How NAMA endangered Oshiomhole's life - Edo Govt

C M Y

PAGE 2—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

C M Y K

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013 — PAGE 3

C M Y K

PAGE 4—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

C M Y K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013 — PAGE 5

‘How NAMA endangered Oshiomhole’s life’

Continued from page 1 officials, only asked the pilot to file a flight plan and manifest before taking-off.

The flight originated in Benin-City, the capital of Edo State, and was conveying Oshiomhole to Anambra State to attend the burial of the wife of Senator Ben Obi, a presidential adviser on interparty affairs.

A similar row brewed last month when NAMA grounded a plane belonging to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi who was flying from Akure, Ondo State capital back home.

S

pecial Adviser to the Edo Governor on Media, Prince Kazeem Afegbua, said, yesterday, that the NAMA action was deliberate to endanger the life of his principal as he claimed the flight was air borne before it was ordered to return to Benin Airport.

Saying the governor was still shocked by the incident, Afegbua alleged the aviation agency could not have acted alone and vowed that the state government will get to the root of the matter.

He told Sunday Vanguard: “We are still expecting an apology from NAMA and the management for endangering the life of the number one citizen of Edo State who was duly elected by the overwhelming good people of the state and whose mandate was renewed on July 14, 2012.

We smell a rat in this whole embarrassing situation. We want to believe that the opposition (PDP) had a hand in this because, under normal circumstances, helicopters are not under any aviation rules to land at the airport to pick their passengers; helicopters fly within uncontrolled airspace hence the idea of fees or no fees does not arise.

What if the helicopter gets to a village in Awka where there is no airport, is it going to pay landing fees to the villagers?. “ If the helicopter had gone to Iyamhu, the village of Governor Oshiomhole, to pick him, would they have instructed him to come to Benin Airport for their socalled manifest and landing

From left: Dr. Ram Charan, the Guest Speaker Mr Dick Kramer, Dr. Dotun Sulaiman, Chairman, Inerswitch, Dr. Pascal Dozie, Chairman MTN and Chief Ernest Shonekan Former Head of State, during the MTN Executive Leadership Seminar with Dr Ram Charan at the Eko Hotel, Lagos. Photo By Diran Oshe. fee before taking him to his destination? As this is not the first time the helicopter was picking the Comrade Governor to some other locations outside Benin City, the action of NAMA and its overzealous management at Benin Airport and other places was deliberately meant to endanger the life of the Comrade Gover nor ”.

Air borne flight

A

ccording to him, “We demand an inquiry into the incident, otherwise we will take up the issue formally on our own.

NAMA must explain to us as a government why it had to return a helicopter that was already air-borne to BeninCity and deliberately delayed the flight for more than one hour thirty minutes even when their so-called formalities had been met. ”We can understand that we are in an era of democratic dictatorship and we have a very strong feeling that the NAMA Manager at Benin Airport did not act alone

SOLUTION K

O

G

G

A T

U

B

O

T

N

N

E

E

A

N

T

D E

X

P

N

U

N

A

L

A N

A

U

I

G

S

R

T

I

E

N

S

P

I

E

R

B

Y I

E

N

G

E

R

E

E

D

N

P

N

I

T

D

E

E

D

A

A I

A

L

S

A

R

S

R

E

R

L

G

O

U

D

L

E C

E

N

T

I E

B

B

I S

B

A

L

R E

O

S P

S

A

I N

S K

S

T

E

U

A

C

C

B U

U

E

A

M

N

R S

S

A

X L

R A

E

A

A T

H

A

N A

K

A L

S I

I

A V

E

W S

L

N D

E

T

S

because he told the Comrade Governor, point-blank, that they will ground that helicopter. Even when the Comrade Governor sued for his understanding, he was still threatening fire and brimstone against the rules of helicopter operation in the aviation industry.

“As a government, we are going to be extra-ordinarily vigilant because the PDP in Edo State and the country at large are becoming desperate, hence we insist that there must be an investigation into the immediate and remote causes of this embarrassment to Edo State governor in the interest of Nigerians and our democracy ”.

Secretary to the Edo State Government, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, also reacted on the incident, yesterday, saying ‘the agents of the Federal Government in their careless enthusiasm should not make complex an already complicated situation for the people of Nigeria, “he added: “We have enough problems, let them not add more to it with this needless mind game they are playi n g . ”Oshiomhole’s status and vision cannot be diminished.

Edo State and the people remain committed to national peace, unity and sustainable development. In Edo, we can go by land, by air, by water or we can just appear wherever we need to, so we have no problem with transportation”.

not executive misuse of power, because the authorities at the airport were aware of the presence of the chopper; they gave it clearance to land and to pick the governor and it was possible for them to have paid whatever fee they needed to pay before or after the journey, but it is surprising that they were allowed to takeoff, only to be called back when they were already airborne and thereafter delayed for hours.

Ize-Iyamu continued: “This is not the first time a chopper will be coming to pick the Chief Executive of our (Edo) state, considering the terrain of parts of the countr y, where you cannot easily access by road or by direct flight, so I am surprised that this is happening now.”

R

eacting also, Rev Obadan, a former deputy governor of Edo State, said the incident was vexatious, highly provocative and politically m o t i v a t e d ” .

The Edo State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, however, described the allegation of Federal Government’s involvement in the Oshiomhole flight row as unfounded, saying Nigerians should rather commend the aviation ministry for the steps taken in recent times to ensure safer airspace.

Flight not People don’t grounded —NAMA learn—Akhigbe n its response, yesterday,

A

lso speaking on the matter, yesterday, a former Vice President, Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe, described the incident as funny, saying: “I don’t have the details yet, but this is funny. I don’t know why people don’t learn. For now, I will say we must be careful as a nation”.

On his part, a top politician in Edo State, Pastor Ize-Iyamu, said: “I don’t want to jump to conclusion, but I hope this is

I

NAMA said the chartered helicopter, marked 5NBPX AS335 and operated by OAS, was not grounded, but the pilot only asked to file a flight plan and manifest before take-off NAMA management, led by Mr Supo Atobatele General Manager, Public Affairs, told aviation reporters in Lagos that what happened was that the pilot was shoddy in handling the flight as he

i nitially refused to file the flight plan and manifest while waiting at the Government House to airlift the governor.

According to Mr Adeoye Oyinyinka, the NAMA Duty Controller, who was on duty at the Benin City Airport where the incident happened, the pilot of the helicopter, a Korean, called to say needed permission to lift off from the Government House, BeninCity for Akwa. He was asked if he had filed his flight plan and manifest, the NAMA official said.

Oyinyinka went on: “The pilot replied that he had the governor on board. He was asked to come to the airport to file his flight plan and manifest. The pilot lifted off from the Government House to the airport ,which is less than three minutes, and proceeded to file the necessary papers, after which the aircraft was allowed to depart.

“Filing flight plan and manifest is a compulsory requirement for all aircraft before take-off. This is in the interest of those on board the aircraft in the event of any mishap. This will aid the search and rescue team in indentifying those on board”.

The Airspace Manager of Benin Airport, Mr Lawrence Okoye, corroborated what Oyinyinka said . “At10.18 am the helicopter landed at the airport and the pilot went straight to the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) without manifest as he claimed he didn’t know the names of those on board. He was however assisted to write the names of those onboard for the sake of the governor”.

Atobatele further said: “The Benin Airport Air Force Commandant, Air Commodore U.J. Atiku, told the pilot of the need to file in the necessary papers as a professional and should not give the impression that the governor was denied departure for Awka.

“Amid all these, the governor sought to speak with the Airspace Manager on the cause of delay. The ASM was never given chance to explain the need to observe mandatory procedures for safety and security, rather was verbally assaulted severally while trying to explain the primary reason for the delay.

“The pilot ,Captain Vame, believed to be a Korean, later apologized to NAMA officials for his refusal to document his flight and pay the necessary charges. He pleaded that the incident should not be filed

against him”.

The NAMA GM added: “There is no political issue in this case. NAMA is an air navigation service provider and we operate within globally acceptable standards. We are professionally guided by rules and procedures. The service we render borders on safety from the ground to the air and back to ground”.

PAGE 6 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013

Mandela in ‘serious’ condition in hospital

BY TONY NWANKWO, with agency reports

A

nxiety rose over former South African president and anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela who was in a “serious but stable” condition, yesterday, after being taken to hospital with a recurrence of a lung infection.

The 94-year-old, who became the first black leader of Africa’s biggest economy in 1994 after historic all-race elections, has been in hospital three times since December. He has been battling the infection for a few days, the South African government said in a statement.

“This morning at about 1:30 a.m. (2330 GMT) his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to a Pretoria hospital. He remains in a serious but stable condition,” it said.

The government’s choice of words, in particular the use of “serious”, was clear cause for concern to South Africa’s 53 million people, for whom Mandela remains a potent symbol of the struggle against decades of white-minority rule. “It’s such painful news but I pray for him that he can get better and better and better as he is the best man in this country,” said Pretoria resident Khodani Mulwena.

Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said he was optimistic about the health of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

“What I am told by

doctors is that he is breathing on his own and I think that is a positive sign,” he said. “Madiba is a fighter and at his age, as long as he is fighting he will be fine,” Maharaj said, referring to Mandela by his clan name.

Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, accompanied him to the hospital, the South African Press Association reported.

Machel had been scheduled to speak on Saturday at a conference on hunger in London but canceled the engagement, SAPA reported.

Mandela stepped down as president in 1999 after one term in office and has been removed from politics for a decade. His last appearance in public was at the final of the soccer World Cup in Johannesburg in 2010.

He appeared in a brief television clip aired by state television in April during a visit to his home

by President Jacob Zuma.

At the time, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) assured the public Mandela was “in good shape”, although the footage showed a thin and frail old man sitting expressionless in an armchair with his head propped against a pillow.

“TOO MUCH A SAINT” Since his withdrawal from public life, he has divided his time between his plush Johannesburg home and Qunu, the village in the impoverished Eastern Cape province where he was born and spent his

early years. Mandela spent nearly three weeks in hospital in December with a lung infection and after surgery to remove gallstones. That was his longest stay in hospital since his release from prison in 1990 after serving almost three decades behind bars or on the Robben Island prison camp near Cape Town for conspiring to overthrow the apartheid government.

His history of lung problems dates back to his years on Robben Island, where he contracted tuberculosis. Although he remains widely revered, Mandela is not without detractors at home and in the rest of Africa who feel he made too many concessions to whites, who make up just 10 percent of the population, in the post-apartheid settlement. Despite more than 10 years of affirmative action policies aimed at redressing the

From left : Alhaji Salisu Buhari, Former Speaker, House of Representatives, Ms Evelyn Oputu, MD, Bank of Industry; Dr Patrick Kormawa, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, UNIDO , representative in Nigeria and Waheed Olagunju, Executive Director, BOI, during a 3 day capacity building workshop for Business Editors and Correspondents in Lagos. Photo

by Lamidi Bamidele balance, South Africa remains one of the world’s most unequal societies with whites still controlling much of the economy.On average a white household earns six

times more than a black one. “Mandela has gone a bit too far in doing good to the non-black communities, really in some cases at the expense of (blacks),” Zimbabwean

President Robert Mugabe, 89, said in a documentary aired on South African television this month. “That’s being too saintly, too good, too much of a saint.”

MultiChoice launches logo design competition

M

ULTICHOICE has announced a special logo competition to kick start its 20th a n n i v e r s a r y celebrations.

A statement by the company said intending participants are expected to incorporate the MultiChoice logo and colours into the designs they are submitting for the competition.

The statement reads: ‘’ MultiChoice Nigeria is inviting you to be part of

in an exciting and rewarding competition.

Intending participants are expected to incorporate the MultiChoice logo and colours into the designs they are submitting for the competition. ’’Such entries, according to a statement by the company, must reflect the fact that MultiChoice is a proudly Nigerian company with PanAfrican roots. Competing logos must also reflect

MultiChoice’s commitment to family entertainment since the company’s debut in the country two decades ago.’’ It further said,

‘’this is the chance to be part of history and earn generous rewards for relating with Nigeria and Africa’s biggest payTV provider.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013 — PAGE 7

BY VINCENT UJUMADU, CHIDI NKWOPARA, TONY EDIKE&PETER OKUTU

T

WO members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, were feared dead, yesterday, while few others sustained various degrees of injuries in Onitsha, Anambra State while running away from some army personnel on patrol in the commercial city during a sit-at-home call by MASSOB to mourn Igbo killed in northern states by the Boko Haram Islamist group.

An eye witness said the incident happened at Bida Road in the town when, on sighting the soldiers, the MASSOB members sped off in their vehicle which skidded off the road and somersaulted severally.

There was also a clash between the police and MASSOB members at the Oba Junction near the Tansian University, which left three vehicles burnt, including one belonging to the police.

No fewer than ten people sustained injuries during the clash.

Sunday Vanguard noticed that there was partial compliance of the MASSOB sit–athome order in Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi and other towns in the state as many people, out of fear, stayed indoors for the better part of the day.

There was also partial compliance in Imo and Ebonyi states while Abia and Enugu residents ignored the MASSOB call.

Most of the shops located along the streets in many towns of Anambra remained closed in the morning hours, although some started opening around noon.

The Onitsha Main Market, Ochanja Central Market also in Onitsha, Relief Market in Ogbaru, the Building Materials Market in Ogidi, the New and Old Spare Parts Market in Nkpor, the Nkpor Main Market, the Mgbuka Obosi Old Motor Spare Parts Market were not open for business, although some of the traders stayed close to their shops to attend to customers who came to make purchases from distant places.

Most streets were deserted, although movement was free as transporters were doing their business unmolested.

There was heavy presence of the army, the police and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on the streets of Onitsha to ensure the security of lives and property.

MASSOB SIT-AT-HOME IN S/EAST OVER BOKO HARAM

2 die amid partial compliance * 3 vehicles burnt, 10 injured in clash At the industrial town of Nnewi, there was partial observance of the order as some companies opened for business, while some of those located along the major roads were shut. The major Nkwo Nnewi market opened for business though there was not much of the usual bustling.

The ever busy Zik’s Avenue in Awka was deserted with soldiers patrolling the city. Many filling stations in the city did not open for business in the morning, but later commenced when they felt the situation had become normal for them to operate.

MASSOB director of information, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said in a statement that the group viewed the presence of the large number of the army, police, SSS and NSCDC personnel on the streets as an act of cowardice.

Reports from Ebonyi said Onueke, Afikpo, Amasiri, Oso Edda, Akaeze, Ishiagu, Ezzamgbo and, environs were relatively calm even as markets, motor parks, shops/business places were closed. We recorded some percentage of disobedience from people as a result of the state government’s order to open the major markets in Abakaliki.

Also, few motorist keke are on the road. Security agents were patrolling almost all the corners of the state,” Madu said.

Imo: ’Best to stay at home’ The sit-at-home call was partially observed in Imo State.

Our reporter, who went round Owerri Capital Territory, found that a number of shop owners, taxi drivers and artisans stayed at home.

Some of the citizens, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, reasoned that it was best to stay at home and monitor events instead of jumping into trouble.

Abia: No staying at home

NORMAL business and social activities went on in Abia as residents ignored the sit-at-home call.

Markets in Aba, the commercial city, and Umuahia, the political capital, were all opened for normal businesses.

Social activities such as weddings and burial ceremonies also went on without hitches.

Though there was anxiety about the order, the state government

From right: Mr. Akinola Salu, General Manager, Trade and Distribution, MultiChoice Nigeria; Mrs. Elizabeth Amkpa,General Manager, GOtv,; Mr. Segun Fayose, Head, Public Relations, MultiChoice Nigeria and Mr. Paul Ezenwa, MultiChoice Nigeria Super Dealer in Owerri, during the launch of GOtv in Owerri, Imo State, yesterday. and police issued statements urging people to ignore the order.

Apprehension in Enugu

THE people of Enugu

refused to comply with the call by MASSOB to sit at home.

There was apprehension among the people over the sit-at-home order but there was no compliance

as the people went about their normal businesses.

The state police command had, on Wednesday, issued a statement warning those trying to cause confusion

in the state to drop the idea or face the wrath of the law.

The command thereafter beefed up security in parts of the state to signal their readiness to tackle the miscreants who masquerade as MASSOB members.

Many residents who woke up yesterday morning expecting to see the enforcement of the order were disappointed as the capital city was calm with many traders doing their normal businesses.

The markets were opened to traders and buyers even though some youths were telling people that there would be no trading at Ogbete Main Market.

Officials of MASSOB were nowhere to be found as policemen maintained presence alomg major streets of the capital city.

Nigerians want practical steps to alleviate growing suffering —Archbishop Martins

BY CHINWEOKE AKOMA

T

HE Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, his Lordship, Alfred Adewale Martins, has charged the nation’s leaders to rise up to the genuine challenge of nation building.

Martins who gave the advice recently at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos during a briefing to mark his 54th birthday lamented that14 years after the country returned to civil rule she is still very far from the promised land.

According to the clergy, what Nigerians need was to see practical steps by their leaders to alleviate the growing sufferings in the land.

He also frowned at the unending political rift which has pitched President Goodluck Jonathan and the executive of the Peoples Democratic Party against Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, describing it as an ill-wind that blows no one no good and advised all those concerned to toe the

path of peace and resolve the matter amicably for the good of all.

Martins who is also the 4th bishop of Lagos stressed that the proposed amnesty for the Boko Haram sect members should be approached with caution by the government and warned that for lasting

T

HE National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has warned discharged corps members to beware of the activities of criminalminded people, who pretend to be their former colleagues and offer to help them secure jobs.

In a statement in Abuja, the NYSC asked the ex-corps members to disregard any call or text

genuine repentance on their part that would then pave way for true reconciliation”.

He warned that no matter the effort the country ’s leaders made to build a just and equitable society, all would be in vain as long as corruption continues to hold sway.

Why governors should not disrespect President Jonathan —Yuguda

BY SONY DANIEL

A

PPARENTLY reacting to the outcome of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) poll, Bauchi State governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, yesterday, insisted that all governors should show maximum respect and support to President Goodluck Jonathan, as the leader of the nation, irrespective of their parties or leaning.

Yuguda, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, noted that events of recent past had shown that some of his colleagues had not shown

NYSC warns ex-corps members on fraudsters

BY CALEB AYANSINA

peace to reign in this country, the President must call a conference of all the various ethnic groups and stakeholders in the country so as to collectively fashion out the best way to live in peace and harmony “We must know the identity of these sect members and there must be

message that promises job opportunities with condition of payment.

The statement explained that the End of the Service Year Magazine, published by the NYSC Secretariat and carries telephone numbers and email addresses was to maintain continuity of the spirit of brotherhood built during the service year, but some people were using it for evil purpose.

respect, loyalty and support to enable the President steer the ship of the nation effectively.

“Mr. President does not need those who insult him at will or treat his exalted office with disdain,” the governor pointed out but did not mention any name.

“I believe strongly that what the President of a large and multi-faceted country like Nigeria needs at a critical point like this, is for all governors, ministers and those saddled with public trust to work hand in hand with him in order to find answers to the country ’s myriads of challenges.

“It is clear to me that what Jonathan is passing through today did not start with him and he has a good conscience to tackle the rot in the system but requires the utmost support and cooperation of all of us who were elected to work with him, in order to achieve the overall success expected of him by Nigerians,” Yuguda said.

The governor also said it was wrong for some persons to link Jonathan with the NGF election, insisting that the President, who was in far away Addis Ababa for the AU Summit, was not even aware that the NSGF had withdrawn

their support from himself and Governor Shema and thrown their weight behind Jang Asked if his withdrawal from the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) was dictated by the loss of the seat by the consensus candidate chosen by the NSGF, Yuguda made it clear that there was no basis for the election, since 19 governors had already decided on Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State.The governor said he was still expecting the Chairman of the NSGF, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, who presided over the meeting that produced Jang as a consensus candidate, to speak out on what was agreed or lose his confidence and support for the forum.

In spite of his decision to pull out of the NSGF, Yuguda said he was not angry with the Niger governor but merely expected him to speak out to save the integrity of the group.

He said, “I am not angry with Babangida Aliyu in any way but what I want him to do, is to speak to the nation on our decision before the NGF election on May 24. Once he does that, I am okay.”

PAGE 8 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013

FATAL AIR CRASH

Taraba acting gov under pressure to issue report on Gov Suntai

T

Business Day held their 2013 annual Banking Award on Friday at Eko Hotel Lagos Pix from left Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Governor of Osun State presenting the award to Mrs Carol Anyaun ED Fidelity and Mr Uzoma Doze ED Fidelity Bank right Photo Shola Oyelese

he acting governor of Taraba State, Mallam Garba Umar, has been asked to produce official report on the state of health of Governor Danbaba Suntai, eight months after Suntai was injured in an air crash and flown abroad for treatment.

In a statement, a pressure group in the state, Taraba Justice Forum, challenged Umar to produce a medical report to support the claim that Suntai was in good

Ex-banker kills wife, commits suicide

BY DAYO JOHNSON,

Akure

I

T was double tragedy in Ondo State as a 47-year-old ex-banker, now a taxi driver, Jimoh Lateef, after ten years of marriage, stabbed his former wife, Amudat Oluwafunmilayo, to death and thereafter committed suicide by hanging. The marriage was blessed with five children before things fell apart between the couple who lived at

Omoniyi quarters along Agbogbo area of OwoB e n i n - A k u r e expressway.

The wife, 45, was a trader at Iloro market, Akure and hailed from Ijaraisin, Kwara State.

The husband hailed from Osogbo, Osun State. A report said the couple had been estranged in the last two years with the husband threatening to kill the wife and then commit suicide. Sources said that their families members, after failing to reconcile them, agreed

Delta queen kidnapped by gunmen attached to the Ughelli

BY FESTUS AHON

A

PPREHENSION, y e s t e r d a y , enveloped Ughelli kingdom in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, following the kidnapping of Queen Gladys Oharisi, one of the wives of, HRM Oharisi III by yet unknown gunmen.

The queen, Sunday Vanguard gathered, was intercepted on her way from school, where she went to register her courses at the Delta State University, Abraka.

The hoodlums, according to a family source, trailed the victim to somewhere around Orogun on Abraka Road before intercepting her with a Toyota Sienna bus.

The source said three occupants of the bus came out, leaving the driver behind the steering, brandishing guns at her and two others in her company, adding: “Our queen was pushed into the waiting Sienna bus and whisked away. The driver and the other occupant were spared.”

A senior police officer

‘B’ Division confirmed the incident and said the police was on top of the issue.

The police officer, who spoke anonymously, said: “Our resolve to check criminal activities in the area and bring them to book is unshaken. I can assure you we will fish them out.”

that they should separate for a while to allow time heal their troubled marriage following alleged battering of the wife by Jimoh.

However, it was learnt that, two weeks ago, the husband went to court for divorce and the court granted his request, but when Oluwafunmilayo went back to the house to pack her belongings, the husband pleaded with her not to leave him. The relationship between husband and wife took a tragic turn on Friday afternoon when one of their children after returning from school met his mum in the pool of her own blood and the body of his father dangling from the ceiling of their apartment.

He reportedly raised the alarm which attracted neighbours and the whole community was thrown into confusion.

The Chairman of the Landlord Association of Omoniyi Quarters, Mr Ojo Oluwatayo, with other landlords in the

area rushed to the Divisional Police Station in Ijapo to report the matter.

The DPO, SP Jane Mbanefo, and other policemen mobilised to the scene. Sunday Vanguard gathered that the the bodies of the couple have been deposited at the state Specialist Hospital, Akure morgue for autopsy. Meanwhile, the family of the husband has pleaded with the police to release his corpse to them for burial since he was a Muslim.

Speaking with Sunday Vanguard, the uncle of late Jimoh, Baba Labaika, said, “We have reported to the Deji of Akure and we want to bury Jimoh in his house while his ex-wife will be buried elsewhere.

Ondo State police image maker, Wole Ogodo, confirmed the incident. He said a blood stained knife suspected to have been used by the late husband to kill the wife was recovered from the scene of crime.

health when reports from the hospital where he was receiving treatment alleged indicated that the governor was brain dead.

“This is eight months after. We are asking, where is Danbaba?

Where is an official medical report to prove his state of health? What is the state assembly doing? What is the state executive council doing?

We want answers”, the group said in a statement by its general secretary, Abulus John. The statement accused the acting governor of collaborating to deceive the public on the state of health of Suntai. The group alleged that Umar was playing along with loyalists of the governor

CONSTITUTION REVIEW

Senate Committee wrong on states creation rejection – ex-NDDC boss, Aginighan

BY CHINWEOKE AKOMA

T

he former acting managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Pastor Power Ziakede Aginighan, has advised the Senate to reject the report of the Ike Ekweremadu-led Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution as it relates to states creation.

He alleged that the committee concluded the crucial assignment without conducting signature verification in all the areas requesting for new states.

He also demanded that the Senate and the House of Representatives should

No rift in Ondo ACN —Senator Boroffice

BY DAYO JOHNSON,

Akure

T

HE senator representing Ondo North under the Action Congress of Nigeria (A C N), Senator Ajayi Boroffice, has denied any rift in the party in the state.

Instead, he said the party in the state was strong and united.

The senator was reacting to a report quoting him as insinuating there was a ltussle amongst the leaders of the party in the state.

According to a statement in Akure, Boroffice said: “In line with the thinking of the national leaders of

the party, we are working with all the leaders of the party and other progressive-minded forces to bring about good governance and never have I granted any press

interview that gives credence to any rift or the insinuation that I have taken over the control of the party in Ondo State.

“As one of the committed leaders of the party in

Ondo State, I am committed to the struggle of the party and will at all times promote good relationship and comradeship conduct among members and leaders of the party”.

Pipeline explosion rocks Oyo

BY OLA AJAYI, Ibadan

T

here was a pipeline explosion at Olorunkemi/Alaakia village on Elebu Road in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Though, no one was killed in the explosion believed to have been caused by vandals, it was the prompt response of

the state fire service that prevented possible loss of lives and property.

Despite timely arrival of fire men, Sunday Vanguard gathered that the explosion caused a serious threat to the lives of the inhabitants in the area.

Confirming the incident, the Director of the State Fire Service, Mr. Kareem Oyekunle

to hide the true state of his health, urging the acting governor to open up and set the records straight.

The group called for the application of Section 189 of the Constitution, questioning why the acting governor was hiding under the guise of loyalty to the governor to deceive the public, adding that “the public deserves to no especially as public fund is being spent on the governor ”.

The group said: “We call on Acting Governor Umar to show loyalty to both the governor and the state which elected the governor. It is time Mallam Umar dropped this toga of unquestioned silence even when lies spread around him on the state of health of his boss“.

Gafar, said the explosion might have been caused by pipeline vandals.

According to him, due to the swampy nature of the place, it was not easily accessible. ”We had to pass the pipe supplying water along the bush to ensure the fire is put off. We brought 37,000 litres of water to the scene and we have exhausted it.’’

set up a joint National Assembly Committee on Creation of New States and Boundary Adjustment with the mandate to conduct signature verification in all the areas requesting for new states before submitting an actionable report.

Aginighan, in a statement, yesterday, further said the alleged failure to comply with the requirements of the Constitution review highlighted the disconnect between the elected and the electors, saying the lawmakers should provide leadershipby enlightening their people on the constitutional requirements for new states to be created.

“Thereafter, requests for new States that do not meet the requirements can be justifiably eliminated”, the former NDDC boss stated.

“The committee’s report paints a picture of teacher/ student relationship between the senators and their electors, of a very intelligent teacher and very dull students who failed all courses at the final examination. The true picture is that of a lazy teacher who failed to teach his courses only to set difficult questions for his students”.

Going down memory lane, Aginighan said the Second Republic National Assembly between 1979 and 1983 set up committees on state creation in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 9

All letters bearing writers' names and full addresses should be typed and forwarded to: The Editor, Sunday Vanguard, Kirikiri Canal, P. M. B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos. E-mail: sunvanguardmail@yahoo.com

Delta State: Countdown to the killer-floods Dear Sir, “The Care of human life and happiness, And not their destruction, is the First and only legitimate object Of good government”. Thomas Jefferson S the quintessential epitomization of satyriasis lies and dovetails into satur nalian debauchery, so, nature abused, fights back with odium.

Hence, Jean Louis Agassiz (1807-1873) observed that “The study of Nature is an intercourse with the Highest Mind. You should never trifle with Nature”. Man, has horrendously abused Nature over the years and now Nature is vengefully fighting back with and through CLIMATE CHANGE”.

The climate change phenomenon has led to the horrid depletion of the Ozone Layer and has also precipitated disastrous climatological consequences on the planet Earth. Resulting in delugial floods, droughts, tornadoes, gales, hurricanes, dermatological cancer, optical diseases and other multidimensional socioeconomic aftermaths.

In Nigeria, the weatheriological and meteorological bodies have warned of the coming of floods of biblical proportion in over 30 states of the Federation. In the last flood disaster the Federal Government doled out Billions of Naira to statutorily obligated institutions charged with alleviating and checkmating the effects of the floods and to the State Governments.

Indeed, the Ministry of Works got 2.6Billion and an additional 556 Million, NEMA got 1.1Billion plus 1.24Billion, Ministry of Environment got 250Million plus 95Million, National Committee for Refugees got 150Million and Technical Committee on Flood Impact Assessment got 100Million. These monies are exclusive of what the Federal Government disbursed to the States and what various State Governments injected into the fight against floods, structures and

A

compensations, etc.

The torrential rainfall, the opening of the Lagdo Dam by the Cameroonian Authorities as it happened Last Year, the slow pace of work on the Kashimbilla Multipurpose Dam being constructed by the Federal Government in Taraba State, the Collective Leadership inertia in most States of the Federation and the lethargic pace of the 23 Dams being constructed across the country will definitely precipitate terribly horrendous floods.

The fight to checkmate the coming killer floods is on-going in Delta State, as illegal structures along drainage paths and waterways are being pulled down in Asaba, Warri, Sapele, Ughelli, Effurun, Agbor, Orerokpe, Aladja etc. In Warri the opening-up of culverts, bridges, waterways, gutters etc has gained intensive acceleration. The bridge along Lower

Erejuwa Road, Ogboru/Nelson/Deco/ Avenue/Okandeji/Ope/Omoine and Father Healey Streets are receiving commendable attention and personally supervised by Chief Omare, the Commissioner for Environment.

We must admonish the Commissioner and His Excellency Governor Uduaghan, that this is a Molehill in a Mountain and a tip of iceberg. They must note that Delta, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Edo, Ondo and Lagos State as litoral states experience more rainfall and hence floods than other states in Nigeria and must be fully prepared for the in-coming killer floods.

The sand filling and building of a Model School on the Warri Prison Rice Farm along Esisi Road by the Okere Bridge is wrong. That Rice Farm acted as a shoreline protection measure, flood comber, rain chamber and speed breaker

to floods. We also wish to draw the attention of the Commissioner and His Excellency to the Warri drainage plan brought from Holland by late Chief Esiri in 1963 and being executed by the then Warri Divisional Council, the Igberaja/ Abeke Drainage plan for Sapele Urban Area of 1961 and the 1962 Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh sponsored Bill on flood exigencies and the creation of the MidWestern Region etc.

Finally, the tidal surge of force majeure is no respecter of lives and properties. We admonish the Delta State Government and the Nigerian Government to do their best and we hope that their best will be good enough to forestall the draconic tentacles of the killer floods.

Chief Bobson Gbinije Mandate Against Poverty (MAP) Warri. 08023250378

SOS to Gov. Oshiomhole Edo gratuity/pensioners entitlements Dear Sir,

P

ERMIT me to air my view about the illusive nature of Edo State Gratuity/pensioners entitlements due to complete negligence of human rights and plight.

The Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshemole have indeed set giant strides in terms of infrastructural development of the state since he assumed office.

Apart from the physical transformation of Benin City and other Edo State towns and villages, he has equally impacted positively on the lives of both natives and other sojourners in the state, but these are at the detriment of penshioners who had laboured over the years to keep Edo State going but had not been settled on disengagement or death

benefit to siblings of those that died on service.

Edo state pensioners and their siblings are at the mercy of hunger and death due to the total negligence of their rights in this dimension.

It costs between N300,000 and N500,000 to process pensioners document and pay the relevant tax on the worked out gratiuty ab- initio before processing the payment.

Most pensioners and their families borrowed money to satisfy this condition which is a pre requisite for payment of gratuity, death benefits and pension.

Ironically some have fulfilled these conditions with borrowed money for more than two to five years and nothing has been paid.

My dear Comrade Governor, I doubt

if you are aware of this or it must be an oversight, but definitly it is not your intention to punish retired staff and those that died while on active service.

My Dear Comrade Gover nor, remember a verse in the NATIONAL ANTHEM. "The labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain".

Retirement is as sure as death and Payment of entilements is like payment of last respect to the dead.

I am using this medium to appeal to the Edo State Goverment to look into the plight of pensioniers and families of deceased Edo state staffers who have been living in abject penury in anticipation of their entitlements after serving the state meritorously.

Patrick Oladele

No 40 Babs-Olumide Street Agodi Ibadan.

PAGE 10—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

“Complacency has no place in our operations; we should be ever ready for competition” CEO of a Multinational in the 1970s..

HIS column could easily have been titled JONATHAN’s TAG TEAM SLAMMED and it would still have been appropriate. A wrestling champion who selects his tag team partners from the geriatric ward, in a contest with young and agile opponents, should expect a wicked body slam. The President of Nigeria was handed a humiliating pin-fall at the Nigerian Governors Forum election – irrespective of what Reuben Abati said about it. And he deserved it. Nobody listens to Abati anymore anyway. Jonathan, disably supported by Chief Anenih (78) and Alhaji Tukur (76), had been lured into the ring by a vocal governor from the Southsouth, who, in his own contests leads with his mouth and invariably receives a sucker punch.

He led the team of proJonathan governors into the slaughter house -

T

brimming with hubris.

After all, the Team Manager from Niger Delta, had a list of nineteen governors with signatures pledging support to the hastily drafted surrogate contestant – Governor Jang of Plateau State.

So sure was Jang of victory that he did not even bother to lobby other governors, not on the list, who he was programmed to lead – if he had succeeded. That shows what sort of leader Jang would have made for his colleagues. As usual, “pride goes before a fall” according to the old adage.

Unfortunately for Jang, he did not win the election. Now, his faction of the NGF is shopping for a new Secretariat; where he will lead a faction of the NGF shameless losers. No Chairman of the NGF, since it opened shop, has ever started his tenure with such humiliation as an excess baggage. Even Jang is not stupid; he knows that those who voted for Amechi in a free and fair election will never attend any meeting he calls.

What Jang should ask

The aggressor will fall on his own sword "Power does not corrupt.

Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power."-- John Steinbeck

C

OUPLE of weeks ago, I wrote an article titled; Jet, ladies and all things tasteless(12.05.13) which mentioned Rotimi Ameachi and the trouble between him and GEJ. So, fast forward two weeks, it does not look as if the fight is abating anytime soon. On the contrary, it seems that the fight has been nudged up another level,to isolate, intimidate and humiliate Governor Rotimi Ameachi. The assault is reaching a crescendo of an enormous magnitude that only can be imagined taking place in the dark, shady and mucky dealings of the political occult.

This audacious gerrymandering and devil-maycare attitude by the so called movers and shakers of the PDP is been played out in full view of the Nigerian public. I am sure that

the heavies and bullies think that they are untouchable .They must feel so confident that the power they have mustered to coerce and usurp an incumbent governor is fair game.

So, the Governors' Forum returned Ameachi as the chair of the body to the displeasure of the mischief makers. Amaechi, the incumbent chairman of the Governor's Forum, won with 19 votes to 16, despite the fact that one governor was absent. The governors voted and elected him and Amaechi remains in post as the chair of the forum. Mr Jang, also a member and Governor in the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), disputed the outcome and has since declared himself the chair of the forum. Some say he could not have gone ahead without the blessings of the president, who it was understood is very determined to bring Ameachi down a peg or two. The king (GEJ) has also made himself the kingmaker. He has vehe-

,

NGF: Wrestling as a metaphor

himself, if he ever asks the right questions is, “since when did a list of signatures become substitute for ballot papers in an election”? Now, we know the sort of leaders we have in state executive positions nationwide. These guys, including lawyers among them don’t even know the definition of democ-

saying goes, “show me your friends; and I’ll tell you who you are”. The BOT chair went round the states, cap-in-hand, to lobby governors in support of the presidential candidate; and fell flat on his face. This is the fourth contest the man is losing. The mystic is gone.

Alhaji Tukur was another official imposed on the party despite the near total lack of influence in his own state – Adamawa. Tukur could not even get his own governor to vote with the

Beaten black and blue, the losers staggered to the Akwa Ibom Governor’s lodge and held a comical press conference attempting to discredit a free and fair election which they lost – but without gallantry – for the President

,

racy.

Jonathan’s primary mistake was his reliance on two octogenarians – the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, BOT, and the Chairman of the National Executive Committee, NEC. “Mr Fix-it”, who was forced on the BOT,

by Jonathan, once bestrode the political landscape in Edo State like a colossus. But, since Oshiomhole became governor, the mystic has gone.

His only successful candidate for governor in Edo State started in I999 with grandeur and ended as a convict. As the

President. What sort of a Chairman is that who cannot even control his own state?

The President’s “Team Manager ”, must have assumed that, with nineteen signatures on a list in his pocket, the election was a foregone conclusion. Stuffed with hubris, he willingly allowed the election to proceed.

Then, he was flattened with a sucker punch. Instead of nineteen votes, only sixteen were recorded for the President.

Three moles had defected to the other side.

What “Team Manager”

mently refused, and is rabidly adamant, that everyone should play by the rules, except the selected few know what the rules are. In fact, I do think they make up the rules as they go along after all, it is their party and they can jolly well do anything they want to it.

This may be party politicking going on but it has serious implication to our democratic rights as citizens. Nigerians have much to be concerned if at the party level, they can flout

remove the governor as the chairman of the NGF, and that it was conceived by three governors from the North-West and North-Central.

So, here rolls on another Jonah, the man from Plateau State as he declared himself the chair. He is a pretender to the throne but he is busy flaunting about the place.

Supporters of Ameachi inside and outside the party have described this as a breach of the constitution

,

There are rumblings within the party, quite mutinous rumblings and there is fear of implosion if the captain of this farcical vessel does not change direction

the rules of a political party. Then imagine what the ruling party could do when they act like this on a national level, it is quite worrying. So when they suspended Ameachi from the PDP, they offered no rational reason other than, he had abused the party's constitution. The National Working Committee (NWC) had arbitrarily assumed the powers of the NEC and suspended Amaechi without preliminary hearings, or an opportunity of knowing the allegations made against him.

It was revealed that there had been a plot all along to

,

of the party and that the party has denied the governor a fair hearing.

There are rumblings within the party, quite mutinous rumblings and there is fear of implosion if the captain of this farcical vessel does not change direction.

The mood of some of the governors who voted for Ameachi are quite certain that he was indeed the majority choice and no one else other than Ameachi, can declare himself the victor .

Governor Fashola, is not having any of it so he had filed a suit at the Federal Capital Territory High

and his crowd failed to realize was the fact that the candidate, Jang, they put up, at the last minute, was a loser. Most governors will not on their own vote for Jang.

The secret ballot allowed three governors to vote their consciences.

Beaten black and blue, the losers staggered to the Akwa Ibom Governor’s lodge and held a comical press conference attempting to discredit a free and fair election which they lost – but without gallantry – for the President. Then, they proceeded to meet with the BOT Chairman – clutching a phony trophy. It was pathetic watching “eminent” Nigerians in disgraceful mutual embrace and getting ready to set up an office as a monument to an election they lost. It is more remarkable that not a single one of them is under thirty years old.

Where, for God’s sake, is honour? Where went maturity and self-respect? With “friends” like these, does Jonathan need any more enemies?

FOR THOSE GOVERNORS I RESPECT: OBI, MIMIKO AND UDUAGHAN. “Any man who wants to be a cowardly slave can have no honour”. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 94).

Of all the governors who participated in that show of shame, after the NGF election, only three surprised me because, on those three, I had invested a lot of faith that, Court in his capacity as a member of the forum. He has asked the court to declare that Jang is not competent to be called the elected chairman of the NGF. In the writ of summons filed by a former Lagos Attorney General, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) and former West African Bar Association President, Femi Falana (SAN), Fashola maintained that 35 governors participated in the election that returned Amaechi as the NGF chairman.

This infighting is a distraction happening daily in the ordinary lives of a Nigerian household. What use is it to the man on the street that there is a split in the PDP and that Rotimi has been suspended from the party? Not a lot unless it can quench their thirsts, fill their bellies, make them feel secure at home or on the roads or put clothes on their backs, it means nothing. Nothing at all. So what do we make of it? That it is all about power and money and not about the people they serve.

To think the election is still two years away but they are already carving the national cake and positions. They have no shame and they are desperate and would stoop so low to get a second term in Government.

When is it going to be different? When should we expect a change for the better? Are we going to have more of the same? Is that what we really want for ourselves and our children? The

win or lose, in any election, they will honourably conduct themselves.

The three, in alphabetical order were Obi of Ananmbra State; Mimiko of Ondo State and Uduaghan of Delta State. Together with Fashola, Fayemi, Kwakwanso, and Aliyu, they constitute the small number of governors who, to me, were cuts above the rest in integrity. On the night of the vote, a senior brother Dr Vaughan asked me how I thought the vote would go. I told him that Amechi would win, but the pro-Jonathan governors would try to break up the NGF. I also said that some governors would not support the pro-Jonathan governors.

Among those I listed were the three. To say I was mortified to watch as my “heroes” followed the bad losers is to understate my disappointment.

Who can one trust in politics any more?

President Jonathan, Amechi must not die

“Men make history, but not just as they please”.

Karl Marx, 1818-1883.

Mr President, Governor Amechi has raised alarm about a plot to kill him.

If I were you, the security around Amechi would be beefed up to ensure that nothing happens to him. Right or wrong, if the fellow is ever assassinated fingers of blame will be pointed in a particular direction.

A word is sufficient…

V i s i t : www.Delesobowale.com politicians have promised us a better Nigeria and they have failed woefully. They say, a country deserves the government it gets. But we definitely deserve much better than some of the current crop. To the PDP I remember, a quote from late Chinua Achebe: "We cannot trample upon the humanity of others without devaluing our own”. And he said the Igbo, always practical that they put it concretely in their proverb: Onye ji onye n'ani ji onwe ya: meaning: "He who will holds another down on the ground must stay on the ground to keep him down." The Yoruba do have many equivatent proverbs.

If only they heed the sagacious maxim and concentrate on themselves and not try to disrupt others.

Well, it seems the PDP stalwarts are neck deep in mire and the nation watches with bemusement how they are going to dig themselves out of this without losing face.

There is a pronounced silence from the president's camp but then we don't expect much from him as he, the king now wants to be the kingmaker. Ameachi does not need to do anything but watch the political muscle flexing. Sometimes the best thing one can do is to watch the aggressor sooner or later,he is bound to fall on his own sword. I guess their egos have been bruised and this will ultimately be their undoing.

SUNDAY

Do Governors win elections in Nigeria? ally believed to have won the election was formally declared by FEDECO to have lost to his opponent Chief Akin Omoboriowo.

The latter would probably have served his term as governor if our Judiciary of the time was as sophisticated as the one of today.

These days, we have ample cases of technical justice where a person who was

,

I

N 1983, Chief Sam Mbakwe, incumbent governor of Imo State, was declared winner of the governorship election in the State that year.

Did he really win the election? Perhaps he did but it was rather absurd that it was Mbakwe himself who was the first to formally declare his own victory through the broadcasting outfit of his State. At the time of his broadcast, the electoral body - the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) was yet to announce the result because it had not completed the collation of votes cast at the election. To suggest that Mbakwe’s victory was suspect may make some sense but it would be a simplistic statement because Mbakwe just didn’t want to be taken by surprise by political swindlers within the electoral body. Mbakwe’s wisdom would make sense when it is realized that in Ondo State, victory at the governorship election was swapped. Chief Adekunle Ajasin, incumbent governor of the State who was gener-

2007 is no doubt a good example. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Celestine Omehia who contested the governorship election under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the contest.

On the other hand, the Nigerian Judiciary having found that Rotimi Amaechi was the rightful candidate

If the winner of an election had no faith in the umpire, could it be that he won a bad election?

Put differently, what was actually bad —the election process, the voters, the candidates, the winner or the referee?

not allowed to contest a particular election can also be declared the winner of the same election. The victory in the governorship election in Rivers State in

,

of the party declared him the winner. That was how the election was won. The judgment made some sense to some people but the layman may have found it

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos,

M

OREOVER, Oc tober 1 is more appropriate for marking Democracy Day, assuming there is need to celebrate democracy, taking into consideration the landmark national events that took place on that day.

The most significant dates in Nigeria's political history are 1914, 1960 and 1967.

Of the three, October 1, 1960 is the most relevant to our discussion for two reasons. First, it was the date Nigeria achieved political independence from Britain.

Second, full political autarky in modern governance for Nigerians began on that very day. At independence, the departing colonial administration bequeathed to us the parliamentary system based on regionalism.

Most historians agree that, despite some hiccups occasioned by ethnic rivalry and suspicion, inexperience of some key political actors, and immature democratic institutions, the parliamentary system of 19601966 represents the finest moment in our political history. Nigeria went through a devastating civil war from 1967 to 1970. In October 1, 1979, civilian rule was restored when Obasanjo handed over power to Shehu Shagari. Since then, all the civilian administrations operated with consti-

tutions modelled after the American presidential system of government. Critics of the American model point out, correctly in my view, that it is too expensive and concentrates excessive powers on the executive.

Additionally, the penchant of our key political actors to manipulate the system for selfish interests has crippled the growth of democracy and alienated people from effective participation in the political process.

Looking at the quality of governance from 1999 until date, Nigerian political leaders have not learnt anything from the mistakes of their predecessors. For example, when Obasanjo, one of the luckiest Nigerians alive today, became President in 1999, people thought that he would be an effective leader, considering his more mature age and previous experience as military head of state. Obasanjo started well. He tried his best to restore efficiency and professionalism in the armed forces.

Between 1999 and 2007, Nigeria paid a significant percentage of her foreign debt to the Paris Club, and his fiscal policies and currency reforms bolstered confidence in the Nigerian economy. One of Obasanjo's greatest achievements is

the setting up of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC). The EFCC was so effective during his tenure that, despite criticism that the agency was an instrument for persecuting enemies of the President, mere mention of its name struck fear in the minds of corrupt politicians and businesspersons. Overall, Obasanjo's performance was average. But it must be said that, the tremendous increase in crude oil revenue were not prudently man-

,

Criticism and the growth of democracy in Nigeria (2)

hard to understand the logic which tended to suggest that persons who voted for Omehia thought it was Amaechi they voted for. The point to be made is that anyone who does not understand the Nigerian Judiciary is not likely to comprehend how some of our governors win their elections.

It would, for instance, be difficult for today’s political analysts to appreciate the reported victory of Aliyu Wammako, the PDP candidate in the 2007 governorship election in Sokoto State. It is only posterity that will probably get to know what the election stood for when the basis of the conflict between Justice Ayo Salami, the President of the Court of Appeal at the time and Justice Katsina Alu, the then Chief Justice of Nigeria(CJN) is revealed. Similarly, the victory of Admiral Murtala Nyako, incumbent governor of Adamawa State in the 2012 governorship election in the State is for scholars a researchable topic.

Section 285 of the Nigerian Constitution provides that an appeal from a decision of an election tribunal must be heard and disposed off within 60 days from the date of the judgment of the tribunal. In the Adamawa case, the Court of Appeal went into hiding for 58 out of the 60 days until the CJN forced it to make a pronouncement just before it became legally too late to so act. Without been uncharitable therefore, one can argue that Nigeria has developed a political culture in which a governorship election in the country

can hardly produce a clear winner.

There are however reports that a few candidates do really win their elections. It is only to be hoped that such candidates are not part of those who won elections with huge votes whereas the same elections recorded low turnout of voters. During the Bayelsa governorship election of 2012, the media were unanimous that the event was characterized by voters’ apathy. Yet, official results showed that many places recorded as high as 90% turn-out. Interestingly, election observers unanimously expressed serious reservations over the authenticity of the INEC figure. The aspersions which, independent observers cast on figures released by the umpire, did not make less impact than the situation in 1999, when the former American President, Jimmy Carter at the head of an international observer group, was quoted to have said that there were several cases of “disparity between the number of voters observed at the polling stations and the final result” The July 2012 governorship election in Edo State where Governor Oshiomhole was reported to have overwhelmingly defeated his opponents would have been praise worthy. Unfortunately, the election carried a snag in the sense that the winner of the election openly discredited the umpire while the voting process was in progress. If the winner of an election had no faith in the umpire, could it be that he won a

bad election? Put differently, what was actually badthe election process, the voters, the candidates, the winner or the referee?

These are questions that are hard to answer in a Nigerian election especially when it involves governors. Anyone who wants to understand the disposition of a typical Nigerian governor to elections has to read all that has been made public about the recently held election by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to select a Chairman.

The election which was held on Friday May 24, 2013 had only 35 voters.

According to reports, Governor Rotimi Amaechi won the contest through the ballot box while Governor Jonah Jang was reported have also won but through signatories to an agreement. Those who signed the document and failed to follow it during voting appear to teach a lesson that agreement notwithstanding, every person should always vote according to his conscience at the appropriate time. Some governors said filling the post through an election was unusual and as such the person they voted for did not win. Some said they were trapped while others said they were coerced meaning that someone was able to stop political thugs from the venue. It was thus an election which featured the politics of equality as each candidate had both security vote and security personnel. It was a good election which has established that a typical Nigerian governor does not win an election.

jo was much more interested in retaining power and maintaining the unjust status quo than in transforming the country for the good of ordinary Nigerians.

Therefore, his successor, Umar Musa Yar'Adua, inherited so many problems, which eventually proved too much for his declining health condition. Yar'Adua was not an effective President. In fact, his administration did not record any outstanding achievement. The late President was a humble and compassionate man, but public declaration of his assets is a good example in transparent leadership. Yet what Nigeria needed in 2007 (and still needs now) is an intelligent, selfless and courageous leader with iron will to take and implement tough decisions required for positive

respect to Goodluck Jonathan, Yar'Adua's successor?

No one can answer that question with certainty now, because Jonathan is still in office and his tenure might extend to 2019 if he secures a second term in two years' time. However, he has spent about three years in office, which is enough for one to make a prognosis of how history will judge his administration. Now, notwithstanding the garrulous and ill-tempered defence of their boss against criticism by his lieutenants, the fact remains that there are no clear signs that Nigeria is progressing since 2010 when Goodluck Jonathan assumed office as President.

Perhaps, the man is doing his best, but the vast majority of our people are yet to experience positive transformation in their existential condition, which Jonathan promised them at his inauguration. Obviously, Jonathan, like his predecessor, inherited numerous challenges brought about by decades of incompetent leadership. Nevertheless, he was aware of this before he decided to vie for the Presidency. Consequently, Mr. President must be prepared to handle wisely both the huge benefits and burdens of his office. In my opinion, several decisions and choices made by him thus far are unwise and unpatriotic. A very important area where his government has failed Nigerians is electricity supply. It is a big disgrace that a country of over 160 million people cannot generate up to and sustain 5000 megawatts of electricity, whereas South Africa with a quarter of Nigeria's population generates up to 45,000 megawatts.

Definitely, Jonathan could easily have secured wide acceptability for his second term ambition in 2015 presidential elections by using all necessary means to ensure 24-hour uninterrupted power supply nationwide.

For now, he is chasing shadows, wasting precious time in flexing muscles unnecessarily against his "political enemies" instead of working his fingers to the bones to make sure that we have stable electricity. Considering the abysmal level of power supply in Nigeria and the crucial role electricity plays in manufacturing and wealth creation, investors will continue to shun the country unless government satisfactorily addresses the power issue.

With respect to the malignant cancer of corruption, Jonathan's administration is not tackling it effectively. Heart-rending corruption is rampant among top public office holders, high profile businesspersons, and multinational companies operating in Nigeria connected to government officials. To be candid, Jonathan's government is corruption-friendly, as can be seen from the expanding eddies of official corruption and inability of the EFCC to prosecute socalled "sacred cows" in and out of government since the present administration. Indeed, Mr. President's attitude sometimes encourages corruption: examples include his refusal to declare his assets publicly and wrongheaded presidential pardon granted to Diepriye Alamesieyegha his former boss.

Considering the abysmal level of power supply in Nigeria and the crucial role electricity plays in manufacturing and wealth creation, investors will continue to shun the country unless government satisfactorily addresses the power issue

aged by his government.

Thus, Obasanjo missed a wonderful opportunity to improve the fundamentals of Nigeria's economy, especially electricity supply, manufacturing, and infrastructure. He was too preoccupied with the "third term agenda" to work in concert with the National Assembly to amend relevant sections of the constitution that militate against the practice of true federalism. It seems that Obasan-

Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 11

,

national transformation.

I believe that Yar'Adua committed a fatal error of judgment when he decided to contest for the presidency in 2007, because he underestimated the negative impact of the pressures of that office on his fragile health. Probably, despite his lack of solid achievements, when the story of his tenure is finally documented history will be somewhat charitable to him. What will be the verdict of history with

TO BE CONTINUED

PAGE 12—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

C M Y K

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013 — PAGE 13

JUNE 12 ANNULMENT

PROLOGUE

T

BY JIDE AJANI

here are many 'ifs' 20 years after the an nulment of the June 12, 1993 presiden tial election - that is still considered Nigeria's freest and fairest. If then military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, had known that the decision to annul the election would lead to the plethora of crises that Nigeria is yet to come over, he may not have acted in that manner. Indeed if he had known that the electoral process today would be much worse and replete with serial instances of the reasons he gave for the annulment, he may not have done so. If Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (aka, MKO) had known that events would spiral to a fatal end for him, he may not have sought the presidency of Nigeria. If some of the elected public officers who supported the annulment knew that Sani Abacha would restore full military rule for another five years, they may have stood firmly on June 12 and continued in office.

Using the behavior of some members of the Nigeria Governors' Forum, NGF, regarding their election where they voted but lost but are refusing to accept defeat, the question should be asked: When would Nigerians learn from mistakes of the past?

In this package, we present the reasons Babangida gave for annulling the election, the response of MKO Abiola immediately after the annulment was announced as well as the concluding part of Tonnie Iredia's interview – he served as the spokesman for the electoral commission at the time of the annulment.

I

Why we annuled June 12 Presidential election — General Ibrahim Babangida I believe too that history, with the passage of time, would certainly score the administration high in its governance of our country.

Let me also express my deep conviction that the core strategy and structures of our reform policies and programmes, as enunciated in 1986/87, would, for a very long time, remain relevant and durable in the course of changing our country positively.

I believe that at the exit of the administration from power, we would leave behind for prosperity a country with an economy, the structures of which have been turned around for good. The average Nigerian person has come to reconcile himself with the fact that his or her social progress remains essentially in his or her hands in collaboration with other fellow Nigerians and not merely relying on what government alone could provide for him or her. The days are gone for good, when men and women trooped to government establishments for employment and for benevolence. This administration has built the foundation that would take Nigerians away from their previous colonially-induced motivations and the encumbrances of colonialism. We have laid the foundation for self-reliant economic development and social justice. We have estab-

,

Fellow Nigerians, address you today with a deep sense of world history and particularly of the history of our great country. In the aftermath of the recently annulled presidential election, I feel, as I believe you yourself feel, a profound sense of disappointment at the outcome of our last efforts at laying the foundation of a viable democratic system of government in Nigeria .

I therefore wish, on behalf of myself and members of the National Defence and Security Council and indeed of my entire administration, to feel with my fellow countrymen and women for the cancellation of the election. It was a rather disappointing experience in the course of carrying through the last election of the transition to civil rule programme.

Nigeria has come a long way since this administration assumed power and leadership about eight years ago. In the attempt to grapple with the critical and monumental problems and challenges of national existence and social progress, this administration inaugurated and pursued sound and justifiable policies and programmes of reform.

These policies and programmes have touched virtually all aspects of our national life – the economy, political process, social structures, external relations, bureaucracy and even the family system. I believe strongly that in understanding, conception, formulation and articulation, these policies and programmes are not only sound but also comparatively unassailable.

•General Ibrahim Babangida

It is true that the presidential election was generally seen to be free, fair and peaceful. However, there was in fact a huge array of electoral malpractices virtually in all the states of the federation before the actual voting began

lished a new basis in our country in which economic liberalization would continue to flourish alongside democratic forces and deregulated power structure. In all these, the average Nigerian person has more than ever before this administration imbibed and assimilated the values of hard work, resilience and self-confidence.

It is true that in the course of implementing our reform policies and programmes and especially because of the visionary zeal with which we approached the assignment and responded to incidental pressures of governance, we engendered a number of social forces in the country.

This is so because we sought to challenge and transform extant social forces which had in the past impeded growth and development of our country. We also

,

sought to deal with the new forces to which our programmes of action gave rise. Thus in dealing with the dynamics of both the old and new social forces, we ran into certain difficulties.

In particular, during the course of handling the interlocking relationships between the old and new political forces and institutions, some problems had arisen leading us into a number of difficulties and thereby necessitating our having to tamper with the rules and regulations laid down in the political programme. As a result, the administration unwittingly attracted enormous public suspicions of its intentions and objectives. Accordingly, we have experienced certain shortfalls and conflicting responses to the pulls and pushes of governance in the course of policy implementation.

I believe that areas of difficulties with the transition programme, especially from the last quarter of 1992 to the recent cancelled presidential election, derived primarily from the shortfalls in implementing the programmes of actions which, though objectively taken, may have caused a deviation from the original framework and structure of the programme.

F

ellow Nigerians, it is true that by the cancelled presidential election, we all found the nation at a peculiar bar of history which was neither bargained for, nor was it envisaged in the reform programmes of transition as enunciated in 1986/87. In the circumstance, the administration had no option than to respond appropriately to the unfortunate experience of terminating the presidential election. Our actions are in full conformity with the original objectives of the transition to civil programme. It was also in conformity with the avowed commitment of the administration to advance the cause of national unity, stability, and democracy. In annulling the presidential election, this administration was keenly aware of its promise in November 1992 that

Continues on page 14

PAGE 14— SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

JUNE 12 ANNULMENT Continued from page 13 it would disengage and institute a return to democracy on August 27, 1993. We are determined to keep the promise. Since this transition, and indeed any transition, must have an end, I believe that our transition programme should and must come to an end, honestly and honourably.

History will bear witness that as an administration we have always striven, in all our policy decisions, to build the foundation of lasting democracy. Lasting democracy is not a temporary show of excitement and manipulation by an over-articulate section of the elite and its captive audience; lasting democracy is a permanent diet to nurture the soul of the whole nation and the political process.

‘Why we annuled election’ knowledged that the performance of the judiciary on this occasion was less than satisfactory. The judiciary has been the bastion of the hopes and liberties of our citizens.

Therefore, when it became clear that the courts had become intimidated and subjected to the manipulation of the political process, and vested interests, then the entire political system was in clear dangers. This administration could not continue to watch the various high courts carry on their long drawn out processes and contradictory decisions while the nation slides into chaos.

T

I

•General Ibrahim Babangida primaries as well as the presidential election. These were the same bad conduct for which the party presidential primaries of 1992 were cancelled.

E

vidence available to gov ernment put the total amount of money spent by the presidential candidates at over two billion , one hundred million naira (N2.1 billion). The use of money was again the major source of undermining the electoral process.

Both these allegations and evidence were known to the National Defence and Security Council before the holding of the June 12, 1993 election, the National Defence and Security Council overlooked these areas of problems in its determination

,

herefore, it is logical, as we have always insisted upon, that lasting democracy must be equated with political stability.

Informed by our sad experience of history, we require nothing short of a foundation for lasting democracy. As an administration, we cannot afford to leave Nigerian into a Third Republic with epileptic convulsions in its democratic health. Nigeria must therefore confront her own reality; she must solve her problems notwithstanding other existing models of democracy in other parts of the world.

In my address to the nation in October 1992, when the first presidential primaries were cancelled, I had cause to remind our country men and women that there is nowhere in the world in which the practice of democracy is the same, even if the principles are similar and even for countries sharing the same intellectual tradition and cultural foundation.

The history of our country is not the history of any other country in the world which is either practising advanced democracy or struggling to lay the foundation for democracy. Yet, in spite of the uniqueness and peculiarities of Nigeria, there are certain prerequisites which constitute an irreducible minimum for democracy.

Such essential factors include: A. Free and fair elections; B. Uncoerced expression of voters preference in election; C. Respect for electorate as unfettered final arbiter on elections; D. Decorum and fairness on the part of the electoral umpires; E. Absolute respect for the rule of law. Fellow Nigerians, you would recall that it was precisely because the presidential primaries of last year did not meet the basic requirements of free and fair election that the Armed Forces Ruling Council had good reason to cancel those primaries. The recently annulled presidential election was similarly afflicted by these problems.

Even before the presidential election, and indeed at the party conventions, we had full knowledge of the bad signals pertaining to the enormous breach of the rules and regulations of democratic elections. But because we were determined to keep faith with the deadline of 27th August, 1993 for the return to civil rule, we overlooked the reported breaches. Unfortunately, these breaches continued into the presidential election of June 12, 1993, on an even greater proportion. There were allegations of irregularities and other acts of bad conduct leveled against the presidential candidates but NEC went ahead and cleared them. There were proofs as well as documented evidence of widespread use of money during the party

fore the actual voting began.

There were authenticated reports of the electoral malpractices against party agents, officials of the National Electoral Commission and also some members of the electorate.

If all of these were clear violations of the electoral law, there were proofs of manipulations through offer and acceptance of money and other forms of inducement against officials of the National Electoral Commission and members of the electorate. There were also evidence of conflict in the process of authentication and clearance of credentials of the presidential candidates. Indeed, up to the last few hours of the election, we continued, in our earnest steadfastness with our transition deadline, to overlook vital facts.

There were cases of documented and confirmed conflict of interest between the government and both presidential candidates which would compromise their positions and responsibilities were they to become president

to fulfill the promise to hand over to an elected president on due date.

Apart from the tremendous negative use of money during the party primaries and presidential election, there were moral issues which were also overlooked by the Defence and National Security Council. There were cases of documented and confirmed conflict of interest between the government and both presidential candidates which would compromise their positions and responsibilities were they to become president. We believe that politics and government are not ends in themselves. Rather, service and effective amelioration of the condition of our people must remain the true purpose of politics.

It is true that the presidential election was generally seen to be free, fair and peaceful. However, there was in fact a huge array of electoral malpractices virtually in all the states of the federation be-

,

For example, following the Council’s deliberation which followed the court injunction suspending the election, majority of members of the National Defence and Security Council supported postponement of the election by one week. This was to allow NEC enough time to reach all the voters, especially in the rural areas, about the postponement. But persuaded by NEC that it was capable of relaying the information to the entire electorate within the few hours left before the election, the Council, unfortunately, dropped the idea of shifting the voting day.

Now, we know better. The conduct of the election, the behaviour of the candidates and post-election responses continued to elicit signals which the nation can only ignore at its peril. It is against the foregoing background that the administration became highly concerned when these political conflicts and breaches were carried to the court. It must be ac-

t was under this circumstance that the National Defence and Security Council decided that it is in the supreme interest of law and order, political stability and peace that the presidential election be annulled. As an administration, we have had special interest and concern not only for the immediate needs of our society, but also in laying the foundation for generations to come.

To continue action on the basis of the June 12, 1993 election, and to proclaim and swear in a president who encouraged a campaign of divide and rule among our ethnic groups would have been detrimental to the survival of the Third Republic. Our need is for peace, stability and continuity of politics in the interest of all our people.

Fellow countrymen and women, although the National Electoral Commission and the Centre for Democratic Studies officially invited foreign observers for the presidential election, the administration also considered it, as important as a democratic society, that our activities and electoral conduct must be open not only to the citizenry of our country but also to the rest of the world.

In spite of this commitment, the administration did not and cannot accept that foreign countries should interfere in our internal affairs and undermine our sovereignty.

The presidential election was not an exercise imposed on Nigerians by the United Nations or by the wishes of some global policemen of democracy. It was a decision embarked upon independently by the government of our country and for the interest of our country. This is because we believe, just like other countries, that democracy and democratization are primary values which Nigerians should cultivate, sustain and consolidate so as to enhance freedom, liberties and social development of the citizenry.

The actions of these foreign countries are most unfortunate and highly regrettable. There is nowhere in the history of our country or indeed of the third world where these countries can be said to love Nigeria or Nigerians any more than the love we have for ourselves and for our country.

Neither can they claim to love Nigeria any more than this administration loves our country.

Accordingly, I wish to state that this administration will take necessary action against any interest groups that seek to interfere in our internal affairs. In this vein, I wish to place on record the appreciation of this administration for the patience and understanding of Nigerians, the French, the Germans, the Russians and Irish governments in the current situation.

I appeal to our fellow countrymen

and women and indeed our foreign detractors that they should cultivate proper understanding and appreciation of the peculiar historic circumstances in the development of our country and the determination not only of this administration but indeed of all Nigerians to resolve the current crises.

F

ellow Nigerians, the Na tional Security and Defence Council has met several times since the June 12, 1993 election.

The council has fully deliberated not only on our avowed commitment but also to bequeathing to posterity a sound economic and political base in our country and we shall do so with honour. In our deliberations, we have also taken note of several extensive consultations with other members of this administration, with officers and men of the Armed Forces and with well-meaning Nigerian leaders of thought. We are committed to handing over power on 27th August, 1993. Accordingly, the National Defence and Security Council has decided that, by the end of July 1993, the two political parties, under the supervision of a recomposed National Electoral Commission, will put in place the necessary process for the emergence of two presidential candidates.

This shall be conducted according to the rules and regulations governing the election of the president of the country. In this connection, government will, in consultation with the two political parties and National Electoral Commission, agree as to the best and quickest process of conducting the election.

In the light of our recent experience and, given the mood of the nation, the National Defence and Security Council has imposed additional conditions as a way of widening and deepening the base of electing the president and sanitizing the electoral process. Accordingly, the candidates for the coming election must: (1) Not be less than 50 years old; (2) Have not been convicted of any crime; (3) Believe, by act of faith and practice, in the corporate existence of Nigeria; (4) Possess records of personal, corporate and business interests which do not conflict with national interests; (5) Have been registered members of either of the two political parties for at least one year to this election. All those previously banned from participating in the transition process, other than those with criminal records, are hereby unbanned. They can all henceforth participate in the electoral process. This is with a view to enriching the quality of candidature for the election and at the same time tap the leadership resources of our country to the fullest. The decree to this effect will be promulgated.

Fellow Nigerians, I wish to finally acknowledge the tremendous value of your patience and understanding, especially in the face of national provocation.

I urge you to keep faith with the commitment of this administration. I enjoin you to keep faith with the unity, peace and stability of our country for this is the only country that you and I can call our own.

Nowhere in the world, no matter the prompting and inducements of foreign countries, can Nigerians ever be regarded as first class citizens. Nigeria is the only country that we have. We must therefore renew our hope in Nigeria, and faith and confidence in ourselves for continued growth, development and progress.

Thank you all, and God bless you.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013 — PAGE 15

JUNE 12 ANNULMENT

Response of Chief MKO Abiola:

‘I will not surrender my mandate’ O

•Late Chief MKO Abiola could not imagine that the purported transgressions of the judiciary could possibly be used as the excuse for cancelling the election of June 12.

I

never went to court. Alhaji Tofa never did. The two political parties never initiated any litigation on any matter relating to the election. The only person who went to court was Arthur Nzeribe, in the guise of a 1egally banned organisation called ABN. Nzeribe was not a candidate. He did not even vote.

His association is not even registered. And yet the Abuja courts granted him injunctions at the unprecedented hour of 9.30pm which, in retrospect, now seem contrived and deliberately intended to cause the greatest possible confusion. And NEC too was suspended and all its actions to date cancelled. But you do not take the extreme measure of killing a new born child just because the midwife is a bad woman. The judiciary was peripheral to the election process.

Assuming that there was good faith on the part of government, all matters relating the election should have gone to the tribunals set up by law for such cases, and should only have been initiated by persons or bodies that had a genuine interest in the election.

Instead, we are being told that the judiciary behaved so badly that Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola should be penalised for its conduct. It is incredible In view of all this, I find the conclusion unfortunate but inescapably that the Federal Military Government is guilty of bad faith, pure and simple. No

,

N Wednesday, June 23 1993, the Federal Military Government issued a short statement terminating, by fiat, the entire transition programme. The very manner in which the statement was made public indicated a deliberate intention to insult and ridicule the entire Nigerian people. The statement was undated, unsigned, unauthorised, and made on a plane sheet of paper. But for the fact that it was distributed to the press by the Chief Press Secretary to the Vice-President, it could very well have been issued by the Association for Better Nigeria.

The effect of this statement was to render everything done in the last six years in promotion of the transition programme an absolute nullity. There have been amendments before. There have been disqualifications, postponements and cancellations before. But never before has there been such a cynical and contemptuous abrogation of solemn commitments and fixed programmes.

In the three previous abortions of the transition programme, the whipping boy was the political class, who were derided and reviled as corrupt and selfish. But this time around, this same political class conducted itself, in the campaign leading to the June 12 election, and on June 12 itself, with unprecedented dignity and restraint, to avoid offering the authorities any excuse that could once again be used to abort the transition process.

Most reasonable observers concluded that the election of June 12 was the freest and fairest in Nigerian history The international community unanimously confirmed this verdict. But because the purported ineptitude of the political class could not be blamed, this time, we are now being told that n is the judiciary that must be held responsible for the termination of the transition programme. Before making the personal decision to vie for the presidency, knowing fully well the misfortune of other distinguished Nigerians in the recent past, I consulted widely, and sought assurances that I would not be chasing shadows. These assurances were given, in some cases from the highest levels of government including the president him self.

I was therefore convinced that the commitment to civilian rule, come August 27 this year, was firm, settled and irrevocable. 1

The people of this country went to the polls on Saturday, June 12, 1993, and, without let or hinderance, chose me as their president.

The figures say so, the agencies of government: MAMSER, CDS and the Presidential Election Monitoring Group say so, the International Observer Group say so, NEC knows so and says so, in its affidavit to the Court of Appeal, NEC said that results were ready and known, I won

,

one has accused me of any offence against any known electoral law or regulation. The people of this country went to the polls on Saturday, June 12, 1993, and, without let or hinderance, chose me as their president. The figures say so. The agencies of government: MAMSER, CDS and the Presidential Election Monitoring Group say so. The International Observer Group say so. NEC knows so and says so. In its affidavit to the Court of Appeal, NEC said that results

were ready and known. I won.

Yet the Federal Military Government, on the most unconvincing and disingenuous premise, that the judiciary caught itself in a web of ludicrous contradictions, has decided to cancel the election and its results.

I say, categorically, that this decision is unfair, unjust, and consequently unacceptable.

Prior to June 12, 1993, it was possible for the Federal Military Government to claim that those who spoke their minds and opposed its policies represented none but themselves, and were self-appointed critics who had no mandate from the people of this country. That situation changed on June 12. As I speak today, I am, by the infinite grace of God, and the wishes of the people of this country, the president elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am the custodian of a sacred mandate, freely given, which I cannot surrender unless the people so demand, and it is by virtue of this mandate that I say that the decision of the Federal Military Government to cancel the election of June 12, 1993 is invidious, unpatriotic and capable of causing undue and unnecessary confusion in the country.

I therefore call on all our people who have yearned and worked for a speedy return of our beloved country to civilian democracy to reject any act by anybody which takes away their inalienable and fundamental human right to decide who governs them. No other institution or group can confer legitimacy on the presidency except through a free and fair election throughout

Nigeria based on universal adult suffrage such as the one in which I was elected president.

I also call on the international community and all democratic forces to stand by the Nigerian people in our just struggle for democracy, freedom and justice in our fatherland.

F

rom now on, the struggle in Nigeria is between the people and a small clique in the military determined to cling to power at all costs. We are fully convinced that a majority of the Armed Forces are law abiding and wish for Nigeria to become a democratic nation.

It is inconceivable that a few people in government should claim to know so much better about politics and government than the 14 million Nigerians who actually went to the polls on June 12. It is gratuitous insult to suppose that any government, no matter how impressed it is by its own knowledge and wisdom, should, against the people’s will, continue to make laws and regulations whose only permanent characteristic is inconsistency.

The people of Nigeria have spoken. They have loudly and firmly proclaimed their preference for democracy. They have chosen me as their president for the next four years. They have determined that August 27, 1993 shall be the terminal date of military dictatorship in Nigeria.

On that date, the people of Nigeria, through their democratic decision of June 12, 1993, expect me to assume the reins of government I fully intend to keep that date with history.

PAGE 16— SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

JUNE 12 ANNULMENT

By Jide Ajani In this second part of the interview with Dr. Tonnie Iredia, Director of Public Affairs, DPA, for the National Electoral Commission, NEC, during the turbulent days, 20years ago, of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, he explains the circumstances surrounding the obedience of the Commission to the court injunction which effectively stopped the announcement of the results of that election. He also speaks (or better said, he puts in proper perspective) on why Professor Humphrey Nwosu, then NEC Chairman, did not dispel the rumours about what happened to him immediately after the suspension of the transition programme.

Excerpts: Why? OU won’t believe that the warrant and judgment by Saleh were served on us by the then Attorney General, Clement Akpamgbo; so, there was actually nobody to run to because the Attorney General would have been the one we could have approached but here we were, he was the one who served the documents on us and I remember what he told the Chairman.

He told the Chairman that ‘if you disobey, then you are on your own’; and so we knew that any disobedience was at our own peril.

We understood clearly that things had changed and the government we were working for had also changed its mind on some things. The government withdrew its original support. A young man, our Director of Legal Services, Buhkari Bello, very intelligent and strong-willed, told us that we could obey but that, this time around, he was going on appeal and the young man went on appeal. And while he was at the point of getting judgment, the government announced the suspension of NEC and the transition programme and that meant that the court was no longer in a position to take any decision because it was going to act in vain.

The statement suspending the transition programme was absurd because a statement, from the office of the then Vice President, Aikhomu, was sent out announcing the suspension of years of work. How did it hit the commission?

Just the way the ordinary Nigerian knew, that was how we at NEC got the announcement.

It looked anonymous.

It was not signed. But it was sent from the office of the Vice President?

Yes it was not signed but it was publicized and the government did not say it was not it that sent it out. That was how it went.

What happened to Humprey Nwosu during those trying days after NEC was dissolved? We heard stories of his being detained and slapped and shown the photocopy of a cheque he allegedly collected from MKO Abiola?

This is a very interesting part of this interview.

I had to bring my knowledge of the law to bear when those stories were flying about. I was not posted to NEC as a lawyer but as a journalist, but when these events started happening, I decided to be very careful especially when the order came that the election results should no longer be announced. I became very observant.

I went to Nwosu’s house every day once the transition programme was suspended because I understood his being at home to mean that, having been suspended from work, he could no longer go to office. But the public opinion then and the rumours had it that he was having a raw deal.

Yes! It was said that he was under house arrest?

That was the rumour in town.

I was always going to his house and I did not see any law enforcement officer that would make it appear as though his house was a place that was being monitored let alone arrested.

I was always there; sometimes we would even have drinks, eat there.

Who were these ‘WE’ because, at a point, there was a split in the commission?

Yes, those of us who chose to always go there.

Y

Even those who can see clearly that they have no chance will seek to corrupt the process, but in earnest, Nwosu acted at all times in his handling of election issues as a man of integrity, he could also not have been that naïve to have collected a bribe in cheque form which was like a receipt

,

At that point in time, as is always the case with Nigerians because of greed and dishonesty, a few staff and members of the Commission who had been cornered by the administration to start saying the elections were not as good as we were claiming and that things were not properly done, were the ones retained and the rest of us asked to leave. That is Nigeria for you Did Security operatives beat Humphrey Nwosu?

I never got to know if Professor Nwosu was physically manhandled to fall in line with the plan of those who wanted to stop the election. What I felt and this was essentially my feeling was that he may have been coerced to shut up. This feeling was borne out of the rather uneasy calm which built around our hitherto vivacious chairman. Before controversies set into our job at NEC, Nwosu was passionate about the job and known for his constant reminders to us all to work hard so that we can put our names in gold as the first set of election personnel to organize a credible election in Nigeria. He had indeed confided in me that the President had promised to put us in the National Honours list if we did a good job. In the dying days of NEC, the Nwosu I saw was a dejected man who suddenly found that working for a military government could have its dangerous dimension.

Was it true that a cheque was issued

,

to him by MKO Abiola with a view to compromising him? If so, was the cheque displayed before Nwosu?

If that happened it must have been transacted at a place and time that were unknown to me. In any case, I very much doubt it. You could hardly have counted 2 people closer to Nwosu than me during the election operations.

Thus, if I didn’t know, It is rational for me not to believe the allegation. The only reason why I have always tried to be careful with the issue is because I know that there is nothing Nigerian politicians cannot do to win an election.

Even those who can see clearly that they have no chance will seek to corrupt the process. But in earnest, Nwosu acted at all times in his handling of election issues as a man of integrity. He could also not have been that naïve to have collected a bribe in cheque form which was like a receipt. I honestly do not believe the allegation. Instead I see the story as one of the many tales which evolved as a result of the inexplicable posture of the government of the day.

For instance, I was shocked a few days after the annulment of the election to read in my bedroom in Abuja, a categorical statement in a popular column that I was hiding in the Palace of the Oba of Benin. It was indeed a time for stories.

How was the government able to divide NEC Officials?

As in most public institutions in

Nigeria, prescriptive criteria like state of origin, ethnicity, sex, religion etc are always ready tools for dividing a previously united team. Again, in any issue that has a potential of leading to loss of job, many Nigerians change shape quickly. Some no longer associate with their friends let alone to agree with them.

The rumour that the suspended NEC was about to be reconstituted played a significant role. Many officials quickly moved to invent stories that could keep them in office. Of course those of us –the chairman’s favourites had no hope. Jide, why not try to interview those who were retained? For me I had no interest any more in the convoluted NEC more so as I could easily return to my beat as a television interviewer at the NTA from where I had been deployed.

How was NEC dissolved and which instrument suspended the transition programme?

Let me be frank with you, I don’t know more about this topic than you. I had lost hope in the entire process when I was directed to suspend the display of election results-a directive which to me was a bad omen. Within a few hours of the directive, all the results nationwide except that of Taraba state had been received and collated with Abiola leading by a wide marginThe then Resident Electoral Commissioner for that state, Professor Pius Sada had also arrived with a proAbiola result. Without Taraba, Abiola had won the election. All top NEC officials and representatives of the 2 political parties at the collation centre were no longer unaware of the coming calamity.

Should I address the press and go underground? Luckily the security agencies saved me from that suicidal thought as I was arrested or invited for a chat which kept me out of circulation for only several hours. I was so disillusioned that the anti -June 12 elements could not have elicited my interest even if they had had dissolved the entire Nigeria and not

Continues on page 17

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013 — PAGE17

’The story of MKO’s alleged bribe to Nwosu’ Continued from page 16 just NEC. Could I care that the election was annulled by an unsigned statement credited to no one and circulated to the media?

(Laughter) You were just being difficult?

Was I being difficult? Jide, don’t laugh. If you are appointed as a spokesman for an assignment, be careful how you take on personal and domestic issues. I was through with NEC as I spent the next few days asking to be posted back to NTA, but I got a letter posting me to the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

Really! What other things did you observe contrary to what Nigerians were peddling?

The only thing I observed was that the man (Nwosu) was not going to office and he could not convince me that it was because he was under house arrest. He had been suspended from office, so how could he go there?. That was why he was home.

I’m sure you still keep in touch with him. What vibes do you get from him whenever you talk?

Oh! He always feels that the main business of the day had collapsed and we had no business answering rumours.

How does the whole episode play out in your mind whenever you have cause to discuss it?

Yes! I’ve since had the opportunity to deliver lectures to public affairs officers of the electoral commission, and it was the first time I was seeing them after I left the system, so I was forced to talk to some of them about my experience.

There were some of them that I needed to apologise to first, because I left unceremoniously (I did not say goodbye to anybody); secondly, I did not heed the advice of some of them.

What was the advice?

They saw my leaving coming; they saw that govC M Y K

*Iredia...I couldn’t issue statement on Nwosu’s state of health

,

In what state of health was Humphrey Nwosu immediately after the suspension of the transition p r o g r a m m e ?

I thought he was hale and hearty from all I could see and could not understand why the rumour mill was replete with contrary reports. On the 28th of June 1993, my Assistant Director issued a statement which assured the nation that Professor Nwosu was well and was neither arrested nor questioned by security agents. Perhaps, he was asked to issue the statement. I couldn’t do it because I imagined that if Nwosu told the nation himself that he was well, it would make more sense. In retrospect, I can see that it was a report which needed corroboration by a medical doctor. Was I being difficult? Jide, don’t laugh. If you are appointed as a spokesman for an assignment be careful how you take on personal and domestic issues on behalf of your principal was through with NEC as I spent the next few days asking to be posted back to NTA but I got a letter posting me to the National Orientation Agency (NOA). Was I not lucky.

Within a few hours of the directive, all the results nationwide except that of Taraba state had been received and collated with Abiola leading by a wide marginThe then Resident Electoral Commissioner for that state, Professor Pius Sada had also arrived with a pro-Abiola result, without Taraba, Abiola had won the election

ernment would not keep me there; and they also saw that the new Commission as composed would not retain me, though the new Commission was going to keep quite a number of our colleagues.

Those who had this information wanted me to do some ground work so that I didn’t lose my job.

But all I did was just smile and told them that I couldn’t do that.

To start with, I am not a professional election manager but a broadcaster. I t w a s government that deployed me to come and do this job in the first place. At that point, the Information Minister, Tony Momoh, did not think it was right for government to just deploy me like that. What I was told was that government’s reason was that the transition programme was very dear to government such that it needed every other agency of government to give its best for the process. So I was flattered that from NTA Benin, I was picked. So, I needed to apologise to those people.

I went there to work and if there was any opportunity for me to return to my first love, why should I make moves to stop it.

The second reason was that I thought I’d completed my assignment which was that I should go to the Commission and ensure that I project an image that Nigerians could believe in which was what I did. Before my time, the

,

electoral body was really very notorious such that people used FEDECO (the Federal Electoral Commission) to described manipulative schemes. The belief was that the Commission was a manipulator of results and, by the time we came in, the image was very low and we were looking for all ways to cleanse that.

And one of the ways in 1987 under Professor Eme Awa was to insist that your acronym would be NEC instead of NECO for your National Electoral Commission?

That was elementary and ridiculous. I’m happy you were covering the beat that time in 1987. It was that funny and ridiculous that we didn’t want to be referred to as NECO but NEC. We didn’t want that ‘CO’ . For me I’d thought my job was completed since our own NEC had been dissolved and so I felt I had no business in trying to build the image of the new electoral body. I’m a broadcaster.

And in any case, anything that needed to be said I had said up to the point of almost incurring the wrath of the judiciary. Because there were instances when I’d come out to tell the judiciary that it was trying to usurp our functions and the judiciary didn’t take kindly to this. I’d stepped on toes, I’d made friends and I’d completed my assignment, so I had no business staying back.

But if you had been approached to stay back by government, would you have agreed?

If government had sought my opinion, I would have turned it down because the first one that I accepted took the intervention of my late mother who cried because it was believed that if you turned down a military appointment, you were looking for trouble.

If a directive came, I would have obeyed but if my opinion was sought I would have rejected it.

The truth of the matter was that I had convinced Nigerians that the process was going to be sincere, transparent and honest such that Nigerians had believed me. I’d explained everything either Professor Awa did or the actions of Professor Humphrey Nwosu.

More importantly, I was not impressed by the information management that the government put out regarding its decision to nullify the presidential election of June 12, 1993.

Elections in Nigeria continue to get worse one after the other. T h o u g h there is this semblance of peace and reduced violence on election day, do these constitute signs that the elections are free and fair?

Some Nigerians do not have a proper understanding of what a free and fair election is. A free and fair election does not only mean that people did not snatch ballot boxes or there was no violence; no.

For an election to be free and fair, people who are of voting age should not be disenfranchised. The present system has officially disenfranchised many people because, since 2010, only those registered before or by then are the only ones that are still able to vote. The people who have since become 18 have not been allowed to participate. You cannot have that and say elections are free and fair.

There is this problem with the voters register and even…?

(Cuts in) Since 2010, Nigerians are still participating in elections with temporary voter ’s card – that does not make sense. In 2013, Nigerians should be talking about sophisticated voting system that clears completely manual monitoring of elections where you have military men who even end up allowing some people to vote while they turn away others because of pecuniary interests So, what type of free and fair elections are those? The Minister of Agriculture has said he wants to give GSM phones to farmers – people who are uneducated. So, when people say Nigerians are not enlightened enough for electronic voting, the question to ask them is, what are you going to do with voting electronically that you are not already doing with the GSM phones. And we all know the benefits of having technology-assisted election. We do not need a situation whereby holding of election paralyses every other thing. We all know that the political class does not want elections that are free and fair and electronically assisted.

How come we are able to open account in Sokoto and withdraw money in Lagos?

Why can’t I register in Abuja and vote in Lagos such that any other attempt to vote a second time is rejected electronically? The truth is that the people in government do not want free and fair elections because they would not win. We may not get the ideal of America or Britain, but we should move away from these obsolete things that we are doing.

One of the ways to have a free and fair election is to have a clean voters register so that we can prepare effectively, not this one that we do not have a clean and accurate register, you just waste money while printing excess cards for people to rig or where votes are more than the number of voters. Apart from that, all those who have died still have their names on the register and those who have come of age do not have their names and yet, we say we are having free and fair elections.

I have personally voted in a place where there were just 78people who voted, but the winner of that polling booth won win over 1,000 votes; you begin to wonder where the votes came from.

Appointing somebody thought to be upright would not stop rigging because that person would not be in every state, local government or ward or polling booth at the same time.

Final thoughts?

I have read the book by Omo Omoruyi in which he gives what he considers the real reasons for the annulment of June 12 and he has alluded to quite a lot of things which I think people should address their minds to.

PAGE 18—SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

.... CRIME AND NATIONAL SECURITY

Alleged money-for-job scam in Interior Ministry:

The facts, the fiction

BY GEORGE UDOH

M

y attention has been drawn to a misleading media report referred to as ‘Ministerial Scorecard’ published on Monday, May 27, 2013. I vehemently condemn the views and the rather uncharitable allegations made in the said publication against the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, where the writer claimed that “Comrade Abba Moro’s tenure in office has been characterised by controversies, prominent among them being series of allegations on recruitment scam in most of the agencies under his ministry”.

Another allegation in the purported ‘Ministerial Scorecard’ is highlighted in the portion where the writer said, “Nevertheless, as stated earlier, the Minister has been enmeshed in a lot of s controversies with various allegations of nepotism, high handedness and overbearing interference in the administrative mechanism of the parastatals under the Ministry.

The most prominent of these are widely published power tussle with the immediate past comptroller General of Immigration CGI, Mrs. Rose Chinyere Uzoma, which led to her sack, as well as the ongoing bickering over who succeeds her. There is stalemate in the appointment of a substantive , and some of the senior officers of Immigration Service have accused the Minister of having interest in who becomes the new CGI as he is purported to be opposed to the confirmation of the acting CGI Rilwan Musa” While one is tempted to ignore these allegations, however it is pertinent to note that the issues raised and the delivery border essentially on ignorance and sheer wickedness, and the allegations are far from the truth.

Consequently, it has become necessary to set the records straight. One, I find it inexcusable that a well respected newspaper will conduct a poll that ought to stand the test of time without appropriate investigation on the subject matter.

On the grave allegation of recruitment scam in the agenC M Y K

* Comrade Abba Moro ... petitioners failed to name alleged culpable officials cies under the Minister’s purview, this is pure fiction as the writer failed to back up the claim with verifiable proofs.

The Honourable Minister of Interior actually refuted the allegation before the publication. This he did during a public hearing organised by the Senate Joint Committee on Federal Character and International Affairs, Labour and Employment and the report widely reported.

The Minister told members of the highly revered committee that no one had come forward to name officials of the Interior Ministry allegedly involved in the scam in spite of complaints over recruitment in establishments under the ministry.

In another development, the Minister, while fielding questions from correspondents attached to the National Secretariat of the PDP, stated that some unscrupulous Nigerians

had opened websites under the guise of the Interior Minister and unsuspecting Nigerians, who were desperate for employment, fell victim of the

The most disturbing aspect of the said ‘Ministerial Scorecard’ was the mix up of facts, the confusing examples and the seeming contradictions money-for-job scam. Moro, who exonerated the Interior Ministry of capability, revealed that the long arm of the law had caught up with some of the elements.

I believe the writer should

have commended the Minister for exposing the unscrupulous elements who have been going about duping Nigerians and not to vilify him. The question begging for answer is, at what point did the Minister give credence to this nefarious act as the writer alleged?

The most disturbing aspect of the said ‘Ministerial Scorecard’ was the mix up of facts, the confusing examples and the seeming contradictions where the writer claimed the Minister was engaged in power tussle with the former CGI which eventually led to her exit from the service.

This is misinformation. The line of authority is very clear.

The Minister could not have interfered in the day-to-day running of the para-military organisations under his ministry when they have appointed heads.

The Minister is clearly the political and administrative

head of the ministry, so he does not have to struggle for the control of the para-military outfits with people who are clearly his subordinates and who report to him.

Secondly, the Minister had no role in the exit of the former CGI from the NIS. It was the Presidency that directed Mrs Uzoma to proceed on terminal leave and not the Minister. Besides, the GCI admitted that her tenure was over.

The “reality” of the achievements of Comrade Abba Moro in the ‘Ministerial Scorecard’ is unbalanced. It does not capture the efforts put in place by the Minister in the Federal Fire Service, where over 1,000 officers and men drawn from public and private organisations across the country have been trained to enhance efficiency in combating fire disasters in the country.

The publication said nothing about the completion of a storey block for about two hundred and twelve inmates of Kano Central Prison to decongest the place; nothing was said about the completion of a storey block for the 136 inmates of Aba Prison.

The achievements that I read in the ‘Ministerial Scorecard’ didn’t tell me that during the period under review, Comrade Moro commissioned a passport office complex annex at NIS Headquarters, and did not also report the completion of the Passport Office in Alausa, Lagos to provide adequate facilities for the e-passport, as well as the commissioning of the Zonal Passport Office in Lagos.

And more importantly, the report said nothing about the efforts at ensuring that e-passports machines are installed in our missions abroad, thereby relieving Nigerians of the excruciating pains of obtaining e-passports. The writer chose not to present the Minister properly. The report is malicious, premeditated, biased, ill-conceived, unprofessional and condemnable putting it side by side with the achievements of the Minister.

*Udoh is S/A Media to the Minister of Interior

SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 19

From Japan, a development paradigm for Nigeria, others Japanese envoy Shoji sheds light on initiative

BY VICTORIA OJEME

I

n this interview, the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Ryuichi Shoji, speaks on the just concluded Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD), but, more importantly, the need and urgency of the African development and mobilizing international partnership, serving as a forum to strategise African development policies.

We will like to know what TICAD is all about?

TICAD stands for Tokyo International Conference for African Development. Actually, the first meeting of TICAD was held in 1993 and that meeting gave us some background on how the Japanese initiative started. If you look at the situation in Africa today, there are a dozen of African countries in conflict and democracy is not a principle of their political system; many African countries are going through economic and financial difficulties and it got to a point that the international donor communities became fatigued about assisting Africa.

Japan saw at that time that that we needed to reverse this trend and raise the global recognition of the need and urgency of the African development issues and the imperatives of mobilising international partnership and introducing our new development paradigm so we can make progress on African development. Basically, TICAD was hosted by the Japanese government together with some southerners in 1993 and this year TICAD is going to celebrate its 20th year.

Modest contribution TICAD has made modest contribution to the transformation of African countries by raising the interest of the international community’s towards the needs and urgency of the African development and mobilising international partnership, serving as a forum to strategise African development policies.

I would also love to add two or three things as the characteristics of TICAD. First, the ownership concept that TICAD has held. The ownership of African countries C M Y K

and their own development is one of the chief guiding principles of TICAD with international parties and this means that African countries themselves decide the orientation of their own development and pursued through their own efforts.

Second, TICAD has been serving as a forum for African countries to discuss and come up with their position on some of the international issues which are of great importance to them and communicate this African position to other important forums like G8 and so on.

Process of expression The third point is that TICAD has clocked 20years; it is a process of an expression of the Japanese government which they believe and trust in the huge potentials of African countries. From the inception of TICAD, we appealed to the world that Africa has huge potentials and to the international community the necessity to mobilise the partnership to make the potentials a reality.

I will also want to stress about the evolution of TICAD itself.

TICAD is, without doubt, a national/global platform for dialogue of Africa on African development issues. TICAD is

Ryuichi Shoji, Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria meeting. There was what we economy and provides a very call double audience, which favourable condition for trade was given to African countries and investment. Some of our and this objective was for aids positive elements include sound and macro-ethnic policy, to come to Africa. governance, In the case of Nigeria, our improved expanding consumers market embassy helps to implement and young vibrate labour forces the strategies on decisions and emerging local private taken at TICAD meetings. sectors. One of our focus scenes TICAD commitment is of TICAD Five is to give more delivered, communicated and roles to the private sector. passed on by each embassy in We are hoping that Nigeria would mobilise more Japanese companies to come to Nigeria to invest and do business.

The second point is that TICAD supports Vision 20:2020, Vision 20:2020 is a comprehensive development policy for Nigeria and we wish this Vision is fully realised. TICAD Five supports the major mandates of the Vision 20:2020 action oriented. TICAD Two was where the action plan was adopted and emphasised the ordering of priorities with numerical targets to guide every participating country to follow up on the commitment made during the conference.

In what area can Nigeria benefit from this conference?

To answer your question, let me mention first what happened during the just concluded TICAD Five

African countries.

Vision 20:2020 The second point is that TICAD supports Vision 20:2020, Vision 20:2020 is a comprehensive development policy for Nigeria and we wish this Vision is fully realised.

TICAD Five supports the major mandates of the Vision 20:2020.

There are three major things that TICAD Five discussed; first is robust and sustainable

Three-point gains In this regard, there are roles assigned to the private sector which I would mention about two or three points that were discussed at TICAD Five.

One is infrastructure improvement; certainly, industrial infrastructure is a focus to attract more foreign investment. In Nigeria and Africa generally, there is a huge gap between financial availability and the infrastructure needs; the private sector must play a role in narrowing this gap, but we are willing to assist to improve these infrastructures.

Two is the role of government in attracting private investment; it is the responsibility of government to create a business friendly and enabling environment for the private sector activities. It is also one of the very important

issues that was discussed in TICAD Five and certainly human development which is required to deliver the policy.

We need a good human improvement on development so that the policy will be implemented and guided properly. Three, TICAD Five highlights the importance of agriculture which is certainly an important sector for job creation and rural development. Agriculture can also be a motor for growth and development. TICAD Five also looks at production value chain.

Japan just marked the second anniversary of the tsunami. What interest does Japan have on Nigeria that it has done so much offering grant to the country?

Before I proceed to answering that question, let me add some few words on TICAD because we have a very sustainable economy, one I have never seen. There are adaptive two scenes: inclusiveness and zeal.

Inclusiveness of growth is a very important issue because, looking at Nigeria, it has achieved such a tremendous economic growth since the year 2000, but there are still many people living in poverty. The question now is, has African countries stressed growth as a means to tackle poverty?

Growth should not just be simple growth, but should be an inclusive growth which benefit should be widely shared to a large segment of the people. This is not only important for Nigeria but also for other African countries because their situations are more or less similar. Nigeria can present her strategy to tackle the issues of poverty and quality growth and mobilise the international community.

Another issue is peace and stability. Mali and the subSahara situation are attracting much attention and Nigeria has clearly said that the situation in Mali affects directly the situation of things in Nigeria.

Security and peace are a must for the achievement of development. TICAD Five sees security, peace situations from three angles: importance of peace, stability and governance, and how they affect low development.

We need to address the underlined causes of insecurity and lack of peace by addressing social economic inclusion, bad governance, unemployment especially amongst the youth, and generally low development. The TICAD approach is a comprehensive approach to low security issues.

Second is the capacity building of African institutions. The African principle is to tackle security issues by themselves and to do so and, if this approach is valid, then African institutions, capacity will be strengthened. There is also the financial issue which is financial support.

PAGE 20, SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9 9,, 2013

Email: woman.vista@yahoo.co.uk

(07036819426)

View-

EDUCATION: Improve Quality With Better Maths & English Helen Ovbiagele Woman Editor

W

hen I protested to a mechanic that his charges were increasing by the day, he said his expenses were increasing rapidly too, and he has to increase his charges in order to cope.

“Madam, na school fees dey kill person so o!”

“Primary and secondary school education is free in this State. How come you pay school fees? ” “Ah, madam, my children dey go private schools o! I no fit send dem go government school where plenty children no dey pass WAEC and JAMB later, and dem no fit speak English well. Me, I want make my children sabi speak beta English, no be de type wey me dey speak so. I need

Nigeria, to speak good English. Some can barely express themselves in that language at all. In fact, I find that some people who were educated only up to the primary school level over fifty years ago, speak better English than some of today’s university graduates! Some of the latter find it difficult to string the right words together, or get their tenses, adjectives and adverbs right.

There are of course, some government schools (apart from Model schools, Federal Government schools, missionary schools, etc.) where standards can compare with the high quality private schools; but it’s usual for us not to expect great things from the majority of state schools.

There’s the issue of dilapidated buildings, poor sanitation, overcrowding, lack of teaching materials, shortage of staff and books, poor teaching skills, etc. These are all things which tend not to make many schools conducive for learning.

Some from the old school may say that in their days,

whatever means they deem relevant for the desired results. These days, these ones are too stressed out to play that role successfully. For them, if the child is not doing drugs, engaged in criminal activities, and attends classes, then he’s alright. They make sacrifices to send their wards to the best schools they can afford, and feel contented.

It’s when poor performances at external examinations like the Common Entrance,

not masters of the courses they studied!

I was delighted to read recently that the president has ‘approved the recruitment of 1000 English and Mathematics teachers for the nation’s 104 Federal Government Colleges.’ The report says ‘Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, dropped the hint yesterday in Abuja at the opening of the first phase of the continuous professional

WAEC, and JAMB surface that there’s alarm and panic.

To save themselves this unwanted stress and the disgrace of having a child who’s not got admission hanging around the house indefinitely, some parents may condone ‘expo’ and examination malpractice; convinced by a child’s whining of ‘Mum, dad, everyone is doing it. It’s no big deal. It’s the only way, unless you know the right people.’ The end result is that you have graduates who are

development programme for Mathematics and English Language Teachers in the Federal Government Colleges.

The Federal Ministry of Education is training 144 Mathematics and English Language teachers in inclusive teaching approach.

The presidential approval was aimed at improving the quality of education offered by the Federal government colleges.

“Though every subject is important, you all know that Mathematics and English Language occupy a special

,,

As for Mathematics, pupils should be encouraged to use their brains for figures, and leave the use of the Calculator for later in life.

It’s pathetic seeing a young person reach quickly for a calculator when dealing with very simple Arithmetic that an illiterate can work out speedily in her head.

C M Y K

plenty money for dem school fees.”

I commended him for being a responsible parent, and wished him well.

I was impressed that he was ambitious for his children, and was aware that they need to have a good grip of the English language in order to be successful at their studies.

Some of us who have been classroom teachers are sad about the quality of education in our country at present.

Standard have become so low that you don’t expect a primary school pupil in many government schools across

lessons were sometimes held under the trees with no meaningful teaching aids, yet, they scored high in both local and international examinations.

That could be true, but then, most children then were brought up to take life seriously so that they could excel in life; teachers were of good quality and they took their jobs seriously. A teacher was judged then by the percentage of his/her pupils who passed well. Parents and teachers joined hands to shove and push their wards as much as possible to success; using

place in the nation’s education system, because of their relative importance. Arguably, across every career and every discipline, the relevance of Mathematics and English Language is self evident and will only continue to grow.

This is why as a matter of national policy, these subjects remain compulsory.”’

Precisely! As it is the norm with us in this country, the Minister had said all the right words on the subject of Education. What about the follow-up? Will the training those teachers have received impact positively on pupils in those Colleges across the nation? Will there be a marked improvement in their Mathematics and English Language? Will another regime change this noble cause in a country where we have this habit of wiping out whatever our predecessor had started, even if it’s a good programme? What about State Schools and Private Schools?

Will the Federal Ministry of Education recommend same to them and enforce it? I think it should, since we operate the same educational system.

Right from the Primary School level, we should begin to improve the quality of the teaching of Mathematics and the English Language, so that pupils can have a sound grasp of these subjects from an early age. Bring back drills in timetables and spelling. Teach grammar properly, and bring back Composition. Here’s hoping that the teachers themselves have a good knowledge of the English Grammar, pronunciation and spelling. GSM texting has adversely affected these. An H.R. person told me recently that she received a letter of application mostly written in text language from a graduate.

She was shocked because the person claimed a 2:1 in the course undertaken. Well! Well!

The use of text language in school work, should be resisted by teachers and even punished.

As for Mathematics, pupils should be encouraged to use their brains for figures, and leave the use of the Calculator for later in life.

It’s pathetic seeing a young person reach quickly for a calculator when dealing with very simple Arithmetic that an illiterate can work out speedily in her head.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9 9,, 2013, PAGE 21

Email: woman.vista@yahoo.co.uk

D

r. Ena Onikoyi is the Founder/Director of First Providence Medical Foundation, which provides free clinic for hypertension, diabetes and malaria, especially for women. The American-born anesthesiologist ,who has been in Nigeria for nearly two decades has research experience in various medical institutions in the United States in Sickle Cell, Breast Cancer and Oncology. She bares her mind on issues confronting Nigerian women and the importance of regular medical checkups.

Excepts:

W hat is the drive that made you establish a free clinic here in Nigeria and impact the lives of women?

First medical foundation I will say is my baby. It is a free medical clinic structured on the platform that I want to help Nigerians. The idea birthed on my return to Nigeria from America.

We had our first foundation here in Nigeria in 2009, but are actually incorporated in the United States. So it is a medical mission over there and coming over here, by God’s providence, we received some funds to set up a small office. We have been running things for two years now. We have been taking care of women because we discovered that women are that most vulnerable and the most unappreciated of African people.

To men, we are saying please why not join in the move to uplift the women?

We have been of assistance to the men folk too. It is a free clinic for prevention because we think prevention is most important in care giving. So we have been helping in the prevention of diabetes, hypertension and asthma; health conditions that have been killing many Nigerians.

Anything free here is assumed to be low quality. How have you been able to run this free clinic and give it the right quality as it was in the United States?

At times in the hospital, I had donated my salary to help patients’ families to buy blood, because, some times before they run out to get money with which to buy it, the patient may die.

In the United States, they have started conducting a genetic profile for people before they get married. We will be replicating that here in Nigeria. The genetic profile has to do with prevention of cancer. Most cancer is caused by genetics transfer.

Cancer is a major disease

Genetics factors should be checked to guard against health issues — Dr Onikoyi

Dr. Ena Onikoyi

which First Providence Medical Foundation enlightens Nigerians about constantly. Research has shown that people who inter marry have a risk of contacting breast cancer for women, and prostrate cancer for men. That is; people with BRACA 1 and BRACA 2 type of breast cancer.

It has been discovered that some breast cancers are caused by genetic mutation. On a research on a group of Jews, the Aswanis, it was discovered that those that inter marry with other races had a higher chance of contracting breast cancer.

We advise people to stop smoking. As an Oncologist I will say that smoking truly causes cancer, as most people know.

On diabetes, we advise people to watch their diet. We also advise them to look at their genetics. Nigerians need to be

,,

BY DOTUN IBIWOYE

Talking about the number of lives I intend to touch, I will say that I don’t want to have a limit. I pray that we shall establish two offices in every city.

aware of the implications of diabetes. We screen the blood sugar of the people constantly and we advise them to do that always.

We also advise people to be careful about their diet and reduce food that contains fat.

What is the extent of your project and how many people has it impacted?

We are a work in progress,

and we are hoping to expand.

Still, we attend to both men and women mostly, the youngest ones are between 18 and 19.

We function on a daily basis.

However, I would say the response is slow. I think this is because many people would rather consult friends and relatives about their health problem than go to a hospital.

We advise those who come, to take their health complaints to a

(07036819426) qualified medical personnel.

So what is your assessment of Nigerian women in terms of hard work and creativity?

The Nigerian woman can do great exploits if given the opportunity. There are several examples of this. Through hard work, many Nigerian ladies are contributing meaningfully to national development through their careers and philanthropic work. Some are Senators, Parliamentarians, House of Assembly members, captains of industries etc.

I was among members of the Medical Women’s Association, who along with some other professional groups - lawyers, boys and girls clubs, etc., - to join the wife of the former governor of Lagos State, to go clean up the whole of Lagos high way.

We did a thorough work. That was my first exposure here to voluntary work.

I have been in Nigeria since 1992. I found out that women are often victims of domestic violence. While I was a member of the executive board of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria in the 90s, our organization ran many workshops and seminars on the home; sensitizing people on the need to respect their spouses, behave responsibly in the home and live together peacefully.

Since there is nothing impossible and you are growing daily, how many lives have you touched?

Talking about the number of lives I intend to touch, I will say that I don’t want to have a limit.

I pray that we shall establish two offices in every city. I don’t want to compete with any of the state or local government clinics because they are doing a great job and I know that with the funds they might have, they are doing wonderfully well.

Though operating from a small place and with little funds, there is nothing stopping me from moving forward.

To Nigerians my advice is that they should study hard and try to be flexible. They shouldn’t shy away from committing themselves to one thing or the other. I only study one aspect of Medicine, but even at that, I saw the need for research. I can take series of medical questions.

I think I see myself as role model who renders useful help in the society. After interacting with groups of people, they always want to remain in touch.

There was this little girl in my church who will always say to me “please comeback; we want your help” and I would say ‘Okay, I will, but when I need volunteers you too should be ready to come.

PAGE 22 — SUNDAY VANGUARD , JUNE 9, 2013

I indulged in masturbation Dear Rebecca

I

AM a 23 year old boy.

When I was nineteen I indulged in masturbation which I practiced for about three years. My problem now is that J. discharge sperm at will either when sleeping or when urinating. I am now very skinny and look like a 15 year old.

Please advise me whether It can be stopped medically or spiritually. Can my problem be solved by a gynecologist?

Sule, Sokoto

avoiding adultery.

I suggest you take your mind off masturbation and sperm, and concentrate on keeping a healthy body. Eat a balanced diet of carbohydrates and protein, and vegetables and fruits.

Engage in sports and

exercises, and hobbies like music, reading, dancing, etc, A depressed state of mind can bring on any ailment. I don’t think there is anything wrong with you, but the specialist’s examination is important.

Dear Rebecca

I

am 18, and an un dergraduate. My problem is that there is no hair on my chin. I don’t have a beard or moustache. This troubles me. I feel it is not normal. I have tried all I was told to use but none worked, not even methylated spirit. Please pre-

REPL Y REPLY

A

medical expert says ‘wet dreams’ or producing sperm while asleep or first thing in the morning, is a normal part of a young man’s life. If this has never happened to a man, and he has never produced sperm, there could be cause for worry. The expert did not think that masturbation would bring on a non-stop flow of sperm, and he advises that you consult a urologist (an expert in reproductory and internal organs) in a teaching hospital:’ Luckily, you live in a university town so, this would be easy.

Feeling guilty about masturbation (what experts say is a safe way for men and women to relieve sexual tension) could bring on psycological problems which could lead to loss of appetite and weight.

Not to mention unhappiness and depression, if you cannot control it, and you feel that it is a sin, and an abnormality. It isn’t any of these, according to the different medical personnel we spoke to, and it cannot cause sicknesses or infertility. It is not harmful, but like anything else in life, do it only if your conscience permits it and you have pleasure in it.

Some maarried couples may use it as a means of relieving themselves when’ the Woman is expecting a baby and sex is unsafe. It is a way of

Embarrassed by a hairless face! scribe a cream for me and I will be grateful.

Dee Dee, Onitsha.

REPL Y REPLY

I

can remember when some teen age male members of my family regularly rubbed methylated spirit on their chin in a bid to coax a moustache and a beard to grow. Some even wanted side burns. In vain did I tell them that their faces looked fine as they were, as they stuck religiously to their routine. Some hairs sprouted on some faces, but on some, there was nothing. Disappointment as they envied their hairy friends who were sporting beards. Now that these young men are in their thirties, there’s no single hair on their heads, as they visit the barber every fortnight! What’s more, they shave every morning in order to have a smooth face and chin, having discarded the

Attracted to well-endowed fellow men!

Dear Rebecca I’m a guy of 26, and I always feel attracted to my fellow guys especially if the guy is muscular and macho; most especially, guys that are weight lifters and guys that have big dick. Each time I come in contact with such guys, I have an erection and I rush to masturbate. I have pictures of body builders all over my phone. What should I do because I hardly have attraction for the opposite sex.

Please help me Aunty Rebecca.

REPL Y REPLY

Y

ours is not an unu sual case. People may have a crush on members of the same sex with them, for one reason or the other. It may be that those we admire

have physique that we don’t have, or don’t have enough of. However, you have to exercise mind over matter in this case. Don’t relate what you admire in them to any sexual activity.

Don’t start thinking of what you could do with that part of their body that you admire. And don’t linger around them when you come into contact with them. Admire them and move on.

You’re not helpless in this situation. You can control your thoughts and see that they do not go the way you don’t want them to. Pray to God for strength to do the right thing.

Now, as for your sexual orientation, I don’t think you should rush to conclude that it’s only men that you’re attracted to sexually.

Sometimes, when some

young people - male or female - are not able to have a romantic relationship with members of the opposite sex, either because they’re too shy to mix properly, are seem ignored in gatherings, they rush to conclude that the prefer same sex relationship. This is because they feel more at ease with members of their own sex.

On the other hand, some may actually not want any body contact with members of the opposite sex. There are yet some others who don’t want sexual relationship of any sort. Your love life is private and personal to you, and you should engage in what agrees with religion and the inner you.

I would suggest that you do this test. Ask yourself if apart from the muscles of weight lifters

and the organ of those you feel are well-endowed, if you would want to sleep and make love to a fellow man all the days of your life.

Would your conscience be at ease when you engage in such? Would you feel fulfilled kissing, hugging and fondling your fellow man?

Would you forgo having children since your fellow-man can’t get pregnant for you, or you for h i m ?

If your answers are yes to all these questions, then perhaps you don’t want a woman in your life.

If on the other hand it’s a question of not knowing how to approach girls, or if you’re shy around girls, write to us again.

beard they had been sporting in their early twenties.

A

trichologist ( hair and scalp expert) says although some young men attempt to grow hair on their faces with the aid of methylated spirit , there’s no proof that it works. She advises that you leave off using it and allow nature to put whatever amount of hair your body has been designed for, on you.

We’re all differently made, and the best way of showing gratitude to our Maker, is to accept our bodies the way they are and do our best to look after them well with the right diet, exercise and cleanliness.

Even though you did not say that you’d like a moustache and a beard in order to impress the girls, I asked a few of them around me if a lack of beard in a man would be a turnoff for them.

They all said ‘no’. Two said a well-kept beard and maoustache gives a man some air of myster y, but that they wouldn’t reject a man who doesn’t have them.

The other young ladies said they prefer a guy who’s clean shaven as a shaggy beard and moustache can make some men look terribly untidy and rough. They all agreed, though, that a huge turn-on for them would be a cheerful, polite, well-mannered and tidily dressed man who smells nice, and with a good command of English. How wise .

At 18, you ‘re still growing and you may well have facial hair later. Meanwhile, concentrate on your studies, hobbies, and doing all those safe and harmless things that make young people happy.

Enjoy your youth.

•All letters for publication on this page should be sent to: Dear Rebecca, Vanguard Media Ltd, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria. E-mail: dearrebecca2@yahoo.com

SUNDAY Vanguard , JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 23

When the ex-wife turns his mistress!

I

MET my husband just over 20 years ago,” said Susan, trying to put me in the picture of how she’d come to lose her self-respect and dignity, because she couldn’t say ‘no’ to an ‘emotional” abuser)like her ex-husband. “He had one or two girlfriends at the”same time when we were courting, but I fell pregnant, so we got married.” She explained, Years after, we discovered we weren’t just compatible. He didn’t stop womanizing and treated the house as a transit camp, so we decided to get a divorce, or better put, he wanted his freedom. In spite of the divorce, we were still friends because of our son, and one thing led to another and we had a second child.

“Sadly, he was always having affairs as usual and wasn’t that much of a father to our two lovely boys. Because of the money he spent on his women, I got very little financial support from him, but we plodded on.

Then, early last year, he met this 26-year-old

graduate who is a single parent of one daughter.

They got married almost immediately because she said she was pregnant and enrolled her daughter into an expensive private school. In spite of this new marriage, my ex continued to sleep with me and e:ven now, he comes round at odd hours three to four times a week. His wife then had a miscarriage and became depressed. As a result, the number of ’ times he wants sex a week has increased. His wife never encourages

my sons to visit, and since he sneaks in when they’re in school, he seldom sees them.

“When I asked him if he was happy in his new marriage, he assured me he was, yet he sometimes stays the night with me, telling his wife he was at his family house.

He even starts fights with her so that he can get out of the house to be with me. I’ve told him I still love him and he has to make a concrete commitment to us, but he said he now has a new family. Yet, this girl is

seen at most of these society parties in company of her jet-set friends. At 47, my ex says he feels too old for the type of outing she likes. It’s obvious he keeps me hanging around in case this woman decides to get rid of him. I know my children and I would be better off without him, but he’s all I have now. He says he still wants to try for a baby with his wife so they could have one together.

“I want to move on with my life, but with him breathing down my neck

all the time, and telling me I am special especially when we’re making love, I find this difficult to do. Matters are not helped by the fact that he’s a good lover!

“A few months ago, 1 went out of Lagos with a few friends for an engagement party and we stayed for a week. When 1 came back, he demanded to know whether I’d slept with anyone.

Yet, he still won’t make a permanent commitment.

1 can’t understand how a man can wake up in his wife’s bed, then knock on the door of his ex, as early as 6.30 a.m. for sex on his way to the office ... “ As pathetic as Susan’s story is, there are thousands of exwives in her shoes. 1 told Susan she’s turned her man into a kid in a sweet shop who can have anything he wants. To men like him, the word divorce is meaningless they remained ex partners yet, with the exwives’ connivance, continued to sleep around.

No matter how selfishly Susan’s ex behaves, the message she’s sending across is: “I still care for you and you can have

sex with me, whenever you want, no matter how many other women you sleep with.” And he shouldn’t be blamed if he continues with his career as a spoilt child, irresponsible father, selfish partner and a prolific philanderer.

A

supposed mar ried man who suddenly met a young woman who gave him sex and demanded all his time and money, he ditched his wife after falling helplessly into his lovers honeyed trap and quickly married her.

What happens when he eventually runs out of cash to maintain her expensive lifestyle? She would either chuck him or look for lovers who could satisfy her taste and Susan would still be around wiping his nose.

1 told Susan it was about time she closed the sweet shop and build a life that gives her back her selfrespect and gives some emotional security to her sons. At 47, her ex’s prolonged adolescence is almost over and the manchild he is, he needs to learn the rules and rewards of caring adult behaviour.

08052201867(Text Only)

The Lion Posture: For troubles of the throat

C M Y K

that is exceptionally effective even within a few minutes of practice.

In spite of the fact that one looks a bit silly, quit grosteque, performing this posture, that should not deter one. It is unequalled in dealing with throat problems.

People whose occupation entails a lot of speaking as well as singers will benefit a great deal from the practice of this Asana or Posture.

It will always help clear up the throat in a matter of minutes.

Now lets go into it.

TECHNIQUE: Sit on your heels, or sit cross legged on the floor or in a chair if the first two are difficult to do and rest your hands in a first form, on your knees.

Take a deep breath, ex-

,

W

E all realize how unsettling a sore throat can be. Some of us get it from time to time for short periods – 3 to 5 days. But for others a cold and sore throat seem to last almost forever.

I know of one person who practises yoga with me who seems to have a running nose somewhere along the line each week.

This can take a bit of the shine from life. Who wants to go about blowing his or her nose all the time.

There is help for chronic sufferers of cold and throat troubles. Vitamin C has been known to boost up the immune system and help to abate a cold.

But there is also a technique, a yoga exercise

Take a deep breath, exhale forcefully as you draw out your tonque as far as you can spread out your fingers far apart and intensely

,

hale forcefully as you draw out your tonque as far as you can spread out your fingers far apart and intensely. Open wide both mouth and eyes tensing the neck, throat and the whole body but particularly the throat. Stay in the pos-

ture for a few seconds, keping tense then relax.

In the last stage of the lion postures, SIMHASANA in Sanskirits, you cross your ankles and then settle down on the heels that are crossed.

This posture can be repeated a couple of times, but if you have a cold coming on the dvice is to perform it about a dozen times in succession many times in the course of the day.

Therapeutic benefits With the practice of the lion posture the throat gets a bit more supply of blood to it. The muscles and ligaments of the throad are massaged and toned. Teachers, lawyers and singers will find this posture extremely useful as it renders the voice very clear. Those prone to throat infections will do well to make the lion posture an everyday exercise.

WARNING Refrain from this posture if you’ve just had a meal.

* Lion Pose

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

P AGE 24— SUNDAY Vanguard , JUNE 9 , 2013

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

08056180152,

SMS only

Should you beat up men who bring out the worst in you?

A

while back, I toyed with the idea of looking into spousal abuse, especially where woman give as much as men in the put-down game. What jogged my memory recently is this letter from a male reader detailing abusive treatment suffered in the hands of his girlfriend. “My partner and I have broken up after she beat me up for the fourth time,” he wrote.

“We had a violent relationship for a lot of the time we were 1gether, and the last time she attacked me, I warned her that if it happened again, we ‘ere finished. I never raised a finger to her in my defence whenever she physically tacked me because I do not believe in violence. In the end I could take no more, so ended the relationship.

You would think I would be happy to be rid of a shrew like her, but I miss her so much and I want her but I haven’t seen her since we split, and I can’t get her out of my mind. I know there’s a chance we could patch things up, all I need to do is ask her to let us try again. And I’m so tempted to do just that. I keep linking of her warm body next to mine at night, and the way she used to kiss and hold lee Also, I think of the passion in our love-making and all these make me miss her so much. Do vou think it is normal for me to want her, even though she physically abused me whenever she was mad at me?”

This reader ’s torment shows that you can’t switch off love like a tap.

But that doesn’t lean you should condone abusive behaviour no matter how obsessed you’ are with your partner. Unfortunately, most abusive relationships are not physical.

Verbal abuse hurts as much as physical ones if not more. These are by

people who deliver verbal blows where it hurts.

As soon as a female partner gets a whiff of her late’s infidelity, the fangs are out. To make things worse, a large number of men now deal with one sexual problem or the other which affects their potency. One or two failures in the bedroom and the partner instantly concludes he’s having so much extra dose outside he’s run out of rations for her. That’s when she starts attacking her manhood. Don’t think you’re the only man around with a dick?”, she snares, “ if you can’t get it p, there are loads that can”. She then starts getting dressed provocatively; giving the partner the impression she’s having affairs. Men in this situation either sink low into depression because of their partner ’s callous indifference or fight back by being violent. Some wives sneer at husbands who’ve lost their lucrative jobs and have to settle for lbs that don’t pay quite as much as the old ones. They compare their men with friends’ husbands who they believe are better providers. And some foolishly try affairs with other men because it is easy to be tempted when you are feeling neglected and unloved.

There could be many reasons why a male partner has erection problems and these have lOthing to do with his partners. He might be stressed or depressed or have a physical Iroblem that scares him off sharing it with a close partner. Whatever the cause, there is :very chance he can be helped, but he needs to be persuaded to seek help. Instead of attacking him and putting him down, drop hints about friends’ spouses who had problems md sort help. As for the reader whose partner was always trying to spar with him, his best bet is

Y

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

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

Spread the love

When a bird is alive it eats ants. When a bird dies ants eat it. Time &

to forget about her. The next time he is tempted to get back with her, he hould not think of the good times. Instead, he should think of all the times she beat rim up. I’m sure she would have apologized each time ifhappened and promised it vould never happen again. Yet it did, and ifhe takes her back, it will keep on happening mtil she completely destroys his self-esteem and confidence.

Don’t get me wrong, it is not only women that indulge in verbal abuse, some men have :harp tongues too. “Whenever a relative I haven’t seen in ages suddenly makes an lppearance, I instantly put my guards on,” sighed Vicky. She’s been married for almost 20 years with grown-up children, yet her husband still believes their dirty linen has to be washed in the glare of their separate relatives.

“He’s the one always running to hem when we have tiffs”, she said sadly.

“He then paints scary pictures of the type of Nife he was married to, how I never see eye-to-eye with the first daughter he had before he met me and how I never want to make love.

How unreasonable can you get? Here is a man who criticizes all I do most ofthe time, who says I don’t like his daughter hat is a delinquent with two kids from different fathers and gives me peanuts as house ceeping money. We had an almighty row when his first daughter, who is 28 wanted to ive with us with her two kids in a three bedroom flat! With all these attacks coming rom him all the time, how does he expect me to switch off and make love to him? I can’t even have submissive sex with him!

‘I’ve since realize there are men who like having an audience when they feel pain. fhey exaggerate these pains; tell the world the type of shrews they have to put up with ust to fish for sympathy. I feel sad that I made that error of judgment when I first loticed these traits in the early years and mistook it for love. He’s now started criticizing ny body. The last time I took off my clothes, he sneered at my drooping breasband Julging

circumstnce can change at any time.

Don't devalue or hurt any one in life. You may be powerful today....but remember, time is more powerful than you!! One tree makes a million match sticks,but when the time comes, one match stick is needed to burn a million trees. Lets encourage one another to acts of kindness. Spread the love.

Chris Onunaku dekris4real@gmail.com.

08032988826.

My Lady

I love you so much that each time I see you I don't want to blink because am afraid you might dissappear. Even if my parents forced me to leave you, I will not leave you. even when they think they've broken my heart into pieces by taken you away from me, they've only

stomach. He said it would be tough finding another man if we broke up. Calmly, I told him to look into the mirror naken and take a critical look at himself. Any girl who’s insane enough to go out with him with his wrinkly him would do so for money which he hasn’t got.

He was mildly shocked that I could reta late. But things have got to the point where I’ve realized I don’t have a husband I’m living with a grouch and I don’t think I want to live the rest of my life this way ... “ Men Feign ‘Headaches’ Too! You have often been told that the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Your man’s had his favourite meal and drink as usual, and it is time to take things to the bedroom. Like most women, you quite rightly expect a passionate end to such an evening. But these days, it seems a lot of women are likely to get a lot less than they hoped for. Instead of a romp, they find themselves lying in frus-

tration and listening to their men’s snores. So where has all the action gone?

This shocking role reversal where it’s the men begging off sex are becoming too common. And experts believe it’s going to get worse! According to one of these experts: “There’s been a 40 per cent rise in the number of men saying they have gone off sex. Such complaints were unheard of some ten years ago, but today, almost half the men I counsel claim that sex leaves them cold.

Men used to come to us with impotence problems but we now have a lot of men who say, as women did in the fifties: ‘1 can have sex, but 1 don’t want to. It’s not rewarding.’

‘These men tend to be in their 30s, 40s and 50s and married. They haven’t simply gone off their partner, but off sex altogether ”. So what’s going on? According to Janet Sccles, a counselor, “A lot of men tell us they ’ve lost their sex drive. When you ask hem what’s going on in their lives, they may list six or seven really big, stressful events. This kind of pressure will override desire every time. Men rarely·talk about heir relationships let alone their problems in the bedroom.

We have the longest working lOurs in this country coupled with stressful traffic problems.

These make for a stressful ife. Stress can build up eventually. People find it impossible to switch off and relax. fa man is still worrying about work when he should be getting in the mood, sex simply m’t going to happen. And the credit crunch is likely to make things worse. It’s getting o bad now that men feel they need to come out in the open and talk more. They are no )nger able to bury it as they have done in the past...”

increased the level of love for you.baby I love you, I won't give room to anything that will take my heart from you.

Omorville Umoru Omorville@gmail.com, 08062486549

My woman

If love is daybreak; I want to wake up every new day, and see you by my side, not just physically beside me, but also spiritually inside my heart. If love is loyalty; I will be faithful, loyal and commited toyou. if you truely love me, you will reciprocate my faithfulness and commitment. If love is blind; I will follow you all the days of my life in blindness, if you truely love me, you will not lead me into a ditch. I love you, I will always love you.

Kelechi Ndubisi Kconeofafrica@gmail.com, 08032900530

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013—PAGE 25

Police killed my only son — Bereaved mother zSuspected trigger–happy DPO removed zVictim’s body exhumed as Oshiomhole launches judicial inquiry

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY

T

HE killing of a 400-level student in the Science Laboratory Technology Department of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ibrahim Momodu, allegedly by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ogida Police Station, Mrs Comfort Afegbuai, is causing tension in Benin City. Edo State Police Command said the deceased was an armed robber; that he was shot at the scene of a crime at a bus stop close to his residence. In a statement by the police spokesman in the state, Moses Eguavoen, he narrated that “ events leading to the killing started on the said day when operatives at the Ogida Division, led by the DPO, while on routine patrol within the area, intercepted a motor cycle at Obayuwana junction on Siluko Road, Benin City.” The suspect, according to him, immediately brought out a Russian made cut to size double barrel gun, but policemen responded swiftly and shot at the suspect later known to be Ibrahim Momodu who died on his way to hospital.

“The exhibits recovered from him include one Russian made cut to size double barrel gun, eight live cartridges, one unregistered red Qlink motor cycle, two handsets and one bag containing the items. Efforts are on to arrest the other fleeing suspects while investigation continues”, Eguavoen added. But there was outrage after the police statement as thousands of youths and members of the civil society thronged the streets of Benin City, including the Edo State Government House, protesting the killing. The protest, on Tuesday, paralyzed activities in the Edo State capital for several hours, as the protesters insisted that the deceased was not an armed robber and called on the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to set up a judicial panel of inquiry. Consequently, Oshiomhole who met with the family of the deceased at Government House, promised to set up a panel of inquiry to unearth the truth.

Following the panel set up by the state government to investigate the matter, the body of the deceased was exhumed on Thursday by the police.

Counsel to the family of the deceased student, Jefferson Uwoghiren, said the police account of the incident was a “blatant lie”, explaining that Momodu was shot dead after he dropped from a public

bus close to his house. His words: “In the past few days, we note with concern attempts by the police to openly disclaim liability for the gruesome murder while privately admitting same. For justice’s sake, a life of a promising young man is the subject here and the police should stop all these provocative and insensitive cock and bull stories of a bike rider who was attempting to shoot at the police. It is not only false in its entirety, it is a cheap and indolence attempt at covering up a fact of a premeditated murder”.

According to him, the police accepted liability for the killing when a delegation, led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mrs Hilda Harrison, visited the Momodu

They gave me two versions of the story, that he was caught at a robbery scene, with a bag he snatched from someone family to offer their condolences. “It is a very painful story of a trigger happy police man. The boy alighted from a public bus close to the house; they accosted the boy, before anything could be said they shot him, “he stated.. “Realizing that they had done something terrible, they produced some cut to size gun in a bag that could not even contain the same bag that was with the boy. They said he was an armed robber and proceeded immediately to bury the boy.

There are police procedures in apprehending people. There is a big lie in terms of what the police have done, they have been doing this kind of things and getting away with it. But we are happy in this case that the police authorities have removed the accused police woman from office and facing interrogation and she is going to face murder charges.

“It is enough to kill somebody, but you

*Momodu ... life cut short will be destroying the person spiritually and the family when you tag him an armed robber. We will not take that, the police know they have a big case in hand. So we have exhumed the body, we have our pathologists ready and we are ready to take it up from there” Civil society groups, led by the Executive Director of the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev David Ugolor, who commended the state government for setting up the panel, said it will afford the public the opportunity to ascertain the true account of what happened.

Mother of the deceased, Mrs Osas Momodu, who cried for justice, insisted that her son was not an armed robber but a student of UNIBEN. She narrated: “ My son had not been passing the night outside. So when I waited and he did not come back on Monday night, on Tuesday, I left for work. I came back and discovered that the food I kept for him was still there.

So I started calling his line but he was not picking. On Wednesday, I went to lodge a complaint that my son did not come home, so they referred me to Ogida Police Station. When I got there, the DPO was not there, so I came home. It was my senior brother who called me from Port Harcourt that I should not bother as they said my son had been killed. I said what! I now went back to the Ogida Police Station, but they referred me to the state Police Command.

I met one plain clothes police officer at the state command who said, ‘ oh madam, you are here for this shameful act?’ I asked what was the meaning of that? He said, ‘ Was it not that boy that was killed around the bus park at Ogida who was terrorizing the place?’ I told him immediately that my son was not a bus driver but a student of UNIBEN. He told me my son was killed at the scene of the incident. I said my son was never an armed robber. He said my son was involved in robbery and they opened fire on him. They gave me two versions of the

Church robbery: Court remands suspects in Kirikiri

BY ADEOLA ADENUGA An Ikeja magistrate court has fixed June 24, 2013 for hearing of a suit filed by the police against three men who allegedly stole musical instruments from a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Lagos. The suspects are Akinbode Theophilus, Waidi Folorunso and Wasiu Olusola. They were C M Y K

*

*Case adjourned to June 24 arraigned before magistrate Sule Hamsat of an lkeja Court 8, which adjourned the matter for mention to June 24. The police had arraigned the suspects for allegedly breaking into the RCCG, Kingdom Parish Ifelodun Street, Ijegun-Ikotun. The suspects

pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge breaking and entry preferred against them.The magistrate ordered the suspects to be remanded in Kirikiri Prisons pending when they would meet their bail conditions.

*Mother... police lying against the dead

story, that he was caught in a robbery scene, caught with a bag he snatched from someone.

That some money was recovered from him. I told the police that I had heard two versions of one story. I said where was the body deposited? He said the body had been buried. I shouted. I said God will avenge for me, I left there in tears. My son was even on industrial attachment in a pharmaceutical company. He was my first son and only son out of five children. Police is claiming that they saw a gun with him, but that is a big lie. The Deputy Commissioner of Police who visited us said the DPO said she shot him on the leg, so they want to exhume the body to know whether what the DPO said is true or not.”

Man sentenced for acid attack

BY ADEOLA ADENUGAAN

A

bule-Egba Magistrate Court in Lagos sentenced a 26-year-old man to 120 hours of community service after pleading guilty to pouring acid on three people.

The Magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, said the defendant, John Adetokunbo, would have been sentenced to minimum of 18 months imprisonment without an option of fine.”

According to him, however, the fact that the defendant made a welfare arrangement for the complainants, is a mitigating factor in the sentence. ”Therefore, the defendant is sentenced to 120 hours of community service to serve as deterrent to others,” he ruled.

The convict was arraigned on Jan. 9, pleaded not guilty and get a bail was N100,000 and put surety in like sum.

The defendant later changed his plea and said he was guilty of the offence.

The prosecutor told the court that the offence was committed on Nov. 11,2012 at Ajasa Command, Ipaja, Lagos. ”The complainants and defendant engaged in a street fight and the defendant poured a liquid substance suspected to be acid on the complainants,” he said.

PAGE 26—SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

Attitude of northern elite may break-up Nigeria —The Esogban of Benin * ‘There are ominous signs ahead of 2015’

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

pilgrimages to the sites of burial.

Awolowo is not fading out fast because of the structures he built; not that the country has done anything to remember him. So I think that if the country wants to progress, we should pay adequate tributes to the dead heroes of our independence. I prefer Zik and Awolowo’s type of politics to what we have today.

Rather than improving, we have destroyed what these great men built. Look at one man talking the other day that the president and governors of their party should be given automatic ticket, is that democracy? If they performed, why are they scared of facing others in the primaries?

That is not the type of democracy Zik or Awolowo practised. If you are not popular, you are not and the people kick you out, that is d e m o c r a c y .

Chief David Edebiri is the Esogban of Benin Kingdom and the chairman of the Benin Forum, an umbrella body of all Benin sons and daughters both at home and the Diaspora. He is also the mouth piece of the revered Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa. As the Esogban, he is the custodian of witches in the kingdom; he uses his spiritual power to check the witches and wizards excesses and ensure they don’t do evil. He joking told Sunday Vanguard during this interview: “I always treat their cases here. That is my job. We make sure that they don’t cause havoc to our people. So let’s conclude this political interview before they start coming, next time we can talk about my job”. He is popularly known as the ‘Oracle’ in the kingdom particularly after he predicted that Governor Adams Oshiomhole will win re-election in all the local government councils in the state.

In this interview, he speaks on the issues in the country, including the crisis in the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF). Excerpts:

C M Y K

Chief David Edebiri.... We are working towards achieving true democracy but it has really not come Group won the only seat throughout the First Republic in Ovia Constituency, when Ben Edo-Osagie was the Action Group candidate. That is why Chief Awolowo held me in high esteem, he called me his son. Two weeks before his death, we met during the coronation of the Olu of Warri, he looked frail because he was ill then; all the same, he discussed politics with me. He asked if I had seen Bola Ige in recent time. I said yes; that we spoke on telephone. Later on, Chief Enahoro, myself and others joined the NPN which was in alliance with the northern people.

I was also elected the state Publicity Secretary of the NPN. I ended up as a member of the Board of Trustees of the ANPP when in 2003 I decided to quit partisan politics.

You were in the nationalist movement. What do you think will be in the minds of the late Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo on our current political situation?

In our days, you join politics not with a view to getting a particular position. You join politics because you want to fight for the country, the whole idea then was nationalistic not parochial politics as we have it now.

Secondly, the parliamentary system gave people the opportunity of knowing the persons they wanted to vote for.

First, to become a Minister then, you have to go through the crucible of election to the House from where you are selected. But,

today, those who work for the party are different from those who rule. So it is safer to say now that the electorate has no hold over those who are ruling. A person who lives in America or London but because he has connection in Nigeria, after an election, he is appointed a Minister. What hold have the people over such a person? That is why they do whatever they like.

,

YOU have come a long way politically. How has it been?I became a Zikist in 1948. After the Zikist Movement was banned in April 1950 by the British, those of us in the Movement decided to move to a new organization called NCNC Youth Association.

I was the first General Secretary of the NCNC Youth Association in Benin area. It was from here that we started organizing branches in Asaba area and other areas in the Niger Delta. My first political appointment was in 1953 as Secretary of the NCNC Youth Association. But some people believed that the association was not that militant like the Zikist Movement. The truth is that every thing that Zik did he did for this country; he organized newspapers to fight for independence. And that is why some of us are sad today that no special day has been set aside to celebrate each of these heroes.

And we say we are celebrating democracy. Same to Awolowo, he did his best for this country, he was the best political organizer I ever worked with and I thank God that I was able to work with him when I left the NCNC in 1958 to join the Action Group. By the time I left the NCNC, I was the Publicity Secretary of the Etu’Edo NCNC alliance. When I joined Action Group in 1958, Awolowo appointed me as the Administrative Secretary of the party in then Midwest. After that, I became the Organizing Secretary of AG for Benin. Chief Awolowo specifically asked that I should be brought to Benin because, up till that time, Action Group did not win a single seat in the Benin area. That strategy worked because after I came here, that was when the Action

certain it can lead this country to the promise land. Because what we call the American presidential system, we are not practising it wholeheartedly, we took half from America, half from Britain.

We severed our connection from Britain politically in 1960, but the Nigerian judicial system is still British and the judiciary is an arm of government. How do you reconcile this? Why has the country not nationalized the

I do not subscribe to celebrating Democracy Day on 29 May. The British, when they were here as colonial masters, set out May 24 as Empire Day. That was the day they set aside to celebrate their conquest of the countries of the world

,

In the parliamentary system, it was easier to recall any body because he is sent by his constituency. In the present dispensation which we call American, the Ministers have no constituency, they don’t represent the people; at the very best, they represent their tribal group. So I think what we experienced in the days of old is far better. My late sage, Chief Anthony Enahoro, advocated the return to the parliamentary system before he died and I abide by that advocacy.

The one we are having today, the presidential system, I am not

judiciary so that a high court judge will sit in Agbada? The old system was better.

And, when you talk about Zik and Awolowo, the problems we are going through today were caused by the fact that the country has failed to recognize the heroes of our independence. Those who were the doyen of politics in this country have been completely forgotten. Ask any Lagosian today where the grave of Herbert Macaulay is, he will not be able to tell you. If these nationalists had belonged to the developed countries, people will be paying

Democracy Day I heard they celebrated Democracy Day. I have never approved the celebration. First I do not know what set out 29 May to be our Democracy Day. There are many other voices who are saying that the actual Democracy Day is supposed to be June 12, in commemoration of the man who died, who sacrificed his life for democracy, Chief MKO Abiola.

I support that view. I do not subscribe to celebrating Democracy Day on 29 May. The British, when they were here as colonial masters, set out May 24 as Empire Day. That was the day they were celebrating their over powering half of the countries of the world. And we used to be happy with it, but those of us in the nationalist movement found out that we were celebrating our own enslavement. So we fought against it. Comrade Izimeruo, from Onitsha, had a lecture entitled, ‘Whose Empire Day?’, and he was jailed nine months for that. They said it was sedition.

Osita, Mokwudo Okoye, they all queried why we must be celebrating our own enslavement. 24 and 29 are so close and the proximity makes me sick. If you wanted to fix a date for Nigeria’s democracy, it must not be in May because that was the same month our colonial masters were celebrating our enslavement. The one they are celebrating, I am not totally in agreement that democracy is already here in Nigeria. We are working towards achieving true democracy but it has really not come. A typical example of that is the current issue of the election of the Nigeria Governors Forum where 35 people met to elect one man and the aftermath now is a disputation as to what happened and what did not happen. I think if the President wants to come back, he does not need all the rigmarole that is going on. Let him give the Nigerian people

Continues on page 28

SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 27

BY FEMI FANI-KAYODE

U

ntil 1292 BC and the ascen sion of King Menpehtyre Ramesses, all the Pharaohs of Egypt were black. These include some of the better known ones such as King Horemheb (who preceeded King Ramesses), King Khafra (who was depicted by the Great Sphinx of Giza), King Tutankhamun (the young Pharaoh whose tomb was discovered with enormous riches and a terrible curse by a British archeologist and explorer called Howard Carter), Queen Cleopatra (whose beauty was enchanting, who captured the emotions of Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony, who divided the Roman Empire and whom this writer honoured with a poem titled, ''The Nubian Queen''), Queen Nefertiti (who was the wisest of the wise and the most compassionate of all the Egyptian monarchs), King Piye (who was the conqueror of Egypt, the master of Nubia and the greatest of all the Cushite warrior kings) and the two Pharaohs that the biblical Moses and the biblical Joseph knew respectively and that had such a great impact on Jewish history and the fortunes of the Jewish people. All these Pharaohs were black African Nubians who were to be later referred to as the ''Sudanese''. The fact of the matter is that, right up until the establishment of the 19th dynasty and the coming of King Ramesses in 1292 BC, the rulers of Egypt were all Nubians and not the ''brown and olive-skinned'' Euroasiatics and Arabs that the Ramessesian era ushered in.

The Nubians not only ruled Egypt for thousands of years but they also constituted the majority of those that made up the Egyptian middle class and intelligentsia including the clerics, theologians, artists, writers, poets, medics, artisans, builders, architects, astrologers, mathematicians and professionals. The ancient Egyptians themselves referred to their homeland as ''Kmt'' (which is conventionally pronounced as “Kemet”). According to the celebrated historian, Cheikh Anta Diop, the ancient Egyptians referred to themselves as "Black people'' or ''Kmt'' and ''Kmt'' was the etymological root of other words, such as ''Kam'' or ''Ham'', which refer to ''black people'' in Hebrew tradition. Diop, William Leo Hansberry and Aboubacry Moussa Lam have argued that ''Kmt'' was derived from the skin colour of the Nile Valley people, who they claim were black. And they were absolutely right. These are the facts though

OLD YORUBA KINGDOM

a b u r o Y e h t e r a o h W ) 3 ( ? e l p peo some western and Arab Egyptologists find it hard to accept and often seek to deny it. Yet whether anyone likes to accept it or not, the fact remains that the greatest civilisation that the world has ever known, which is the Egyptian civilisation, was led and established by people of colour and those same people were the custodians of the deepest mysteries and secrets of our world and of the human race.

The final batch of ancient Cushites that remained in Arabia for thousands of years after all the others had left and that had refused to leave those lands for Africa with their Ethiopian brothers and sisters eventually migrated to the Egyptian Nile Valley from Mecca and Medina.

Thousands of years later, this last wave of Cushite migrants were to be referred to as the ''Yoruba''. Yet for thousands of years before the word ''Yoruba'' was even conceived and, after their arrival in the Nile Valley, these same people constituted an essential and vital part of the ruling and middle class of the Sudan, Nubia and ancient Egypt. The Cushite forefathers of the Yoruba were a learned and mystical people that were well versed in philosophy, the arts, history, the mysteries of the age, science, anthropology and the secrets of the spirit realm and human existence. Their contribution to ancient Egyptian culture and art was second to none. More importantly, the pantheon of gods that they had worshipped, guarded jealously and

served for thousands of years whilst in Mecca and Medina before their migration to the Nile Valley, was accepted by the Egyptian ruling elite and fully integrated and superimposed on the Egyptian religious stratosphere. As a matter of fact, those gods were not only accepted but they eventually became the cornerstone and foundation of ancient Egyptian culture and religion. That is the level of input that the Yoruba made into the affairs and development of ancient Egypt.

In our quest to further explore the ancient Egyptian roots of the Yoruba, permit me to qoute copiously from an excellent contribution titled, ''YORUBA- THE EGYPTIAN CONNECTION'', written by Olomu and Eyebira. The write-up is utterly fascinating in terms of its depth and research. In the section titled, ''The Oduduwan Revolution'', the authors wrote the following''In this chapter, we shall talk of a possible migration from ancient Egypt. Many traditions point to a fact that an alien group (Egyptians) migrated to Yoruba land and mixed with the original population. Many oral traditions are replete with these stories. The Awujale of Ijebu land has shown that the Ijebus descended from ancient Nubia (a colony of Egypt). He was able to use the evidence of language, body, scarification, coronation rituals that are similar to Nubians’ etc, to show that the Ijebus are descendants of the Nubians. What the present Awujale claimed for the Ijebus can be authen-

The Yoruba are ancestors of the black Cushite migrants and settlers that did not go to Africa with the other descendants of Cush but that rather chose to settle in the areas and environs that were to later become the ancient cities of Mecca and Medina in what is presently known as Saudi Arabia ticated all over Yoruba land. The Awujale even mentioned (2004) that the Itsekiri (an eastern Yoruba dialect) are speaking the original Ijebu language. Since the Nubians descended from the Egyptians, the Ijebu, and, by extension, all Yoruba customs, derived from the Egyptian as well. Many traditional Yoruba have always claimed Egypt as their place of original abode, and that their monarchical tradition derives from Egyptians.

Apostle Atigbiofor Atsuliaghan, a high priest of Umale-Okun, and a direct descendant of Orunmila, claimed that the Yoruba left Egypt as a result of a big war that engulfed the whole place. He said the Egyptian remnants settled in various places, two important places being Ode Itsekiri and Ile-Ife .Chief O.N Rewane says “Oral tradition has it also that when the Yoruba came from south of Egypt, they did not go straight to where they now occupy.

They settled at Illushi, some at Asaba area – Ebu, Olukumi Ukwunzu while some settled at Ode-Itsekiri: ” (O.N. Rewane Royalty Magazine: A PICTORIAL SOUVENIR OF THE BURIAL AND CORONATION OF OLU OF WARRI, WARRI 1987). Since these oral traditions are passed on by very illiterate people, we can augment whatever is recorded with written sources.

Concerning the migration of some of the Yoruba ancestors from the east, Conton says: ''The Yoruba of Nigeria are believed by many modern historians to be descended from a people who were living on the banks of the Nile 2,000 years ago, and who were at the time in close contact with the Egyptians and the Jews. Sometime before AD 600, if this belief is correct, these people must have left their fertile lands, for reasons which we cannot now discover and have joined in the ceaseless movement of tribes westwards and south-wards across our continent. We can only guess at

Continues on page 28 C M Y K

PAGE 28—SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

* ‘There are ominous signs ahead of 2015’ good governance. Let him make Nigeria one of the countries of the world where electricity is constant, let him revive all the industries that have gone down since the advent of the PDP government. If all these things are put in place and the time comes and he says he wants to run, whether his party likes it or not, Nigerians will vote for him. But the present politicking of using unorthodox method to achieve political goals is not working for true democracy .The man who was clearly elected, somebody else came out calling himself the NGF chairman, people are congratulating him for losing election. He is saying he is the chairman just because he has the federal might behind him; how do you reconcile that with true democracy?

You watched the President reading his mid-term score card. Do you think he has done well?

It is the same issue of one step forward, two steps backward. We have not made any visible progress since the present administration came on board.

For example, the issue of corruption is assuming alarming proportion. It is even going worse. Until we are able to tackle corruption in all its ramifications, no one can say that true democracy has arrived in this country. I have not seen what the present administration has done to give itself pass

Continued from page 27 the many adventures they and their descendants must have had on their long journey and at the number of generations which passed before they arrived. All we can be certain about is that they were a Negro people and that one of the many princely states they founded on their arrival in West Africa…..was Ife''- Conton.

Although we agree with Conton that some of the Yoruba ancestors migrated from Egypt, we tend to toe the scientific line of Cheik Anta Diop, that the ancient Egyptians were pure Negroes. Aderibigbe, an indigenous scholar, also accepts that the Yoruba migrated from Egypt. He says: “The general trend of these theories, most of them based on Yoruba traditions, is C M Y K

mark. It is the populace that should give pass mark to any government and not the government itself marking its own script and giving itself credit. I believe that there are so many things still undone. The economy is still on its knees. The naira is still down, corruption is at its highest level; what we have not even seen before in this country is happening, terrorism. So, in what form has Jonathan performed? Some part of the country has been put under emergency rule; that is not a good sign for democracy. And to worsen the whole thing is this Governors Forum election which has a very bad sign post to what happens in the next elections. No one is sure that that next presidential election will be free and fair because if 35 governors are unable to conduct a free and fair election and they are helmsmen in their respective states, how do you expect free and fair elections in 2015? A man like Governor Jang who knows that he lost but he is claiming victory, how do you think that the opposition in his state will ever win an election?

PDP should pay reparation to Edo And talking about celebrating democracy, I can say we are doing that in Edo, Lagos and Akwa Ibom but the governor there is a disappointment now.

Each time I read Edo PDP’s criticism of Oshiomhole, I laugh.The problem that the Edo PDP has is that they always leave

the substance and start chasing shadows. Their allegations are baseless, and that is why they lost the gubernatorial election.

During the campaigns for the election, instead of discussing issues, they were bothering about the age of the governor. Most of these people are lazy, they don’t

,

Continued from page 26

What will break up Nigeria is not the Boko Haram insurgency but the attitude of the northern elite

,

strategize any more. Instead of strategizing how to take over power from Oshiomhole or what they will do better, they busied themselves with one year difference in the age of the governor. During the governorship election, they could not answer the posers brought by their opponent, all they were doing was to accuse the government of frivolous allegations. That is not how we played this politics. I was in the opposition most of the time I spent in politics and I have been critical of government. But you don’t oppose government for the sake of opposing it or the governor as a person. You must tell people what you are capable of

doing that will obliterate what the present governor is doing.

The people are no fools, the new PDP all the political old layers are still there. You did not change the name, the people who were there since 1999 are still there. You did not change the constitution, your manifesto did not change, what makes it a new PDP?. So people now were laughing at the PDP that they were confused. Secondly, for the PDP to win election in Edo is very very doubtful in the near future..

Unless the party in conjunction with the Federal Government will pay back all the money that their agents here took for eleven and half years to the treasury of Edo State or guarantee that there will be justice, then people can start listening to them. In the absence of these two elements, forget it, the PDP cannot win election in Edo. We now have something to compare with, we saw their government and today we are seeing another government. Thirdly, the PDP should know that they have lost all their champions. Before the governorship election, all the first eleven in the PDP crossed to ACN. Third eleven crossed before the local government elections.

We are now thinking of 4th, 5th eleven remaining. They are not telling the people the truth and that is the problem. How can you say Oshiomhole is not building roads but every day the same people pass through the roads?

The people see the schools and you are telling lies against the same man. I challenge the PDP

a b u r o Y e h t Who are ) 3 ( ? e l p o e p that of a possible origin from “the east”. Some scholars, impressed by the similarities between Yoruba and ancient Egyptian culture – religious observation, works of art, burial and other customs – speak of a possible migration of the ancestors of the Yoruba from the upper Nile (as early as 2000BC – 1000BC) as a result of some upheavals in ancient Egypt”: (AB ADERIBIGBE 1976).

Unlike Conton, Aderibigbe was able to pinpoint a cause for the Yoruba migration – war. Olumide Lucas did a lot

of job to show similarities and identities between the ancient Egyptians and the Yoruba people. The date that Aderibigbe gave (2000BC – 1000BC) is much earlier than that given by Conton.

Aderibigbe’s date corresponds to that of the Hyksos invasion of Egypt 2000-1500BC. On the possible eastern origin of the Yoruba, Tariqh Sawandi says:“The Yoruba history begins with the migration of an east African population across the transAfrican route leading from

Mid-Nile river area to the Mid-Niger”. Archaeologists, according to M. Omoleya, inform us that the Nigerian region was inhabited more than forty thousand years ago, or as far back as 65,000BC. During this period, the Nok culture occupied the region. The Nok culture was visited by the “Yoruba people”, between 2000BC and 500BC. This group of people was led, according to Yoruba historical accounts, by king Oduduwa, who settled peacefully in the already

to allow two of their former governors walk alone along Mission Road or Akpakpava and let’s see what will happen to them.

Fear that Nigeria may break up What will break up Nigeria is not the Boko Haram insurgency but the attitude of the northern elite. Their attitude towards what is happening in the country is what may break up the country.

For example, since the coming of Boko Haram, I have not heard of any northern group that came up to condemn their activities.

But if there is a reprisal attack from the South, you will hear the northern groups coming out with fire against their southern counterparts. If we want peace, we don’t want this country to break up, our northern brothers must come to terms with the reality of the situation. I believe sincerely that what these insurgents are fighting for in the North is that inspite of all the money that goes to the northern part of this country, there is nothing to show for it. In terms of poverty, in ter ms of backwardness, the North is still very behind South inspite of the fact that some of their children have held high profile positions in this country. I think that is one of the causes of the revolt that is going on in the North. I don’t want Nigeria to break up because some of us fought for the independence of this country and I pray this country should not break up for whatever reason.

established Ile-Ife, the sacred city of the indigenous Nok people. This period is known as the Bronze Age, a time of high civilization of both of these groups. According to Olumide J. Lucas, “the Yoruba, during antiquity, lived in ancient Egypt before migrating to the Atlantic coast”. He uses as demonstration the similarity or identity of languages, religious beliefs, customs and names of persons, places and things.

In addition, many ancient papyri discovered by archaeologists point at an Egyptian origin'' (Tariqh Sawandi: ''Yorubic medicine: The Art of divine herbology).

(TO BE CONTINUED)

*Fani-Kayode served as minister of aviation under the Obasanjo administration

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013 —29

Celebration galore at Akinale Da Dayy

T

he people of Akinale kingdom in Ewekoro Local Government area of Ogun State rolled out drums to celebrate what is known as the kingdom’s ‘Day’. The celebration was led by the monarch, a retired journalist, his chiefs and sons and daughters of the kingdom. Photos by Wumi Akinola

Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, Towulade of Akinale, former PRM, Nig. Airways and Publisher, Village Network News, arriving with his chiefs.

L-R: Oba Sammuel Atanda Oladipupo, Olu of Ifo, Oba Femi Ogunleye, Olori Olanike Ogunleye and Oba Abdulrazak Famuyiwa, Onipapa of Papa

AlaoAk ala mar ks Alao-Ak Akala marks 63

F

ormer Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala shot back into the rd limelight when he celebrated his 63 birthday. The occasion was a low-key affair but few friends and political associates called in to wish him many more years.

Rotarian, Abayomi Ariyo, President Rotary Club of Abeokuta (3rd left)and some members receiving an award from Oba Femi Ogunleye, Towulade of Akinale

L-R: Hon. Dele Soluade, Chairman, Ewekoro Local Government, Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, Towulade of Akinale, Hon. Olayiwola Jolaoso and Vice Chairman, Ewekoro Local Government and Hon. Folake Alabi, from Ado-odo Ota Local Government.

At the 50th anniv er sar gbo Igbala Ijo-Mimo anniver ersar saryy of A Agbo

Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala cuts his cake with wife

Maolud Celebration

Nabiyy

THIRD annual Maoludu Nabiyy Celebration 1434/ 2013 of Nuurul-Salaam Islamic Foundation held on 19th May 2013. Photos By Akeem Salau.

C

elebration of 50th anniversary of Agbo Igbala Ijo Emi-Mimo Aposteli Church held on June 2, 2013 at the Church premises in Lagos. Notable personalities, including chiefs and top clergymen from the zone graced the occasion. Photos by Akeem Salau

L-R:SS Apostle Gabriel Adekunle Taylor, Church Chairman of Agbo Igbala Ijo EmiMimo Aposteli, Wi Apostle Oloruntoba Oke, Chairman, Ifako Ijaiye LG, Lagos, and Primate Dr Peter Folorunsho, Spiritual Father, Founder,Omo-Jesu

L-R:Chief Atanda Bajomo, Baale Shaala Estate, Iju Ishaga, Lagos, Mrs Bajomo, Olori and Chief Emmanuel Salako, Baale Ijaye C M Y K

L-R:Snr. Apostle John Adebayo (Bbaba Ajihinrere) Revd. Mother Makanju and Snr.Special Apostle Gabriel Adekunle Taylor, Church Chairman

L-R:Chief Emmanuel Salako, Chief Austine Olawale Oriyomi, and Chief Akeem Munsoro,

Imam Kamiludeen Azeez,Imam Fatai Rahman, Missioner Miftahul Khaeraat, Alhaji Tajudeen Eruobodo,Alhaji Ishaq Olasunkanmi, founder, Nuru-Salaam Islamic Foundation, Ustaz Sulaiman Antonio and Alhaji Mojeed Ganiy Owoade

L-R: Alh Ishaq Olasunkanmi Sanni, founder, NuuruSalaam Islamic Foundation, Alh. Abdul Qadri Muhammed Ashir Opeloyeru and Alh. Ibrahim Durosinlohun Ahmed Gidado

PAGE 30—SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

By SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

N

o fewer than two states governors and a minister have been suspended from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in what many believe is the ruling party’s baring of its fangs.

It was August Bebel (1840-1913) who dismissed politics as a dirty game best suited for the powerful and the mighty in society. In summing up his feelings about politics, Bebel wrote: “All political questions, all matters or right, are at bottom only matters of might”. The assertion by the writer, though made some decades ago, appears to have been written about the unfolding political drama in Nigeria, which has all the indices of power play at the forefront. Those who are familiar with current political developments in the country will not fail to concede that, indeed, a conscious attempt is being pushed by those at the helm of affairs to enthrone the politics of power and might at the expense of the majority. In a way, what has already befallen the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, arising from the re-election of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as Chairman, his subsequent suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the ripples effect of the poll on the Northern States Governors’ Forum, NSGF, lend credence to Bebel’s postulation. The political imbroglio in the country so far and the on-going attempt by some aggrieved members of the NSGF to decimate the Forum and the grave political danger that it portends for the region, fit into Mikhail Aleksandrovich Bakunin’s submission that “even in the purest democracies, such as the United States and Switzerland, a privileged minority stands against the vast majority ”.

But not many would have fathomed that the outcome of the election of the Chairman of the hitherto innocuous group like the NGF would throw up unimaginable headache for both members and non-members and effectively threaten the political landscape of Nigeria like a volcanic eruption.

Perhaps, Amaechi, who is now seen as the arrowhead of a revolt against President Jonathan for standing up to defend his choice as the leader of the NGF and those who are trying to paint him with a tar brush, never envisioned that things could get to this awful level.

Now, the grave danger is that both the master and the servant are being threatened with the same bug that may bring down the very foundation upon which the duo stands. Even with the suspension of Amaechi from the biggest party in black Africa and the threat to impeach him, and the open recognition of Governor Jonah Jang by the powers-that-be in the ruling party, there is no indication that such discriminatory and selfish action has in any way boosted the fortunes of the party.

It has also not been established that throwing out Amaechi and his sympathisers from the protection of the ‘big umbrella’ will likely enhance the fortunes of the party, as it prepares for the contentious 2015 polls, which have the tinge of a do-or-die politics.

As events unfold by the day, it is becoming clearer that if those who are encouraging the suspension of PDP governors suspected to be working against the party’s guidelines had known that their action would backfire in ways they did not envisage, they would have retraced their steps before the fire that is threatening to raze the house was ignited.

Still seething with anger over the defeat of the Presidency-anointed candidate (Jang ) in the NGF poll and take a pound of flesh from Amaechi for trying to disgrace the party, its handlers wielded the big stick against the Rivers governor, but hid under the flimsy excuse that he flouted the •President Goodluck Jonathan... order of its factional chairman in Rivers State, Felix Onuah, alias Go Round, to reinstate the sacked Chairman and members of the Obio Akpor Local Government Area. The predication of Amaechi’s reprimand on the disobedience of Onuah’s directive appeared as a laughing stock, given the fact that if PDP governors were to be penalised for ignoring factional party decisions, all its governors, presidents and NWC members would have been removed from the party by now. In the main, the action belies the justification of the sanction but goes ahead to show the deep-seated anger and crack that has set into the leading party on the African continent.

As if the Amaechi saga shifted from the as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ sanctioned. His infraction, it was learnt, Wadatta Plaza to the courts to prove who Forum, insisting that the ‘Uncommon infuriated the powers behind Aso Rock is right and wrong, the party, like a Transformer’ should not parade himself Presidential Villa and Wadatta Plaza, wounded lion, also moved against as such as he was not validly elected who vowed to deal the Sokoto governor Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto by all the governors. The Caliphate a devastating blow.

State, another resolute politician from governor was immediately marked But in teaching Wamakko a lesson, the the Caliphate, believed to have thrown down for appropriate disciplinary NWC, as in the case of Amaechi, tended his weight behind the re-election of sanction once his indiscretion was to embellish the real reason for Amaechi on May 24, damning the brought to the attention of the NWC of whipping him with a scorpion but consequences of his party ’s threat. the PDP. He was queried and asked to meandered around ‘serial disobedience Wamakko’s sins did not stop with the give reasons why disciplinary actions and contempt for the party ’ . tacit support he allegedly gave to should not be taken against him for “The NWC notes that on several Amaechi or the other PDP governors daring to tarnish the image of the party occasions, Governor Aliyu Wamakko who reportedly ‘revolted’ against the with a contemptuous remark against had ignored invitations and lawful party’s decision to dump Amaechi and Akpabio, a favoured and adopted ‘son’ directives of the NWC in this regard and enthrone a Da Jang as the anointed or of Mr. President and the PDP. Wamakko has continued to show complete apathy consensus leader of the NGF. Wamakko is reported to have instructed the Sokoto to the affairs of the party and contempt is said to have boxed himself into the Chairman of the PDP to respond to the to an organ of the party,” Olisa Metuh, bad book of the PDP when he reportedly query on his behaf, apparently, to pooh- the spokesman for the PDP, said while scorned the selection of Governor pooh the very reason he was being announcing the governor’s suspension.

Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State

PDP’s move to enforce discipline creates ripples

C M Y K

“This is in furtherance of the determination of the leadership of the party to enforce discipline at all levels within the party,” Metuh added.

As things stand now, the re-election of Amaechi as the NGF Chairman against the wish of the Presidency and the PDP, which triggered his suspension from the party and the suspension of Wamakko, have merely helped, like catalyst, to widen the gulf within its ranks and poisoned the minds of those who believe that the PDP has taken its luck to the e x t r e m e .

These are men and women within the party, who hold that the party has been engaging in favouritism over the years, allowing those favoured by their leaders

Continues on page 31

SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 31

it is becoming clearer that if those who are encouraging the suspension of PDP governors suspected to be working against the party’s guidelines had known that their action would backfire in ways they did not envisage

,

,

•Anthony Anenih...belives in party descipline

PDP’s self-inflicted injury and 2015 Continued from page 30 to get away with anything without raising a finger only to use a sledgehammer to crush those they don’t like for a minor offence. They cited how the National Chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur, ignored several decisions taken by the NWC over the Adamawa crises but was not reprimanded by the same organ simply because the Presidency sided with the former Adamawa governor.

T

hey also pointed to the various infractions in the state chapters of the PDP, which the party leadership has overlooked depending on which side those in the conflicts s t a n d .

But one major setback that is likely to bend the hands of the party as it prepares for the next elections, is the fragmentation of the once powerful Northern States Governors’ Forum, NSGF, as a result of the fallout C M Y K

of the NGF poll.

The crack in the ranks of the NSGF hit the nation like a thunderbolt, last week, when Bauchi State governor, and a strong supporter of President Goodluck Jonathan, voiced out strong concerns about the group, saying that its Chairman, Governor Babangida Aliyu, of Niger State, made a mockery of their decisions to field Da Jang of Plateau as their consensus candidate. Yuguda, whose disclosure jolted many, as he does not have a pedigree in controversies, vowed never to return to the NSGF fold until Aliyu makes open statement on their decision before the NGF e l e c t i o n . ”I don’t see any reason why I should attend the NSGF meeting again. For the remaining two years of my tenure, I will never be part of that Forum again,” an angry Yuguda vowed.

His anger is that the election that produced Amaechi should not have held in the first place

since the 19 northern governors had already adopted Jang as a consensus candidate for the p o s t .

“My only request is for Babangida Aliyu to address the nation on what was agreed by all the northern governors at their meeting after which we proceeded to present Jang as our candidate to the PDP GF Chairman, Governor Akpabio before heading for the venue of the NGF meeting at the Rivers Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro.

“If Aliyu tells the world that we decided on presenting Jang for adoption and not election, then I would return to the NSGF. But if that is not done, I will never be part of that group again because I am not into politics to deceive or betray people so that I will not end up in hell,” Yuguda said.

But the Chairman of the NSGF, Aliyu, has refused to join issues with Yuguda, insisting, however, that the NGF election was validly held and someone won. Apparently fearing that he

could be the next on the PDP firing line, the Niger governor has opted to tread carefully while maintaining his stance that President Jonathan does not deserve a second term having signed a deal with them to do only a term. Whether that document exists in the minds of the governor or in the archives, remains to be seen in the months ahead.

However, while those who booted out Wamakko did not take into consideration the aftermath of that action, the seven states that make up the North-West under the party have slammed the leadership of the PDP for moving against the governor. Describing Wamakko’s suspension as hasty and unfortunate, the Chairman of the party in the region, Amb Ibrahim Kazaure, said the action should have been preceded by wide consultations.

Kazaure also faulted the clamour by the Board of Trustees Chairman of the PDP, Chief Tony Anehih, that President Jonathan and ‘first term governors who are doing well’ should be given automatic tickets for 2015, as the party’s Constitution did not make room for that. Sokoto State chapter of the party also spoke, saying they had been betrayed by Abuja given the fact that Wamakko was lured into the PDP in 2007 and had been winning election for the party since then.

“Before Wamakko came to PDP, it was losing election in Sokoto as a trademark,” an aide of the governor told Sunday Vanguard yesterday. “Wamakko cannot leave the PDP, which he resuscitated for onlookers, the aide vowed, saying that those who instigated the PDP leadership to suspend the governor did not have the interest of the party at heart.

Whatever is happening in the ruling party now and what shape it will take prior to the next elections, will determine whether it can march into the polls as a united entity capable of winning in the way it has been doing previously or not.

But as the opposition parties attempt to forge a strong alliance under the aegis of APC,

many are watching with keen interest to see whether the leaders of the parties coalescing can, for once, overcome the problems that often upset their applecart and send the ruling party packing after 14 years in the saddle.

But as if all these were not embarrassing enough, the Delta State chapter of the PDP ratified the suspension of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who was suspended alongside nine other persons by the Burutu Local Government Area chapter of the party over alleged conducts capable of breeding hatred and disunity in the party, as well as anti-party activities.

The state Chairman of the party, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, told journalists in Asaba, on Thursday, that his office had received the suspension order, saying, “Discipline must be enforced in a political party.”

The Minister, who hails from the Delta South Senatorial zone as the current governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, a few weeks ago, openly declared his intention to contest the Delta State governorship election in 2015.

Orubebe, who has also fallen out with his political mentor, Chief E.K. Clark, had earlier described his suspension as by the Burutu PDP as illegal and non-binding.

But Nwaoboshi maintained that if governors could be suspended, there was no reason why the party could not discipline an “errant m i n i s t e r ” .

“If two governors could be suspended, why not a minister! The law is not a respecter of anybody.

Nobody is above the law or the Constitution of the party.

If the Minister is found wanting, he has the right to appeal his suspension.

The party provides for that. His appeal would be heart on merit,” the Chairman added.

The Burutu chapter of the party had, in a state ment by its Chairman, Pastor Ogeibiri, Secretary and three others, after a meeting at the council headquarters of the party, on Tuesday, said, “After a hearing, preliminary to Section 21.4 of the Constitution as amended, and, by the virtue of the powers conferred on us, the working committee of the party via Section 21.4 of the same Constitution, hereby place Elder Godsday Orubebe and nine cohorts on suspension”.

While all the calculations are being done, a new twist is settling on the political horizon like a thief in the night: six-year tenure for President and governors, which is being debated with gusto by the National Assembly. If that sails through, it is certain that neither President Jonathan nor any of the 13 first-term governors would have any nerve to come looking for ballot papers with their names on them in 2015. Whichever way the country goes in the next few months, will be shaped by the political currents emanating from those within and without the political corridors of the PDP and its traducers, who are watching and praying for more slips from the ruling party to capitalise on.

PAGE 32 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013

C M Y K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013 —33

C M Y K

PAGE 34—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013

14 years of democracy: Economic growth, poverty, unemployment do not mix

BY UDEME CLEMENT

A

S Nigeria celebrated 14 years of un-interrupted democracy, last month, abject poverty, unemployment, high mortality rates and poor infrastructure remain highly significant notwithstanding various programmes mapped out by the Federal Government to tackle the challenges. Economic growth rate stands at seven percent, while data from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS ) revealed that over 20million

President Goodluc Jonathan and Okonjo-Iweala: Where is Nigeria heading to? remains prevalent.

Agriculture: The agricultural sector contributes only five per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is quite insignificant compared to what obtains in advanced countries, where the sector contributes as much as 35 percent and above to GDP. Banking sector: To some experts, the banking industry is over regulated. For instance, the sector experienced numerous reforms ranging from recapitalisation/merger of some banks to the removal of N100 charge on the use of Automated Teller Machines (ATM) recently. Some of the reforms in the sector include cashless policy, which limits the level of withdrawal by individual to N500.000 and corporate body to N3million, attempt by the Central Bank of Nigeria to introduce N5.000 bank note, currency restructuring among many

,

youths are currently unemployed.

Unemployment rate is over 23.9 per cent, while over 50 percent of entrepreneurs engaged in small scale ventures are out of business due largely to harsh economic environment and poor infrastructure. For instance, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) revealed that over 820 manufacturing companies in Nigeria closed shop or temporarily suspended production between 2000 and 2012.

However, the economy experienced marginal increase with big boost in external reserves from $32billion in 2011 economic year to $50billion in 2013. The inflation rate also declined from 12.4 percent in 2011 to nine percent in 2013, while exchange rate remains N155 exchange per dollar.

Poverty/ unemployment: Poverty rate is estimated at about 70 per cent with a population of over 160million. In 2001fiscal year, National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) was set up to replace the Poverty Alleviation Program. But, rather than cushioning the severity of poverty and unemployment, Nigeria has historically experienced much more hunger, prevalent unemployment, lack of social amenities and declining rate in the influx of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), due largely to security crisis.

Electricity capacity generation/ shortage of gas: Epileptic power supply is one of major factors militating against industrial development in Nigeria .

Currently, power generation capacity stands at 4,5000mw. However, the Minister of State for Power, Hajia Zainab Kuchi, says the capacity will increase from 4,500 to 6,000mw by July this year, and 10,000mw in December 2013, adding that about N347 billion will be required for transmission as power generation increases to meet domestic and industrial consumption.

Government made similar promise in 2009 to hit 6,000mw of electricity generation, but it was not realisable, even as gas shortage was one of the major factors impeding the process.

Fuel subsidy removal/SURE-P: In January 2012, government removed the controversial fuel subsidy and subsequently increased the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, from N65 per litre to N140. After protests by the masses, the House of Representatives revealed that about $7 billion had been stolen under the subsidy regime. More than one year after, not much has changed. Government introduced Subsidy the Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE P) to improve socio-economic development, yet unemployment

Institute for Financial and Economic Management shows that, in 2009, the following states recorded high composite unemployment rate: Bayelsa 38.4 percent, Katsina 37.3 per cent, Bauchi 37.2 per cent, Akwa Ibom 34.1 per cent, Gombe 32.1 per cent, Adamawa 29.4 per cent, Kano 27.6 per cent, Yobe 27.3, Taraba 26.8 per cent, Jigawa 27.5 per cent, Federal Capital Territory 21.5 percent and Imo 20.8 per cent. No state in Nigeria has five per cent and below unemployment rate, which is the bench mark of relative full employment in the economy.

Statistical overview of Nigeria ’s population in poverty: Nigeria’s population in poverty . 1980: 17.1 million . 1985: 34.7 million . 1992: 39.2 million . 1996: 67.1 million . 2004: 68.7 million

Despite an increasing participation in the financial globalisation, financial markets in emerging market economies still lag behind mature markets in many aspects

others. Now, the CBN is putting measures in place to replace polymer notes with paper money and to recapitalise mortgage institutions for effective housing policy.

Aviation sector: The sector witnessed tremendous improvements until the Dana plane crash of June 2012, which claimed over 153 lives.

It was the first major crash in several years, though Nigeria had records of poor safety measures, before making steady improvement to acquire the Category-One certification.

The statistical analysis of poverty in Nigeria : NBS figures show that the North-West in 2010 has the highest rate of poverty of 71.4 per cent, while the rate for North-East is 69.1 per cent and 60.7 per cent for North Central. In 2011, poverty rate in the SouthWest was 49.8 per cent, 55.5 per cent in the South-South region and 59.5 per cent in South-East. Also, data obtained from the office of the Director General, West African

,

. 2010: 112.47 million Source: National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Experts verdict on the economy We need banks in the rural areas- Ex Finance Minister, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu- We need banks in rural areas to give loans to farmers, to enable them buy fertilizer, weeds killer and other basic things to increase productivity in large scale farming. Though some people also complain of insecurity especially for few banks operating in the rural areas, the merit system must be kept. It is the duty of government to secure the economy for businesses to thrive.

Government should invest massively in agriculture- Dr. Godwin Oyedele Oyediji, former chairman, Agriculture, Non-oil Export Trade Group, Lagos Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (LACCIMA): The Federal Government should invest tangibly in agriculture in order to generate

more revenue to manage the economy instead of resorting to external borrowing.

For instance, the sector has the capacity to absorb over 500,000 work-force annually if power improves and necessary infrastructures are provided to create an enabling environment for more firms to spring up.

There is the need for financial markets access in Nigeria and West African subregion- Mr. Sulayman Bello, an economic expert and researcher with West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management, Central Bank Training Centre, Lagos.

This will enhance mobilisation of domestic resources as an alternative source of financing to avoid recourse to external indebtedness. The reality is that the financial markets in West Africa and indeed most sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries are shallow and have inadequate access to finance. As a result, mobilisation of domestic resources as an alternative source of financing is becoming increasingly important in Africa . Nigeria and other African countries should focus on bond markets as well-functioning and stable financial bond markets are needed to foster and accelerate economic development. A recent IMF study, reckons that emerging market economies with open financial markets had in the last 30 -35 years grown three times faster than those countries where the markets are yet to open up. espite an increasing participation in D the financial globalisation, financial markets in emerging market

economies still lag behind mature markets in many aspects. For example, the bond market capitalisation in emerging market economies amounts to just 40 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). The corresponding figure for mature markets is 140 per cent and more than three times as much. The essential requirement for maintaining a well-functioning bond markets are, legal and regulatory framework that support the development of bond markets. This is vital for the development of the bond market since it provides for an institutional mechanism to enforce the rules. Many stock exchanges, securities and exchange commissions across the world have developed as selfregulatory organisations under the supervision of a national regulator. Debt capital regulation should provide rules, processes and procedures to deal with listings of bonds, trading rate capture, matching of trades, clearing and settlement, surveillance, dispute resolution, failed trades, default procedures and appeal processes.

Government should give more attention to petro-chemicals and gas to power electricity plants - Group managing director and chief executive officer, Global Biofuels Limited Dr. Felix Babatunde Obada: Government should establish biofuels plants in the Northern parts of the country as well. Each biofuels plant set

up in the North can create over 8,000 direct jobs and 50,000 indirect jobs. A biofuels plant can assist the government on its import substitution initiative as well as fill the gap in electric power infrastructure gap. Biofuels is the answer to youth restiveness in the North. It is the solution to desert encroachment in some parts of the country. It is also the answer to the problem of global warming. Biofuels feedstock such as sweet sorghum is native to Nigeria , and there is therefore no fear of crop failure.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 35

Golden Tulip: The new face of hospitality in Ibadan

BY OLA AJAYI

M

Golden Tulip Hotel, Ibadan Olaposi, and Oba Oladejo Akintilo.

Also, Asero of Isero, Olupo of Olupona, and Ologuro of Oguro. Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana was represented by Oloye Lekan Alabi.

Professor Remi Raji, Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan and the Group Managing Director of Odu’a Investment, Dr. Adebayo Jimoh were also there.

But the absence of the former president did not take the shine off the event. Akinbade, the owner of the hotel, assured the teeming supporters of the PDP in Osun that their party would send the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) packing in the 2015 elections.

According to him, the alleged nonperformance of Governor Rauf Aregbesola since he assumed office had already won the election for them noting that the people of the state would not allow themselves to be fooled again by the ACN. He said, “Since the ACN government assumed power in 2011, about N200billion has been borrowed and the governor has not commissioned a

,

ANY admirers of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo especially chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South West including Alhaji Abdulfatai Akinade Akinbade, missed his humor and weighty political outbursts as they gathered at the commissioning of a five-star hotel, Golden Tulip, built by a former Commissioner of Lands in Osun State during the tenure of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Alhaji Akinbade, held in Ibadan on Thursday.

Though the former president whom, we learnt, suggested a date for the commissioning of the hotel equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities, had promised he would be personally present at the occasion, a more important assignment did not grant him his wish.

Obasanjo had been at the hotel penultimate week, on a facility tour and gave his Owu kinsman, Akinbade, a pat on the back for contributing his quota to the hospitality industry. The occasion would have been another political forum with the former governors of Oyo and Osun States, Senator Rashidi Ladoja and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, traditional rulers, academics and many others in attendance.

While reading a letter from Obasanjo, Oyinlola said the former president felt pained that he could not make it to the commissioning ceremony.

He said, “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo could not make it because of an international engagement. He was engaged in an ECOWAS assignment in Lagos”.

Leading traditional rulers from Osun was the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, who was represented by Oba Adedokun Adegoke. Other traditional rulers on his entourage included Oba Oladoyin Ogunwusi, Oba Taofeek

From left: Chairman Golden Tulip, Alhaji Akinade Akinbader, representative of former president, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, wife of Golden Tulip chairman, Mrs Funke Akinbade at the inauguration of the hotel in Ibadan.

The journey has been very rough and tortuous due to inadequacy of funds. I had to source loan from Wema Bank Plc. To meet an international standard, materials used in building the hotel were sourced from China, South Africa, Dubai and the USA

,

single project in the last two years. We will win Osun State. The nonperformance of the present government in the state has given us a better chance”.

While speaking on the efforts to get the hotel whose foundation was laid in September 1999 built, after commending Obasanjo, Oyinlola,

Ladoja and others for the roles they played in the project, he said it took him 14 years to get it together confessing that the project got stuck at a time for lack of funds. According to him, Oyinlola and Obasanjo also gave moral and encouraging advice while Ladoja opened up the road where the hotel is located.

“This project marks another turning point in my life. It started 14 years ago.

In fact the idea was conceived before taking my appointment with the Osun State Government. The journey has been very rough and tortuous due to inadequacy of funds. I had to source loan from Wema Bank Plc. To meet an international standard, materials used in building the hotel were sourced from China, South Africa, Dubai and the USA. The objective of building a hotel like this is just to intervene in the hospitality industry. About 150 workers of the hotel have been exposed to series of trainings’, he said.

Mr. Sunday Adeniyi, aka King Sunny Ade, added glamour to the occasion with his inspiring juju music.

Women may get 30 percent of banks’ top jobs

BY ADEOLA ADENUGA

B

ANKS and corporate organizations have been advised to increase the number of women in economic leadership by promoting qualified women to fill 30 percent of bank board seats and 40 percent of top bank management positions in accordance with Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, policy by January 1, 2015.

This was the consensus of speakers at the African Business Women’s advocacy forum organised by Women in Management, Business, and Public Service, WIMBIZ, in partnership with Vital Voices Global Partnership-led Supporting Public Advocacy for Regional Competitiveness, SPARC, held at the Sheraton Hotel, Oniru estate, Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday, May 23, 2013, with the theme Women’s Leadership: Why Africa is Rising.

Speaking at the event, Alyse Nelson,

CEO and President, Vital Voices, said: “Vital Voices recognizes that women are powerful engines of economic growth

and social change. Through SPARC, Vital Voices and partner businesswomen’s associations are

From left: President and CEO, Vital Voices Global Partnership, Alyse Nelson; Chairman, Cornerstone Insurance Plc, Adedotun Sulaiman and Project Manager, Transformation, Strategy and Alignment, Nedbank Group, South Africa, Suheima Mohamed, at the Supporting Public Advocacy for Regional Competitiveness (SPARC) programme organised by Vital Voices Global Partnership in Lagos.

working together to enable women to fully participate in their economies.”

Adeola Azeez, Chairperson, WIMBIZ said: ““The SPARC program through WIMBIZ is using advocacy tools to sensitize the general public and seeks possible legislative change to deal with on the issue women representation on the socio-economic decision making processes in Nigeria. WIMBIZ will partner with other advocacy groups, media and consultants who would support the expansion of socio-political and economic space for women in Nigeria.”

More than 100 African business men and women were in attendance to examine the role that African women play in Africa’s economic growth and ways that the private and public sector can encourage and support women’s economic leadership. The forum featured a keynote address from Obiageli Ezekwesili, and was followed by two panels focusing on the value of women’s leadership in Africa’s private sector and the impact of government investment in women.

PAGE 36 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013

C M Y K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013 —37

C M Y K

PAGE 38—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

Clarifying ’ Nigeria s debt position

By NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA

T

here has recently been a lot of misinformation and misconception in our public debate on debt. My goal in this article is to shed some light on the public debt, to clarify the real state of Nigeria’s debt position, and, hopefully, provide a knowledge platform for constructive debate.

Let me say at the outset that no one in government is supportive of a Nigeria that returns to a high state of indebtedness. On a personal note, having gone through tremendous stress during the quest for Paris Club debt relief, I am committed to a Nigerian economy that is fiscally prudent, balances its books and remains at a low state of indebtedness.

C M Y K

,

T

o begin, Nigeria’s overall debt is comprised of external and domestic debts. The external debt is typically owed to foreign creditors such as multilateral agencies (for example, the Africa Development Bank, the World Bank, or the Islamic Development Bank), to bilateral sources (such as the China Exim Bank, the French Development Bank or the Japanese Aid Agency), or to private creditors such as investors in our Eurobonds. The domestic debt, however, is contracted within Nigerian borders, usually through bond issues which are then purchased by Nigerian banks, local pension funds, and other domestic and foreign investors. The resources raised typically go to help

The domestic debt is contracted within Nigerian borders, usually through bond issues which are then purchased by Nigerian banks, local pension funds, and other domestic and foreign investors

fund the budget or other domestic expenditures, such as infrastructure projects. We also have some contractor arrears, and other local liabilities which are normally handled through

,

the budget.

Both federal and state governments borrow domestically and externally.

However, no state government can borrow externally unless guaranteed by the Federal Government. Similarly,

state governments’ domestic borrowing is subject to Federal Government’s analysis and confirmation – based on clear criteria and guidelines that a state can repay based on their monthly FAAC allocations and internally generated revenues (IGR).

As a nation, we have had a difficult history with debt. As such, no one can forget the challenging times we went through from 2003 to 2005 trying, in the end, successfully to get relief on our large external debt. Neither the government nor any Nigerian wants a repeat of the country’s past history of large debts. That is why the current President Goodluck Jonathan Continues on page 39

SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 39

Clarifying Nigeria’s debt position

C M Y K

,

Continued from page 38 administration, the legislature, the Ministry of Finance, and the Debt Management Office, are very focused on a conservative and prudent approach to managing the national debt. Our current approach balances Nigeria’s needs for investment in physical and human infrastructure with a strong policy to limit overall indebtedness in relation to our ability to pay. Above all, any debts incurred must go for directly productive purposes which yield results that Nigerians can see.

First the numbers: a. In 2004, prior to the Paris Club debt relief, Nigeria’s overall debt stock was very high. External debt stood at US$35.9 billion while the stock of the domestic debt amounted to US$10.3 billion resulting in a total of about US$46.2 billion or 64.3% of GDP excluding contractor and pension arrears. b. After the successful debt relief initiative, Nigeria’s stock of foreign debt declined dramatically. Indeed, in August 2006, when I left office, Nigeria’s foreign and domestic debts amounted to US$3.5 billion and US$13.8 billion respectively – a total of US$17.3 billion or 11.8% of GDP. c. By August 2011, when I resumed for the second time as Finance Minister, the domestic debt stock had grown substantially to US$42.23 billion, while the external debt was still a modest US$5.67 billion. This implied a total debt stock of US$47.9 billion or 21% of GDP. Note that while the debt stock grew, our national income also grew so that debt to GDP ratio (the parameter used globally to measure a country’s debt sustainability) remains modest and manageable. d. Thus, the key noticeable change in Nigeria’s indebtedness in recent years has been the growth of domestic debt. There were two main reasons which resulted in this outcome. First, the initial growth of the domestic debt stock was because the Federal Government wanted to deepen the domestic debt markets and generate a yield curve for Nigeria which ultimately could help our corporate bodies to access the capital markets and borrow funds at more affordable rates. The DMO, through its work, has been successful in doing this.

Nigerian corporates can now raise money at reasonable rates at home and abroad, helping them secure resources to invest in the economy. Secondly, however, domestic debt was also raised to finance increased budget expenditures including consumption.

For example, in 2010, the 53% salary increase for civil servants was financed by raising domestic bonds. Borrowing for recurrent expenditure or consumption, as was the case here, is a practice that is less than ideal and one that we should endeavour not to repeat. We must learn that domestic debt should be incurred sparingly at modest and manageable rates so that government is able to service it and pay back domestic creditors. Failure to do so would severely undermine the finances of our private and institutional creditors to the detriment of the economy.

It is with this background in mind that we have put in place several

We should continue to closely monitor borrowing by states to ensure that the debt burdens of our state governments remain within manageable levels and that borrowings are applied to specific projects that yield results for citizens of the state

measures to limit and manage the national debt. There are a number of specific policies we have introduced in the current administration to slow down the increase in our overall debt stock. a. First, we have brought expenditures and revenues much more in line, through a low fiscal deficit of 1.81% GDP, to reduce the need for domestic borrowing. For example, we reduced annual domestic borrowing from N852 billion in 2011, to N744 billion in 2012, and to N577 billion in 2013. Our objective is to reduce government’s domestic borrowing to below N500 billion in the 2014 budget. b. Second, for the first time, we have paid down part of our domestic debt rather than rolling all of it over.

Beginning in February 2013, we successfully retired N75 billion worth of maturing domestic bonds. And we will continue with this practice in the coming years. c. Third, we have established a sinking fund with an initial capitalisation of N25 billion. This fund will enable the government to retire maturing bond obligations in the future. d. Fourth, we are working increasingly with states to get a clearer picture of domestic debts acquired by state governments, thanks to the comprehensive review recently completed by the DMO. Our particular concern is that state governments limit borrowings in line with their incomes and put any borrowings made to work on specific projects and programmes that bring direct beneficial results to their citizens.

[Please find attached the Debt-toGDP ratio of selected economies] e. Fifth, instead of the previous practice of contracting foreign loans in an ad hoc manner, we have streamlined the process for federal and state governments and made it transparent through the Medium Term Rolling External

*Okonjo-Iweala

,

Borrowing Plan, which is reviewed and approved by the National Assembly.

This plan presents the anticipated loans to be contracted by the government over a three-year time window, so that we can target funds to priority projects, and also make tradeoffs where necessary. Notice that this covers planned foreign borrowing by both the federal and state governments for projects that will yield results in infrastructure, education, health, etc.

Most loans contracted are on concessional or very favourable terms.

For example, many of the multilateral loans are at zero interests, 40-year maturity, and 10 years grace. Others are at less than three per cent rate of interest. f. And finally, we have put forward a Medium-Term Debt Strategy with a mix of limited external and domestic borrowing that is appropriate for the economy.

But let me repeat that we shall never be complacent about our national debt.

We

need to be constantly vigilant to limit the amount of debt and create room for the private sector instead to borrow.

As such, we need to stay focused on three main priorities.

First, we should continue to monitor our external borrowing and ensure that we do not slip back to our high indebtedness prior to the debt relief programme. As I mentioned earlier, the External Borrowing Plan helps to address this concern by ensuring that we always have a comprehensive, transparent view of our foreign borrowing. As at now, our external indebtedness is low at $6.67 billion or about three per cent of GDP. Second, we should closely continue to monitor and limit our domestic debt, and ensure that it stays within a prudent and conservative range. We should pay off debt that is due to the extent of our ability.

And third, we should also continue to closely monitor borrowing by states to ensure that the debt burdens of our state governments remain within manageable levels and that borrowings are applied to specific projects that yield results for citizens of the state. In that regard, we enjoin banks and other lenders to be careful and prudent when lending to ensure that this is done within the existing rules, regulations and guidelines.

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan once said: “Information and knowledge are central to democracy – and they are the conditions for development.” That is precisely why I have gone to some length to throw light on the real facts and the real issues regarding our debt situation and what the federal government is doing to address them.

We need to create the basis to have a healthy and constructive public conversation on this issue, not a distorted and partisan battle.

• Dr. Okonjo Iweala is Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance.

PAGE 40 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013

Ejigbo, Ikotun residents decry poor state of road, petition Fashola

BY NNAMDI OJIEGO

A

S far as residents of Ejigbo, Ikotun and other communities in old Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State are concerned, the government headed by Babatunde Fashola has been most unfair to them with respect to the provision of infrastructural facilities, especially roads.

They told Sunday Vanguard: “It is as if this area is not part of his administrative constituency of Lagos given the ordeal and untold hardship we are

exposed to on a daily basis due to little or no government presence here.”

In the last three weeks, motorists and other road users have been literally passing through hell.

They spend an average of five hours trying to get to Cele Express or Oshodi and vice versa due to bad state of the only road that links over 20 rural communities in the area.

The road which links Ijegun, Council, Egbeda, Idimu, Isheri, among thickly populated rural communities in the state has remained impassable any time it rains.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the Ejigbo

portion of the road at Orilowo junction where rain water was being channelled to was reportedly converted to a market by some powerful forces, thus causing flooding.

A journey from Cele

Express or Iyana Isolo to Ikotun or Abaranje, which normally took about 30 minutes when roads were free, now takes about five hours or more as motorists try to avoid the gullies at the Ejigbo junction.

The poor state of the road has not only become a major cause of traffic gridlock in the area, it has also become a death trap.

The said the call for Fashola’s assistance has become necessary as the

Ejigbo LCDA boss, Mr Kehinde Bamgbetan has failed to live up to his responsibility as the chief executive officer of the council, particularly, in fixing the bad portions at Iyana Ejigbo junction.

‘APC will wrest power from PDP in Delta'

T

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said that it will wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming local government election and the 2015 general elections in Delta State, if the merger party, All Progressive Congress, APC, is registered by Independent

National Electoral Commission, INEC. The opposition party said with the platform of the All Progressive Congress, Delta PDP will not see the light of the day in future elections.

In a statement by the Delta ACN Secretary, Mr. Frank Eghomien, Ethiope East and West party chairmen, Erubu

Siakpebru and Mr. Efe Omene, expressed confidence that as soon as INEC registers the new APC being championed by the Congress for Progressive Change and All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Delta State chapter will take over power from PDP in the state.

The Action Congress of Nigeria in a statement

made available to newsmen during a meeting of the party held in Eku, Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state, said with the merger talks already in place, they are convinced that the party is waxing stronger and would uproot the Peoples Democratic Party from Delta State.

The statement commended the Delta State Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Joseph Adolor Okotie-Eboh, describing him as a wonderful leader who had single-handedly managed the party to the present state and also led the Delta State delegation for the merger in Lagos.

The statement further stated, “Chief Okotie-Eboh has been the Delta State leader and major financier of ACN over the years .He has always ensured that the party remains strong in the state. We have explicit confidence that with him, the sky will be our limit in subsequent elections.”

“There is no way PDP can rig the forthcoming election or every other subsequent elections in the state, as all elections will be monitored and ensured votes count, the era where results are announced without election is over".

Archbishop Margaret Idahosa in Lagos

A

LL roads lead to the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 for the second Ladies-InWaiting conference.

The programme designed to address the challenges women face when there is a delay in their heart’s desires, and how to look up to God to meet their needs, has Dr. Margaret BensonIdahosa, the Archbishop of Church of God Mission International as the guest-speaker.

The annual event is held under the auspices of the Christian Women Fellowship International (CWFI), a transdenominational fellowship with its global headquarters in Benin City founded by Mrs. Benson-Idahosa.

C M Y K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013 —41

C M Y K

PAGE 42—SUNDAY, Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

C M Y K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013 —43

On the civic life state.”

“But you live here. Here in Port-Harcourt” I said to him.

“Yes. Not a long time.

Just fifteen years” “Just fifteen years?”

“Just fifteen years.”

“That’s a long time to live anywhere. You have a stake in the political life of this city and this state”

,

T

HE quality of civ ic life in Nigeria is the most critical gap in the development of a free society and a robust democratic culture. Nigeria’s transition to democratic culture after over thirty-five years of military rule, out of its slightly over fifty years of political independence from colonialism, feels like the slow ride of the tortoise. Much of the population is disengaged from the true civic process that gives life and clarity to the political development of the nation. I had an interesting conversation with Patrick, the chauffeur of a great friend of mine, who had driven me from my friend’s home to the Presidential Hotel on PortHarcourt’s Aba road.

Patrick seemed like a smart man. Thoughtful, eloquent and, ‘it seemed quite self-possessed. I engaged him on the subject of the politics of Rivers State. “I do not pay attention to them!” he said dismissively.

“But why?”

“Well, I’m not from this

who should lead the way does not even know what constitution is.”

“You are part of the government” I said to him.

“You are a citizen…”

“How can?”

“But you are! Government is an aggregation of interests collectively held.”

“That is not how we do

Corrupt governments flow from corrupt and ignorant societies and corruption at the highest places starts from the corruption at the lowest levels of social organization

“Ah Oga” he said, with a little shake of his head, “This country’s ways are not the same as abroad…”

“But the constitution says…”

“Which constitution?

They write one thing and do another.”

“That’s why you have to be part of a citizen’s pressure group for the enforcement of the constitution.”

“Oga, the government

,

it here?” Patrick said.

“Here in Nigeria, there is government people and there are ordinary people.

I be ordinary man. I no have voice to talk.”

“That’s why you have the legislature and someone who represents your interests and views in the Houses o Assembly!”

“But even sef, where I go see him? Oga, everything you talk is how it is supposed to be. But Nigeria is different. It is

upside-down-country… .” I thought at that moment, “Here! A title for my next column: “Nigeria: an Upside-downcountry.” But it quickly struck me also that this would sound familiar, clichéd and trite. Nigeria is everyman’s punching bag. The most severe affliction this country suffers is cynicism. Public or citizenship cynicism is the high measure of our public imagination, from its literary output; its journalism; its various forms of imaginative expression, to the very stories we tell at the domestic hearths. It is the result of a profoundly disenchanted population. Our greatest enemy in Nigeria is “government.”

Government is this. Government has not done that. Government should have known that. Government is not doing squirt.

We have, in all our cynicism, failed to focus a necessary attention on the collapse of citizenship and citizens behavior. We cede every civic responsibility on the great lie that the greatest problem of Nigerians is the government. It is a great lie because the greatest problem of Nigeria is to be found in Nigerian citizens. Governments might build roads. But it is up to the citizens to keep it clean and uncluttered. To drive in a safe and responsible way on those roads. To dem-

onstrate polite and thoughtful consideration to other users of the road.

We cannot expect political leadership, those we generally, and serially refer to as “government” to help the elderly or the children cross the roads, or even to force people to use designated public places for their exact purpose. When a city builds a bus-stop, it does not expect that it should soon be converted to an Akara stall, or Mall for all kinds of crazy desires. Corrupt governments flow from corrupt and ignorant societies and corruption at the highest places starts from the corruption at the lowest levels of social organization: the family.

Nigerians cannot expect a great government led by astute people when they do not express themselves as great citizens of a great nation. That is where the trouble lies: the gaps in our civic lives and in our notions of public responsibility.

There are Nigerians, many highly educated, who have never read a copy of the Nigerian constitution, and this includes even purveyors of serious public opinions. There are those who argue that Nigeria is an “artificial society” and until everything is set “constitutionally right,” there would be no grounds for a true, wellordered society. No, a truly, well ordered socie-

ty does not come, fully made and served in a tin can. It is the product of the highest civic push, by the most able, and most determined people, who organize at all levels to seek the highest public good. Nigerians expect great public schools, great roads, well-built bridges, well-lit streets, and security, but they do not pay tax. Ask why?

And they say, “but government has enough money from oil!” Nigerians do not verify public facts. They rely on rumours and hear-say, and the kind of yellow journalism, which sadly, have kept the mode and even perverted the style of journalism we reserved for military era politics that required that the journalist be both a guerilla activist, and advocate of constitutional rule, and a propagandist for the civil society. It is about time that journalism begins the proper work of change; as citizens we must re-engage, and take back our society; otherwise, we will continue to produce a lackluster leadership and a society in persistent and active despair, and a citizenship known more for the lachrymal life. Nigeria is not the problem.

Government is not the problem. The problem, it seems to me, is the unhealed wound of history that has created the great sore in civic life.

C M Y K

PAGE 44—SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

MID-TERM:

We should be fair in assessing Jonathan —Bozimo, ex-Police Affairs Minister *Says Ijaws‘ve no expansionist agenda FORMER Minister of Police Affairs, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, in this interview, speaks on the adverse security situation in the country, President Goodluck Jonathan’s mid-term performance, the rumble between former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, and Minister of Niger-Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe, the insinuation that he embezzled police funds during his tenure and lots more.

Regional Editor, South-South

A

s a former Minister of Police Affairs, can you tell me what you make of the current security situation in the country?

Irrespective of my position as a former minister, I feel entitled, as a Nigerian, to offer an opinion on various issues that affect the country. I hasten to add, however, that, since I am not privy to the information that government has, I can only speak as an interested layman. The emergence of the largely politically contrived Boko Haram has had a huge negative impact on the country’s security, and created panic in many quarters. One might be tempted to conclude that the security situation in the country has never been this bad; but that would be because we tend to forget that this country has actually gone through a brutal civil war. Viewed from that perspective, this country has certainly been through a worse security situation than we now have.

The Federal Government is practically begging members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, to accept amnesty, but the group cares no hoot. Do you think government misfired?

A primary duty of government is the protection of the citizen’s life and property.

It would be wrong, therefore, to describe government’s effort to resolve an issue peaceably as a misfire. We all know that government has a much wider range of options than Boko Haram has. Let us not forget that government’s initial position was to refuse to negotiate with faceless groups with undefined objectives – unlike the situation with the Niger Delta militants. But a peace-loving and listening President could not ignore the entreaties by northern elders, including the Sultan of Sokoto, for amnesty for Boko Haram. He has rightly adopted a two-track approach involving the setting up of the Presidential Amnesty Committee and the declaration of a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States. I believe that this has dramatically improved the situation. All of us, especially Community Vigilante Groups, have a responsibility to cooperate with the security forces by volunteering information that will help sustain the relative peace that has emerged in those states.

Do you not think President Goodluck Jonathan is overwhelmed?

I believe government is now applying the required amount of gentle persuasion to bring Boko Haram to the negotiation table.

As I said earlier, the President is fully aware of his options. His essential humaneness and desire for peace have thus far restrained him from deploying the vast resources at C M Y K

his disposal to settle the issue. To say that he is overwhelmed is totally missing the point. He is skillfully applying both the carrot and the stick and the strategy is yielding fruit. There is noticeable calm in the affected areas. We must all remain vigilant to maintain the gains already achieved. The President deserves our praise – not condemnation – for that strategy.

There is fire on the mountain over President Jonathan’s 2015 re-election bid which he has not mouthed himself, but the indications are visible. Which divide are you?

As a lawyer, I believe in the constitutional principle that, apart from specific requirements such as age and education, every citizen is entitled to contest for various political positions. Do you know of any such strictures against the President? I do not.

Younger elements in the Niger Delta region, particularly Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, have been accused of heating up the polity over their stance on President Jonathan and 2015. What approach do you suggest?

These young men are Nigerian citizens who are entitled to express their political opinions. As you noted earlier, the President himself has not stated his position, so why the advocacy by these young men is seen as heating up the polity beats my imagination.

People have even suggested that these opinions are treasonable. Where are we headed in this country? In the days leading up to the 2011 elections, there were important figures in the society who promised to make the country ungovernable if they did not win. They even openly urged their supporters to kill and maim if the elections were rigged, this in a country where no candidate has ever conceded defeat in any election! In the event, supporters of these candidates killed and maimed members of the NYSC, one of the best symbols of the country’s unity , are these the people who now feel justified to talk of heating up the polity?

As an elder statesman, can you proudly say that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has so far done you proud as a President from the South-South region?

Absolutely yes!!! Any fair assessment of a President’s performance must take into account the environment within which he has to operate. As I noted earlier, there were

Broderick Bozimo

,

EMMA AMAIZE,

Any fair assessment of a President’s performance must take into account the environment within which he has to operate

,

powerful individuals within the society who promised – and have done their best – to make the country ungovernable. In spite of that, he gave INEC a free hand and sufficient funding to conduct the best ever election in this country. He has boldly taken on the powerful interests – and their press supporters – behind the fetid fuel subsidy issue. The economy is under expert management and growing at a healthy pace, and prices are relatively stable. The railways are waking up from their long slumber; and, in spite of the endless bad mouthing, modalities have been set in motion to make electricity more available and more reliable. It is so easy for us to forget that the late Bola Ige promised to fix the electricity problem within three months of assuming office. This reminds one of the tributes paid to President Obama by former President Bill Clinton during the fierce campaign for the former’s re-election bid when Clinton confessed that no US President, including himself, could have done better than President Obama in the

face of the economic and political hurdles placed on his path.

What landmark achievement(s) do you wish to see in N-Delta since Jonathan assumed office that you have not seen?

Given the poor state of development in the Niger -Delta, it would require a whole page of your newspaper to complete my wish list. But if I must take only one major landmark achievement that I want President Jonathan to deliver to this region, it would have to be the completion of the ongoing reconstruction of the East-West Road from Warri through Port Harcourt and beyond. I have faith in the President’s promise to the nation on this project.

The people in the Delta North Senatorial District strongly think their area should produce the next governor of Delta State in 2015, the Central District having served eight years through Chief James Ibori and South District, which you are from, taking its eight-year turn through Governor Emmanual Uduaghan. What do you say?

Let us not forget that zoning is a PDP operational principle, not a constitutional imperative. Aspirants from the North Delta Senatorial District should lobby and negotiate with their counterparts in the other districts to convince them that the principle is good for maintaining stability within the polity.

Former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, lashed out at Minister of Niger Delta, Chief Godsday Orubebe, saying he cannot be governor of Delta State, accusing him of disobeying President Jonathan, and all that. Did he speak your mind?

My stand is that we have an open political system in which anyone can contest for any political office for which he or she is qualified. I should also add that anyone could express an opinion about any other person’s aspiration for office. My only disquiet about the Chief Clark / Orubebe misunderstanding is the rude manner in which some young Turks have abandoned all respect and civility in responding to Chief Clark. Africans normally show respect for elders, but I have not seen that in those young men. On this matter, I am fully in support of the position of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) that those who have shown such unconscionable disrespect should tender a formal apology to the chief.

Your state, Delta State, has become famous for kidnapping, though it appears to be reducing now. Are you in support of death penalty for kidnappers?

Governor Uduaghan is opposed to it, but the State Assembly vetoed him.

The perpetrators of the nefarious activity of kidnapping should be prepared for whatever sentence the law prescribed to deter others. I am in favour of whatever the law says on this issue. Our amiable governor has expressed his objection to the death penalty – no doubt on personal religion’s grounds. However, there is nothing personal in these matters.

You were the chairman of the just concluded Ijaw National Congress (INC) elections. What were the issues at stake?

The INC, which I had served in my younger days as an official, had been beset by acrimonious quarrels among various contenders for office. I felt deeply honoured that the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE) considered me a fit and proper person to head the committee (ELECO2013) to arrange credible elections for the INC. It was an onerous responsibility and a tedious task.

We were lucky to enjoy the unwavering support of the Bayelsa State governor and other well-meaning Ijaws, including Ijaws in the diaspora.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 45

2015: Jonathan, Obasanjo and Lamido ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo was in the news recently, as he was quoted to have endorsed Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State for the 2015 presidential election.

Considering the profile of the former president, who fought for the realisation of third term agenda in 2007, his endorsement of Lamido seems suspect and reveals the desperation of the former Nigerian leader to remain relevant in the nation’s politics.

It is a fact that the rumour mills have been agog with reports that Obasanjo, who plotted the Yar ’Adua/Goodluck presidential ticket in 2007, has fallen out of favour with the former Bayelsa state governor who was later sworn in as president following the demise of Yar ’Adua in 2010.

With Yar’Adua’s death in 2010, Obasanjo then thought the coast was now clear, and that there was no stopping him from running the nation through an assumed proxy. It was even said that with Jonathan as president, Obasanjo was thought to have come back to the corridors of power through the back door.

As Jonathan was attempting to consolidate his position and ensure he takes full charge, he was mindful of issues that introduced festering relationship with Obasanjo. As someone who has come to appreciate the values of the African tradition that places premium on respect for elders, Jonathan was willing to do everything to ensure trouble-free relationship with OBJ.

President Goodluck Jonathan After his victory at the 2011 presidential election that was described as fair and transparent, Jonathan began to extricate himself from the undue influence of persons that could distract his commitment to the Nigeria project.

The emergence of Jonathan had finally laid to rest several issues that have been thrown up in the polity. Before now, it was unthinkable that a minority could assume the presidency of the country. Jonathan did it.

Jonathan exposed the hypocrisy of the northern region as a cohesive area believed to be united for Nigeria’s political dominance.

With that singular feat, the old northern hawks, who are being rattled by his emergence, have woken up from their slumber and are working hard to turn the table against the present administration.

To get the political horses of yesterday back to relevance, a desperate attempt is being launched to regain their

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

,

F

BY MUSA RUFAI

Before now, it was unthinkable that a minority could assume the presidency of the country. Jonathan did it. Jonathan exposed the hypocrisy of the northern region as a cohesive area believed to be united for Nigeria’s political dominance

relevance and that of their wards. This they are doing through re-awakening the dead but powerless group that are seen as determinant of where the pendulum will swing in 2015.

Taking advantage of the northern outcry to recapture power, Obasanjo is attempting to test his popularity. By asking Jonathan not to contest in 2015, he is invariable calling on him to embrace the Mandela option of a single tenure.

The recent sordid revelation on how the former president plotted to realise his third term agenda is fully documented in Malam

Emergency: It is not late for insurgents to embrace amnesty—Hon Sani *’The Katsina transformation question’

BY AKOMA CHINWEOKE HONORABLE Auwalu Sani is a member of the House of Representatives representing Dutsin-ma/ Kurfi Federal Constituency. He was born in Rawayau village of Kurfi Local Government Area of Katsina State in 1962. In this chat, Sani says the perceived rivalry between the House and the executive arm of the government is aim to advance the course of democracy.He also speaks on emergency rule in three states OW did you get into politics?

Well, having worked as a civil servant for over 29 years at the local government level, the pains of the less privileged ones in the society became my major source of concern ,especially in the area of improving their condition and standard of living. With this in my mind, coupled with the encouragement and goodwill from my people, i ventured into politics to enable me contribute my quota to nation building and touching the lives of the less privileged .Thanks to Almighty Allah for making it possible for me to represent my great people at the House of Representatives

H

Auwalu Sani . And thanks to my constituents.

You have been in the House for more than two years now and you say you the projects you have brought to your constituency is far more than what your predecessor brought in eight years?

Since I joined the National Assembly on June 6, 2011, I have contributed both at committee level and on the floor of the House in making laws for the smooth running of our dear country. As part of the mandate given to me by my great people, in the 2012 budget, I was able to influence grassroots projects ranging from-provision of potable water through the drilling of 10 solar powered boreholes and 61 hand pump

Gov. Sule Lamido

boreholes across the constituency. They are about 90% completed. There is stable power supply through the procurement of transformers in Dutsin-ma and Kurfi towns.

Free treatment is provided to over 250 patients with cases of hernia and hydrosol problems. In the area of education, efforts are being made to provide financial assistance to final year students in the higher institutions of learning to enable them write their projects. Vehicles and 100 motorcycles are on the ground ready for distribution to the constituents to ease transport problem. In the same vein over 500 people youths and will benefit from ‘Do your business poverty’ scheme.

A BBC journalist accused your governor recently that there is virtually nothing is working in Katsina State, how true is this?

First of all, I think time will not allow us to enumerate the achievements of the Dr Ibrahim Shema -led government, I can only mention a few in terms of Education, Agriculture, Health, Water Supply, Roads, Youth

,

Nasir El-Rufai’s ‘Accidental Public Servant.’ What moral right does Obasanjo have to advise Jonathan to embrace the Mandela’s option which he turned down in 2003?

Despite Obasanjo’s criticisms of the Jonathan administration, it is clear that the present government has done much to move the nation forward. More than anything, the insecurity that had trailed the affairs of the country is being tackled.

Those who though Jonathan will continue to be patient despite the destruction of lives by the terrorists have now Empowerment, etc. Education is the backbone of development in any society. I am proud to say that Shema - Sarkin Yakin Hausa has done a lot in this area. There is free education to all primary and secondary school pupils in the state right from 2007 to date, also those at tertiary institutions are given scholarship annually, parents and students can testify to this, most of the primary schools buildings have been upgraded to storey buildings and a lot of new

,

Education is the backbone of development in any society. I am proud to say that Shema - Sarkin Yakin Hausa has done a lot in this area

,

secondary school have been built across the state. Shema completed and equipped the state university and, during the convocation ceremony held recently, he expressed government commitment to paying 25% registration fees to indigenous students who gained admission into the university .

The government has been paying examination fees for WAEC & NECO since 2007 to date in order to assist the less privileged in the state to have basic education.Moreover, the

realised that there is always an end to everything. If they thought they would deploy the issue of insecurity as a campaign issue, they have discovered that current moves by the Federal Government to tackle the violence in the North is slowly shooting up the profile of the president as someone who can be trusted to deliver on his promises.

Obasanjo may be right to pursue his dream and campaign for his candidate if he so chooses. To state that one can find a job for someone, but may not be able to assist the person to do the job is a slap on the sensibilities of Nigerians. Was this not this man who was virtually exhumed from the gallows of death after the demise of General Sani Abacha in 1998 and made to assume the presidency? If God can make a way for a prisoner to be president, is it a greater feat for God to make a governor a president? Obasanjo should stop playing God and face realities.

He is free to drum up support for Lamido and others, all in a bid to get relevance in the present dispensation. But he should allow Nigerians to choose when the time comes. To start flying on the wings of the night and engaging in endorsement galore is nothing short of desperation.

Those in a hurry to show Jonathan the way out of power should be patient to allow the man declare for the polls. *Rufai is based in Abuja and can be reached musarufai2011@gmail.com

government sponsors indigenes of the state under special foreign scholarship of the Shema government to assist our wards read MBBS, BSc Nursing, Engineering etc in different universities in Egypt, Sudan, Jordan and USA .

In agriculture, farmers in Katsina have witnessed tremendous development in the areas of fertilizer, seedlings, etc procured and sold to them at subsidized rates.

What is your take on the emergency rule in Borno,Yobe, and Adamawa states?

I think it is a right step in the right direction. I support the emergency rule to the extent that all the democratic structures in the affected states are intact.

The Federal Government ,even in the midst of the emergency rule, is still opening room for communication with the sect because, on the long run, these sect members are Nigerians and I think this where government should be commended for its action so far. I call on the sect to please embrace dialogue with the Federal Government in the name of Islam which is a religion of peace.

The North says the presidency must come to it in 2015. How possible?

2015 and beyond is in the hands of Allah and therefore who becomes what and the president of Nigeria is in the hands of almighty Allah alone can and will decide for the nation when it is due.

PAGE 46 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013

Edo: Emperors without empires

BY AMBROSE OSAWE VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF The rejection of the old brigade

T

HE people of Edo State have never voted for a political party on sentiments, but rather for party programmes which touch on their basic needs. This is evident since the days of the Midwest.

After a period of anomie comes again an era of road construction, schools and hospitals. The people are today being provided with basic amenities once denied them.

Functionaries at the state and national levels of the PDP which controls the Federal Government continue to call for the cancellation of the just concluded local government elections in Edo State or, worse still, for the destabilization of the state for the elections not going their way.

Accusing fingers are point-

ing in the direction of Governor Adams Oshiomhole as wanting to be the only emperor in control of Edo State which also harbours other emperors who are now in reverse gear and decline of their realm being appropriated by the Comrade Governor in the polls. Insinuations are such that the governor had dared to tamper with the territorial strongholds of the ogas who alternate Jacob’s voice with Esau’s hand before the frowning and troubled glare of the people who believe their votes ought to count irrespective of whose ox is gored.

Except it is manipulated, the people can never rise against their benefactors and liberators. With a sigh of relief, they now know who is their comrade, they also know the exploitative territorial emperors.

What is unusual about any candidate, political party losing election?

If charity should begin at home, reactions to glaring and obvious political, economic, social injustice also ought to start at home. In most cases unfortunately, such reactions

are manipulated to justify the territorial might of the absentee or resident political emperors or landed gentries.

The Bible quotes Jesus Christ as saying no prophet has honour at home which is expanded further to mean that injustice is felt more at home if perpetrated by kith and kin who,

,

VIEWPOINT

itsha, his constituency, in the First Republic. As conservative as the North was, Azika, from Sokoto State, was proposed by UPN as running mate against former President Shehu Shagari. General Yakubu Gowon lost to Dr. Tafida, the Nigerian ambassador to United Kingdom, in a keenly contest-

The people who blindly once queued behind the emperors in their empires are today resolved not to follow them through footpaths with no school or hospital in sight and without source of water to quench their thirst

as Lords, are self-serving and insensitive to the needs and aspirations of the people.

As powerful as Chief Awolowo was in the old Western Region, Awotesu ran against him in Ikenne, his hometown. Zik, the father of modern nationalism, was opposed by the foremost mathematician, Dr. Chike Obi, and some other contestants in On-

,

ed primary election in Zaria during the Babangida regime.

Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, the Biafran warlord, contested senatorial election under the NPN in Anambra State and lost to a lesser known candidate of the NPP in 1983.

Should there exist emperors and empires in a state where such known pretenders to the throne contributed nothing

now or in the past?

The outcome of the last governorship election in Edo State is a proof and acknowledgment of the success, appreciation of the Comrade Governor for his developmental strides across the state.

The results of the last local government elections in the state is a further confirmation of this acknowledgment.

The people who blindly once queued behind the emperors in their empires are today resolved not to follow them through footpaths with no school or hospital in sight and without source of water to quench their thirst.

Today, the people, through the broad, straight and motorable roads, are prepared to go with the comrade instead of the emperors, from the swamps through the forest zones, up and down the hills and mountains of Edo State, from the now modern city centres, urban areas and towns to chorus ALLELUYA.

*Osawe, a journalist, historian, is a former member, House of Representatives.

Jonathan on scale at mid-term

BY MAYOWA ADEYEMI VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Assessing the president two years after assuming office

A

couple of weeks ago, as President Goodluck Jonathan approached the second year anniversary of his administration, speculations were rife in the media that the event, which also coincided with a national holiday for the celebration of democracy in the country, would not be celebrated with funfair, just as was the case last year.

Then came an announcement by the Presidency that the event would be marked in a special way. Mr President would present a midterm report of his stewardship to the nation at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

The event has come and gone. It was not exactly a state of the nation address. It was more than that. The administration had painstakingly documented its activities in the last two years, stating how far it has kept the promises the President made during his electoral campaign in 2011.

The 234 paged report entitled. “ The Mid-term Report of The Transformation Agenda 20112013” embraced the policies, programmes, and special interventions of the administra-

tion in all sectors, with details of progress made so far in achieving the envisioned objectives, goals and targets, in facts and figures.

It is unfortunate that the ordinary Nigerian in our villages, towns and cities, who is as concerned about the state of the nation as the professionals and the operators of the economy, may never be opportuned to see that report to be able to assess it. However, those who were able to watch the presentation live on NTA and those who have read media reports of the event should

,

VIEWPOINT

report has been emerging from the ministerial platforms which began on Monday, June 3, of significant achievements in the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of roads across the country, the return and modernisation of rail transportation, the overhauling of airport structures and facilities, the unbundling of the Power Holding Company into 18 companies for efficiency and the massive consruction of power plants to stabilise power supply. There is also the promotion of agricultural production towards food

It is unfortunate that the ordinary Nigerian in our villages, towns and cities, who is as concerned about the state of the nation as the professionals and the operators of the economy, may never be opportuned to see that report to be able to assess it

,

have an idea of its content as presented by key officials of the administration, namely Vice President Namadi Sambo, Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Shamsudeen Usman, Minister of National Planning and Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, super minister of the economy.

Further information on the

self sufficiency and export, among others.

Some of the intangible achievements not represented in physical structures include the promotion of democratic tenets, rule of law, separation of powers among the arms of government, expansion of the civic space,entrenchment of checks and balances, sanitisa-

tion of electoral process, promotion of federal character in appointments, the anti- corruption war, strengthening of the economy through the stabilisation of the exchange rate, reduction in inflation to 9.1 per cent from 12.4 per cent and sanitisation of fuel subsidy regime by reducing fuel importers to 32 from 140 to make it easy for government to monitor them.

The significance of Jonathan’s mid-term report, as rightly pointed out by the minister of national planning, is not only in his being the first Nigerian leader to have a well thought out and documented programme of action from day one in office but also the fact that he is the first to publicly submit himself for assessment through a well documented report with which his performance could be appraised. Nigerian leaders have taken the people so much for granted in the past. They promise projects they would not do and many of the ones they start are abandoned without explanation to anybody.

Jonathan has made the difference. He has proved to be accountable.

Critics of his administration should be interested in the report. Pius Anyim, the SGF, has assured that the achievements claimed in the report are verifiable. This is a bold challenge, and, again, it is a pleasant departure from the

past. Rumours had been heard, in the past, of how some governments in some states would have found it difficult to defend some colourful publications of their socalled giant strides, if called upon to do so, because photograghs of several sections of a completed road were used to represent many other roads under construction or even abandoned, but claimed to have been done.

Those who have been propagating the gospel of non or poor performance regarding the Jonathan administration have no excuse not to take up the challenge thrown up by Anyim. They should, however, be honest enough to say so if they found out that Anyim was right. Which means they must have been waging a campaign of calumny against Jonathan all along. If this be the case, like Saul of Tarsus who vehemently persecuted christians and then became Apostle Paul fervently propagating the gospel of Christ after he too had seen the light, they should make amends.

Does Jonathan deserve a pass mark at mid-term? I think he does, for being an accountable servant and for being honest with what he has been able to achieve. No leader can possibly solve all our problems in just two years.

Mayowa Adeyemi (alphavision1970@yahoo.com)

Contribution of not more than 1,200 words should be sent to sundayvanguard@yahoo.com

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 47

2014: The battle for Anambra

BY JONES NNANNA IKE VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

A cursory look into the chances of political heavyweights that will decide Anambra guber position

T

HE political scene in Anambra is peculiar.

Elections there are always fought with passion and money. The state has political heavy weights and money bags and is the engine room of South-East politics. So as the nation inches towards the 2014 elections, observers have started analysing the forces that will shape the outcome.

Analysts are agreed on candidates from three dominant political parties in the race: All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Action Congress of Nigeria, can, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. APGA produced Governor Peter Obi and therefore controls the grassroots .However its fortunes have dwindled that the party could at best be described as a shadow of its former self. The reason for APGA woes are many, however the major issues include their loss of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu,the factionalization of the party, and the incumbent governors leaning towards PDP. While PDP remains strong and formidable with most of the moneybags and political heavyweights in the state belonging to it, coupled

with the governor’s rumoured shift, the stage could be set for the party to reclaim the state.

The ACN is considerably weak with former Governor Chris Ngige as the most prominent leader.

The dominant issue for the election in the state is zoning and the clout of contestants.

This is because there will be injustice if the parties do not zone the governorship to Anambra north senatorial district.

For a long time, the governorship seat has been monopolised by Anambra south and Anambra central to the exclusion of the North..

Analysts say the imperative of redressing this injustice is the need to zone the office to Anambra north . Since 1991, the office of the governor has rotated between the south and central zones as follows: Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife (south) 1991, Dr. Chinweoke Mbadinuju (south) 1999-2003, Dr. Chris Ngige (central) 2003, Mr. Peter Obi (central) 2006, Dame Virgie Etiaba (south) 2006-2007, Mr. Peter Obi (central) 2011 - 2013.

A cursory look thus will remove such contestants like Dr. Andy Uba, Dr. Chris Ngige, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Ifeanyi Uba, Chief Annie Okonkwo, Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu etc, from the governorship race . But politicians hardly embrace fairness and equity.

Ngige, a popular figure, brought vitality to the previously non-existent ACN thereby enabling them to win

some few seats in the state.

Though he is comfortable as a senator, he is rumoured to be interested to run again as governor. However, sharing the same zone with Governor Obi may prove a handicap.

Senator Emma Anosike is from Anambra north which he represented in the Senate. He was a member of the House of

,

VIEWPOINT

The dominant issue for the election in the state is zoning and the clout of contestants

,

Representatives. Anosike is a well known grassroots politician and a dogged fighter.

He equally served the party in several capacities and was amongst President Jonathan’s foot soldiers during the last election when the president had a landslide victory in the state. He has held several positions, the current being the Chairman of Federal College of Education Abeokuta.

Anosike’s politics seems to be determined by his broad view of the Anambra people.

He supported Ngige as governor and fought the former governor ’s political opponents. He worked for the resolution of Anambra State House of Assembly crisis during the ‘Impeach Peter Obi saga’. Anosike parades very intimidating profile. This in itself has also become his albatross as some of the heavy weights who are envious of his rising profile are plotting to stop him. If he is able to surmount the above obstacle, he might as well be in the best position to galvanise the diverse interests and political segments for the development of the state. Coming from the Anambra north, he has huge potential to go far in the race and is definitely an aspirant to watch during the PDP primaries.

Ifeanyi Uba, a Lagos based businessman and oil magnet, is alleged to be one of the players in the APGA crisis. He is currently organizing some charity works in order to boost his chances in the race. Ifeanyi Uba, a controversial businessman, is seeking to actualize his ambition through Anambra south.

Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, a well known politician, has been in the forefront of the agitation for the north senatorial zone to produce the governor. He is however limited for lack of national exposure.

Chief Akachukwu Nwakpo’s

major handicap is his coming from Ihiala, southern senatorial, where Mbadinuju hails from. Dr. Chike Obidigbo, a political neophyte has no executive, legislative or party experience. He is relatively unknown as to generate the necessary momentum needed to see him through.

Uba, a former governor of the state, hails from the southern senatorial zone. He is expected to have understood the mood of the state to allow the governorship seat rotate to the north this time around. His loss to Soludo during the last election effectively diminished his status.

Soludo, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is a well respected technocrat, but he is rumoured as not being a practicing politician. He lacks grassroots appeal and was accused of not being supportive to his constituency in Anambra, as economic adviser to the president and as CBN governor.

Prince John Emeka, a prominent aspirant from Anambra north, is a former deputy governor in the state. He had a brief stay as minister.

Tony Nwoye has been contesting one election or the other. He is currently struggling to be sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives against the incumbent. His limitation is the lack of capacity. *Ike, a former chairman, Arochukwu Local Government council, lives in Abuja.

Joseph Akinlaja: A veteran at 63

,

TRIB UTE TRIBUTE

BY EMMANUEL AJIBULU TRIBUTE IN BRIEF The celebration of a unionist and lawmaker

T

HE people of Ondo East/West Federal Constituency did justice to our constitutional democracy by making sure Hon Joseph Iranola Akinlaja got a seat in the 7th Assembly as presently constituted at the Federal House of Representatives.

It is also not in error that the leadership of the House trusted this irrepressible icon, who clocked 63 on Saturday, 1 June, 2013, by making him the deputy chairman of Women Affairs Committee, member of Petroleum (Down Stream), Power, Labour, Land (Trans-

Joseph Akinlaja. port), Diaspora, Inter & Intra Party Relations, and Constitution Review committees.

Time and events have revealed that Akinlaja is a force to reckon with in the political milieu not just in Ondo State but in Nigeria. In parliament, he has consistently displayed vibrant and blazing conduct that befit a true democrat and leader who shares the feelings of the people and identifies with the pains of the moment in the life of the nation.

In parliament, he has consistently displayed vibrant and blazing conduct that befit a true democrat and leader who shares the feelings of the people and identifies with the pains of the moment in the life of the nation

,

As a key member of Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s thinktank, his contributions have added value to both human and material resources of Sunshine State; indeed posterity will judge him right in our political affairs. He is a seasoned and erudite administrator, a distinguished unionist, a versatile politician, a strategist of note and a proven and tested professional. Akinlaja is also the Chairman of the Board of Akiavic Nigeria Lim-

ited.

A graduate of electrical electronics engineering from the prestigious Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, he attended several training programmes both locally and internationally. The Representative also took management and leadership courses. A successful businessman having worked and retired in the petroleum industry, Akinlaja is a former Assistant General Secretary NUPENG 1981– 999, General Secretary 2001–

2004 and Deputy President, Nigeria Labour Congress 2003 – 2006. He is currently the Grand Patron and Technical Consultant to Petroleum Tankers Drivers Association of Nigeria (PTD) and Deputy National Chairman of Labour Party.

Akinlaja is also the Chairman of Akiavic Blue Roof Hotels Limited, Ondo. He won a doctoral award in humanity from the Bradley University, New York, United States as a testimony to his meritorious contributions to the energy sector. He is married with children and a grandchild.

May this birthday mark the beginning of a year filled with happy, sweet, awesome memories, and shining dreams.

May he live to celebrate more beautiful years on earth, and I also wish him a fruitful & purposeful life. Congratulations to a labour leader of note. * Ajibulu is media aide to Hon Joseph Akinlaja.

Contribution of not more than 1,200 words should be sent to sundayvanguard@yahoo.com

PAGE 48—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013 sameyoboka@yahoo.com

08023145567 (sms only)

Be The Change, Apapa Family Way

By Sam Eyoboka & Olayinka Latona

T

HE commissioning ceremony of a street light project had been sceduled for 9.00 a.m. last Saturday but as early as 7.00 a.m. reports have started fittering out that a combined team of soldiers, Policemen and NDLEA operatives had condoned off all approaches to the notorious Akala community in Mushin area of Lagos for raid. At the end of the exercise which threw the entire neigbhourhood in confusion, several bags of what was suspected to be narcitics and dangerous weapons were said to have been carted away including several miscreants.

The 21 solar street light for five different streets within Akala environs aimed at reducing the rate of crime in the area was part of several activities marking this year's EXCEL programme of the Apapa Family of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG which believed that God is a God of light and Chrstians are duty bound show forth the light of God into the area.

The light which was just an aspects of the church's corporate social responsibilty is believed, would activate the social economy of that area and if the residents nurse the feeling that they had been forgotten the church leadership proved that they were not forgoten.

Other aspects of this year's CSR included medical support to those who cannot afford same.

There were free medical checks for several residents of the area, and according to one of the volunteers, Pastor Yomi Daniels, a worker with a pharmaceutical firm, the idea was to check the people for what he called the vitals.

He explained that at least 10 doctors, five pharmacists and a handful of nurses were on hand to examine the large crowd of patients for high blood pressure, malaria, dysentry and such like.

"We will treat them and there is need for referal, such people are referred to our Healing Stripes Hospital in Surulere or in severe cases they would be referred to the Laghos University Hospital, LUTH. Mr. Adesanya Adekunle who represented the general manager, Lagos State Electricity Board, Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi thanked the Apapa Family who deemed it fit to emabrk on the laudable project.

"As we all know that when God was creating heaven and the earth, the first thing He created was light. In the same manner, the Apapa Family embarked on

Oyegunle Street, Odi Olowo area of Akala in Mushin wearing a new look. cutting the tape to commission the light, used the occasion to Not only will you encourage the residents to turn away from evil and embrace God, be the decidiong promising that the church would factor, it will be do more for the community.

"God helping us as a church, one of you to rule we are just starting with this in all sectors of the community. We are assuring you nation's economy that we are going to do more by the special grace of God. As you will be beholding this light at this corporate social responsibilty night, you will remember our by providing all these street God who answers by fire and if lights," he stated and turning to you call on Him, He will surely the residents he said "I am answer and deliver you. If you employing you to ensure that allow the light of God in your life, these street lights are protected darkness will disapear and series and free from vandalisation as we of breakthroughs will begin to all know that if there is light there take place in your life," he noted.

The EXCEL programme also will be security, serenity and social economic activities will be featured a talent show aimed at developing God's gift in His enhanced."

He assured them of his children. The grand finale of company's readiness to maintain God's Chldren Got Talent at the the lights as the need arises, Eko Hotel Zinnia Hall, Victoria adding "we will render such Island featured five key talent assistance to you. I pray that God groups: singing, dancing, will shine His light wherever we musical instruments (comprising have been experincing darkness keyboards, drums, saxophone, recorder, violin) drama, writing, in our lives."

Also elated by the development, and drawing. Candiates are the Odi Olowo Community, Mr. grouped into five age groups: 5Lanre Elegbeleye appreciated 6; 7-9; 10-12; 13-15; 16-19.

At the end of the competition, the good gesture of the church, noting "we have been in the state the star prize went to the Group of darkness for years and when of 10.

Highpoint of the EXCEL prothey approached us that they wanted to do the street light we gramme was the 'Be The Change' were happy because we know programme at the Tafawa Balewa that it will help us to curb rate of Square in Lagos Island where crime in this our environment and 50,000 packs of food were distributed to the less privileged also enhance security. and the General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye Great benefit commended the efforts of the "I pray that this street lights will Apapa Family for always lifting mark the beginning of good the banner of righteous-ness, not things in our commuinity. When forgetting. however, not to relent the church first approached us in their efforts because, according with the intention, we did not to him, the hallmark of the believe because this area had Christan race is evangelism.

Preaching a simple message been labelled a danger zone and had therefore been neglected. I titled: "Be The Change," in a believe the street lights will be of rain-soaked TBS, the inveterate great benefit for us as darkness soul winner urged the mammoth cannot prevail over light," he crowd who defied the early morning downpour, saying that said.

The head of the Apapa Family a time is coming in Nigeria when

*Star prize winner of N1 million, The Group of 10, with head of Apapa Family, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade.

*Master Ogbeyemi Oladele receiving a cheque for N250,000 from Pastor Idowu Iluyomade for his efforts. nobody will become anything without the endorsement of Christians. "Not only will you be the decidiong factor, it will be one of you to rule in all sectors of the nation's economy."

He argued that every Christian is a branch of Christ and a branch is a repica of the stem, noting "if Chriust is the light of the workld, then we are the light of the world.

Christ therefore expects you and I that wherever we go things must change for the better. We must be the change. When you arrive any place there must be a change for the better because you will become the change. We are having prpoblems in the country because we are not showing forth out light."

In an interview, the Apapa Family head, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade said it is a tradition in the family to task one another in order to look after the poor and "we are the salt and light of the world, we are commisioned by our Lord Jesus Christ to provide light, heal the sick, feed the weak, and set thecaptives free.

This is our mandate. We put all resources to make all these a reality."

On how they managed to convince residents of Akala area of Mushin, he said: "The community is an area that has its own 'rules'. For them to accept us and be part of the project they have to give us their compound for us to use; they provided all the storage facilities and assumed ownership of the project because it belonged to them. They are enjoying this kind of gesture for the first time in this area.

According to him, close to 10 years we set up House of Joy and one of the things that gave us the boldness to enter Akala is the House of Joy, they have been visiting the place every Thursday before now and we have been pulling out drug addicts and rehabilitating them. We detoxify, take care of them and get them rehabilitated. They learnt different skills and at the end we get them set up and that is what we have been doing.

DEBATE:

SHOULD CHRISTIANS PAY TITHE? SEND SHORT AND SHARP RESPONSES TO:

vanguarddebate@gmail.com

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 49

JESUS IS NOT A CHRISTIAN

A

man travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho was attacked by armedrobbers, stripped of his belongings and left lying on the road halfdead. God’s providence ensured that first a priest, and then a Levite, passed by. But instead of helping the dying man; both of them quickly moved to the other side and went away.

Finally, a Samaritan came along.

Unlike the priest and the Levite, he had compassion on the injured man, bound up his wounds, took him to the hospital and paid for his medical expenses.

The Good Samaritan Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan is very deliberate.

It is incredible how, as Christians, we still fail to understand its full implications. The first mistake we make is in the identity of the Good Samaritan. When we situate the story in the contemporary setting (as we should with all scripture), we assume that the Good Samaritan is a Christian. However, Jesus deliberately excludes that possibility by providing two characters clearly representative of the Christians of today. The

If Jesus had come today instead of 2,000 years ago, Christian pastors and bishops would also have killed him priest is easily identifiable as today ’s pastor, while the Levite is easily today ’s Christian layman.

Who then is the Good Samaritan? Let me repeat this for emphasis: the Good Samaritan cannot be a Christian.

The Christian is already adequately represented.

The Good Samaritan is Jesus himself. Jesus’ story eloquently sets forth the goodness and kindness of Christ our Saviour towards sinful, miserable and defenceless humanity.

The thief came to steal, kill and destroy, but Christ came to give life and to give it abundantly.

(John 10:10).

But there is the rub. If Jesus is the Good Samaritan then Jesus is nota Jew; for Samaritans were not accepted as Jews. If Jesus is the Good Samaritan, then Jesus is a Samaritan. If Jesus is not a Jew but a Samaritan, then Jesus cannot be a Christian, for it is the Jew who represents the Christian

of today.

Jesus killers By the time some Jews observed Jesus, they assumed he was not a Jew. In the first place, he refused to be a disciple of Moses but claimed instead to have come to fulfil the law. He did not obey the letter of Jewish laws but claimed to comply with its spirit. He insisted pharisaic religious tradition was old wine which could not be put into the new bottles he provided for the new wine of the New Testament.

(Matthew 9:17). He prefaced a lot of his sermons with the statement: “You have heard that it was said to those of old… but I say.” (Matthew 5:2728).

Therefore, some Jews insisted Jesus was not Jewish. As a matter of fact, their position was that he was a closet Samaritan: “Then the Jews answered and said to him, “Do we not say rightly that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered,

“I do not have a demon; but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me.”

(John 8:48-49). Note that Jesus did not contest the charge that he was a Samaritan. But he took great exception to the allegation that he had a demon.

But if Jesus identified with the Samaritans and not with the Jews, then it becomes clear he would not identify with most of the Christians of today. In fact, let me be so bold as to say that if Jesus were in the flesh today he would not be a Christian. If Jesus had come today instead of 2,000 years ago, Christian pastors and bishops would also have killed him. Like he did our forefathers, Jesus would also have exposed our ungodliness to public ridicule.

Religious irrelevancies o if Jesus would not have been a Christian, what would he have been?

He would have simply been Jesus without any specific religious affiliation. Today, Jesus has been replaced by theology, but the real Jesus was not religious.

Jesus established no religious institution when he was on earth.

Indeed, if Jesus were to show up physically on earth today, most Christians would not recognise him even as the Jews did not. If he came as a woman, we would not recognise him.

S

Church seeks relevance in good governance

A

SENIOR pastor of Virtues Christian Center, Alexander Faranponjo has said that the goal of the church is to seek good

governance in Nigeria.

He said this during a thanksgiving service in Lagos to mark the church’s 5th anniversary, reports

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT FRANCIS WALE OKE

ANSWER THE INVITATION MY heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, Lord I am coming (Psalm 27:8, NLT).

There is a glorious invitation coming to you. God is asking you to come and seek His face. It may be for one hour, one day, three days or more. He wants

you to come aside from your busy schedule and spend some time alone with Him. He wants to speak to you. He wants to give you direction.

He wants to sort out some critical issues in your life. It is time to seek the face of the Lord (Hosea 10:12).

When God invites us to seek His face like this,

JONAH NWOKPOKU. The man of God who said that true Christianity must touch people’s lives here on earth, maintained that

his church has been dedicated to improving people’s lives since inception.

Also speaking at the ceremony, a guest

it is for our good. It is either there is a disaster coming that He wants to avert, or there is a critical destiny dir-ection He wants to give, or He wants to release a special blessing. Whatever it is, the invitation is for your good. If you answer, you will be blessed, if you refuse, you will miss something major. Your life may depend on it (Isaiah 45:19).

When a man answers this kind of invitation from God, he returns as a changed man, loaded with the blessings of God, with his face shinning bright. That was the experience of Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John when they were on the mount with Christ (Exodus

34:29-30).

Don’t be too busy for this invitation. You cannot do more than pray until you have prayed. It has been said by a man of God that when man works, man works but when man prays, God works. By answering this invitation, you put yourself in a position for God to work for you and in your behalf. And the difference will be very clear for all to see (Isaiah 64:4).

Therefore, without any hesitation, answer the call of God. He is waiting for you.

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3).

Merciless Christians hat then does the story of the G o o d Samaritan mean if, indeed, the priest and the Levite represent today’s Christians? It means that, prophetically, it is the Christians of today who have no mercy. We despise unbelievers, certain they are going to hell. We speak disparagingly of them. We condemn sinners on grounds they are ungodly.

We stone them because they are caught in adultery.

We fail to appreciate that they are hapless travellers on the road of life who have been attacked by spiritual armed-robbers and left for dead. We conveniently forget that we used to be in the same position until we were rescued by the grace of

God. Therefore, “God is not a Christian,” declared Reverend Desmond Tutu.

“We are supposed to proclaim the God of love, but we have been guilty as Christians of sowing hatred and suspicion; we commend the one whom we call the Prince of Peace, and yet as Christians we have fought more wars than we care to remember.

We have claimed to be a fellowship of compassion and caring and sharing, but as Christians we often sanctify sociopolitical systems that belie this, where the rich grow ever richer and the poor grow ever poorer.”

One thing is certain.

Both the offending priest and the Levite must have had “compelling” reasons for not attending to the man dying on the roadside. They probably could not stop because they were in a hurry to attend a bible study. The priest decided that the best thing to do was to pray for the man when he got to church. The Levite was hurrying to get to a meeting of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and could not afford to be late.

Jesus’ parable “kills” the self-righteous believer who thinks he is justified by calling himself a Christian and by going regularly to church. He alerts us to the danger of assuming we are heavenbound because of our observance of certain religious rites. True Christianity is not legalistic. The love of our neighbour is the emblem of our being Christ’s disciples.

“Dear friends, let us practice loving each other, for love comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are the children of God.” (1 John 4:7).

minister, Dr. Glenn Arekion said Nigerian churches are very aggressive in the

propagation of the gospel and Virtues Christian Center is not an exception.

If he smoked cigarettes, we would not recognise him.

If he drank whisky, we would not recognise him.

If he wore earrings and a nose ring, we would not recognise him.

If he spoke Pidgin English, we would not recognise him. Since he did not wear trousers, we would be contemptuous of him. We would disqualify him by religious irrelevancies instead of identifying him by his fruits.

When Jesus asked the lawyer to identify the neighbour of the man who fell among thieves, the man wisely did not say it was the Samaritan.

If he had said that, he would have been wrong.

Instead, he correctly defined him by his fruit.

He said: “He who showed mercy on him.” He who showed mercy on him could be anybody, Christian or nonChristian, as long as he believed in Jesus and produced the fruits of his righteousness.

W

MPN seeks partners to build convention centre

F

OUNDER of Ministry Prayer Network, MPN, Rev. Mosy Madugba has said that his organistaion is seeking partners to build an international convention centre in Nigeria.

He stated this at a fund raising dinner in Lagos, noting “this is the age of gospel explosion and this centre shall be a meeting point for the children of the kingdom of God.” He said the convention centre which will be built on about 400 acres of land in Calabar, Cross River State will be a multipurpose centre with an auditorium accommodating about 30,000 people.

Also speaking, the chairman of the occasion, Sam Ohuabunwa said the project is very vital at this moment for Christians in Nigeria. He therefore called for support to ensure that the project is completed.

The ICC project is expected to be completed by 2015. The event was attended by friends and well wishers of the international evangelist including Prof. Pat Utomi of the Lagos Business School.

Cornerstone holds crusade

T

HE Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Cornerstone Parish, Okota-Isolo in conjunction with The End Time Harvesters Ministry, has concluded plans to hold a 2- day crusade with the theme, Power as of old on June 14 and 15th.

The crusade tagged Okota Miracle Crusade, is slated to hold at 126 Okota Road, opposite Tantalizer by 5.30pm daily, with anointed men of God ministering.

PAGE 50—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9 9, 2013

chimeena@yahoo.com 08056180157 said, “We are also in a short while going to establish the National Endowment Fund for the Art. We believe that when that is done, people like this would be given a prominent attention and support”.

Nwainyinya who is involved in advocacy aimed at protecting and preserving the art, culture and tradition of his people especially those being eroded as a result of Western influence inherited the art works from his father. He was born over four decades ago where his interest in the preservation of the arts and culture of his people began .

By JAPHET ALAKAM & PRISCA SAM-DURU VISUAL

T

H

From right— Solomon Nwainyinya takes the Minister of Tourism,Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke (m) round the art works while other art lovers watch.

Fed Govt is committed to National Endowment for Arts … extolls virtues of Nwainyinya your works.” The exhibition which will be last for a minimum of three to six months will be opened by Mr. President.

H

e assured Nwainyinya that the Ministry will work with him to not only preserve but also exhibit the works. “This is just my first visit. I will come back here and work with you piece by piece to see, because I know that you have an inventory of the works that are here and you have the literature of the works that are here; there is need to help you with expert support and some resources in order for these works to be appropriately handled. They are very delicate works, but it is important for us to showcase these works, to showcase you, so that other

Nigerians will understand that regardless of the challenges and the vicissitudes of life, there are Nigerians who believe in their heritage and will maintain the treasures that are handed over to them by their

,

he Minister for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke has promised that the much awaited establishment of the National Endowment Fund for Art in Nigeria will soon see the light of the day.

The Minister made the remarks when he paid a visit to the private gallery of art owned by Solomon Ogbonna Nwainyinya at Ojamakinwa Street, Ajah, Lagos. Duke who was accompanied by the Director General of National Gallery of Art (NGA), Mr. Abdulahi Muku, said the visit was to see for himself the rich array of works in the collection of Chief Nwainyinya, having been intimated about the fact that there are works of such magnitude in the hands of a private collector.

After embarking on a tour of the gallery, an obviously impressed Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, while addressing the journalists commended Nwainyinya for being able to maintain such enormous works and in such great numbers, adding that the works are treasures and cannot be hidden from global view. “The world must see these collections. I want to commend you; there are not too many Nigerians like you, who would not only cherish but also keep custody of these treasures, because these are treasures that tell the history of hundred years plus. I want to say that Nigeria owes you a huge amount of debt because what you have here challenges even what are held in National Museum of Nigeria,” Duke said. He disclosed that the Ministry is about to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ford Foundation for the renewal and expansion of the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos, adding that Nigeria is about to launch the history and heritage aspect of the centenary celebration. “As I speak to you I am expecting in a few weeks a visitation by one of the foremost museums in the world. As I speak to you, Nigeria is about to launch the history and heritage aspect of the centenary celebration. And I make bold to say that if we have a working relationship with you, perhaps the first public exhibition of a Nigerian arts and artifacts will be from this private collection.

And what we will do is to work with you and experts in the maintenance and restoration and mount public exhibition of

cultural heritage of this country. I am very proud of you; Nigeria must find the opportunity of honouring you appropriately. We will work with you; we will find some resources to help in restoring

There are not too many Nigerians like you, who would not only cherish but also keep custody of these treasures, because these are treasures that tell the history of hundred years plus

,

forefathers. This is a Nigerian who truly understands the essence of being a Nigerian and the importance of maintaining his roots and the

many of these works and also in managing to keep them in good condition.”.

On the National Endowment Fund for the Art, the Minister

e is one of the sons of late Chief Aguene Nwainyinya Okorie of Umuchita-Umudoni village in Onicha Igboeze, Onicha L.G.A, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

His grandfather, Chief Okorie Oti (1832-1924), was one of the foremost art collectors and he became an inspiration to his father Chief Aguene Okorie (1901-2004) who passed the baton to him.

According to him, the traditional art collection of his father, late Chief Okorie is being preserved in Lagos and Ebonyi. However, preserving these rare works is no doubt a huge task, given the aging conditions of some of the works, especially the ones in wood. “Our challenge is essentially documentation and restoration of the works,” Nwainyinya informed.

The works which are largely of wood and bronze carvings, especially by unidentified artists, showed a high level of creativity among the undocumented artists of the 1920s through 60s when his father collected some of the works. And in his effort to salvage the art works, he is set to catalogue them in a hardcover with scholarly inputs to preserve the collection. He disclosed that the book titled “The White Man’s Interest in African Arts: Unknown Facts” will be launched soon. He also plans to establish a private museum where the works will be kept.

Wole Soyinka meets Ake Film’s Cast & Crew

I

t was a bright and beautiful afternoon in Lagos, on Friday May 31, 2013 as Professor Wole Soyinka met with the top adult cast and crew for the feature film adaptation of his childhood memoir, Ake: the Years of Childhood currently being produced by a Lagos based production house, Back Page Productions.

The meeting was hilarious, thought-provoking as well as inspiring as Professor Soyinka and the lead cast and crew exchanged views and pleasantries.

In attendance were leading lights of the Nigerian movie industry. They include Taiwo Ajai-Lycest OON, FONTA; Akin Lewis, Tina Mba, Ben Tomoloju, Yinka Davies, Tony Umole, Yeni Kuti, Jimi Solanke, Jahman

Anikulapo, Beautiful Nubia etc. Also in attendance were the film’s top crew that include Dapo Adeniyi the executive producer, Yemi Akintokun the director, Ayodele Ayobolu and Kemi Obadina heads of marketing and communications respectively at Back Page Productions.

The film is set in the 1930s and 1940s and as poised to recreate that period through restored locations and period automobiles. One of the leading characters Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti is reputed to be the first woman in Nigeria to drive a car.

Nigeria’s history is also at the fore in the Ake film, especially the Egba Women’s

Riots of 1945 led by Professor Soyinka’s aunt and mother of the late musician Fela Kuti as well as Soyinka’s own mother, Eniola Soyinka. The riot climaxed with the famed deposition of the Alake of Egbaland, the abolition of the poll tax on Nigerian women and the institution of the universal adult suffrage.

The film which is commencing production in June 2013 is expected to be shot over the next six months in Abeokuta, Ibadan with some select scenes in Lagos.

They will be premiered in 2014, in time for two landmark events: the 100th anniversary of the Nigerian amalgamation and the 80th birthday celebration of Professor Soyinka.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013, PAGE 51

Songs of May in the hands of Three Artists

T

Last year she had read from her debut award-winning novel, Twilight at Terracota Indigo, but this time she read from her maiden poetry collection, Inside My Head which recently won a Poetry prize. The enthralling poems she read reached a climax with a poem based on the little publicized mass suicide of igbo slaves. Nt surprisingly, during the Q and A session, she was asked about her interest in history.

The man with a deep interest in history and author of Road To Biafra, Gerald Oluchi Ibe, read from his new collection of short stories, After The Tears. His story about a randy state governor ended on a hilarious note that drew a warm applause from the audience.

ElNathan John took his turn with his short story, “Bayan Layi”, which had just been shortlisted for this year ’s

Two of the writers reading to the audience edition of the Caine Prize for African Writing, along with three other Nigerians and a Sierra-leonean.

As John read his story,

,

By GRAREANO KORI ADIGA READING he billing promised to be a thriller of an event and some of the heavyweights of the Abuja literati turned up at the Banquet Hall of Nanet Suites,venue of the May 25, 2013 Guest Writer Session of Abuja Writers Forum (AWF).

Christy Makut, guitarist and songwriter, had the unenviable task of setting the tone for the evening. The OnAir-Personality with the Abuja-based FM Station, Nigeria Info, strummed and sang her soul-lifting songs with a captivating dexterity.

On hand too to fortify the musical interludes was Tokunbo Edward with his unique style of rendition which left the audience asking for more.

As is usual with the Guest Writer Session which is not just about reading, the medley also of presentations also included a mini-salon.

Ndubuisi Ahanonu better known as Nduwhite, stepped up to exhibit contemporary Nigerian paintings reflecting artistic perspectives of current events in the country.

According to Nduwhite, who is also Executive Director of the International Institute for Creative Development was represented, it is the responsibility of artists to preserve the age they live in by capturing events in their works. His exhibitions included a depiction of the anti fuel subsidy removal protest rally of January 2012 and an impressive array of used soft drink cans he personally picked on streets to create an intriguing collage.

At the ervent also, winners of the April Creative Writing Challenge received their prizes. The winners were Azizat Mohammed, Oye Ololade and Sadan Kalid, who came first, second and third respectively in the fiction category. There was a tie for the first position in poetry, held

by Lolade Oye and Amina Aboje and the third prize was won by Didi Nwala. Azizat Mohammed was the only winner for the drama category.

Most of the winners had recently completed the introductory phase of the AWF Creative Writing Workshop.

The writers took their turn to add gaiety to the delightful evening. First up was Umari Ayim, who is also a lawyer, fashion designer, gender rights activist and blogger, and she was making her second appearance at the Guest Writer Session.

the audience could not but agree with Casely-Hayford’s assessment. Some members of the audience hoped John or any of the other three

It is the responsibility of artists to preserve the age they live in by capturing events in their works

which he later revealed was inspired by a friendship he had cultivated with an almajiri years back in Zaria,

,

Nigerians would become winner of the £10,000 prize to be announced at a celebratory dinner at the Bodleian Library,

Oxford, on Monday 8 July.

The President of Abuja Writers Forum, Dr. Emman Usman Shehu in his closing remark congratulated ElNathan and expressed optimism that the body, and indeed a new generation of Nigerian writers will soon dominate international literary awards.

The literati at the event included Dr Musa Opanashi, Dr. Kazura Zakama, Mrs. Chineyere Obi-Obasi, Mike Ekunno, Prince Abiathar Zadok, Dike Chukwumerije, and Mr. Ibe one time governorship aspirant in Imo state.

Oba Ovonramwen Square at night time

By MARK OLAITA CULTURE

I

t is no longer news that Benin City is one of the richest in cultural heritage

all over the world. Most of these cultures were preserved till date of which the National Museum plays a very prominent role.

The location of the National Museum Benin City is at the heart beat of the City. It is situated at a place called Ring road which used to be called King’s Square, now changed to Oba Ovonramwen Square by the present Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams AliuOshiomhole.

The type of heritage property found at Oba

Ovonramwen square where the National Museum is situated can be grouped into two parts, namely :movable and immovable heritage,these are both man-made and natural collections.

Frankly speaking, among all the heritage properties both movable and immovable found in the present Oba Ovonramwen square, Benin City, the National Museum building erected in 1973 is still one of the most recent projects compare to other ones. This is excluding the water fountain that was built and declared open to the public by the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams AliuOshiomhole in the year 2010. A part from the water fountain project, every other important thing to reckon with within that

physical environment is so far older in age than the Museum structure itself. It is obvious that why Brigadier Samuel O.Ogbemudia (rtd) decided to erect the Museum in paripersu with other Monuments in this vicinity is to allow the Museum to complement the already existing historical property visà-vis. The National Museum must have been considered to be the most qualified and suitable institution to accommodate, acquire and care for these great heritage properties (monuments and sites) in such an important place like Oba Ovonramwen square. Putting sentiment aside, the best place to establish the National Museum in Benin City is no other place than its present location at Oba Ovonramwen square and it should be allowed to function as it ought to be.

I

Oba Ovonramwen's Stool (Agba), Late 19th century

t is certain that as the Benin history is old, so it’s archaeological and ethnographic property is old in nature. This includes both the already discovered and the one yet to be discovered.

A piece of advice is needed for our archaeologists over any archaeological work to be carried out either now or in the near future at Oba Ovonramwen square. Proper attention must be paid to these objects whenever any

excavation is going to take place especially in this area.

This is because those archaeological objects remaining under the ground must have been too fragile due to their old age by today. To embark on proper excavation under such condition, it entails a lot of considerations.

It requires enough tolerance of Edo people and Nigerians, provision of sufficient experts and modern sophisticated equipments among others. If these requirements are met among others, it will prevent any further damage to those hidden precious treasures. It is optimistic that in the near future when technology would have been more advanced, the kind of archaeological findings to be discovered on this site will be more precious than that of Queen Idia face mask which the European looted in Benin City in 1897.

In a nutshell, as the National Museum Benin City contain much valuable and authentic historical collections displayed within its buildings, so it is loaded with much valuable historical property in its surrounding site area of about 2.466acres for education, entertainment, enjoyment, relaxation and research purposes. The entire Museum environment serves as both physical and spiritual healing home for the Benins irrespective of religious affiliation.

PAGE 52—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE, 9, 2013

H

Love

i, few things in life can cause us to experience such a broad range of emotions, from the floating in air feeling of being in love for the very first time to the pain and agony of our most recent broken heart. In between, somewhere we find the love we not only can live with, but want to live for. Cheers!

Networking/ Sponsorship

•Chuks, from Delta state needs financial help from Godly spirited groups and individuals to settle debt incurred by his wife after suffering from breast cancer and still died. 08028970886 •A proprietor of a higher institution in Delta needs co partner or sponsorship call or text 07065118525, 08073304259 •Adejoke, 28, with ND in Accounting & BSc in Urban & Regional Planning, from Ondo state, but resides in Lagos, needs urgent employment in any good firm.

08060595684 •Michael, an upcoming artiste, needs a sponsors and a manager to make his dream a reality.07064431990 •Benedict, an up coming artist,needs sponsors.

08022828999 •Paul, 19, chocolate in complexion, handsome and from Delta state, needs a wealthy lady, who can sponsor his music career.08106391666

Links

•Philip Ikalume, wishes to link up with Adewale Adesanya and Kayode Adesanya, sons of Mr. William Adesanya, whom he lost contact with since 1980 when he left Ile ife to Auchi 08074833600 •Someone, wants to link up with Tajudeen Jinadu, Peter Odiboh and Michael Ojo, they were classmates at Western college of commerce Yaba Lagos.07067647240 •Felix Ikechukwu, from Asaba Delta state, wants to link up with a friend Esther Chinyere Njoku, whom he last saw in 1995 at Festac Town Lagos.07031026968

Friends Searching Female

•Akunna, resides in Lagos, needs intelligent friends who will help her to achieve her goals.07087553172, 08188568267 •Tessy, 20, dark in complexion, average height and needs male and female friends, in Delta state..

08135131823

Searching Male

•Pat, 52, needs a lady, aged 35-45 who is lonely and needs a companion, as a

friend. 08092344293 •Felix, from Warri, needs mature male friends.

08182020581, 08105268974 •Austin, 25, undergraduate, from Enugu state but resides in Benin, needs female friends. 07030733822

•Doctor, 38, tall, dark in complexion employed and resides in Lagos, needs a female friend.08033770835 •Jude, 20, from Warri, Delta state, needs male and female friends especially from Delta, that are educated. BB pin 200fff31, 08162657151 •Dami, 25, a Christian and a gradate, needs female friends, aged 18-25 for a serious relationship.

08168535009, 08052042724 •Richard, 27, handsome and from Delta state, needs male friends.08157444397 •Max, resides in Warri, needs a girl that resides in Warri, for friendship.

08060936580 •Nkem, 19, tall, fair in complexion, a student and from Agbor but resides in Asaba, needs friends.07035673725

Lovers Searching Female

•Ifunanya sweet 23, pretty, tall, shy, humble, responsible, hardworking, down to earth, beautifully endowed boobs and backside, in search of true and honest man 4rm 45 years and above for a romantic relationship.

08097174663 •Ada,33, tall, fair in complexion, slim, a graduate and employed, from Anambra state, needs a man that is ready for marriage, aged 3640. 07069282555 •Brenice, 25, tall beautiful, busty, fair in complexion and from Delta state, needs a wealthy and caring man, aged 50-60, for a love and business relationship that, can lead to marriage.

08102422053

•Angel, 22, a student, needs a man, aged 30-40, who is God fearing, good looking, employed and ready for marriage.08026434308, 08065868831 •Queen, 5.6ft tall, busty, physically endowed and resides in Port Harcourt, needs a man, for a relationship.08030801203 •Angela, 27, fair, in complexion, tall, caring and lovely, needs a lovely and God fearing man, aged 3442, for a relationship.

07035712235 •Katie, 23, needs a strong

and God fearing man, for a relationship.08165741029 •Cynthia, 20, from Edo state, needs a matured minded man for a serious relationship. 08137453711 •Blessing, 23, busty and sexy, from Delta state, needs a caring man for a relationship.

08105356770 •Anabell, 24, sexy and a student, needs a sexy, strong and fun loving young man.

08107310599 •Naomi, 26, busty and needs a man, for a relationship.

08066396534 •Cynthia, 23, needs a man, who is loving, caring and God fearing, who will take care of her.08102238805 •Freda, 5.9ft tall, sexy and resides in Port Harcourt, needs a man, for a serious relationship.08109356753 •Grace, a single mother of two, needs a decent, God fearing, educated and gainfully employed single father for marriage, aged 40- 50.

08I86604234,08055458194 •Oma, 34, Hiv Positive, from Anambra state, needs a God fearing man for a serious relationship that can lead to marriage.08100430794 •Favour, 27, kind, humble and a beautiful single mother from Edo stat, needs a responsible and God fearing man for marriage.

08032893493, 07057312791 •A fair pretty girl, needs a guy, aged 28-33, who is tall and handsome and financially ok for a relatnship.

08139033628 •Miriam, 26, sexy, busty and resides in Delta state, needs a man for a relationship.

08066396534

DISCLAIMER! Dear readers, please note that we neither operate, nor are we an affiliate of any match–making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with any one claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk. Our mission is only to provide a platform for social networking.

Also note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests which may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore request that text must be sent through at least one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to enable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You can send your requests to 33055. For enquiries, text or call 08026651636

•Jennifer, a single mother of one, needs a guy, for a serious relationship, that can lead to marriage.

07033908369.

•Joy, 27, average height, from Enugu state, needs a guy, aged 28-29, who will love her for whom she is.

08167778466

Searching Male

•A guy, 34, from Imo state, needs a lady, aged 35-45, who is either single, divorce or widower, for a relationship.07012769632, 08179481325 •Darlington, 30, resides in Warri, needs a matured, beautiful caring, and fun loving lady, aged 20-30 for a serious relationship.

07036680896 •Moses, 27, employed and also a student from Asaba, needs a pretty girl within Delta or Asaba, aged 22-24 for serious relationship that will lead to marriage.

07062089715 •Ben, 38, from Abia state, needs a matured .busty lady from any Igbo speaking tribe, who is employed in a good organasation and educated aged 27-35 for marriage.

08035465614 •Raymond, 33 and resides in Benin, needs an employed lady, aged 30-40, for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage.08067086269 •Chi boy, 30, from Imo state, needs a lady, for a relationship.08169221357 •Hammed, employed, from Benine Republic, but resides in Lagos, needs a loving and God fearing lady, for a relationship.07068603002 •Pat, 38, needs a mature lady, aged 38-45, for a good relationship. 07098700067, 07025883374 •Success, from Anambra state, needs a lady, for an intimate relationship aged 2028. 08079651570 •Andy, 25, a student, from Delta state, but resides in Benin, needs a pretty, busty and simple lady for a serious relationship, aged 17-30.

08166185771, 08159472248 •Mark, 23, from Delta state, needs a decent lady, for a relationship.07038517593 •Pascal, from Delta state, needs a girl, for a relationship in Delta state. 08163599195, 08094168700 •Kc, 27, needs a fat matured lady, aged 37-55, for a relationship.08164150081 •Isaiah, needs a serious white lady, who is a Christian, from South Africa or America, aged.30-32, for a relationship, that will lead to marriage.08091753304 •Henry, 29, tall, from Delta state, but resides in Lagos, needs a lady, who is employed aged 25-27 for a serious relationship. 07039023833 •Ken, need a rich, cool, caring, God fearing, born again sister for both God’s work and marriage.07065298663 •A guy, needs a God fearing, tall, and slim, lady, who is a graduate and who resides in Lagos, aged 25-35, for a sincere relationship that will lead to marriage.

08037874624 •Dele, 35, a businessman and resides in Lagos, needs an independent lady, for a relationship that will lead to marriage.08129970347 •Babalola, 35, needs a religious Muslim girl, aged 30, for marriage.08087074640,

08138856900, 08170141833 •Favour, 31, from Anambra state, needs a dark in complexioned, tall, educated and a born again Christian lady, for marriage, aged 21-26, from either Anambra, Delta or Ebonyi state.08169234834 •Ike, 49, a single father of two, employed and resides, in Nnewi, needs a Godly, beautiful, dark in complexion and employed lady, aged 40, for marriage.08064537307 •Xcellency, 18 needs a girl, aged 16-18 for a serious relationship and true love.

08138892459 •Adewale, dark in complexion, needs a serious lady, for a relationship that will lead to marriage.08166004456 •Nino, 24, 5.6ft tall, chocolate in complexion and from Benin, needs a lady, aged 30-45, for fun and love.08138759503 •Martin, 29, a graduate and employed, needs a financially stable and responsible lady, for a serious relationship. 08036212189 •Johnson, 28, fair in completion and a student who likes clubbing, hanging out and swimming, needs a man for a relationship.08029987965 •Martins, tall, dark in complexion and from Delta state, needs a beautiful, sexy, busty independent lady, for a relationship.08137187094 •Chudi, 28, handsome and from Delta state, needs a sexy lady, for a strong relationship.

08036212427 •Gabriel, 20, from Delta state, needs a lady, from Edo or Delta state, aged 19-22, for a relationship.08160434306 •Mark, 38, employed a Christian and needs a business or employed Christian lady, aged 32-38, for a marriage bound relationship.08021036364 •Michael, 25, handsome, caring and intelligent from South east and a student, needs a pretty and rich lady, for marriage this year.07035534337 •Peter, 35, 6.8ft tall, handsome, dark in complexion and self employed, needs a sincere, employed, Christian lady, for marriage. 08037858181 •Yinka, needs a girl, aged 2225, for a relationship.

08064780375 •Frank, 36, a employed and resides in PH, needs a humble, caring, God fearing, intelligent, pretty, busty and employed lady, aged 27-38, for a wife.08166854226

Sugar Cares Searching Female

•Anas, dark in complexion, beautiful, lovely, sexy and hot, needs a caring, lovely and sugar daddy, that is financially buoyant. 08168002971, 07061053802 •Ela, 25, beautiful with a nice shape, needs a sugar daddy to spoil her.08100656795

Searching Male

•Williams, 30, need a rich sugar mummy who will take care of him. 08025852752 •Christian, 26, a student and resides in Imo state, needs a sugar mummy.08184021968 •Solomon, 42, employed and good looking, needs a beautiful sugar mummy, aged 45-55, for a relationship. 08024374445 •Franco, 30, from Asaba Delta state, needs a sexy and caring sugar mummy, who resides in Asaba, aged 35-40.

08130938279

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013 PAGE — 53

How parents are encouraging sports in Anambra – Commissioner

BY OJIEVA EHIOSUN

A

S part of efforts to compliment Governor Obis’ plan to return Anambra state to the pinnacle of sports in Nigeria, parents in the state now make special budgets to enable them buy sporting kits for their wards just to encourage active participation in sports. This is as a result of the recent gesture of the governor where he showered money on athletes for their performances during the last national schools competitions. In an exclusive chat recently the commissioner for Youth and Sports Dr. Edozie Okay Aroh said the secret behind the rapid development of sports in Anambra State is the decision of Governor Peter Obi in conjunction with the state ministry of Youth and Sports to take sports to the grass root.

The banker turned politician cum sports administrator, revealed that parents in Anambra state are happy with the development. As a follow up, they now make special budgets to enable them buy kits for their wards to encourage sports participation, stressing that pupils of about 13 -14 years recently carted away a total sum of N200,000 each.

Grass root sports I’m bold to tell you today that Anambra State has taken off and we are not going to leave any stone unturned to see that the plan of the state government in returning Anambra state to where it used to be in the calendar of Nigeria’s sports is actualized within the shortest possible time.

We have plans to start from the basis by getting schools sports reactivated, this is the basis of grass root development.

You were aware when we distributed money to schools to empower them to be able to create some minimal facilities to help sports take off.. We have also stepped up the ante in our efforts to give our coaches good and quality training. To this end we have sent most of them on training courses at the NIS while others went to sporting institutions to get the necessary training to bring them up to a level where they can coach the pupils and the students . It might also interest you to know the that Anambra state government have invested large sums of money into renovating the two stadia we have in Onitsha.

We have also delivered grants of about N30million to Rojeni to enable him put the stadium facilities in proper shape and also extended the same to Ikpazu foot ball club,

Sports-loving Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi (right) with the Commissioner for Sports, Dr. Edozie Okay Aroh at a sports function. the oldest football club owned by an individual in Anambra state. All these things we have put together have also started yielding fruits and the sports loving people of Anambra state are happy about it.

Again at the last concluded National Schools Sports which

is the basis of test for grassroot, Anambra state came 5th with 39 Gold medals, 68 Silver, and 85 Bronzes. That has never been the case, we never come close to 10th before..Schools sports has taken off fully in the state.

Principals in schools get excited over this development. Can you

believe that our governor do attend Inter-House and InterSchool Sports competitions as a way of helping the schools to boost sports. We have been able to sensitiz the parents to have interest in what their kids are doing in schools apart from reading. Before if you want to

do sports as a primary or secondary school boy, they would think you are not a serious child but I tell you today that parents here make special budgets to buy their wards sporting kits because they have discovered that sports is now big business.

So the government is doing so much to develop sports in Anambra and students are taking good advantage of it. You are aware that Anambra state is representing the country in Oslo in a YSFON compe-tition.

Our boys have already gone to secure their travelling documents and the governor has funded us very well. We are beginning to feel the charged air with sporting activities and by the time we are through with our plans to put Anambra state back to her premier position in Nigeria sporting calendar, we would have been able to reduce drastically the waves of criminal activities among our teeming youth population.

Incentives for athletes Recently in the state, our governor gave out over N30million as prizes to those that won in one event or the other. Some kids of about 13 and 14 years made up to N200,000 on their own for winning medals and their parents were happy with the development.

So if your child cannot make it in academics, such a child can make it in sports.

Every thing is adding up, schools are doing very well and the government will not rest on its oars too. These are some of the things we have done since I came on board as Youth and Sports commissioner.

Metu celebrates athletics success with mentor, Haile Gebrselassie N

IGERIA’S sprinster, Obin na Metu visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the end of May to meet with double Olympic champion and 27 time world record holder, Haile Gebrselassie, to celebrate the success of the G4S 4teen programme.

Launched in 2007, the G4S 4teen programme was set up to support 14 young athletes from 13 countries around the world on their journey to achieving their sporting ambitions. The programme, mentored by Gebrselassie, has provided athletes with funding and mentoring in sport but also on-going investment in to their education and community.

The G4S 4teen has now come to an end following the London 2012 Olympic Games, and last month G4S brought together the athletes and their mentor, Haile Gebrselassie, in Addis Ababa to celebrate the end of the programme and its many achievements.

Among the busy activities, Metu joined the other athletes

on a tour of Haile’s hometown, watched a premiere of the G4S 4teen documentary in Haile’s cinema, saw Haile’s many medals in his trophy cabinets at his home and celebrated the G4S 4teen at a final event for VIPS at the British Ambassador’s Residence in the heart of Addis Ababa.

The G4S 4teen athlete Obinna said: “Since joining the G4S programme I have achieved so many of my goals on the track.

I can honestly say that without Haile’s support and the G4S 4teen programme, I wouldn’t have competed at the London 2012 Olympics or become the fastest man in Nigeria. I come from a poor family and they could not have supported me with all that I needed to be able to train full time, so the G4S 4teen programme has been essential in becoming a two time Olympian and going to the World Championships.

Haile has been a fantastic mentor and has taught me how to mentally prepare for my races and withstand the

Metu (left) with his mentor, Haile Gebrselassie pressure of competing on a world stage.”

Gebrselassie added: “As I know from the early years of my career, it is essential that young athletes receive the help and support they need to develop and succeed. G4S 4teen has been a truly pioneering sports programme, providing support to a group of exceptionally tal-

ented young athletes. The level of commitment that G4S has shown to the members of the team is impressive and I am honoured to have played my part as the G4S 4teen global ambassador. This week has been a very special opportunity for everyone involved in the G4S 4teen to celebrate its success”.

PAGE 54—SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

C M Y K

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 9, 2013 — PAGE 55

Obuh assures Nigerians on fumbling Flying Eagles J

OHN Obuh is no new comer to the world of FIFA youth competi-tions.

In 2009, he led Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets to second place in the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Two years later he was in charge of the Flying Eagles as they campaigned in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia and later this year he will again lead the Nigerian U-20 side when they compete at the showpiece event of world youth football in Turkey.

FIFA.com spoke recently to Obuh about his preparations for the tournament in Turkey and about youth football on the African continent.

In that conversation, the straight-talking Obuh stressed the value of experience in these international events, and said he is confident that these learnings will be put to good use as the Flying Eagles try to win their first FIFA U-20 World Cup. “The experience I have from the finals in Colombia in 2011, or even from 2009, when we hosted the Under-17 World Cup finals, is something that I can use now as we prepare for Turkey. It will also come to good use at the finals themselves.”

The 53-year-old said one of the main challenges that he has learned as a veteran of coaching is the difficulty of getting the best out of his sometimes overwhelmed young players. Especially at the largest tournaments, he says, you never know what you will get from youth players compared to full internationals. “The older players are more mature which means they

of them to the Toulon tournament, where several of the other teams that will compete in Turkey were also playing. The seven players that I left behind were those who were already in my plans.

I wanted to give the other players a chance to show me what they can do.”

The team achieved a morale-boosting 1-1 draw

against Brazil in Toulon, and Obuh believes that the participation in the tournament will help the team at the finals. “I think few people can argue that African players do not have the skills.

The skills are already embedded, but the character is lacking and that is something that we are working on.”

Angola, Senegal keep Group open

A Flying Eagles coach, John Obuh (right) and members of the technical crew will perform under more pressure.”

His charges will be feeling the pressure as he takes the side to Turkey, where he will not be underestimating his Group B

opponents. “There is no group that is cheap. All are strong nations, some are very strong,” he said when asked about Korea Republic, Cuba and Portugal.

However, Obuh insists he is confident that his team will arrive at the finals well prepared. “We conducted a training camp in Germany with 30 players and then I took 23

NGOLA and Senegal made sure their Group J remains tight after a 1-1 draw in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash in Luanda yesterday.

Just two points separate Senegal in top spot and Uganda in fourth with two rounds remaining, meaning it is still anybody’s

Jonathan’s comments excite Eagles •As Keshi praises Maigari

P

RESIDENT Good luck Jonathan’s consistent monitoring and support for the Super Eagles is boosting confidence in the team, as the team now knows that apart from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), they have the support of those in authority at the highest level in the country.

Head Coach Stephen Keshi was quoted by team’s spokesman Ben Alaiya, as saying each time he hears words of goodwill and direct comments from the President of the

country, the confidence of the players and the entire team skyrockets.

“We are truly humbled by the comments of Mr President and I can assure him and the entire nation that we will not let him down”, Keshi said as the team prepares for another crucial World Cup qualifier against Namibia on Wednesday in Windhoek.

It will be recalled that on Thursday President Jonathan tasked the team to go all out for the Brazil 2014 World Cup ticket at the flag

off of the Rhythm and Play mobilisation project initiated by the Nigeria Academicals Sports Committee (NASCOM), a parastatal under the National Sports Commission.

Keshi also spoke glowingly about the new partnership he is enjoying with the leadership of the NFF headed by Alhaji Aminu Maigari, declaring that he has never had it this smooth in his recent managerial experiences. “Ofcourse, the results are coming because we have the backing of all Nigerians, especially the NFF leadership and

by extension the President of the Federal Republic, we can’t ask for more”, he said,

guess as to who will advance from the pool.

Senegal looked as though they were headed to a victory when Papiss Cisse handed them a first half lead, but Angola struck back 10 minutes into the second period when Afonso Guilherme equalised for the home side.

Senegal will travel to Liberia and host Uganda in their final two qualifiers and will feel confident of topping the group. Angola go to Uganda next weekend and then host Liberia in their final match.

Leone Stars blow chance against Tunisia

S

IERRA Leone have blown the chance to get back into their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying Group B after conceding late to leaders Tunisia.

The teams drew 2-2, a result that probably assures the north African side of winning the pool.

They lead by five points from the second-placed Leone Stars, who are probably their only challengers for the top spot.

Sierra Leone led into

injury-time in Freetown, but a goalkeeping error from Ibrahim Tarawallie allowed Fakhreddine Ben Youssef to bundle the ball home.

The home team were ahead six minutes before the break through Kaiansu Kamara, who set them on their way.

Tunisia equalised from the penalty spot when Oussama Darragi converted 10 minutes into the second half.

French Open: Ferrer tests Nadal’s power Ferrer’s only victory on be in the final of a Grand for top prize clay against Nadal was

D

AVID Fer rer approaches his first Grand Slam final at the age of 31 admitting that he has already made a ‘dream come true’.

The Spaniard has been a top-10 player for almost a decade but reached a major final at the fifth attempt with Friday ’s straight-sets victory over Joe-Wilfried Tsonga at Roland Garros.

His reward is a meeting with his fellow countryman Rafael Nadal - the undisputed King of Clay and a seven-time champion in Paris.

in their first meeting at Stuttgart in 2004 when his compatriot was just 16 and he has lost the last eight meetings between the two. The career stats are 19-4 in Nadal’s favour.

As well as losing to Nadal in the quarterfinals in Paris in 2005 and in the semi-finals last year, Ferrer has already been beaten three times by his countryman in 2013, all on clay.

Nevertheless, Ferrer is understandably on a high heading into Sunday ’s showpiece.

“It’s a dream for me to

Slam, and Roland Garros is more important for me,” he said.

“I will fight. It’s very difficult to beat Rafael on all the surfaces, but on a clay court it is more difficult.

•Nadal

L-R President General Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr Rafiu Ladipo,Special Guest of Honour, Honourable Abike Dabiri Erewa, the Captain of Tesilim Thunder Balogun Academy Ikorodu, the wining team, John Anayo and the Organiser of the Competition Mr Rasheed Olumide Teslim Balogun at the presentation of the Cup to the wining team at Ikorodu, Lagos.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 9, 2013

Ikhana urges NFF to hire new coach for Falcons team’s failure, the first of

By BEN EFE

F

C O N F E D E R AT I O N S C U P :

ORMER Super Fal cons coach, Kadiri Ikhana has urged the Nigeria Football Federation not to delay in getting a new coach for the nation-

al women’s team.

Ikhana led the Falcons to a fruitless African Women’s Championships last year in Equatorial Guinea but he promptly threw in the towel after accepting responsibility for the

its kind in the Falcons long reign as African champions.

“I know that the NFF is busy at the moment trying to get Nigeria pick a World Cup ticket. But they should not prolong the appointment of a new coach for the Falcons. This is because there is a need to have a head coach who will kick start the team’s preparations for the tournaments ahead,” said the veteran coach. The 2014 AWC is billed for Namibia and as always, it will serve as the women’s World Cup qualifiers. The 2015 edition will be hosted by Canada.

Tahiti coach dreams good start against Eagles T

AHITI coach Eddy Etaeta is dream ing of a good start against the Super Eagles when they clash in the opening game of the FIFA Confederations Cup on June 17.

Tahiti are drawn in group B alongside Nigeria, Uruguay and World

and European champions Spain. Tahiti obviously are the weakest team of the group and they indicated that they have much crying to do after the Chilean Under-20 team thrashed them 7-0 during a warm up match.

“I really hope this defeat will act as a trigger for us

NIGERIA’S SQUAD: Goalkeepers •Vincent ENYEAMA •Austine EJIDE •Chigozie AGBIM Defenders •Godfrey OBOABONA •Uwa ECHIEJILE •Efe AMBROSE •Azubuike EGWUEKWE •Solomon KWAMBE •Francis BENJAMIN •Kenneth OMERUO

Midfielders •John OGU •John Obi MIKEL •Fegor OGUDE •Ogenyi ONAZI •Emeka EZE •Sunday MBA

and that we will react to this spanking when we play our first game against Nigeria.”

Meanwhile all eight nations confirmed their list of players for the tournament and Brazil is already agog as they expect the arrivals of six other nations. Brazil and Tahiti are already on ground.

Hosts and reigning FIFA Confederations Cup champions Brazil boast

an array of attacking talent, with Neymar and Oscar arguably the star attractions. Attempting to halt their progress in Group A will be Italy, who have a blend of youth and experience in their squad.

Alongside the likes of Mario Balotelli and Sebastian Giovinco are veterans Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo. Japan and Mexico, meanwhile, will look to their respec-

tive talismans in Keisuke Honda and the much-beloved Javier Hernandez.

RESULTS Botswana CAR Angola Congo Uganda Zambia Sudan S/Leone C/Verde Gambia

1 0 1 0 1 4 1 2 2 0

Ethiopia S/Africa Senegal Gabon Liberia Lesotho Ghana Tunisia E/Guinea CIV

2 3 1 0 0 0 3 2 1 3

TODAY’S MATCHES Benin Mali Togo Niger Zimbabwe Guinea

Forwards •Ahmed MUSA •Brown IDEYE •Joseph AKPALA •Muhammad GAMBO •Anthony UJAH •Michael BABATUNDE •Nnamdi ODUAMADI

v v v v v v

Algeria Rwanda C ameroon B/Faso Egypt Mozambique

French Open title excites Serena, hails Sharapova •Wins 16th Grand Slam title

S

ERENA Williams hailed the resolve of Maria Sharapova despite defeating her in straight sets to win the French Open at Roland Garros.

Williams picked up her 16th Grand Slam title and second French Open title, 11 years to the day since her first, with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Sharapova.

And the American, while admitting she now feels like a Parisian, was impressed by the fight her Russian opponent exhibited on court.

Williams said: “Eleven years. I think it’s unbelievable. Now I have 16 Grand Slam titles. It’s difficult for me to speak because I’m so excited.

“I love Paris. I spend a lot of time here. I live

here. I practice here. I think I am a Parisian.

“She played a beautiful final. She’s a great champion. I hope to be with her again next year.”

Sharapova, who was looking to defend her 2012 title in Paris, admits she came up against an incredible competitor.

“I played a great tournament and I ran into a really tough champion today,” said Sharapova.

At 31, Williams’ victory sees her become the oldest woman to win a major title since Martina Navratlova at Wimbledon in 1990, aged 33.

Rafael Nadal takes on David Ferrer in the men’s final today with the Spaniard looking to become the first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam event.

NEW CHAMP... Serena Williams yesterday picked her 16th Grand Slam title and second French Open title in 11 years. She said it feels good wiinning the title again.

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1.Nigerian state (4) 3. Niger-Delta tribe (8) 6. W. African country (5) 8. Wind instrument (4) 9. Vast (8) 11. Meadow (3) 12. Smallest part (4) 13. Unemployed (4) 14. Have ambition (6) 16. Attachment (5) 18. Spy (5) 20. Hangs around (7) 22. Irritate jokingly (5) 24. Nigerian state (5) 26. U.S. currency unit (4) 29. Insects (4) 30. Orb (4) 31. Sailor (3) 32. Hoped for (8) 33. Smooth (4) 34. Tox (5) 35. Sun-measuring equipments (8)

1

2

36. Consolidates (4) DOWN 1. Nigerian state (7) 2. Middle Belt tribe (5) 3. Nigerian tribe (6) 4. Distending (7) 5. Examine (7) 7. Stockpile (5) 10. Seize with teeth (4) 14. Engine part (4) 15. Cereal (3) 17. No (Scottish) (3) 18. Enquires (4) 19. Pen tip (3) 21. Maiden name (3) 22. Businessmen (7) 23. Hang (7) 25. Isles (7) 26. U.S. currency unit (4) 27. Sportswear firm (6) 28. Go in (5) 30. Makes beer (5)

3

6

4

5

7

8

9

10

11 12

13 14

16

15

17

18 20

22

19

21

23

24 26

27

25

28

29

30 31

32

33 34

35

36

SOLUTION on page 15

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa.

Advert Dept: :01- 7924470; Hotline: 01- 4707189; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail website: sundayvanguard@yahoo.com, editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, sunvanguardmail@yahoo.com. Advert:advert@vanguardngr.com.

Internet: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: JIDE AJANI. All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

C M Y K