large, robbed Omojola Ebenezer with a locally made gun.

He also alleged that the defendant robbed Ebenezer of his Mazda 323 Saloon car with registration KSF 40 BB. The defendant pleaded not guilty and the case was djourned to May 31,2013.

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

A

BUJA — THE campaign for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan heightened, yesterday, with his Special Adviser on Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, advancing several reasons to justify the need for Nigerians to re-elect the president for a second term in 2015.

Kuku told Vanguard, yesterday, in Mr. Nyesom Wike, Minister of State for Education; Prof. Viola Onwuliri, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of Health, at Federal Abuja, that although Jonathan had not told them that he was interested Executive Council, FEC, meeting, in Abuja, yesterday in a second term, the people of the region were united in their quest for him to run for eight years as stipulated by the Nigerian Constitution.

The presidential aide stated that the call for all Nigerians to back Jonathan’s re-election was borne out of the fact that door meeting in Owerri and stitution of the Federal RepubBY CHIDI NKWOPARA he needed more time to read by the Governor of Edo lic of Nigeria,” the governors implement the major State, Comrade Adams Oshi- stated. components of the amnesty WERRI — GOVER omole.

The governors condemned programme granted Niger They also described what what they called “the open asNORS bound for All Delta militants by his Progressives Congress, APC, was happening in Rivers State sault”, pointing out that the predecessor. have decried the continuing as an assault on the Nigerian government formed by the Denying ever threatening harassment and intimidation Constitution and and sover- democratic system could not violence if Jonathan was not of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of eignty of the nation. be arbitrarily harassed or in- returned in 2015, Kuku, said “We are concerned about the timidated out of office.

Rivers State by The Presidenhe only appealed to Nigerians cy and agencies of the Feder- development in the polity of “We call on the President to to allow Jonathan to do two Rivers State. What is going on stop the unwarranted harassal Government. terms to complete the various This was part of the commu- in Rivers State, in our own ment of the sovereignty of the programmes contained in the niqué issued after their closed view, is an assault on the Con- nation,” they pleaded. amnesty programme and Reviewing the progress develop the country. made so far in the planned “Unfortunately, what I said merger of the federating po- has been turned upside down. litical parties, the governors I did not threaten that there expressed satisfaction that would be a resurgence of APC will give Nigerians an Niger Delta violence, if of the party in Igboeze North Speaker of Enugu State alternative government that Jonathan was not returned for Local Government had taken House of Assembly, Chief Sam will address the problems fac- a second term. I did not say oath to vote during the gover- Onyishi, Dr. Pat Asadu, Ifeanyi ing the nation and its citizens. so and I want Nigerians to Ugwanyi of the House of Repnorship primaries.

They enjoined party mem- understand what I said and The attempt to buy up all the resentatives. Igbo-Eze North bers to remain resolute, point- what I meant,” Kuku delegates was said to have Council Area is the homestead ing out that the ruling Peoples explained. been started by a governor- of Senator Eze, Democratic Party, PDP, was Kuku claimed that despite It was learnt that one of the still plotting fervently to disship aspirant in the party. the agreement entered into Among the aspirants for gov- aspirants who claimed to have rupt the merger plan. between the late YarÁdua and ernorship seat in PDP are the the out-going Governor Sulli“We have noted the develop- Niger Delta militants, only the Chairman, Senate Committee van Chime’s ear, reportedly ment strides going on in Imo Disarmament, Demobilisation on Works, Sen. Ayogu Eze, administered oath on the ward State under the rescue mission and Reintegration phase of the PDP Chairman in Enugu, executives after giving them of Governor Rochas Okorocha programme had been Chief Vitta Abbah, Amb. Fidel N200,000, thus triggering ten- in the past two years,” the gov- implemented with 30,000 exAyogu, Chief Eugene Odoh, sion in the party. ernors stated. militants catered for, while the development of the region and welfare package for the militant leaders were yet to be executed.

Giving a historical Anambra State come 2014 to Bishop’s court.

BY ENYIM ENYIM Uba said he was at the move the state to the next level perspective of how Yar ’Ádua church synod to give thanks in all the sectors of the and the ex-agitators arrived at NITSHA — A to the Almighty God for His economy of the state and the fragile peace that had governorship aspirant blessings which he said urged his colleagues to play paved the way for increased and philanthropist, Chief increased since he gave the the game according to the oil production in the country, Ifeanyi Uba has donated N5m bishop money for the building rules.

Kuku regretted that the peace to Anglican Church of of his house.

He said: “ I have been could be derailed if the Nigeria, Ukpo, to support this ”I have come to thank God empowering the people of this agreement reached with the year’s synod in the area. because since the time I gave state, the needy, the widows, Federal Government was not Speaking after the donation, the money, I have been the aged and youths while in faithfully implemented.

Uba said he had earlier given receiving blessings and my private business, so you Kuku said, “Nigeria’s peace N64 million to Bishop Alex having more openings in my could imagine what I would do is still fragile and we need to Ibezim, the Bishop of the businesses,” he said. when I get into the be very careful to avoid Awka Diocese for the building He said he decided to Government House as the next degeneration." of his residential house at the contest for the governor of governor of this state.”

Again, if the means of

Govs decry harassment of Gov Amaechi by The Presidency O

Primaries: Fear grips Enugu PDP over oath of loyalty to aspirant

BY CHINENYEH OZOR

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WO YEARS ahead of Enugu State 2015 governorship election, tension has gripped the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state following reports that some ward executive members

Domino inaugurates board

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O M I N O INFORMATION Company Limited, DICL, a company committed to building a world class information management and technology, has inaugurated a seven-member board of directors with proven records to oversee its affairs.

The board which is headed by an erudite scholar and professor at Lagos Business School, Sir Chike Ogbechie also has Mr. Uzochukwu Nduka, Mrs. Iguehi Nduka, Madam Altine Jibrin, Gen. Alfred Ilogho, Dr. Ekere Essien and Mr. Emmanuel Etomi as members.

Ifeanyi Uba donates N5m to support Anglican Church's synod

O

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 — 47

AWARDS—From left; Engr. (Mrs) Funmi Akingbagbohun; First Lady of Ogun State, Mrs Olufunso Amosun; Engr. (Mrs) Felicia Agubata; and Mrs Nkeriuka Onyejeocha, Chairperson, House Committee on Aviation, at the women advancement forum awards in Johannesburg, South Africa.

PREACHING—Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, (right) preaching during a special church service for National Youth Service Corps members at the Church's headquarters, Ebutte-Metta, Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

LAUNCH—From left: Mr Babatunde Lasaki, Head, Media and External Relations; Mr Mike Ogbalu, Head, Mobile Financial Services; and Mr Ayodeji Olushola, Head, Distribution, FBN life, during the 7th edition of First bank Product launch in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

AWARD—From left: Former Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Ernest Ndukwe presenting ICT Company of the Year award to Mr Chinedu Okoli, Managing Director, High Tech Data System Limited while Tochukwu Uzomba, Pre Sales Solutions Architect and Sunkanmi Akintoye, Business Solution Executive of the company look on at the Beacon of ICT Award in Lagos.

C M Y K

COMMEMORATION— Members of the United Rivers/Bayelsa States Indigenes Association Lagos branch at the commemoration of their organisation at the St Saviours Church, TBS, Lagos.

FORUM—From left: Nzan Ogbe, Special Adviser to the Cross River State Governor ’s Office; Ekerete Gam-Ikom, a mentor and insurance magnate; and John Etim Bassey, an Architect and Business Consultant sharing their success stories at the MTN Link Forum in Calabar.

INSPECTION—From left; Chairman, House Committee on Works, Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi; Mohammed Wudil and others, during inspection of road pavement at Abaji-Kotonkarfe along Abuja-Lokoja.

ADDRESS—From left: Former Military Governor of Old Oyo State, Rear Admiral Akin Aduwo addressing the delegates to 2013 diocese of Lagos West annual synod of Methodist Church Nigeria hosted by the Opebi Ikeja, Lagos circuit to the delight of the Diocesan communications director, Abidina Babarinde (right) and others.

DEDICATION—From left: Baba Ijo, United African Methodist Evangelical Church, Abule Ijesha, Lagos, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya (rtd); Legal Adviser, Oranto Petroleum Ltd, Mr. Anthony Iguh, representing chairman of the day; and the church building committee chairman, Senator Anthony Adefuye at the dedication of the church.

48 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Crisis of confidence hits Plateau NULGE

Kano gets 26 new magistrate courts

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ANO—KANO State Governor, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Tuesday, inaugurated 26 new magistrate courts in the state.

During the ceremony in Kano, the governor called on lawyers to desist from acts capable of tarnishing the image of the judiciary.

He said the state government provided the courts across the state to bring justice closer to the people. Kwankwaso said the move was part of his administration’s agenda to reduce crime in the state.

The governor said transforming the judiciary would help in reducing crimes among the citizenry and appealed to the judiciary to always respect the rule of law.

Commenting on the new buildings, the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Shehu Atiku, described the effort as a welcome development to the sector.

Atiku said the aim was to provide a suitable working atmosphere for the judiciary.

Works Minister alerts on social media fraudsters

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AGOS—THE Min ister of Works, Mike Oziegbe Onolememen, has said that fraudsters had opened two facebook accounts in his name, warning that anybody dealing with such conmen were doing so at their own risk.

In a statement signed by the Special Assistant, Media, to the Minister, Mr Tony Ikpasaja, Onolememen said: "Our attention has been drawn to the existence of two facebook accounts created and operated by unknown persons using the name of the Minister of Works in the social media. The two facebook accounts also display several pictures of the minister. The intention of those operating them is, however, doubtful and suspicious."

BY TAYE OBATERU & HOPE OFOBIKE

J

DEDICATION—From left: Mrs Bolaji Oye, Mr Sunday Odusote, Prince Kehinde Odusote, Sister Leigh Gilkey, Mrs Funmi Ayo-Odugbesan, Mrs Alaba Pinneiro and Arch Damilare Adeyemi, during the cutting of the cake to celebrate dedication of Patience Ajoke Ajayi-Odusote Memorial Church Hall at St Michael Anglican Church, Owu-Ijebu, Ogun State. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

Unilorin VC asks FG to increase varsity's funding

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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LORIN— THE Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Professor Abdluganiyu Ambali has urged the Federal Government to increase its funding of the university, saying that monetary allocations to it were grossly inadequate.

Ambali spoke, yesterday, when the House of Representatives Committee on Education led by the Chairman, Shehu Garba visited the institution as part of its oversight functions.

Welcoming the lawmakers, Prof. Ambali, however, expressed joy that the university was among the universities targeted by the Federal Government for special intervention through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund.

He said that the university had no difficulty accessing the TETFund, even as he stressed that the amount being given to the institution was nothing to write home about. ”We have enormous challenges here and we are pleading for increased funding to enable us meet up with these challenges. Particularly, our running cost is so enormous. We have been able to achieve this because of the support we receive from the government in terms of prompt release of our allocation with which we regularly provide amenities that make life on the campus conducive for staff and students.

“Staff and students of this university are very committed, dedicated and hard working such that in the last 10 years, we have never had any disruption in our academic calendar."

According to him, the academic community in the United States and other foreign countries now reckon with the University of Ilorin because of its stable academic calendar.

He then assured the committee members that the institution would never go against Federal Government directives on admission

policy.

Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Garba commended the university for its accomplishments in the areas of academic excellence, efficient system of administration, environmental beautification, infrastructural development and sustained high ranking among universities in the world.

“As a Nigerian, I am very proud to be at the University of Ilorin. I graduated close to 30 years ago and I am worried by what has become of the standard of education in our country since then."

FG releases N1bn to boost adult/non-formal education

B

AUCHI—MR Nyeson Wike, the Minister of State for Education, has said that the Federal Government has released N1 billion as part of efforts to boost Adults and Non-Formal Education in the country.

Wike made the statement, Tuesday, in Bauchi while declaring open a workshop, organised by the Department of Continuing Education and Extension Services in conjunction with National Commission for Mass literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education and UNESCO. He said the fund was in the custody of UNESCO to enable it to work with other stakeholders to revitalise adult literacy and non-formal education in the country.

Wike, represented by the Deputy Director, Nomadic Education Commission, Kaduna, Alhaji Ibrahim Yemta, said President Goodluck Jonathan had set up a committee to revitalise the sector.

He said the committee met with stakeholders in the six geopolitical zones to identify problems affecting the sector and find lasting solutions to such problems.

In his address, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Maiduguri, Prof. Ibrahim Njodi, identified inadequate funding and the lack of professional development opportunities for educators as some of the problems affecting adult education in the country.

OS— A CRISIS of confidence has hit the Plateau State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) as a splinter group has emerged challenging the activities of the state executive of the party.

Addressing a news conference yesterday, the group’s spokesman, Ali Abdullahi accused the state executive of breaching the union’s constitution and called for its dissolution by the national body of the union.

He accused the NULGE leadership in the state of arbitrarily constituting caretaker committees of the union in the 17 local government areas of the state without recourse to members as dictated by the body’s constitution.

He urged the NULGE national secretariat to dissolve the caretaker committees.

The group challenged the EXCO of the union to immediately account for the check-off dues of members deducted for over two years which it alleged, was not remitted to the national secretariat in accordance with rule 19 of the NULGE constitution.

Seminar

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AGOS—THE Lagos zone of the Rosicrucian Order (AMORC) will on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi, Lagos, hold a seminar with the theme Rethinking National Peace, Stability and Progress. The seminar will be anchored from different perspectives by four key speakers- Dr. Hussain Abdul, Country Director, Action Aid Nigeria, will speak on Nigeria’s Stability and Development: How far and what else? Other speaker include John Idiodi, Professor of Solid State Physics at the University of Benin; Otunba Francis Meshioye and Mr Johnson Ikube.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013— 49

50 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013— 51

52 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Vanguard,THURSDAY, MAY 09, 2013—53

Union Bank pensioners petition PenCom, allege breach of Pension Reform Act

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BYVICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

U

NION Bank pensioners, have petitioned the National Pension Commission, PenCom, accusing the management of the bank of breach of the Pension Reform Act, PRA, 2004, to their detriment.

Under the umbrella of Union Bank Pensioners Association, UBPA, they listed existing Pension Scheme in Union Bank of Nigeria, UBN, Plc before commencement of the Pension Reform Act, computation of legacy fund entitlement, lump sum withdrawal- Legacy fund, interest payment on the legacy fund and actuarial valuation as their major areas of grouse.

In the petition by the Acting National President and National Secretary, Abdu Gaba and B. Oduntayo among others, the pensioners urged PenCom to arrange a meeting within 14 days with the elected representatives of the staff, pensioners and management of the Bank, to enable them find a lasting solution to problem before it degenerated into major crisis.

According to the petition, “One major issue that came out of the meeting held with Union Bank Management, Pensioners’ Association, Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs, and your office on 19thMarch, 2013 was that although Union Bank initially submitted an application to continue with the closed Pension Scheme, but they subsequently and unilaterally withdrew this application without due consultation with the stakeholders. Furthermore, it was also reported that Union Bank Management expressed their unwillingness to continue with the closed Pension Scheme, again without due consultation with other stakeholders.”

“It is our position that Union Bank management cannot unilaterally withdraw from the scheme without the agreement of other stakeholders. It is interesting to note that Union Bank entered into a contract of service with each employee to pay their pension for life. Any unilateral variation of the contract under the dubious guise of compliance with the PRA cannot be supported either in Law or logic. It is a trite Law that equity will not allow any person to profit

Acting Director-General of PenCom, Chinalo Anohu-Amazu

Group MD/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Union Bank of Nigeria, Plc, Emeka Emuwa

from his/her own wrong. When viewed against the above premise, the purported withdrawal of the application to continue the closed Pension scheme is a legal nullity. The Management of UBN should therefore revert to the status quo ante in the payment of pensions.”

The Pensioners said “In the meeting of March 19, 2013, the Pensioners’ Association was told that what was credited to the PFAs was not legacy fund entitlement but “accrued rights”. We beg to disagree because whatever names you give to it will not alter the rights of beneficiaries under the PRA. It is a well known fact that UBN, before the enactment of the PRA, had in existence a well managed in-house Pension Scheme. Regrettably, UBN management since 2010 resented the in-house closed Pension Scheme, and thus pursued, at various occasions, its plans to exit the in-house Scheme. However, it was told in very clear language that UBN cannot exit the scheme without complying with Section39 of the PRA. “The adequacy of the legacy fund payment to each beneficiary is questionable.

The management of UBN does not want to comply with any of the above require-

ments but has continued to maintain a belligerent posture under the guise of complying with the PRA. A cursory review of the various sums credited to the PFAs against the last monthly Pension of each beneficiary indicate that their share of the legacy fund can only support monthly payments for about three years on the average. The question that readily calls for asking is what will be the means of sustenance of the Pensioners thereafter? The object of the PRA is to guarantee a good standard of living for the Pensioners.

The PRA was not enacted to reduce the retirement benefits of employees. In the circumstance, any manipulation to place the pensioners and employees at a disadvantage will be resisted.

“The computation of the legacy entitlements should be predicated on the contracts of employment of individual employee as expressed in the Trust Deed. Therefore, any formula which failed to take into account the employees’ years of service, income, percentage of Pension entitlement and expected life span is dubious and unacceptable. We insist that the basis of computation should be known or the payment to the various PFAs will be regarded as ex-gratia payment pending the payment of legacy fund entitlements.”

N12bn Pension Scam: More troubles for accused M ORE troubles are on the way for Teidi Shuaibu and 39 other persons standing trial for allegedly siphoning N12 billion Federal Civil servants’ pension funds.

Teidi, a former Director of Pension Administration in the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and others were also standing trial for the missing funds.

Though the accused were last week discharged by the Federal High Court, Abuja, they were immediately re-arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. It will be recalled that the accused were first arraigned on March 24, 2011, on a 134count charge for allegedly defrauding the pension department, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, of N12 billion

Labour seeks protection of pension funds

pension funds. Discharging them, Justice Adamu Bello said the court’s action was at the instance of the EFCC which prayed for separate trial of the suspects.

He said the prosecution had formally withdrawn the old charges against the accused to create room for the filing of fresh ones.

Justice Bello said “This is the only workable option and in the light of the above, the case file will be re-assigned by the authority of the Federal High Court. The 40 accused are hereby discharged and are no more before this court.” At the resumed hearing in the case, the prosecuting counsel, Chief Godwin Obla, announced that his client gave him an instruction to further break up the accused for separate trial. He said “My client has instructed me

to withdraw an amended charge dated July 26, 2011 comprising 40 accused persons, to give room for separate trial and good case management. We have filed seven sets of charges pursuant to this instruction and will be applying for permission to substitute the earlier charges with the one filed on March 14. The application is brought pursuant to sections 155 and 168 of the Criminal Procedure Act, CPA. My Lord, this is to reflect the extent of the alleged complicity and participation of the related parties.”

Leading other defence counsels to oppose the application, Mr Sunday Ameh, SAN, said the move would erode the progress so far made in the case. According to them, the former charges should be left to stand as each accused person understands the allegation against him or her.

RGANISED Labour has called for legislation and policy that will not only safeguard the over N3 trillion contributed so far, but will severely deal with those who temper with these contributions It equally urged President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately constitute the Board of the National Pension Commission, PenCom, to give it sense of direction to the commission.

Speaking during the national May Day celebration in Abuja, President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Abdulwaheed Omar, said only the full compliments of seasoned and dedicated board and qualified management that has integrity could moderate or even stop PenCom According to him “Of particular pain to us is the monumental corruption of those charged with administering pensions which has now come to lime light. The looting of pension funds while pensioners wait and die is a crime against humanity which must be made to attract the severest punishment possible. Recent revelations on various scams have indicated the extent of vulnerability of workers’ welfare funds in Nigeria in brazen day light, workers’ pension entitlement are stolen with impunity.

While labor acknowledges the efforts been made to deal with these scams, it will undoubtedly continue to fight to ensure that all pensions receive their entitlement as at when due. In this regard, labor will be on the look out to preserve the interest of existing pensioners, and that of workers in the new pension regime.”

“In furtherance of this, we call for legislation and policy that will not only safeguard the over N3 trillion contributed so far, but will severely deal with those who temper with these contributions.

Given the ease with which these funds are stolen and the reluctance of government to deal with the criminals decisively, organized labour wishes to demand a bigger role in the administration of these funds. We also call for the strengthening of the internal governance of the pension regime.”

He added that “In this regard, government should without further delay, appoint the board and management of PenCom, as only the full compliments of seasoned and dedicated board and qualified management that has integrity could moderate or even stop these incidence of scams.”

54—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

By DAPO AKINREFON

RIVERS PDP CRISIS:

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The issue is, why will anybody pick and choose which court judgment to obey or not to obey and which to respect or not respect? Must it be the one that favours you only that you will obey?

Let me ask you, how did the present governor, Rotimi Amaechi get to power? In 2007, during the campaigns, Amaechi was somewhere outside the shores of this country. He never campaigned, he never voted nor was he voted for but the Supreme Court declared that he is the governor.

It is like the court declaring that a man is a woman. What did we do? We all obeyed it.

Enough of the rascality — Opara But now, we are going to bring all those people back to the fold. What led their exit are the issues we are addressing now

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*Opara: Some people are aggrieved Rivers people could have gone to the streets to protest, especially since there was no opportunity to appeal because it was the Supreme Court.

But we all obeyed. Why should it be now that some people are not ready to obey a court judgment declaring somebody the real and authentic leader of the PDP in

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Obedience of court judgment

MR Austin Opara was the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State. In this interview he bares his mind on the crisis engulfing the state chapter of the party.

Excerpts:

,

HAT is the cause of the crisis in the state chapter of the PDP What has happened is that there was a court judgment, a competent court for that matter, which declared Chief Felix Obuah led executive as the real and authentic executive of the PDP in the state.

That was the declaration by the court. And this is a democracy where everybody is guided by the rule of law, so everybody has to obey the court judgment.

There is nothing extraordinary at all, there is a subsisting court judgment which is being obeyed by all.

But you would have heard of dissent and some people saying they would not respect the judgment?

Obviously some people are aggrieved. Those who lost in the exercise are aggrieved but that doesn’t mean that Rivers PDP is in crisis.

It is up to Nigerians to decide whether in a democratic system, where we should be governed by the rule of law, people should be allowed to say they will not obey a court ruling. To me, that is rascality.

But I don’t think any right thinking individuals will say they will not obey court orders.

The worst that has been said, which you probably heard, must have been as a result of anger or disappointment . And they have the right to feel so but not that they will not obey the court judgment.

What do you consider as the way forward?

We need to ensure that everybody is carried along and that everybody falls in line.

But sincerely, anybody who feels or thinks otherwise, we can’t force that person to stay or remain in PDP.

why we should impute meanings into what, in my view, does not exist. I have not heard the President say he has problems with Amaechi.

What is happening in Rivers State now is just a situation where an aggrieved party or executive that felt cheated went to the court to seek redress and got judgment from

It is like the court declaring that a man is a woman. What did we do?

We all obeyed it, Rivers people could have gone to the streets to protest

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Rivers State? You can’t approbate and reprobate at the same time.

the court. It has nothing to do with the President. It is a local Rivers PDP affair.

Though Governor Amaechi once denied it, it is alleged the crisis is a fallout from the battle of wits with the president?

I also read in the papers too, where Amaechi said he does not have problems with the President. I don’t understand

Or is it the 2015 governorship ambition of some individuals that is now at play?

Every living being is ambitious. You have an ambition, perhaps to either be good or bad; you have an ambition aspiring for one thing or another. So if there are people as-

piring to be governor in 2015, it is legitimate. They have the right to be ambitious. But what I want you to understand is the fact that the present situation is as a result of the fact that some people felt aggrieved , they felt deprived and they went to court and got the judgement they desired.

People should stop imputing unnecessary interpretations and meanings into ordinary issues. The fact, as I know it, is that Chief Felix Obuah and his executive went to court and got judgement.

The PDP in Rivers State was once very united. Where and when did it all go wrong?

It shows you that some rascality has come into the system, that is as far as I am concerned.

Let me tell you quickly, my local government area, which is Port Harcourt, has a voting strength of over 400,000.

Obia/Akpor has over 500,000 votes. So when you talk of 2 million votes, we know where they came from.

These are only two local government areas accounting for almost a million votes. Riv-

ers State has a voting strength of 2.4 million. Yet some people will always shout at the top of their voices that they delivered 2 million votes when their local government has less than 100,000 registered voters. They use votes from other peoples areas to negotiate and brag all over the place. Please, enough of the rascality going on in the state. It is time to move Rivers State forward and the process has just begun.

Let me tell you, within the past six years, most of our strong members left the party, some to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), others to the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). But now, we are going to bring all those people back to the fold.

What led their exit are the issues we are addressing now and they will come back again.

Issues like what?

Issues like dictatorial tendencies, lack of consultation, lack of respect for very senior people of the state, the politics of exclusion and others.

These are some of the things that sent many of these people packing. Suddenly, they were no longer in reckoning, they were forced out of the system and marginalized.

Once you air your opinion, the immediate explanation will be that you have been asking for money, that you want the state money shared.

That is blackmail and many people felt that it was best to stay away instead of being blackmailed. So, everybody stayed away.

But we can’t continue like that because in governance, especially for a state like Rivers, we need all hands to be on deck to move forward.

In effect, we are in the process of rebuilding Rivers PDP and to strengthen it ahead of 2015.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 —55

Why house impeached former deputy gov — Imo Speaker THE Speaker of the Imo House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ben Uwajumogu in this special interview responds to issues concerning the impeachment of the immediate past deputy governor of the state, Sir Jude Agbaso and allegations that the House did the bidding of the governor. Excerpts:

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

S

PECULATIONS were rife that the Executive Arm put the Legislature under pressure to act. How true was that?

Well, usually that will be the situation but the truth is that the impeachment didn’t start in one day. There was an investigation.

No body forced or influenced the House of Assembly into removing or impeaching the deputy governor.

Everything followed due process.

The Elder brother to the victim has cried out saying that everything was targeted toward 2015?

My response to that is that

If there were some political issues bordering on 2015 with the governor, we were not informed of that and that was not the issue. I can even reveal that in August 2012, the elder brother along with some highly placed persons from the PDP acting on alleged orders of the presidency tried to lobby and co-opt me into an impeachment plan to remove the Governor promising mind blowing sums of money to pave the way for the ex deputy governor to ascend the office, I turned it down because there was no evidence of wrong doing.

We have read in the papers that Agbaso senior has brought the call log detailing that there was no

,

No body forced or influenced the House of Assembly into removing or impeaching the deputy governor, everything followed due process

that is outside the scope of the investigation of the House of Assembly. The committee that was set up wasn’t set up to investigate what will happen in 2015. 2015 is still within the realm of speculation. If he has some political issues with the governor, we are not informed of that and that was not the issue.

,

communication between them at the period under review.

But he admitted. He admitted that the man came to his house. He also admitted that the man came to Agbaso senior’s house. You see, for me this is all subterfuge and story.

They had all the

he nominates somebody who the House already knows and in our opinion, there is nothing. Somebody who has been a Chief of Staff to the Governor and he has worked with the house for almost two years, we didn’t think there was any other thing that was required because everything we wanted to know about him we already know.

What do you really think about the politics of zones in Imo State?

If you ask me, those are the wrong reasoning of the past.

Today, if you ask me, I will tell you that poverty, underdevelopment, disease, lack of education does not recognize any zone. If you are hungry, it doesn’t matter where the food is coming from.

Massive development

•Uwajumogu: We were right opportunities to clear themselves at the Committee.

I wasn’t a member of the committee but as the Speaker, I am the chairman of every committee. And the committee referred back to me.

Don’t you share the view that the impeachment will heighten the political tension in the state as it is now?

Like I said, the position of the deputy governor is very influential position. It is far more influential than the position of the Speaker. In the speaker ’s position, you impeach him any minute and the House continues. But the deputy governor is a very difficult position than this one.

So, there is no argument about the fact that in the state, there is a lot of tension. But the truth is that life goes on.

The state is more important that anybody else.

The speed with which the deputy governor was replaced within hours made some believe that it was all arranged?

Well, I am not the Governor of the state. I can only account for what we do in the chambers. If the governor sent us his nominee, the moment the deputy governor is removed, from that minute there is vacuum.

And if the governor said he wants the vacuum filled and

••and new twist in N458 million bribe saga I

T is an issue that is continuing to reverberate across the state.

The hurried removal of the erstwhile deputy governor of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso over the allegation of collecting N458 million bribe from a contractor, Mr. Joseph Dina of J-PROS is an issue that will continue to bestir political circles in the state.

Agbaso was removed from office by the Imo State House of Assembly last March upon the allegation by Mr. Dina, a Lebanese, that he, Dina diverted N458 million of the N1.3 billion awarded for the re-construction of the Dei Sam Mbakwe Avenue in Owerri to Agbaso.

Dina had further alleged that Agbaso sent him text

•Agbaso: New twist message on how to deliver the bribe and claimed to have

offered a bottle of whiskey to Agbaso in the course of the consummation of the allegedly illicit transaction.

Agabso, however, denied the claims and his defence was backed by the printout of his telephone log from MTN. As the controversy deepened at the beginning of April, Agbaso in collaboration with his elder brother, Chief Martins Agbaso hired financial forensic experts who remarkably traced the alleged bribe

money to Dina’s home country in Lebanon.

Remarkably, just weeks after the impeachment of the erstwhile deputy governor, the Imo State government seemed to backtrack when it turned on Dina, when it arraigned him before a magistrate court in Owerri for allegedly obtaining N1.3 billion from the state government through false pretence.

The case is remarkably a new twist given that Dina was the principal prosecution witness used by the House in the impeachment process against Agbaso.

The claim by the Imo state authorities that Dina obtained N1.3 billion from the state authorities also raises

The emergence of Owelle Rochas Okorocha as governor of Imo State has proven to us, we Imo people, and we have to really be blind, even the blind have ears not to see that today Imo State, entire state is a witness to massive development going on in Imo State.

You seem to speak so well of the governor unlike Speakers of Assembly.

There is nothing I have said here that cannot be verified. I have not come to sing the songs of the governor but if a man has done well, let’s us give him credit for what he has done.

I will not for the sake of criticizing and just start criticizing a man. Of course, there are areas where he hasn’t done well but that’s not the issue here.

questions among some stakeholders given the earlier assertions by the authorities in Imo that it does not pay mobilization fees to contractors.

How Mr. Dina blinded the eyes of the authorities who parted with N1.3 billion of the state funds against the due process procedure of the Rochas Okorocha administration is raising questions.

The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Soronnadi Njoku, filed the charges against Dina at the Owerri Chief Magistrate court presided by Mrs. Victoria Isiguzo, on behalf of the government.

56 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Lagos City Choral celebrates 25th Anniversary...

,

F

ILLED to capacity with even no standing room, best describes the attendance of the recently held silver Jubilee celebration of the Lagos City Chorale and Orchestra held at the Agip Hall of the MUSON centre Onikan. A number of dignitaries turned up to support the international award winning choir which also had in the group, a number of choristers from the Musical Society of Nigeria itself.

The 25th anniversary was marked with the presentation of perhaps the world’s most popular and imperishable oratorio “The Messiah” composed by George Frideric Handel and was delivered as composed in its three parts with text from the bible that expresses musically, the birth of Christ, the passion of Christ and the hope of redemption of the world.

Superbly delivered, it held the audience spell bound for its over 2 hours presentation.

It featured 3 soprano soloists, 2 Alto soloists, 2 Tenor soloists and 2 Bass soloists.

Leader of the orchestra was kehinde Davids and on the organ was Alaba Akinselure.

The over 70-man strong choir and orchestra was directed by

Nwokedi, has been in the forefront of chorale music for over 40 years and cofounded the Lagos City Chorale with the late Senator Lere Adesina in 1988

,

•Sir Emeka Nwokedi conducting Lagos choir.

Sir Emeka Nwokedi who is currently the director of the MUSON choir.

Nwokedi, has been in the forefront of chorale music for over 40 years and co-founded the Lagos City Chorale with

the late Senator Lere Adesina in 1988.

Only last year in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, the choir won 3 silver medals for Nigeria in 3 categories when they contested in the World Choir

Games. The event had a congregation of 350 choirs from 65 countries in attendance.

This, along with other international appearances have putting them on the world map as a force to be reckoned

with in chorale music.

The choir has been invited to participate in the forthcoming 1st European choir games taking place in Graz Austria from 14-21st July 2013.

The Lagos City Chorale has special interest in developing Nigerian Indigenous Chorale Music to the point of universal value, international recognition and acceptance, hence it showcases sufficiently Nigeria’s rich indigenous chorale music at all its international performances.

Asaba: Genocide Campaigner, Emma Okocha becomes Ogbueshi Nkpagbu

By EMMANUEL AGOZINO NO 16, Ezenei street, Asaba, Delta state came alive recently as indigenes of the town, relation and friends from different walks of life all gorgeously dressed, came together to give honour to whom honour is due The event was the investiture of social crusader and author Emma Okocha as the Ogbueshi Nkpagbu Nwata of Asaba . Although it was meant to be a quiet but memorable event, however friends turned it into a festival that engulfed the serene Umuezei home of Okocha.

At the event, tributes eulogizing the Asaba genocide campaigner poured in from high and the low as young and the old said remarkable things about the man who wrote the Blood on the Niger.

The colorful occasion,

•Emma Okocha in the midst of Umuada at the event. which lasted for seven days, started with prayers by Ogbueshi Peter Iweze.Okocha, who was later coronated as a member of the Ogbueshi title holder, gave thanks to God and his ancestors who made it possible for him to qualify

for the title. “ I give thanks to Almighty God, who has made this event a possibility, and as most of you are aware, the honour is not only bestowed on well meaning sons of Asaba land but on those that have contrib-

uted in upholding our cultural heritage.” He said.

Ogbueshi Chibeze Unoka, in his speech explained that , “ The Ogbueshi title is one of our ancient culture reserved for our sons who have contributed for socio-economic development of Asaba. It is for peace and development particularly the maintenance of peace and security and the restoration of human dignity in our land.”

On the qualities needed for one to occupy the position of Ogbueshi title, octogenarian Unoka informed that, “ We the elders will look at the record of the person and background.

We also consider how the family has contributed to the stability of peace here in Asaba. ” ‘Continuing he said, “ before one can receive the title, we also look at one’s character and how the person is organised in his family level. If the person is not organised or

troublemaker, it means that he cannot receive the title. We ensure that we uphold the essence of family togetherness and our rich cultural heritage, this we do to enhance the position of our future. It is also to ensure that we do not lose our cultural heritage in today’s globalised world.”

The occasion which featured different cultural dances as well as the Umuada of Asaba and other titled men, climaxed with the investiture of Okocha as the newest Ogbueshi.

Other titled men that graced the occasion include; Ogbueshi Adizua Eluka, Ogbueshi Tom Eluka, Ogbueshi Obi Ebenuwa, Ogbueshi Donatus Elikwu, Ogbueshi Egbuna Onwuka among others.

Okocha is the author of Blood on the Niger: The First Black on Black Genocide, The Untold Story of the Asaba Massacre in the Nigerian Civil War.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013—57

40% higher cost distresses indigenous operators

E

SCALATING operating costs have been identified as one of the impediments to indigenous investments in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, with current costs estimated at above 40 percent.

Meanwhile, Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, PETAN, has called for more attention to be given on the service industry, which is said to be the backbone of petroleum operations globally.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited, Mr. Austin Avuru, who moderated a special session organised by PETAN at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, in Houston, Texas, said high production costs are impeding growth in indigenous operations, particularly for the marginal operators.

Avuru noted that the issue has not been brought to the fore of policy discuss, as stakeholders had focused mainly on the fiscal terms being proposed for governing operations in the industry, at the expense of high exploration and production costs.

He said: “Today, the cost of oil production and exploration in the country is 40 percent higher than what it should be.

"We want a Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, that will address this.”

Similarly the company’s Chairman, Dr. Bryant Orjiakor, said: “Quite a lot have been said about the PIB, very many of them centring on fiscal terms.

"Obviously, there are non-fiscal concerns by stakeholders and I think the time has come for stakeholders to look into tease non-fiscal issues.”

Orjiakor, who decried the inability of the legislators to pass the PIB into law after more than 12 years of discussions, enjoined that the post-PIB era should be favourable to all operators in the industry irrespective of the sub-sect or size.

He said: "As an independent, we are looking for a PIB that will be fare enough such that the fiscal terms will not get worse for the indigenous operators."

OTC: From left— Mr. Olajide Ayewonri, Group Head, Corporate Banking, First Bank Plc; Mr. Victor Osibodu, Chairman, Vigeo Group, and Mr. Kehinde Lawanson, Executive Director, CBG, FirstBank, at the OilServ Limited Pipeline Facilities, EPO, presentation during the 2013 Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, in Houston, Texas, Tuesday.

ExxonMobil to invest N4.9trn in Nigeria in five years STORIES BY CLARA NWACHUKWU & SEBASTINE OBASI, Houston Texas

N

IGERIAN unit of Ameri ca’s ExxonMobil Corporation said it planned to invest up to $33 billion (N4.9 trillion) in the country’s oil and gas sector over the next five years.

The company said that a large chunk of the money would be invested in Independent Power Plant, IPP, to boost electricity generation in Nigeria that had been bugged down with insufficient power for its citizens for decades.

Chairman/Managing Director, ExxonMobil Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Mark Ward, made the disclosure at a special panel session organised by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, PETAN, at the day two of the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, in Houston, Texas, USA. Ward, also the Chair of the Oil Producers Trade Section, OPTS, of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, expressed the oil majors' grouse with the fiscal proposals in the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, in line with the theme of the session: Post PIB Regime: Prospects and Opportunities for Investment in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.

PIB will encourage new investments

Earlier, Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, one of the panelists of the discussions on PIB, maintained that the bill would foster greater investments in the nation’s petroleum industry.

The NNPC boss argued that

the impact of the bill, when passed into law, could be appreciated from three broad perspectives.

He said there would be increase of new players in the Nigerian oil and gas industry through the proposed new acreage management system involving the release of acreages that have been held without activity due to one constraint or another; Nigeria’s significant undiscovered oil and gas potential,

particularly in the area of gas, which is estimated at about 600 trillion cubic feet, tcf; and the creation of an efficient downstream regulator and deregulation of the sub-sector that will also bring oil and gas pipeline systems under a sound commercial framework, allowing for open access and increased investments.

He said: “It is the lack of open acreage and limited funding in the Joint Ventures, JVs, that is limiting exploration activity. The proposed new acreage management system would release new acreage for exploration.

“The PIB will create a sound framework for private sector participation in the entire value chain of the industry.”

Oil majors disagree

However, oil majors think otherwise. According to Ward, the current bill would jeopardise new investments in the oil and gas sector, which, in turn, will impede on new output targets and put the industry in a state of overhaul.

He described the bill as ambitious, complex, laden with uncertainty and time-consuming in implementation.

... as NASS assures on PIB passage H

OPES that the new Pe troleum Industry Bill, PIB, will be passed soon was rekindled, Tuesday, when some lawmakers also participating in the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, taking place in Houston Texas, USA, gave the assurance that the bill will be passed before year end.

To legalise sweeping reforms in the petroleum sector aimed at increasing its take and instituting on a more transparent regime in an industry often described as opaque due to its lack of transparency and accountability, the Nigerian government is proposing an omnibus bill that will not only increase its take, but also correct perceived wrongs in the system.

However, debates on the bill have stretched for over 12 years, while an earlier bill could not survive the 6th legislative session in Nigeria, due to varied issues relating mainly to sectional interests and political interferences.

Against this backdrop, the legislators, Sen. Emmanuel Paulker, Committee Chair on Upstream; and his House of Representatives counterpart, Hon. Samson Osagie, Deputy Committee Chair on PIB, said that unlike its predecessor, the new bill will not suffer from undue political manipulations, but will protect national interest.

Paulker, who denied that the legislators had made a promise that the bill will be passed in two weeks at the same forum last year, said the Senate is buoyed by the bill.

He said: “Before the month runs out, the Senate will issue a publication calling for memoranda on the bill.

"Although we will take all stakeholders views, but we will not compromise national interest.”

Challenges

Osagie, who was a panellist at a Special Panel Session on PIB, organised by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, PETAN, at day two of the

OTC, maintained that the new PIB will not be plagued with all the inconsistencies associated with the old one, especially as regards the multiplicity of the former bill.

He said: “I will not tell you that this bill will be passed in two weeks. Given the interests that this bill has generated, you will agree with me that a lot needs to be done for us to be able to synchronise the various issues around the PIB. "What I am very sure of right now is that we do not have different versions of the PIB as we had during the 6th National Assembly.

“Recall that at the twilight of the 6th National Assembly, the bill had to be withdrawn from further consideration only for the fact that it was adulterated and over six or seven versions were in the public domain.

“Of course it is an executive bill. It was adulterated and to an extent that even the executive that brought the bill was no longer sure of what was to be passed."

58—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

I N S I D E

Counsel Corner: Still on next of kin

The Supreme Court's approach to exemplary damages (3) — pg 58

Anti-press violence: How safe are journalists?

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

L

IKE Soud Qbeilat, an artist, would say, “When there is no freedom, there is no creativity”. No doubt, press freedom in Nigeria has become increasingly worrisome as cases of journalists who were murdered remain unresolved and the list continues to grow.

This disturbing development negates the provisions of the Constitution which guarantees press freedom.

Section 39 (1) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that: “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.”

•Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General According to Subsection 2: “Without prejudice to the generality of subseccall on Governments, societies and tion (1) of this section, every person individuals to do their utmost to shall be entitled to own, establish and protect the safety of all journalists, operate any medium for the dissemioffline and online. Everyone has a nation of information, ideas and voice; all must be able to speak freely opinions.” and in safety.”

However, 13 Nigerian journalists Ban Ki-Moon noted that over the were killed in 2012 alone in active past decade, more than 600 journalists service, making it the highest in the have been killed and at least 120 in history of the country since independthe past year alone. He further pointence in 1960. Thus, this year’s World Press Freedom Day celebration provid- ed out that hundreds of journalists have been detained. ed another opportunity to take stock Expressing concern that so many of on the lot of journalists globally, the perpetrators escape any form of especially as it affects the performance punishment, the

,

The powerful are deploying numerous tools to try to stop the media from shedding light on misrule and misdeeds

of their duty.

The event which took place at the United Nation Information Center, in Ikoyi, Lagos, attracted participants from the human right community, the media and the police, among others.

Participants took turns to express their views on the need to ensure a safe environment for journalists in Nigeria to practice their profession unhindered.

Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), Mr Ban Ki-Moon, in his message, called on governments, societies and individuals to do their utmost to protect the safety of all journalists.

He noted that the United Nations system has established a Plan of Action on Safety of Journalists and the issue of impunity, adding “the plan aims to raise awareness and to support practical steps to create a free and safe working environment for journalists.

On this World Press Freedom Day, we

,

UN Secretary General stressed that assault on journalists is an assault on the right of all people to the truth.

He said: “The dangers are not only physical: from cyber-attacks to bullying, the powerful are deploying numerous tools to try to stop the media from shedding light on misrule and misdeeds. Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is a cornerstone of good governance, sustainable development, and lasting peace and security.

“Yet every day around the world, journalists and media workers are under attack. They face intimidation, threats and violence from governments, corporations, criminals or other forces that wish to silence or censor them.”

The theme of the 2013 World Press Freedom Day, “Safe to Speak: Secur-

•Mohammed Abubakar, IGP ing Freedom of Expression in All Media”, highlighted the need for action to upholding the right of journalists to carry out their vital work.

Anti-press violence absolutely negates the freedom of journalists, and killings of reporters continue to haunt the country. Meanwhile, a media advocacy organization known as Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) in an open letter to the Chairperson of African Union, Mr Nkosazana Zuma, called for the release of all imprisoned journalists in the continent.

CPJ stated: “Nigeria and Somalia are among the worst nations in the world in combating deadly anti-press violence, our 2013 Impunity Index has found. Five journalists have been killed with impunity in Nigeria since 2009. In Somalia, more than twenty murders have gone unsolved over the past decade. These killings are often politically motivated.”

Explaining some major problems the Nigeria police seem to have with the media, Deputy Force PRO, Mr Frank Mba, said an average journalist sees an average policemen as lawless, corrupt, unfriendly, liar, drunk, thief, killer, unsympathetic and incompetent.

He noted that unprofessionalism, blackmail and falsehood kills the Nigerian journalist, adding that lifestyle, dictatorial government, unsafe work environment, level of security consciousness and other environmental and sociological factors also hamper effective journalism.

Mba, who represented the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, at the event further said: “ The legal basis for journalism practice in Nigeria is enshrined in section 39 (1) and (2) of the 1999 constitution; the subsection 1 says: ‘Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression,

•Femi Adeshina, President NGE including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.’

“It is this word ‘every person’ that actually makes it possible to sit in the confine of your home and begin to impart information, begin to receive information and begin to spread information. So that word ‘every person’ is very key, it is a huge advantage to the business of journalism. But it is also one of the things that have become like an albatross on the core media people.

“We find out that consistently associations like the Guild of Editors, the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ and others are not able to embody everyone on the line of their business because the trade is such a liberal one.

Unlike policing for instance, there is so much restriction on who can actually call himself a police officer.

“And that is why it is difficult to say that this man is a fake journalist. The only way you can say he is a fake journalist is if he says that he works

Continues on page 59

EDITORIAL TEAM Dayo Benson (Editor) Innocent Anaba Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013—59

The Supreme Court's approach to exemplary damages (3)

BY LAWRENCE ATSEGBUA

W

ITH respect to his Lord ship, it is difficult to reconcile the above statement of Obaseki JSC with his statement that: The debate on whether the modern legal system should recognize exemplary damages at all has been on and all in all the case for dispensing with them has been made out. The central argument is that they are anomalous in the civil sphere confusing the civil and criminal functions of the law.

If a case has been made out for dispensing with exemplary damages for the sole reason that they confuse the civil and criminal functions of the

law, why then does Rookes v. Barnard remains good law in Nigeria? Or does his Lordship adopt Lord Devlin’s unsatisfactory explanation in which he attempts to explain exemplary damages as aggravated damages? This would seem to resolve the inconsistency which exists in Obaseki’s JSC judgment. Aniagolu JSC would only go as far as saying that the decision does not bind the courts in Nigeria. He said: The Court of Appeal appears to have treated Rookes v.

Barnard as having a binding force on the courts of this country. But that is not so. It only has a persuasive authority.

There can be little doubt that since the abolition of the Privy Council from the hierarchy of

•CJN Mariam Aloma Mukhtar our courts and the enactment of our Republican Constitution in 1963, English courts’ decisions

are no more binding but have persuasive, even if essential, value.

The Supreme Court only went as far as to say that the case of Rookes v. Barnard does not bind the courts in Nigeria, but only has persuasive authority.

Their Lordship however approved the award of exemplary damages in Eliochin v. Mbadiwe. The Supreme Court should have stated boldly that exemplary damages have no place in the jurisprudence of civil law. The Privy Council in Australian Consolidated Press Uren [1969] 1 AC 590, held that the decision in Rookes v. Barnard does not apply Australia. The reason given by Lord Morris was that: “The reason given for uniformity of the Common law was less

How safe are journalists?

Continues from page 58 with a particular media organization and he is not working there, you can then accuse him of impersonation. Otherwise there are a lot of people out there that are actually practicing journalism and it is so difficult holding them down to any media organization.

“Subsection 2 also goes on to say that: ‘Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, every person shall be entitled to own, establish and operate any medium for the dissemination of information, ideas and opinions.’ “ Journalism is a practice that is so encompassing.

Unlike a farmer, for example, who would not have anywhere to operate outside his farm, journalists operate practically from everywhere” Mba added.

However, President of Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr Femi Adeshina, asserted that the security agencies believe that the media contribute to the negative image most members of the public have about them, noting that it characterizes the relationship of the media and the law enforcement agencies.

Adeshina pointed out that in order to move forward the police and the media need to engage one another by setting up a partnership that must be cultivated, adding that there must be a new thinking with mutual respect between the two parties.

“I call on journalists to be ethical and also call on the law enforcement agencies to be ethical too. The mindset of the Nigerian media has to change from being adversary to law enforcement agencies.

The media has a history of crusade in Nigeria” he said.

Campaigns Director of Media Rights Agenda, Mr Tive Denedo, who also spoke at the occasion lamented that the specter of violence over journalism has changed the dynamics of the practice, noting that truth, fairness, objectivity and a host of other values of the profession have become casualties.

He said: “Deaths, threat to lives and, beatings have become recurring decimals in journalism while fear is not too far away anymore form the news room. There is nothing in the history of journalism that can demand more of our collective efforts than providing a safe and secured environment for the practice of journalism. Our past experiences insist on it, our present realities demand it and our future requires it.

“When men and women who are not party to conflicts are gruesomely murdered for reporting the events and affairs of people, it only stands to reason that truth is more than endangered. The specter

•Denedo of the danger against journalists and journalism has even been raised much higher to include those sharing information on-line.

“Extending the boundaries of intimidation and harassment to include online reports is stretching it so that a lot of the liberties that are available online would also be trampled upon. The statistics all over the world for the murder of journalists in 2012 and broken down showed that sixty three percent of journalists covering politics were murdered, while fifty one percent covering war were murdered.

In countries where politics is practiced as war, the death figures hardly come as a surprise. The other beats showing percentages of journalists murdered include: 9% of those covering Business, 13% of those covering Corruption, 16% of those covering Crime,14% of those covering Culture, 40% of those covering Human Rights, and 3% of those covering Sports.

“With the war within Syria, the country has the highest number of journalists killed in 2012, 22 journalists were killed there. Nigeria was among the countries listed for the death of journalists with Channels reporter, Enenche Akogwu who was shot on January 20, 2012 in Kano.

But there has been more before that and hopefully there will not be any more after the death of Enenche.

The wasteful death of one of us diminishes the value of our lives, impairs the sanctity and the dignity of the human race.”

in matters as the one dealt with in Rookes v. Barnard.” The three categories given by the House of Lords in Rookes v.

Barnard are not convincing.

The first is where there is oppressive, arbitrary or unconstitutional action by servants of the government.

In Huckle v. Money (1763) 2, Wils 205, the court awarded £300 damages to the plaintiff whose house was searched by virtue of a nameless warrant.

The court held that to “enter a man’s house by virtue of a nameless warrant, in order to procure evidence, is worse than the Spanish inquisition.” This class of case does not extend to oppressive action by private corporations or individuals and is justified in the case of servants of the Government because they are also the servants of the people and the use of their power must always be subordinate to their duty of service.

It is often argued that Lord Devlin’s second category in Rookes v. Barnard may serve as a makeshift remedy to prevent the unjust enrichment of the tortfeasor. However, the courts can prevent a defendant from making profit by requiring him to forfeit such profit instead of awarding exemplary damages. This was what the court did in the English case of Attorney General v. Blake [2000] 3 WLR 625. Lord Devlin’s third category (i.e. where statute authorizes exemplary damages) is objection-able.

Statutes should not make provision for the award of exemplary damages.

The reason is that this would import the possibility of punishment into civil litigation without the safeguards of the criminal process. If the law draws a marked distinction between a civil wrong and a crime, then the award of exemplary damages has no place in the jurisprudence of civil law. an *Professor Lawrence Atsegbua , Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Benin.

•To be continued

60—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Still on next of kin Kindly let me know what role a next of kin plays, especially in relation to the operation of the deceased bank accounts, who has a will?

Anonymous Where a deceased left a Will, a next of kin has little or no role to play on the bank account. It is the content of the Will that will determine what happens to the bank account.

However, for the purpose of this question, we repeat last week’s issue on ‘next of kin’ which addresses this question sufficiently.

Between next of kin and intestate PLEASE be kind enough to educate me on the power of ‘’A WILL’’ and ‘’NEXT OF KIN’’ with reference to the following posers:1- what happens where there is A WRITTEN ‘’Next of kin’’ (official) BUT ,NO WILL- (Intestate)? 2-where there is NEXT OF KIN,(officially mentioned), intestate, BUT the siblings from other wives went ahead to use the deceased property/(ies) as collateral for Bank loan and the end defaulted in repayment,- leading to the seizures of such property/(ies) 3-IF the above occurs in a State in Nigeria where THE WILL ACTS,1837 is still being used and practised, will the location of such property/(ies) determine the type of LAW that would/should apply and use? 4, Under intestate, can any other family member exercise any RIGHT WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE NEXT OF KIN? Bright-O. A will is the testamentary disposition of a testator and it is ambulatory in nature. In a layman’s language, a will is the expression of the intention of a maker on how his or her property or estate should be administered after his or her death. On the other hand , a next of kin is a person that is called upon in case of any eventuality e.g death of the other party. A next of kin can be a spouse, child or relation. It should however be noted that a next of kin does not necessarily have to be a direct beneficiary of the deceased estate or entitlement.

On your first question, where a deceased dies intestate, what applies is the intestacy law of the jurisdiction where the deceased lived. A next of kin is only called upon and informed of the occurence. In most cases the family applies for letter of administration from the probate registry through their lawyer has prescribed by the law.

On the second question, nobody has power under the law to use the property of the deseased in any manner other than that prescribed by the intestacy law. Consequently, the action of those who used the deceased property as a collateral for bank loan is null and void and of no effect whatsoever. Since they are not the sole beneficiary of the property, their action is illegal and the beneficiary can file a law suit against them and join the bank as a co-defendant. This is so because you cannot give what you don’t have.

On the third question, since the deceased died intestate i.e without a will, the law that applies in this instance is the intestacy law and not the will act.

Lastly, as I stated earlier a next of kin is merely called upon after occurrence of death. So strictly speaking the next of kin does not really have a legal authority in this instance. The best he or she can do is to ensure that necessary steps are taken towards obtaining letter of administration from the probate. On whether any family member can exercise any right without the consent of the next of kin will depend on the nature of the relationship with the deceased.

You You can can send send your your questions questions to to dayobenson@yahoo.com dayobenson@yahoo.com or or 08056180119 08056180119 (text (text only) only)

EFCC suit: Court orders official to represent Bank

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

J

USTICE Samuel Candide-Johnson of a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere has ordered the Assistant Manager of Wema Bank Plc, Mr Adekunle Onitiri, to appear in court following a criminal suit brought against the bank and three others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The order was sequel to an application brought before the court by the antigraft agency, on who is the right person to represent the bank in the criminal matter.

According to the the judge:“I am satisfied that the court can admit any representative from the body corporate who is being charged in the court for an alleged criminal offence as long as there is a written letter mandating such representative to do so by the Managing Director (MD) or Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company.

“Wema Bank has sent a written letter appointing Adekunle Onitiri to represent it in this charge. He has satisfied Section 35(2) of the Constitution of Nigeria.

Arraignment of the defendants Ontiri is accordingly ordered to attend trial in the case till it is disposed of.”

The judge thereafter held that arraignment of the defendants shall proceed with immediate effect and adjourned till May 31 for continuation of hearing.

In the suit NoLCD\89\2012, EFCC had accused WEMA bank (3rd defendant), Faniran Olubanji Samuel (1st defendant), Ariel Investment Management Limited (2nd defendant) and Adegoke Adeleke (4th defendant) of committing conspiracy, fraud and stealing .

But the suit was initially adjourned

•Justice Ayo Philips, Chief Judge of Lagos State after the judge had taken arguments on the proper person to represent a the bank, and directed all the parties to address the court on the matter.

While addressing the court, counsel to WEMA bank, Mr O. Arulogun SAN had argued that the issue of who was competent to represent a corporate body in a criminal matter was gov-

erned by Section 357 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State.

He further argued that the corporate body must state in writing its representative and that the representative needed not be the Managing Director of the bank, noting that Onitiri was appointed

by WEMA bank to represent it in the

criminal matter.

“The corporate body must state in writing who is to represent it in a criminal proceeding. The representative could be anybody that has been appointed by seal of corporation or the Managing Director of the company ” Arulogun said.

It will be recalled that the arraignment of the defendants was based on a petition dated January 2009, written by Plethora Solicitor on behalf of its client, APT Securities & Fund Limited to the EFCC, saying that on May 12, 2008 a Guaranty Trust Cheque No 00005784 dated March 28 valued N135 million issued by APT Securities & Fund Limited to FOOD Concept Limited\FBN Capital Limited was lodged into WEMA account belonging to Ariel Investment Management Limited (2nd defendant).

Scrap seller docked for stealing N3.2 million

BY ONOZURE DANIA

A

25 year old scrap seller, Samuel Akindese, who was allegedly accused of stealing N3.2 million belonging to one Alhaji Suleiman Abubakar has been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate court.

The suspect who is facing a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing was docked before Magistrate B. O. Osunsanmi, while others were charged in absence.

Akindese, a scrap seller at Kantakowa market, in Oke-Odo area of Oke-Odo area of Lagos State Lagos State was said to have conspired with others at large to commit the said offence.

In same vein, a middleaged man, Ali James was arraigned before Magistrate Oshodi Makanju for allegedly stealing N4.1million belonging to Dansa Foods Ltd. The suspect, a 43 year old is facing a two count charge of stealing, preferred against him by the police.

In the case of Akindese,

the police prosecutor, Benson Emuerhi told the court that the defendant committed the said offence on February 24, 2013, at Kantakowa market at about 5.40pm.

He said that the defendant conspired with others at large to steal corper wire valued at N3, 250, 000 belonging to Alhaji Abubakar who resides at 9, Ogunde Street in Kantankowa market.

According to the prosecutor, the offence allegedly committed by the culprit is contrary to section 307 and punishable under section 285 of the criminal laws of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2011.

However, when the twocount charge was read to the defendant, who resides at 216, Imise street, Owode, Ifako area of Ogun state, he pleaded not guilty to the offences, while the Magistrate granted him bail in the sum of N200,000, with two sureties in like sum.

The court added that one of the sureties must depose to an affidavit of means, own a landed property in Lagos, and show evidence of tax payment for three years while his address must be verified by the

court registrar.

She adjourned the matter to June, 3, 2013, for trial.

Also, Ali James charged for Dansa Foods’ fund was also granted bail in the sum of N500, 000.

The suspect, who is 43 years and public servant, was docked before Magistrate Oshodi Makanju. The defendant who resides at 8, Oladele Obadore Bus Stop in Iba Estate area of Lagos, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge against him when the charge was read.

The police prosecutor Sampson Ekikere told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence between January and March 2013.

He said that James stole various products of Dansa Food Ltd which is valued at N4.1million at Oba Akran Avenue, Ikeja area of Lagos.

According to the prosecutor, the offence committed is punishable under section 285(7) of the Criminal Laws No 34 Vol. 44, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

The matter was adjourned to May 30 for trial.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013— 61

62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Ferguson Continues from BP lightly. It is the right time.

“It was important to me to leave an organisation in the strongest possible shape and I believe I have done so.

“The quality of this league-winning squad, and the balance of ages within it, bodes well for continued success at the highest level whilst the structure of the youth set-up will ensure that the long-term future of the club remains a bright one.

“Our training facilities are amongst the finest in global sport and our home Old Trafford is rightfully regarded as one of the leading venues in the world.

“Going forward, I am delighted to take on the roles of both director and ambassador for the club. With these activities, along with my many other interests, I am looking forward to the future.”

Ferguson added: “I must pay tribute to my family, their love and support has been essential.

“My wife Cathy has been the key figure throughout my career, providing a bedrock of both stability and encouragement. Words are not enough to express what this has meant to me.

“As for my players and staff, past and present, I would like to thank them all for a staggering level of professional conduct and dedication that has helped to deliver so many memorable triumphs."

Ronaldo leads stars’ tributes to retiring Ferguson

CHAN

Continues from BP “This will be a great opportunity for the local players to showcase their talent on a continental level.

“The present crop of players are good enough to make it to the championship proper in South Africa.”

Nigeria, who are the reigning African champions, have failed to qualify for the tournament on two previous occasions.

C

Moyes Continues from BP tract at Everton in the summer and is the No1 candidate to become the new United boss.

The Scot has not won a trophy during 11 years in charge of the Toffees but has brought stability to a club despite a relatively

small budget.

Jose Mourinho is the bookies’ second favourite behind Moyes, although he is close to sealing a return to Chelsea.

But it looks as though Scottish manager Moyes could be the man for the United hotseat.

•Ferguson & Ronaldo

RISTIANO Ronaldo has led a wave of Twitter tributes from his fellow former Manchester United players and figures around the sporting world after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

Ferguson announced his retirement after 27 years in charge at Old Trafford this morning, and the Portuguese star whom Ferguson sold to Real Madrid for £80million in 2008, led the way.

Ronaldo’s message was simple - he posted a picture of his first day at Old Trafford with Ferguson in 2003 with the message ‘Thanks for everything, Boss.’ announcement.

‘I’m shocked - I just can’t make sense of the timing,’ he told Sky Sports News. ‘It has come

as a bombshell, I really don’t know what to make of it.

‘Yesterday I was really happy with what he had done this season, now this, I’m disappointed and very sad.

‘He’s always said the day would come when something in his life wasn’t right, is it is hip operation (he will have this summer)? I can’t see him retiring over that. ‘(Until) he explains why, we can guess and guess.

‘There is something there we don’t know about, he won’t retire for the sake of retiring, it is difficult to makes sense of it.’

The Great Dane’s teammate Bryan Robson also expressed his astonishment at the announcement, saying: ‘It came as a surprise.'

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013 — 63

LMC lauds League Clubs’ sponsors F

OLLOWING on the heels of the official signing of the naming rights of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) with Globacom Limited, the League Management Company (LMC) has expressed appreciation to other corporate bodies that have been supporting the league through sponsorship of clubs.

In a statement on Wednesday, the LMC acknowledged the contributions of companies such as Guinness, ULO Consultants, a construction company founded by Chief Uche Okpunor and Isiaku Rabiu’s BUA Group through shirt endorsement deals with NPFL clubs.

Guinness Nigeria, through two of its brands, Dubic Beer and Harp Beer

has endorsement deals with Enyimba, 3SC, Lobi Stars, Sunshine Stars, Rangers, Heartland and Dolphins. Enyimba and 3SC are endorsed by Dubic Beer while the other five are endorsed

by Harp. BUA Group is the shirt sponsor of Kano Pillars while ULO Consultants sponsors Sunshine Stars.

Chairman of the LMC, Nduka Irabor urged other corporate organisations to adopt the League as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project by sponsoring the clubs within their communities of operation.

In addition to promoting their commercial interests, he said the companies will be creating opportunities for youths to exploit their talents.

Don't kill our football Continues from BP the League Management Company (LMC). Within the period, the LMC has successfully resolved the title sponsorship log-jam that has dragged for over two seasons. There has not just been a successful resolution of the dispute, Globacom has officially signed and presented cheque for the 2013 season.

A growing evidence of renewed corporate confidence in the League is seen in the upswing in club sponsorship through shirt endorsement for no fewer than eight clubs in the league. Leading corporate businesses namely Guinness Nigeria, the BUA Group founded by Isiaku Rabiu and ULO Consultants, an Abuja based construction company owned by Chief Uche Okpunor, have in the last three weeks invested in our clubs. This means that these significant corporate players have recognised that there is an effort to create enduring and viable structures for the administration of the league.

In the light of these

developments in the league, it is unacceptable that persons who otherwise should concentrate on running their clubs profitably are acting in disruptive manners capable of eroding the gains setting in on our football. There is an urgent need to call the ‘Club Owners’ to order to save the league from further degeneration as witnessed in the period they held sway. It is obvious that we can not continue with what has been in place in the past as it never yielded growth for the league.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) owes the country a duty to properly regulate the football industry by ensuring that deterrent actions are taking against such disruptive conducts in order not to scare away other prospective investors.

The personal interests of a few should not be allowed to jeopardise the future of our youths and the millions of Nigerians who eke out a living through football and allied business by watching. This is the time to speak up on the side of reforms for the league business.

Players, coaches clamour for change in NTTF leadership

F

DELTA HORNOURS OJIDOH Veteran sports administrator Chief John Ojidoh was among those honoured with various awards at last Sunday’s State FA Cup final. Ojidoh, 86, is now on wheel chair and could not attend the final in Warri. Here, Delta FA chairman, Amaju Pinnick presents the Evergreen Award to Chief Ojidoh in his home town, Illah in Oshimili Local Government Area.

EW days to the election into sports federations, table tennis players and coaches believe fresh hands must take charge of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) for the game to grow.

From Portugal, Germany to Italy and in Taraba state, players and coaches have started voicing their minds; saying new face must paddle the canoe of the federation.

If the likes of Kunle Jariogbe, Aruna Quadri, Michael Oyebode and Funke Oshonaike have their way, the president’s position in the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) should not and never be occupied by anybody who has no knowledge and nothing to offer to the progress of the game.

Emenike backs Eagles for glory E

MMANUEL Emenike has said Nigeria will shine at next month’s FIFA Confederations Cup as well as 2014 World Cup qualifiers even without him.

Emenike has been ruled out of a hectic summer schedule that will see the Eagles play two 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Kenya and Malawi as well as feature in the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

The Spartak Moscow striker has not played for Nigeria since he suffered a hamstring injury in the

semi-final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations against Mali. He has now suffered a knee injury which will keep him out for at least six weeks.

“I have missed Eagles and I will miss the team the more with this latest injury, but I believe nothing good comes easy, I believe in the team, there are lots of good players who can really do the job and make me and the country proud in Brazil 2013 Confederation Cup and Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifiers,” Emenike told MTNFootball.com

Emenike (l) celebrates a goal with Sunday Mba

CCC Super Four: BRF Cricket club clears the stakes

B

RF Cricket club Ibeju Lekki made it ahat trick of trophies this season by lifting the Super 4 Final against hard-fighting Foundation Cricket Club in a 51 runs victory.

The league champion’sdecision to bat first almost back fired when Ademola Onikoyi and Femi Solebo lost early wickets to the superb bowling of Joshua Ogunlola and Godffrey

Bakinwenyen but great fight back from the quartet of Joshua Ayannaike (58 runs), Captain Endurance Ofem(36 runs), James Chukwu(31 runs) and Leke Oyede(55 runs not out) steadied the sinking ship with their insipid batting to post a respectable score of241 runs all out in 49 overs.

Despite Joshua Ogunlola taking 6 wickets, 45 runs, 3 maiden in 10 overs his effort was

complemented by Ghana’s Senior National Team Opening Bowler Godffrey Bakinwenyen who had 2 wickets, 39 runs in 8 overs. The task looked achievable for Foundation Cricket Club in the second innings going by the batsmen they parade but Seye Olympio and Leke Oyede both grabbed three wickets each for Ibeju Lekki Cricket Club to end the game on 190 runs all out

in 46.2 overs.

Captain Kunle Adegbola led the resistance with 39 and Femi Oduyebo added 23 runs to form a solid partnership before it was broken by the bowling of Leke Oyede to make the hope of lifting their first title in over 9 years daunting but left handed batsman Yemi Adegbola despite hitting 38 and Joshua Ogunlola adding 14 runs.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2013

Don’t kill our football!

T

HE time has come for Nigerians with the interest of the football industry at heart to collectively speak up against the insistence of a group claiming to be League Clubs Owners to hold down the elite football league which by all indices is the bedrock of the game in the

country.

In the last couple of weeks, there has been fresh marketing impetus to the league brought about by obviously the positive perception engendered by the ongoing reforms and restructuring of football league administration by

Continues on Page 63

Nigeria make 2014 CHAN qualifiers U-turn

N

TIME TO GO ... Alex Ferguson will leave his role as Manchester United boss at the end of the season

Alex Ferguson retires M

ANCHESTER UNITED have confirmed Alex Ferguson will retire at the end of the season after 27 years at the club.

Fergie, 71, walks away from Old Trafford having

secured United’s 13th Premier League title.

The Scot said: “The decision to retire is one that I have thought a great deal about and one that I have not taken Continues on Page 62

PUZZLE

June for a place in next year ’s finals in South Africa.

“The team will play in the CHAN qualifiers,” NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport on Wednesday.

“Despite the challenges we never formally withdraw from the championship itself, so there is nothing to reconfirm.

Continues on Page 62

Moyes is RED-HOT to replace Fergie

D

AVID MOYES is the red-hot favourite to be named as the successor to Alex Ferguson. Ferguson this morning announced his

plans to retire from his post after 27 years at Manchester United.

Moyes, 50, is out of con Continues on Page 62

•Oboabona

•Moyes

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

IGERIA will com pete in the 2014 African Nations Championship qualifiers after reversing their decision to opt out of the tournament for locally-based players.

The Nigerian Football federation announced in April it was withdrawing the team from the qualifiers in order to cut costs.

But the West Africans will now play Ivory Coast in a two-legged qualifier in Calabar in

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Additional (5) 7 Deer (4) 8 Tattle (6) 9 Feel (5) 11 Vehicle (3) 13 Performed (3) 15 Sign (4) 16 Lump (3) 18 Equipment (4) 19 Controller (7) 20 Genuine (4) 22 Overlook (4) 23 Opposite (7) 25 Programme (4) 27 Beam (3) 28 Lake (4) 30 Fasten (3) 31 Defective (3) 33 Fit (5) 36 Staggered (6) 37 Pain (4) 38 Fiend (5)

DOWN 1 Vapour (5) 2 Ovum (3) 3 Also (3) 4 Era (3) 5 Enquire (3) 6 Shinbone (5) 10 Scheme (4) 11 Touch (7) 12 Need (7) 13 Scorned (7) 14 Decked (7) 16 Irrigate (5) 17 Flower (5) 18 Jewel (3) 21 Finish (3) 24 Attack (4) 26 Helped (5) 29 Frill (5) 32 Artful (3) 33 Append (3) 34 Point (3) 35 Brown (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Tough 5, Except 8, Reedy 10, Angora 11, Ever 14, Daring 15, Distant 18, Tip 19, Eat 21, Cede 23, Askew 24, Teen 27, Ten 29, Vow 31, Natural 32, Writer 34, Lido 35, Clumsy 38, Layer 39; Trance 40, Tempt.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Own 3, Grotto 4, Her 5, Eyed 6, Cleric 7, Tingle 9, Earnest 12, Vat 13, Ripe 16, Isle 17, Taken 20, Tenancy 22, Data 24, Thwart 25, Evil 26, Motion 28, Future 30, Wed 33, Role 36, Let 37, Sap.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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