Why i didn't sign amended constitution-Jonathan

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62385

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

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N150

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Orekoya's kidnapped 3 children found naked in bag 6

FACE-OFF WITH N-ASSEMBLY:

Why I didn't sign amended constitution —Jonathan •Sagay, Ngige, Keyamo, Ajulo back Jonathan •Mark stops Senators from debating President’s letter •As NASS embarks on two-day retreat

By Emma Aziken, Clifford Ndujihe, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu, Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Joseph Erunke

ISSUES IN CONTENTION President Goodluck Jonathan listed 13 contentious issues and reasons he refused to assent the constitution amendments. They are: •President no longer to assent future constitution amendments •Non-compliance with the threshold specified in Section 9(3) of the 1999 Constitution on amendments •Alteration to constitution cannot be valid with mere voice votes unless supported by the votes of not less than four-fifths majority of all members of National Assembly and two-thirds of all the 36 state Houses of Assembly; •Right to free basic education and primary and maternal care services imposed on private institutions •Flagrant violation of the doctrine of separation of powers •Unjustified whittling down of the Executive powers of the Federation vested in the President by virtue of Section 5(1) of the 1999 Constitution •30 days allowed for assent of the President •Limiting expenditure in default of appropriation from six months to three months •Creation of the Office of Accountant-General of the Federation, distinct from the Accountant General of the Federal Government •Empowering National Economic Council to appoint the Accountant-General of the Federation instead of the President •Allowing NJC to now appoint the Attorney-General of the Federation rather than the President •Unwittingly whittling down the discretionary powers of the Attorney-General of the Federation

COLUMNISTS: Chibok girls: When Ndigbo •P.19 shot themselves Sore on our•P.17 How Obasanjo destroyed PDP (2) on the foot •P.19 conscience C M Y K

There are too many fake lawyers in Nigeria — CJN 9

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AGOS — P R E S I D E N T Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, gave reasons why he refused to assent the constitution amendment bill

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Jonathan to handover to Buhari May 28 9 Mr & Mrs

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POCKET CARTOON refused his request, saying he was earlier communicated by the Conference Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, that it was holding a two-day retreat between yesterday and today, to discuss and take position on the president’s letter.

Mark said: “Obviously, this letter is not like any other normal letter. We can’t discuss the letter unless you have a copy of it. So, the first reaction is for me to make copies available to everybody. And you go and study it. And if you notice, there is an announcement also by the Constitution Review Committee that they are going to meet. So, that will straight away go to them. I agree with you that weighty issues have Mamman Kontagora building, Marina, Lagos Island gutted by fire, been raised. It’s a peculiar yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor. case, so everybody will be involved.”

Why I didn't sign amended constitution — Jonathan Continues from Page 1 forwarded to him by the National Assembly even as some eminent lawyers backed his decision.

Raising about 12 grounds, President Jonathan in a letter entitled: “Re: Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Fourth Alteration Act, 2015,” questioned the power the National Assembly has to arrogate to itself the power to pass any constitution amended without the assent of the President.

He also picked holes in whittling down the power of the President, allowing the National Judicial Council, NJC, to appoint the Attorney-General of the Federation, separating the office of the Accountant-

General of the Federation from that of the Federal Government, and limiting the period when expenditure can be authorized in default of appropriation from six months to three months, among others.

Leading lawyers, who endorsed the president’s action were Professor Itse Sagay (SAN), Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), Mr Festus Keyamo and Mr Kayode Ajulo.

Shocked by the President’s letter, the National Assembly Conference Committee, comprising members of the Constitution Review Committee in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, yesterday,

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

S

OME people come into your life as your blessing, others come into your life as your lesson— Ella Randle

Be careful what you allow into your personal space.

Just as easily as we can absorb someone else’s sadness, we can also absorb criticism. We take it in, deeply, and let it peculate through our cells until it becomes embedded in our emotional programming. And this may leads to actions that are not a true reflection of one’s real self.

When dealing with difficult or challenging persons, this is often life’s way of teaching us to be more tolerant and giving of our patience as well.

You can shrug your shoulder and just move on with your life. Believe me, some people aren’t worth the fuss; they are only going to drain you if you let them.

At best see the blessings and lessons in any experience as a gift, and find new friends, kindred spirit with mutual interest.

Remember, the qualities we’re able to give so well and freely to others are often the hardest things to give to ourselves. So while we so easily help others to feel comforted, secure, understood, validated, and respected, try to do same with yourself.

While we help others connect to their own inner voices, we must be open to listen to our own inner guidance and intuition. Learn to cut yourself some slack and be gentle with you!

began a two-day retreat to look into the bill and the attendant consequence of the president’s action. It will come out with a definite position on the issue next week.

Mark stops senators from debating President’s letter

The President’s letter was read on the floor of the Senate during plenary yesterday by the Senate President, David Mark. But he stopped Senators from debating the President’s refusal to assent to the amended bill, when some senators, led by Senator Sadiq Yar ’Adua, APC, Katsina Central, raised a Point of Order, seeking permission to that effect.

The President, in the letter also lamented what he termed as usurpation of powers of the executive by the legislature in the fourth alteration of the constitution.

Shortly after the Senate President finished reading the letter, Senator Abubakar Yar’Adua, APC, Katsina Central, raised a Point of Order, seeking that the Senate be allowed to debate the President’s letter.

He said: “I think it is important for us to discuss that letter and see whether there is need for us to consider the letter or not. I think he has raised very serious fundamental issues, especially in terms of our conscience as lawmakers and his own position as the chief executive officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is why I am raising this point or order.”

But the Senate President

Where lawmakers erred —Jonathan

In the letter, Jonathan said that the two chambers of the National Assembly failed to meet requirements for altering Section 9 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.

“Section 4 of the Fourth Alteration Act, 2015 seeks to alter Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution by the insertion of a new subsection 3A, which dispenses with the assent of the President in the process of constitution amendment. However, this alteration can only be valid if the proposal was supported by votes of not less than four-fifths majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly and approved by a resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the states as provided by Section 9 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.

“This is a fundamental requirement of the constitution and in the absence of credible evidence that this requirement of the constitution was met in the votes and proceedings of the National Assembly, it will be unconstitutional for me to assent to this Bill,” he explained.

Besides, the President said there were a number of provisions in the Act that altogether constitute flagrant violations of the doctrine of separation of powers enshrined in the 1999 Constitution and unjustifiably whittle down the executive powers of the federation vested in the president by virtue of Section 5 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.

Jonathan observed that the power vested in the

President to withhold his assent to bills passed by the National Assembly was part of checks and balances contained in the constitution.

He said Sub-section 5a of Section 58, which provides that the bill becomes law after the expiration of 30 days in the event that the president fails to signify the withholding of his assent, may be inappropriate.

“The provision appears not to have taken cognizance of the aforementioned variables, the vagaries inherent in the legislative process and the wisdom in requiring twothirds majority to override the President’s veto.

"In the light of the above, I am of the view that the failure to signify assent by the President within the prescribed period of 30 days should rather be treated as dissent, which would require two-thirds majority to override."

Jonathan faults NASS over alteration

Jonathan also faulted the National Assembly over its alteration, seeking to limit the period when expenditure can be authorized in default of appropriation from the six months provided in the constitution to three months, saying: “I am of the view that this provision has the potential of occasioning financial hardships and unintended shut-down of government business, particularly where for unforeseen reasons and other exigencies in the polity, the National Assembly is unable to pass the Appropriation Act timeously.

“Our recent experiences with the process of passing the Appropriation Act do not justify the reduction of six-month time limit in the constitution,” he insisted.

The President also faulted Section 84a that created the new Office of Accountant General of the Federation distinct from the Accountant General of the Federal Government, saying it did

not address the funding requirements for establishment of the office.

"It is necessary to clarify, for instance, who staffs and funds the office of Accountant- General of the Federation and from whose budget he will be paid since he serves the three tiers of government,“he stressed.

He also said it was important to state who will exercise oversight powers over the office, noting that the National Economic Council, which was mainly an advisory body, was now charged with the responsibility of recommending those to be appointed to the office of the Accountant-General.

The President equally faulted the National Assembly in separating the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation from the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General from the Commissioner for Justice in the respective states of the federation and also the provision for independence of the Office of Attorney General by guaranteeing tenure and funding.

He said as desirable as the alterations were, there were some provisions that violate the doctrine of separation of powers and also negate what he called “the age-long independence and absolute discretion that the office has enjoyed for centuries since its creation in the middle ages."

He said the first setback was that the alteration was silent on who was the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, noting: “This is a serious lacuna, which may create implementation challenges."

President has minor justification—Sagay

On the controversy, Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, said though the President has a minor justification in refusing to endorse the amendment in the 1999 Constitution, some of the

Continues on Page 55

6 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

PDP candidate in Edo hospitalized after defeat

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—A candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Edo State House of Assembly, who collapsed on hearing of his defeat in last Saturday’s election, is responding to treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH. This came as Edo State Police Command said it arrested 21 persons for alleged ballot box snatching and other electoral offences in the March 28 and April 11 elections.

The hospitalized candidate (names withheld), had contested for Edo South constituency seat. He lost to the candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC. Vanguard gathered that the PDP candidate was rushed to a private hospital before he was transferred to UBTH.

Woman, 30, charged with theft of N3.6m phone accessories

Orekoya's kidnapped 3 children found naked in a bag

By Evelyn Usman

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HE Lawanson Road, Itire abode of the Orekoyas, whose three children were kidnapped by a housemaid last Wednesday, 24 hours after she was employed, became a Mecca of sorts yesterday, following news of their discovery.

The children, Demola, 6; Adedamola, 4, and Aderomola, 11 months, were reportedly found in an uncompleted building in Shasha area of Akowonjo, Lagos, Tuesday night, after an undisclosed ransom was paid into an account.

According to their maternal grandfather, Senior Apostle Abraham Adekunle, the children were found naked inside a bag. No arrest has, however, been made.

The abductors, as gathered, had sent an account number of an undisclosed bank to the Orekoyas.

The children, who had been ravaged by mosquitoes, were immediately taken to police hospital, Ikeja.

When Vanguard visited the Orekoya’s home yesterday, the children and their parents were yet to arrive from the hospital.

Their grandfather, Senior Apostle Adekunle, described the eight days of his grandchildren's disappearance as one of the worst challenges he had faced in his 67 years of existence.

Grandfather's story

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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30-year-old woman, Judith Udedike, has been charged before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing cell phone batteries and earphones valued at N3.6 million, being property of her employer, Chidera Ogbodo.

The accused was said to have committed the offence at Alaba International Market, Lagos.

Udedike was arraigned by the police on a count-charge of stealing.

However, when the charge was read to the accused before Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe, she pleaded not guilty.

The magistrate granted the accused N100,000 bail, with two sureties that are to be blood relatives and must show evidence of tax payment for a period of three years.

The magistrate ordered that N50,000 be deposited in the account of the Chief Registrar and adjourned till May 4.

According to him, “these eight days have been days of unrest for every member of my family.

“It all started after my daughter, Adebisi Orekoya, applied for a nanny through OLX (an online sales portal). On Monday (last week) one lady, who identified herself as Mary Akinloye, came for the job.

“My daughter took her to her place of work to introduce to her colleagues. Next day, Tuesday, she resumed work. But on Wednesday, she took my three grandchildren, leaving Michael, the eldest, a boarder who was on holiday, with information that she was going to get something.

“When Michael did not see Mary and his siblings, he contacted his mother by phone.

My daughter in turn called her husband, who had to cut short his trip to Ibadan and return home.

“We went to Surulere division and Area ‘F' to incident the case.

Efforts to reach Mary on her phone proved abortive, as it was switched off. But she called next day to say she was with the children and demanded for ransom of N15 million.

zPrayers work—FATHER zOLX asks users to report dubious activities

RELIEF: 11-month-old Aderomola back in his father's arms.

The Orekoya family.

ABOVE: The police hospital where the children were admitted. LEFT: A police officer, Mrs Orekoya and Aderomola.

“Since then we have been running from pillar to post looking for how to raise the money.

Public-spirited Nigerians, family members and friends contributed.

“Aside that, we did not relent in prayers. There was no church around this area that I did not visit for prayers. In fact, in one of the prayer sessions, prophesy came that we would find the children today (yesterday).

“I have nothing else to say than to thank God for sparing the lives of my grandchildren.”

Also, elder sister to Mr. Lere Orekoya, Mrs Adesunbo Alabi, stated that when news of the disappearance of her nephews reached her, it was like a dream.

“At first , it seemed like a home theatre movie. I never believed until I came and saw my brother ’s wife crying. I really appreciate my brother’s courage during this period because he encouraged us not to cry, that anything that happens to one in life is for a purpose.

“My joy knows no bounds today because the abductors demanded for money, where other victims were killed.”

Hospitalized

When Vanguard visited the hospital , Mr. Orekoya was seen rocking Aderomola, the youngest child, to sleep with a lullaby: Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream.

While Aderomola was on drip, the other two were playing.

The children described the kidnappers' hideout as their new home, saying Mary cooked the meal they ate.

Efforts to get their parents' reaction, yesterday, initially proved abortive as they said it was not a day for explanation.

Mr. Orekoya, however, said the family would brief the press at their home today.

After much persuasion, he simply stated that the rescue of his children was an indication that prayers worked.

“In one word, I will say that prayer works. We are happy that they are alive and well,“ he said.

OLX response

After days of silence from OLX, the online sales portal, where Mrs Adebisi Orekoya, applied for a nanny through an advert, finally responded by describing the situation as unfortunate.

OLX Country Manager, Lola Masha, in an online statement, yesterday, said: “OLX is an online classified site that brings buyers and sellers together to

promote trade.

“We take steps to moderate and review all adverts, but we do not participate in the negotiations between buyers and sellers.

“Transactions are performed directly between both parties.

In all our marketing campaign, we continuously urge our users to take necessary precautionary checks when using OLX. “We sincerely hope that the three kids are returned safely to their loved ones. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and we will provide all help within our capacity to facilitate the quick reunion of the children with their family.

“We continue to innovate and improve our review process with tighter measures that would help to minimize future occurrence of negative incidents.

“We also need our users to help us kick out bad players and ask them to report any dubious activity or user on the site for immediate action.”

Governor, Senator flex

By Aliyu Dangida

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UTSE—GOVERNOR Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and former minister in the Second Republic, Senator Bello Maitama Yusuf, are currently flexing muscles over N15 million campaign funds allegedly diverted by the latter.

Consequently, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which

reportedly released the money to the Senator, is seeking to arrest him, with a view to recovering the money disbursed for purposes of electioneering.

It was alleged that he defected to All Progressives Congress, APC, after taking the money.

While Governor Lamido asked Senator Yusuf to refund

Vanguard,THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 7

How our son was murdered on eve of Imo gov election—FAMILY

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—A man believed to be an ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Dr. Ugonna Emereonye, was reportedly murdered in cold blood by hoodlums in his country home at Akatta, Oru East Local Government Area, on the eve of the governorship election in Imo State.

The disclosure, made by his family, is coming on the heels of the pronouncement by Governor Rochas Okorocha that no life was lost during the governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.

Dr. Emereonye, a graduate of veterinary medicine from University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, reportedly campaigned for Chief Emeka Ihedioha, after extracting a commitment that

Ihedioha would reinstate the sacked beneficiaries of the Ikedi Ohakim’s 10,000 Job Scheme, if elected.

The Emereonye family said their son was killed on the eve of the April 11 elections, at about 10.30pm, adding that he was shot by two vigilante members inside their house, after collecting some money from him.

The family also said the

collection of money was simply to make it look like a robbery attack.

They recalled that the two attackers came on Yamaha Mate motorcycle bearing number plate Imo QD 415 WER. The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, a deputy superintendent of police, could not be reached on his phone for comment at press time.

OSOKOGU: I never met her, was tortured to admit guilt He also said that when they phones, handcuffed by the Attorney —Defendant examined General of Lagos State, Mr. Ade got to the hotel and the first bundled him into a car.

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—A defence witness in the ongoing murder trial of Cynthia Osokogu, Olisaeloka Chidera-Ezike, yesterday, told a Lagos High Court sitting at Igbosere that he never met Cynthia Osokogu in person.

The witness said he only heard about her from his uncle, Okwumo Nwabufo, who is the first defendant.

Chidera-Ezike, who is the second defendant in the murder case, said this while being cross

Ipaye, the prosecutor in the matter.

The defendant told Justice Olabisi Akinlade that he never saw the deceased with the first defendant and that he did not purchase the flight ticket for Cynthia to come to Lagos, as stated in the statement he wrote before the police.

He said the statement was made under duress.

He admitted going to Cosmila Hotel on July 20, 2012, with the first defendant, because he was eager to meet his girlfriend that he had said so much about.

defendant made enquiries about her, they were told by the receptionist that there was nobody with such name in the hotel, adding that the first defendant insisted that the deceased was in the hotel.

Earlier, the defendant, who was led in evidence by his counsel, Michael Ajayi, said he was arrested at Nnewi in Anambra State, while on a visit to his sick grandfather.

He said he was arrested at gunpoint by two men he thought were kidnappers, adding that they took his two

Students drown in River Osun

and

The witness said on arrival in Lagos, he was taken to Festac Police Station where the area commander slapped him after tagging him a thief, murderer.

The area commander showed him a photograph and asked him if he knew the person on the photograph and he said no.

Justice Akinlade adjourned the matter till April 28 and May 15 for continuation of trial.

He said: “After so much beating and torture, they told us to admit that we knew what happened to the deceased.”

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—TRAGEDY stuck, Tuesday evening in Osogbo, as two students of a public secondary school in Osun State were discovered drowned in River Osun.

Their lifeless bodies, according to sources, were discovered by a farmer inside the river after two days of searching.

The students, identified as Farinde Boluwatife and Adeyemi Tope, were Senior Secondary School, SS, 3 students of Ataoja High School and were in school on Monday for the ongoing West African Examination Council, WAEC, exams.

They were, however, declared missing that same day, prompting the school authorities to immediately contact their mates and relations.

A source said some mates of the deceased informed the school management that they might have gone to swim at River Osun, located a few meters away from the school.

Police nab 6 robbery suspects with N4m, $13,000

By Esther Onyegbula

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IDPs PRAY FOR CHIBOK GIRLS : Internally displaced mothers going back to camp with foodstuffs provided by charity shortly after special prayers to mark the first year anniversary of the Chibok schoolgirls abduction, held at St. Theresa Catholic Cathedral Church, Jimeta,Yola, Adamawa State, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

muscles over missing PDP campaign funds the money or face arrest, the Senator dared the governor to arrest him.

Vanguard authoritatively gathered that Governor Lamido approved the release of N15 million to Yusuf for onward disbursement to the electorate in his Gwaram constituency during the governorship, state assembly and House of Representatives

elections.

Senator Yusuf, in a swift reaction, denied ever taking campaign funds from PDP for disbursement to electorate in his constituency, adding that his defection to All Progressives Congress, APC, was the reason the story was concocted to malign him.

Yusuf said: “I am just a victim of circumstance;

because I defected to APC. “It is unbelievable. I do not have business with campaign funds. I spend my own money for the development of my people and the party.”

Publicity Secretary of PDP in Jigawa State, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, confirmed that Senator Yusuf received campaign funds and that the party had reported the case to

the state Police Command.

State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, ASP Abdu Jinjiri, confirmed that the command received a complaint from the state PDP in respect of the alleged campaign money.

He said investigation was ongoing, and that the command had sent its men to invite the senator for questioning.

OLICE in Lagos arrested six suspected robbers, who specialized in impersonating operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to rob bureau de change operators in Abuja and Lagos State.

The suspects were arrested in Lagos and Ogun states, and Abuja.

The Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, said on February 25, at about 5pm, he received information about a gang of armed robbers who wore EFCC uniform to rob bureaux de change operators in Abuja and Lagos.

He said they had confessed to the crime.

N4,000,000 and $13,000 cash; one Bryco59 pistol, with six rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition; a cut-tosize single-barrelled, pistol with four live cartridges; an ash-coloured Toyota Highlander SUV, number plate LSR 110 DB, among others, were recovered from the suspects.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL16, 2015

Troops focus on locating Chibok girls

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RESENT military operations in the North-East is focused in the area where the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls are believed to be held, Mr. Mike Omeri has said.

Omeri, the Coordinator of National Information Centre, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at a news conference while giving update on troops’ operations in the region.

The Coordinator described the kidnap of the girls as “horrific and a tragedy, and an experience every Nigerian painfully share with the immediate families of the girls and the entire Chibok community.’’

The girls were kidnapped on April 14, 2014, by Boko Haram members, the same day the Nyanya bus terminus in Abuja recorded a bomb blast, which killed more than 70 people.

Omeri said: “The Federal Government remains resolute in finding and returning the girls to their homes where they rightly belong.

“Consequently, we will continue to exert efforts in ensuring their safe return.”

He explained that government met with some parents of the girls during the first anniversary, Tuesday, “and had fruitful and constructive” discussion without giving details.

Omeri added that government was committed to returning and resettling Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, soon.

NSE: From left— Professor Toyin Ashiru, Director; Dr. Jonathan Long, Chairman, both of FCMB Group Plc; Mr. Ade Bajomo, Executive Director, Market Operation and Technology, Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE; Mr. Ladi Balogun, Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, FCMB Limited, and Mr. Peter Obaseki, Managing Director, FCMB Group Plc, at the NSE closing ceremony in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

Bloomberg projects Nigeria among top 20 economies by 2030

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

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MIDST the euphoria of a successful general elections, Nigeria’s economy has been forecast to be amongst top 20 largest in the world by 2030, according to Bloomberg report on new world economic order.

Nigeria is ranked 19th just above Netherlands, which is 20th in the forecast report.

Though this is a mark-down against the 2020 projected by the Federal Government under former President, Olusegun Obasanjo to arrive at the top 20, this is the first time such report is projecting Nigeria in the top global economies.

Also, Nigeria is the only African country on that listing. Recent global economy reports have placed Nigeria as one of the fastest

Okowa's victory inevitable, says Okolugbo

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HE Commissioner representing Ndokwa nation on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Sir Kenny Okolugbo, has hailed the victory of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa in Delta State governorship polls as well deserved.

He said the unity displayed by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state made it inevitable that Senator Okowa would emerge victorious, adding “it is only when we work against ourselves that the opposition usually cash in to win.”

Sir Okolugbo said: “The fact that Delta PDP has all its structures rooted firmly all over the state makes it impossible for any other party to make inroads overnight.

“I advise members of our party that had jumped ship to have a rethink as all that glitters is not gold.”

He thanked Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who he said laid the ground for victory with the massive infrastructural development in the state, and the huge success recorded by DESOPADEC.

growing economy in the world, a report which tallied with 2014 rebased gross domestic product, GDP, figures placing Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa, pushing South Africa to second position.

Analysis

The Bloomberg report was derived largely from Economic Research Services, ERS, the United States international economic development research agency's latest global economic research report.

The ERS International Macroeconomic Data Set provides historical and projected data for 189 countries that account for more than 99 percent of the world economy.

Historical data are available for real (inflation-adjusted) GDP, inflation, population, and real exchange rates from 1969 to the most recent available year, and each variable is projected forward to 2030.

From this latest report, 15 years from now USA, though will still be in the number one position in economy size, will be far less dominant as several emerging markets will catapult into prominence, and some of the largest European economies will be slipping behind.

Global leader

China will remain power house of real growth, narrowing the gap with USA. According to the report, USA will remain the global leader, with USD24.8 trillion in annual output, up from USD16.8 trillion GDP projected for 2015.

The country, worth 25 percent of the world economy in 2006

and 23 percent in 2015, will see its share decline to 20 percent.

China’s GDP will grow to more than twice its size today, helping the Asian powerhouse to almost entirely close its gap with USA. Bloomberg analysis shows India, ranked eighth for 2015, climb past Brazil, the United

Kingdom, France, Germany and Japan to take third place in the world ranking.

The International Monetary Fund calls India “the bright spot in the global landscape.”

The country will have the largest workforce in the world within the next 15 years, the IMF notes, and among the youngest.

Buhari’s oil policy to focus first on reform, taxes last

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IL firms keen to know how Muhammadu Buhari, President-elect, plans to tax them could wait a long time as he makes ending corruption and reforming Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, his most urgent sector priorities.

Four party sources from Buhari’s All Progressives Congress, APC, told Reuters the issue of fiscal terms, seen as crucial by the industry, will have to wait on current thinking about oil and gas policies.

Crude output has stagnated close to two million barrels per day over the past few years, owing partly to under-investment.

“We need to address the structural issues and leave the fiscal for now,” Senator Bukola Saraki told Reuters.

“A more transparent Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, is needed with reasonable accounting,” he said.

Buhari owes his March 28 victory against incumbent

Goodluck Jonathan partly to a perception that Jonathan allowed corruption to get out of control— especially in the oil sector.

A string of multi-billion dollar oil corruption scandals tainted NNPC and other bodies that handle energy.

By contrast, Buhari was seen as one of the few Nigerian leaders to have cracked down on corruption during his military rule in 1983-1985. Many Nigerians hope he will again.

A Nigerian investment banker focused on upstream oil and gas projects, who declined to be named, said: “The worry is that there’s going to be a lot of time wasted in witch-hunting. That could take a year in which nothing else will happen.”

APC leader, Bola Tinubu, whose support was instrumental in Buhari’s victory and wields huge influence, told Reuters a transitional committee would be set up.

“No way will we discuss that now,” he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 9

There are too many fake lawyers in Nigeria, CJN cries out

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THE Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, yesterday, said he was worried about the rising number of “fake” lawyers in the country.

The CJN who stated this during the official launch of “Stamp for Lawyers”, which was produced by the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, bemoaned that the prevalence of fake lawyers negatively affects the integrity of the legal profession and casts a shadow of disrepute on the judiciary as an arm of government in the country.

He insisted that one of the major challenges facing Judges today, “is how to differentiate between a “ real” and “fake” legal practitioner”.

According to the CJN, “Indeed, Judges find it difficult to identify which counsel, appearing before them, is genuine or otherwise.

“Of even greater concern is the fact that members of the public are often left in a quandary over who they can place their trust, property and even lives in.

“We must not forget that the credibility of the Bar has a direct impact on respect for the Rule of Law and the independence of the Courts.

“This is why it is our collective responsibility to ensure that the stamp is used as a veritable means of authenticating a qualified legal practitioner and the documents emanating from him.

“I believe that the stamp can, if properly deployed, become a hallmark of a firm’s work and a way for prospective clients to better identify their counsel- a veritable means to “Know Your Counsel”.

“Thus, having an innovation, which may bestow a “stamp” of integrity and respect, is indeed welcome.

“This event is also timely in its occurrence. Our Judiciary is similarly introducing the greater use of information and communications technology solutions like legal email and court automation into the administration of justice in the tri-strata of our Superior Courts.

“I believe that an enhanced synergistic use and adoption of appropriate ICT innovations will further enhance our ability to bring the legal profession into the 21st century and re-position the temple of justice to provide effectively a qualitative justice dispensation system that meets the complex demands of our dynamic society.

“These innovations will soon include the electronic service of hearing notices from the Supreme Court and more secure inter- and intra- communications platforms between the Courts and Legal Practitioners.

“My lords, Ladies and

Court okays Obasanjo’s book, My Watch, for release

By Soni Daniel

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LAUNCHING: From left; President, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Augustine Aleghe; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed; Chief Judge of Borno State, Jutstice Kashim Zanah and the Acting Chief Judge of FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello during the official launching of the Lawyers' Green Stamp by the NBA at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida.

Gentlemen, I am confident in the ability of the leadership of the NBA to sustain and engage all members of the Bar in this initiative.

“However, I urge the NEC of the Bar to ensure that a proper management structure is established to administer the scheme, as this will enhance the confidence of the users, while also reducing the avenues wherein fraudulent misuse may be occasioned.

“This launch celebrates the

welcome actualization of a long held aspiration of the Bar for which the President, NEC, and indeed predecessors in office, should be applauded and commended.

“To contextualize this innovation, a key role of the NBA is the regulation of its members’ identities through various means of identification.

“Indeed the significance of this event is underpinned by the provision of Rule 10 (1) of the Rules of Professional Conduct for

Legal Practitioners 2007.

“This rule mandates that a lawyer acting in his or her capacity as a legal practitioner, legal officer or adviser of any government department or corporation, shall not sign or file a legal document unless his stamp and seal are affixed on any such document.

“The Stamp we are here to launch today has breathed life into this provision and further elevated legal practice in Nigeria to meet the challenges of an evolving society”, the CJN added.

Jonathan to formally hand over to Buhari May 28

By Ben Agande

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan will perform the formal handing over to the incoming administration of the presidentelect, General Muhammadu Buhari on May 28th Minister of Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki who disclosed this yesterday to State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting said the president has therefore given all ministers with request for approvals from his office May 13 deadline to forward such requests to his office.

Similarly, all Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) are to submit their briefs to the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF) by Monday next week to enable the president to prepare his handover notes on time.

These deadlines, according to Senator Patricia Akwashiki is to enable the president prepare his handover notes on the 28th of may, 2015.

According to Senator

Akwashiki, these decisions do not mean that government activities would grind to a halt during period of transition but cautioned that government would not engage in activities to suggest that it was rushing through some programmes before its exit.

“You know we are already in transition. So, there is very little to report. What we discussed with the President in council, he emphasized on the need for all MDAs to submit their handing over notes to the office of the secretary to the government of the federation by 20th of this month. That is next Monday. So, we are going to be very busy this weekend putting our handing over notes together.

“The president also emphasized that he would require another little briefing from all MDAs to indicate inherited projects, how far it has been executed and initiated projects by his administration and the level of completion, whether completed, ongoing or abandoned. So, that was it at

the council meeting.

“We discussed other issues but we are particularly paying attention to the transition and how to make it effective. As you are all aware, we have transitional committee already set up by president, headed by the Vice President. Other than that, we have an inaugural committee that is headed by the SGF. So, everything we are doing, we are doing to achieve smooth transition, getting all our notes together.

“By May 28th, the president intends to have the formal handing over done at a dinner so that we can reserve the 29th for the incoming. By May 28th, we expect to have concluded one way governance and we are welcoming incoming government.

“Also, you know May 29th is our Democracy Day. So, we have activities lined up all through that week, showcasing all what we have achieved and all other things we do normally on our Democracy Day. Except that this year is special with the inauguration of our new president that is coming up on the May 29th.”

BUJA—A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, has ordered the release of former President Obasanjo’s book: My Watch, which had been in the custody of the Nigerian Customs Service.

Justice Valentine Ashi had late last year granted an injunction restraining Obasanjo from publishing the book following a complaint lodged by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Buruji Kashamu.

However, the judge set aside the order of injunction on Monday upon an application by Obasanjo’s lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN).

While lifting the order of injunction, the court also barred the Nigerian Customs Service from collecting demurrage on the books for the period they had been in its custody.

The court upheld Agabi’s argument that the applicant, a Peoples Democratic Party chief in Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu, who is currently pursuing a N20bn libel suit against Obasanjo in the same court, suppressed vital facts to obtain the order.

Kashamu, had on December 10, 2014, obtained the injunction from the court through an ex parte application which he filed in his N20bn libel suit against Obasanjo.

Kashamu had predicated his prayer on the argument that part of the book related to the subject matter of the libel suit – a letter dated December 2, 2013 written

by Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Kashamu had instituted the libel suit against Obasanjo having been dissatisfied with his being described by the former President in the letter which was widely published in the electronic and print media as a fugitive wanted for drug offences in the United States of America.

On December 8, 2014, Justice Ashi granted an ex parte application restraining Obasanjo from publishing the book pending the determination of the libel suit.

10 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Airtel embarks on road-show in Lagos region

By Providence Obuh

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National Leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (5th left) and Lagos State white cap chiefs celebrating the victory of APC in the recent general polls, in Lagos, yesterday.

Ajimobi, Ladoja bicker over Oyo polls result, protest

By Ola Ajayi

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BADAN—FOLLOWING a tit-for-tat principle that the former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja threatened to apply if his supporters were attacked by the All Progressives Congress in the state, the latter has asked him to have a rethink.

Ladoja and his teeming supporters are still protesting over the results of last Saturday’s election which was in favour of the incumbent governor, Senator

Abiola Ajimobi of APC. Ladoja had said, “don’t let us do something illegal but anybody who provokes us will be resisted and we will fight this to the end. If it would not be violent, I won’t mind leading the protest.

Anybody who says he would be violent, we too will be left with no other option than to respond appropriately”.

He also pacified the visibly angry supporters that he would use all lawful means to retrieve their stolen mandate.

SYNAGOGUE: Witness insists collapse

was not from foundation defects

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Bartholomew Madukwe

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AGOS—A witness at the ongoing coroner inquest investigating the cause of the collapse of the six-storey at the Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, Mr Joseph Folayan yesterday maintained that the collapse was not as a result of foundation defects.

Folayan, a former chairman of the defunct Nigerian Geo-technical Association, told the inquest presided over by Mr Oyetade Komolafe that the guest house which collapsed on Sept. 12,2014, had “solid soil base” to carry the structures built by the church.

The witness, who made the disclosure during a cross-

examination by counsel to the State government, Mr Akingbolahan Adeniran, said, “the collapse of the Synagogue Church building did not occur as a result of foundation failure.”

The Lagos State Material Testing Agency had claimed that its analysis in its Structural Integrity Test on the building revealed that it was caused by a defective foundation.

But Folayan, who had earlier debunked the report stressed that “the 2.2 metres by 2.2 metres used for the foundation base was adequate for the structure.

“There could not have been overloading because the strength of the soil based on the exhibit before the court can carry that load,” Folayan said.

But, the ruling party replied saying that for the second consecutive time, Ladoja lost his bid to return as governor of Oyo State in an election that was keenly contested by him and four other gladiators.

In a statement signed by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, the APC faulted Ladoja’s rejection of the outcomes of the poll which it described as free, fair and credible unlike the one which was witnessed in 2003 when Ladoja emerged governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“Having tried unsuccessfully to railroad himself into power again, former governor Ladoja is still determined to truncate the peace of the state. He has moved a step further from discrediting the free, fair and credible elections conducted in the state last Saturday by mobilizing his supporters and vulnerable

youths to embark on misplaced protests in parts of Ibadan- the state capital.

“Yesterday(Tuesday), he held a meeting in Ibadan where he told his supporters about his resolve to reject the outcome of the recently concluded polls. Sources at the meeting informed us that Ladoja charged his supporters to do everything possible to wage war against the re-elected governor and his party men in the mode of harassment, blackmail and violent attacks.

“Ladoja's supporters demonstrated their threat to public peace when they went to town after the meeting and began to attack innocent citizens.

They wounded some people and destroyed many vehicles in the process as we have it on good authority that the trend would continue to enable them achieve their aim of making the state ungovernable for Sen. Ajimobi.''

AGOS—IN an effort to create awareness on its newly launched product, “SmartConnect,” Airtel Nigeria has taken to roadshow in the Lagos region to enlighten and educate Lagosians on the product.

Airtel smartconnect is a special four sim family pack with bonus to call family and friiends and enjoy 200 percent bonus on recharge of N200 and above to call all networks.

Speaking during the smart connect Lagos Central zone road-show, Regional Operations Director, Lagos, Mr. Femi Oshinlaja, said that the road-show is a forum to communicate both existing and potential customers, trying to educate them about the smart connect offering which cater for the needs of people in terms of smart voice calls, smart data usage and smart value added products on airtel smart sim.

Oshinlaja said, “Airtel smart sim offers the consumers additional bonus for every N200 and above and 200 percent bonus. In terms of the family and friends it comes with the airtel four in one sim, whereby you can connect your close family and friends and be able to enjoy the special tariff in them.

TAN condemns Oba Akiolu over threat to Igbo

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IGERIANS in diaspora under the auspices of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) has condemned the threat issued by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu that the Igbo living in the commercial city will die in the lagoon within seven days if they refused to vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Akin Ambode in the last governorship

election.

The group which took its protest to the ICC, The Hague, White House in Washington D. C. and Nigeria High Commission in London noted that the monarch’s threat can not and must not be treated with levity. They likened it to the hate speech that triggered Rewandan genocide and called on International Criminal Court to investigate it before an ugly repeat of genocide.

The spokesperson of the group Chris Nsoedo pointed out that “Ndigbo are always at the receiving end of any crises even when they don’t have any hand in such ugly developments”.

He said that “time has come for the government of

Nigeria to be pro-active in preventing incessant attacks on the South-Easterners who are known for their positive contribution to their hostile host communities by ensuring that the haters of the Igbo like the Lagos monarch are decisively dealt with according to the dictates of the nation’s constitution”. The TAN inspired group also want the President elect, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari to avoid seeing any particular ethnic group as his enemy saying “now that elections are over and he has been declared victorious, he should see every part of the country as his constituency”.

It reiterated the fact the nation can not record comprehensive growth and development when a section of the country is treated with so much levity.

It further urged all Ndigbo to be united and avoid falling into the trap of disunity and acrimony set up by their enemies.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015—11

Ogun SDP refutes allegation of Jonathan’s sponsorship to destabilise S-West politics

By Daud Olatunji

funds, we advised that it should be sent to other SDP states which may be in financial trouble. As progressives, we have resolved to remain fully within the progressive family.

“We wish to thank our royal father, the Alake of Egbaland, HRM, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, CFR, and the Awujale of Ijebuland, HRM, Dr. Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, CFR, who up to the last moments were still resolute in finding a solution to the disagreement," he said.

Meanwhile, the party has said that its governorship candidate in the April 11 election, Senator Akin Odunsi, has sent a congratulatory message to the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who emerged winner in the election.

The party, however, added that it was still studying the results of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections, saying, it would come up with its decision after the scrutiny.

The party Chairman also accused one of the opposition political parties in the state of

A

BEOKUTA—THE Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Ogun State has said that it was untrue that the SDP was sponsored by the Presidency to destablise the politics of the South West.

The party said the attempt to extend largesse to it by the Presidency ahead of the election was rejected, describing its party as selffunding.

State chairman of the party, Chief Olu Agemo, while briefing newsmen in Abeokuta on the outcome of the election and activities of the party debunked the allegation and thanked the national leader of the party, Chief Olusegun Osoba, and his wife for their support during the campaign tours and the elections.

Agemo, who was flanked by the governorship candidate of the party, Senator Akin Odunsi, his running mate and deputy governor of the state, Prince Segun Adesegun, and state secretary of the party, Chief Abimbola Awofeso, said the party had toured not less than 300 campaign spots in towns and villages across the 236 wards in the state.

While clearing the air on the rumour that the leadership of SDP in the state had collected some money from the

By Dayo Johnson Presidency, Agemo said: “First, was the KURE—THE bombardment of the social Independent media of their destructive National Electoral mission that we were Commission, INEC, being sponsored by the yesterday expressed Presidency to destabilise concern over incessant the politics of South West. electoral violence during “We say unequivocally that at no time did we elections in the oil rich communities of Ondo State. have anything to do, Ondo Resident Electoral materially or otherwise, Commissioner, Olusegun with the Presidency. Men Agbaje, said in Akure while of goodwill from the presenting certificates of Presidency who made contact with us got it clear return to winners of the National Assembly election from us that we were not in the state that only 35 out for financial gains in our effort to ensure equity percent of voters voted during last Saturday's and fair play.

House of Assembly election “Our struggle in Ogun State was not based on in the state.

He condemned electoral financial gains. None of malpractices such as those delegations at the highest level can say that snatching of electoral materials and election any financial transaction results that characterised transpired between us.

“We thank the powerful the elections conducted in the parts of the state. delegation from the The Commissioner Presidency for lamented that Ilaje Local appreciating that our Government Area had disagreement is within become notorious for the progressive family.

“The SDP in Ogun violence and electoral malpractices. state was self-funding Agbaje, therefore, urged throughout the the people of the area to campaigns and turn over a new leaf and elections. Even, when the allow elections to be national body of the SDP without wanted to send us some conducted

sending a sinister message on the social media that Odunsi had withdrawn from the race, which he said contributed to the party’s loss.

He said: “Our candidate has, after the announcement of the

Facebook on the day of election that he had withdrawn from the race. This had damaging effect on our members and supporters right at the polling centres."

VISIT: From Left: Iba of Kisi, Oba Moshood Aweda; Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, during a congratulatory visit to the governor on his re-election, in Ibadan, yesterday.

POLLS: INEC condemns violence in Ondo communities

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result, sent a congratulatory message to Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

“It was bad to the extent of attempting to destroy our governorship candidate through SMS, WHATSAPP and

violence.

He however expressed disappointment over the low turnout of voters during the last elections.

According to him, only 35 percent of people who collected their permanent voter cards, PVCs, came out to participate in the election unlike during the presidential and National Assembly polls when 55 percent came out to vote.

Agbaje said the Commission was disappointed by the turnout, especially when the amount of money spent on materials and enlightenment campaigns was considered.

He therefore urged traditional and community leaders to educate their people on the importance of voting during elections.

The INEC Zonal National Commissioner in charge of Ondo and Osun states, Prof. Akinola Salau pledged that the electoral umpire would build on the credibility earned during the last election.

Salau advised politicians to change their attitude to electoral contests in order to deepen the nation’s democracy.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Fresh oil spill hits Bayelsa’s Kolo Creek community

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—A PIPELINE leak within the Kolo Creek oil field, operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, in Bayelsa State, is currently discharging crude oil into the environment, the residents have said.

Mr Anthony Okpu, who resides in Imiringi community in Bayelsa State, said in Yenagoa that the spill was noticed yesterday in Yenagoa.

Meanwhile, our correspondent who visited the area observed that no vehicle or tricycle was allowed by armed soldiers beyond the blocked spots towards the facility.

According to Okpu, the oil leaking from a crude trunk line connecting Kolo Creek fields to SPDC’s pipeline network had flowed into the communities and devastated farmlands and vegetation.

“We do not know exactly when the spillage started but this morning (Wedneday) we saw crude leaking from the pipeline into the road. When we got there soldiers had already cordoned off the area.

They did not allow us to get near to find out the possible cause of the leakage. We woke up this early morning to see this in our community.

“I believe the soldiers must have reported the incident so that they can shut down the pipeline feed to forestall further damage to the environment. But oil is still gushing out of the line,” Okpu said.

When contacted, Lt.-Col Ado Isa, Media Coordinator, Joint Task Force, saddled with the

responsibility of protecting oil installations in the Niger Delta, said he was yet to get the report.

He, however, pledged to verify the reporter before making comment.

Mr Joseph Obari, SPDC spokesperson, when contacted confirmed the incident but said that it had been

contained.

He said: “A leak was detected on Wednesday on SPDC JV Kolo Creek Manifold. The leak has been stopped and our Oil Spill Response team deployed to the site to contain it. A Joint Investigation Visit, JIV, will be conducted tomorrow (Thursday) to confirm the cause of the spill.”

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ENAGOA—ELDERS and youths of Iduwini clan of Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, yesterday, described as “false” and “frivolous” the claims of a 14-day ultimatum handed Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, to vacate the communities or face unpleasant unrest over alleged unfulfilled contractual agreement with the communities in the area.

Indigenes of Iduwini clan, made up of Amatu 1, Amatu 2, Bisangbene and Letugbene communities, under the E. A field of the SPDC, said though the purported unfulfilled agreement under the Open Sea Surveillance job was reached with the Iduwini Volunteer Force, the job was cancelled and fused under a new merger of the IVF and the Iduwini National Youth Group.

The Iduwini Volunteer Force had last week called on Governor Seriake Dickson to intervene in the lingering crisis between her and the SPDC.

By Festus Ahon, Egufe Yafugborhi Perez Brisibe & Ochuko Akuopha

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AGM: From left: Emmanuel Nnorom, Non-Executive Director, Transcorp Hotels Plc; Olorogun O'tega Emerhor, Chairman, Transcorp Hotels Plc; Tony Elumelu, CON, Chairman, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc and Valentine Ozigbo, MD/CEO, Transcorp Hotels Plc, during the inaugural Annual General Meeting of Transcorp Hotels Plc, held at Transcorp Hilton Abuja, yesterday.

Bayelsa oil community dismisses claims of GMoU violation against Shell

By Samuel Oyadongha

POLLS: Omovie, Abigor, Okocha win Assembly seats in Delta

But the Iduwini indigenes, in a statement, yesterday, in Yenagoa, by the Chairman of Iduwini Development Foundation, IDF, Mr Tiko Tiko and a traditional head from the community, His Highness E. Keredei, stated that the claim of a frosty relationship between the community and SPDC was fictitious and lacked substance.

The statement read: “We, the bonafide people of Iduwini community have a good relationship with SPDC and have no reason to issue ultimatum or threaten the company.”

They said that said the decision to cancel the contractual agreement between SPDC and the Iduwini Volunteer Force was

taken between 2007 and 2008 due to the need for contract to the people of the various communities.

“The Iduwuni Volunteer Force was fused into the large body of the Iduwini National Body with four representatives each from the IVF and the INYG to interface with SPDC on the new contractual arrangements,” they Iadded.

Don’t hand over N-Delta devt to merchants of violence, group tells Buhari

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—A COALITION of civil society groups in the Niger Delta, under the aegis of Development Alliance of the Niger Delta, yesterday, admonished the Presidentelect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, not to hand over the development of the Niger Delta to people it described as mercenaries and merchants of violence.

It called for holistic review of the structure, administrative

make up and funding of both the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, so as to reposition the agencies for better service delivery so that the people of the region will witness the desired development.

Addressing journalists in Benin City, Edo State yesterday, the group, in a statement by its convener, Rev. David Ugolor, urged the incoming government to set up a truth commission that will

“investigate and address all cases of flagrant corruption both past and present with a view to recovering huge sums of money in the control of past and “current treasury looters.”

It also called for the strengthening of the “anticorruption and anti-money laundering agencies in addition to the overhaul of the nation’s criminal justice system to deal with economic saboteurs and corruption cases in the country.”

S A B A — ELECTION results as announced by Mr Joseph Evien, Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State, showed that incumbent Dennis Omovie of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won the Warri South Constituency II seat of the Delta House of Assembly.

Mr Godwin Abigor of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, was also declared winner in the race for Warri South Constituency I seat.

Omovie polled 5256 to defeat his closest challenger, Bright Obodo of the Labour Party, LP, who polled 5001 votes with Vincent Okudolor of the All Progressive Congress, APC, scoring 1538.

Also, House of Assembly candidate of the Accord Party, AP, in Aniocha North Local Government constituency, Mr Samuel Okocha, has been declared winner after polling 7,987 votes.

Rivers PDP wants APC to congratulate Wlke

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HE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State, yesterday, urged All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state to congratulate the governor-elect, Chief Nyesom Wike, on his victory in the governorship election.

Mr Emma Okah, Chairman of state's PDP Publicity Committee, who briefed newsmen in Port Harcourt, condemned what he called the spurious allegations of rigging being peddled by the APC to smear PDP’s victory in the state. ‘’We urge the losers to be courageous and honourable and if truly they are democrats, to emulate President Goodluck Jonathan in showing the spirit of sportsmanship," he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015—13

Okpozo faults alleged expulsion of Harriman, others from APC L

By Kelechi Azubike

EADER of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Senator Francis Okpozo, has faulted the purported expulsion of Temi Harriman from the party by a section of the state executive, describing the development as unauthorised and illegal.

His position came as the chairman of the party in the state, Prophet Jones Erue, who purportedly signed the expulsion notice, as published in some newspapers, disowned the publications, saying that he was not part of any meeting where Harriman and two others were marked down for expulsion.

Harriman, state Coordinator of the Gen. Muhammadu Buhari campaign organisation in the state, was reportedly expelled through publications made in some national dailies over alleged indiscretion that led to the party’s loss of Delta South in the recent presidential and National Assembly elections.

Describing the allegations as

unfounded and calculated to tarnish Harriman's image, Okpozo described her as an honest and committed party faithful, who did all she could within the circumstances available to her, to project the party.

He said: “Harriman, as the leader of the South senatorial

district, in addition, did not commit any offence because whatever money the party gave, she distributed equally to everybody’s satisfaction, so nobody should accuse her of anything. If the people accusing her wanted to take the money for themselves, it is their own headache.”

Denying his involvement in any meeting where Harriman

CERTIFICATE OF RETURN: Dr.Ishmael Igbani, National Commissioner, INEC (left) presenting Certificate of Return to Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, governor-elect, Delta State, at the state INEC Headquarters, in Asaba, yesterday. Photo: Nath Onojake.

Okowa receives certificate of return

By Festus Ahon

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S A B A — D E LT A State governorelect, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, alongside his deputy, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, have been presented with Certificates of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The presentation which took place at the INEC Delta state headquarters in Asaba was performed on behalf of the chairman of the commission, Prof Attahiru Jega, by a Federal Commissioner in the commission, Dr Ishmael Ibrahim.

Also presented with Certificates of Return were those who won the National Assembly seats in the March 28 elections. They include, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, Delta North and Senator James Manager, Delta South senate seats respectively.

Others include Onyemaechi Mrakpor, Aniocha/ Oshimili federal constituency, Nicholas Mutu, Bomadi/ Patani federal constituency, Leo Ogor, Isoko federal

constituency, Solomon Ahwinahwi, Ughelli/Udu federal constituency and Victor Nwaokolo, Ika federal constituency.

Also presented with certificates of return were Evelyn Oboro, Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie federal constituency, Daniel Reyenieju, Warri federal constituency, Julius Pondi, Burutu federal constituency and Nicholas Ossai, Ndokwa/ Ukwuani federal constituency.

The governor elect,

Senator Okowa expressed gratitude to God and Deltans for his victory at the poll and reiterated his commitment to fulfilling his electioneering promises.

Senator Okowa who spoke to newsmen shortly after receiving the certificate also commended INEC for the conduct of the poll which he described as credible, saying that Nigeria's democracy has come of age.

Election observer hails April 11 polls in Rivers

By Jimitota Onoyume

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was marked down for expulsion, Erue said, yesterday: “I did not authorise that publication. I did not attend such a meeting. I do not know anything about it and I don’t know where the meeting took place. I have told my lawyers to find out who did it because it is defaming my name. I don’t know anything about it.”

ORT HARCOURT— AN international election observer, Pan African Women Projects, South Africa, has described the March 28 and April 11 elections in Rivers State as free and fair.

Head of the team that observed the exercises in the state, Mrs Eno Udensi, who addressed newsmen yesterday, in Port Harcourt at a forum attended by

representatives of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and some other political parties noted that though there were pockets of violence in some places, most of the alleged reports of deaths were not true.

She noted that election materials arrived some polling centres late but voting took place in most of the wards her group visited.

Go to the tribunal, PRP tells aggrieved parties

By Charles Kumolu

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ELTA State chapter of Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, has called on the political parties that are aggrieved with the outcome of the governorship election in the state, to seek redress at the election petition tribunal instead of indulging in acts inimical to public peace.

The party in a statement by its Chairman, Igbini Emmanuel, commended the parties that participated for being orderly during the election.

“We have received various reports and protests arising from the April 11 polls in Delta State. The interesting fact of the reports is that majority of the political parties accused one another of electoral frauds ranging from ballot snatching to falsification of results and declaration of false results," he said.

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Agents lament system break-down at AP Moller terminal

By Godwin Oritse

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HE MANAGEMENT of A. P. Moller terminal in Apapa, yesterday, admitted that its terminal operating system suffered a data-base failure, last Sunday, thereby trapping thousands of containers in the process, but that the system was now up and running.

However, in a sharp reaction, agents operating at the terminal have vehemently debunked A. P. Moller's claims, saying they had been having problems positioning

their containers for examination for almost a week before the system failure.

Already, some agents operating there had concluded plans to shut down the facility if the system was not re-connected and made to work efficientlyly.

Confirming the development, founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, said there was technical problem that was being resolved, adding that about 41 containers had been dropped for examination.

Aniebonam said that by today, the system

I did not present Buhari’s economic policies —Fayemi

By Emmanuel Aziken

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ORMER GOVERNOR Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has denied newspaper reports quoting him as having articulated the economic blueprints of the coming Muhammadu Buhari administration in a breakfast meeting, in Lagos, Monday.

In a rebuttal issued by his spokesman, Dr. Fayemi denied ever representing General Buhari at the function or of presenting the future administration’s economic policies as were attributed to him by newspapers.

He said: “While it is true that Dr. Fayemi was Guest Speaker at the Lagos Business School, LBS, Breakfast

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meeting, he was not there as a representative of the President-elect, General Muhammad Buhari and neither was he introduced as such.

“Aside this, the various “policies” of the incoming administration purported to have been disclosed by Dr. Fayemi by the misleading reports, were mere fabrication as the thrust of discussion at the event was essentially on the campaign manifesto of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and how it was successfully marketed to the electorate, culminating in the party’s victory at the polls.

"The discussion did not focus on the policies of the incoming administration as reported by the media."

would have been improved upon and more containers dropped for examination.

He, however, denied the threat of any group of agents who wanted to shut the port because of the issue of system breakdown.

“System break-down can occur any time and if anybody is aggrieved as a result of the development, there are appropriate channels to register such complaints.

“We should learn to follow due process and stop behaving as if we are in a banana republic,” he said.

Most of the agents Vanguard spoke to said the greatest fear was the imposition of demurrage on their containers occasioned by the system break-down.

Speaking in a similar vein, the Deputy President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA, Mr. Uchu Block, said the pressure occasioned by Customs' scanning machines, might have impacted on the system of A. P. Moller terminal.

The Customs Area Comptroller of Apapa port, Mr. Charles Edike told Vanguard that there was a stakeholders’ meeting, yesterday, adding that the management of A. P. Moller took time to explain the problem and what they had done to correct the hitch.

He said the system had been reconnected and that the terminal was up and running.

In its reaction, APM Terminals Apapa Communication and Sustainability

Manager, Mr. Austine Fischer, confirmed its terminal operating system suffered a data-base failure early Sunday morning.

According to Fischer, the incident has caused a disruption in operations at the terminal and, to a lesser degree, at the shipside.

“The terminal operating system is now fully operational, but as the data-base is rebuilt, we have had to temporarily resort to some manual processes.

“This has not affected the receipt of empty and full export containers into the terminal, but delivery of full import containers has been interrupted due to lack of clear visibility of Customs' release status.

“We expect this situation to be resolved and deliveries of imports to recommence accordingly, “ he added The terminal, Fischer explained, was forced to shut down all e-Commerce portal services, including, invoicing, receipting and refund until full data was restored.

He said: “Hence, all transactions will need to be performed at our Customer Service Office located at the terminal. Until our e-Commerce portals are re-opened, agents/importers are advised to approach the Customer Service Office with hard copies of receipts and invoices of their previous transaction.

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this is causing our customers, but we are working hard to ensure normal operations resume as soon as possible."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 15

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16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Imo re-run polls hold April 25

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

W E R R I — T H E Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has fixed April 25, 2015, as date for the re-run of the governorship and House of

Assembly elections declared inconclusive in Imo State.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Gabriel Adah, announced this, yesterday, while briefing journalists in his office.

According to the REC, the Commission will conduct election

in 250 polling booths across the 23 local government areas of the state.

Dr. Adah also disclosed that the State House of Assembly election was inconclusive in six state constituencies, including Ikeduru, Isiala Mbano, Oru East, Oguta, Isu and Owerri West.

The Imo State REC said that State Assembly results confirmed

by INEC showed that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP won four seats, while the All Progressives Congress, APC, won 16 state constituencies, adding that re-run would take place in seven local government areas on the same date with the governorship election.

Continuing, Dr. Adah said while there would be presidential and vice fresh accreditation of presidential candidates.

First it was Governor voters, the Commission Lamido as president and would use card reader Amaechi as his vice. The machines to do the anger was that power must return to the north.

“To Buhari I thank God for you but you must deliver on your promises and also build on what President Jonathan did. Above all, you must run far from Obasanjo. If he can’t control your government, he will fight you. He has done it to all former Presidents of Nigeria

We must rebuild PDP — Senator Owie

By Onozure Dania

A

FORMER Senate Chief Whip, Senator Roland Owie has called for the rebuilding of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stating that those who conspired against the party were the first to be swallowed by it.

Owie said that Governor Babangida Aliyu, who led anti-party activities against the party, was one of the victims of the party ’s last electoral defeat.

The senator disclosed this while congratulating the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari on his victory.

He also urged him to be cautious in seeking counsel from some of the

country’s famed political leaders and particularly, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He also extolled President Goodluck Jonathan for what he described as uncommon virtue of sportsmanship for conceding defeat, an act, he said, delivered Nigeria from descending into anarchy.

Owie said: "I congratulate Nigerians for their commitment to democracy and particularly congratulate President Jonathan for choosing to The Way of The Cross, by quickly conceding defeat in this election, which averted the impending chaos that would have enveloped the nation.

“Nigeria would have

been burning now particularly in the north.

Keen observers of events in Nigeria since the 2011 general elections, when President Jonathan was elected, know that Boko Haram activities escalated in Nigeria.

“Innocent citizens, mainly Christians, were murdered and churches burnt down. Why? Yes! Politicians and nonpoliticians mainly in the North believed that a northerner should have replaced Jonathan in 2011 to continue with late Yar'Adua’s tenure.

"Half way into the tenure of Jonathan, a man who sees nothing good in anybody, except himself, Obasanjo, started trouble shooting by naming

SPEED TO LEAD CONTEST:

Bajaj Auto rewards Nigeria mechanics

By Providence Obuh

B

AJAJ AUTO Limited, manufacturers of twoand three- wheelers, has rewarded some Nigerian mechanics for outstanding performances in its maiden “Speed to Lead Contest” on fastest person to disassemble and assemble the Bajaj RE4s engine.

The winners Mr. Fatai Amusan of Oregun Mechanics Association, emerged as the winner with 15 minutes, 41 seconds, while Mr. Ose Sylvester, Ikosi Ketu Mechanics Association came second with 16 minutes, 25 seconds and Mr. William Olushola, Oregun Mechanics Association came third with 17 minutes and seven seconds.

Speaking at the Bajaj Speed to Lead Mechanics Contest in Lagos, Regional Sales Manager, Bajaj Auto, Mr. Veeramani Munuswamy, said the competition allowed technicians the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and knowledge through a variety of speed drills and problem-solving skill test.

He said the contest was launched to recognise the skills of the expert technicians in servicing and repairing Bajaj RE4s Keke.

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verification.

“If the card reader fails, you must go through incidence form, as any other manual accreditation will not be accepted,” Adah said.

The Imo REC also disclosed that INEC had commenced the compilation of electoral officers allegedly involved in the irregularities that marred the election last Saturday, with a view to prosecuting those found culpable.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 17

O

N the first anniversary of the abduction of the 219 Chibok Girls, this week, the whole world returned to a troubled conscience. Troubled, that 365 days after, those young girls still haven’t returned home to their parents and communities; they have been deprived of the opportunity to fulfill the dream which education helps to nurse, work at and eventually actualise!

But for the incredible courage of the #BRING BACK OUR GIRLS activists, who kept advocacy alive, despite the provocative indecencies of agents of the Nigerian government, maybe Nigerians all, would have also moved on. But thank God, on the first anniversary of the crime that Boko Haram perpetrated against the young Chibok Girls, we have been dragged back into our humanity to reflect upon what those girls have endured this past year.

There is a deeply personal side to the Chibok Girls’ saga for me.

In the year since the girls have been gone, my wife has often cried about their plight. It comes from the fact that we are parents of four girls and a boy, and three of these girls are also in boarding school.

We have often wondered as parents, just how incredibly difficult the conditions of the parents of those girls must be.

How have they coped? They are afterall, poor people from very deprived communities, but who nevertheless, had accepted the challenge and made sacrifices necessary for their children to be educated.

It is hope for the future of these young girls that Boko Haram has deliberately targeted for abortion, with their abduction. While the

Chibok girls: Sore on our conscience Chibok Girls’ saga has symbolized the evil of Boko Haram, Amnesty International has reminded this week, that over two thousand women, ladies and girls, have actually been abducted by the group in the past one year. Young boys are also frequently abducted and forcibly

The degree of seriousness to ensure the safe return of the girls home, so we can achieve a closure, will condition the trust that Nigerians will invest in the Buhari administration

made to fight and those who know, say that it is these young abductees, that they often push forward in battles, thus ending up as canon fodders!

Turning point for Nigeria: I heard Obiageli Ezekwesili on the BBC describe the abduction of the Chibok Girls as the turning point in recent Nigerian history. And it certainly is! It was frightening that 56 young Nigerian children were earlier massacred in their school dormitories and there was a criminal indifference from government. President Goodluck Jonathan didn’t visit the scene of carnage, his vice who is the leading Northerner in government ignore FGC BuniYadi and the Minister of Education could not be bothered as well. They assumed that after a few days of lamentations, Nigerians would move on, as is our wont. And largely, we did; except for a group of parents around Nigeria who were moved sufficiently to raise their voices against the massacre of children

in school hostels, especially in a Federal Government College, which are centres of national excellence. The fact that there was no sustained national movement thereafter, just deepened governmental irresponsibility, when the Chibok Girls were abducted. President Jonathan first refused to believe that the abduction happened; then he

Guber elections: Wish list fulfilled

I

HAVE spent most of the weekend in hearty celebration, because of the fulfillment of my wish for the success of a selection of governorship candidates, in last week’s elections. My candidates were: Kashim Shettima in Borno, and he won in a landslide! His post-election speech is a masterpiece of humility. Nasir ELRufai got the massive endorsement of Kaduna state, because people know that he will provide leadership for genuine development for city and state.

What a week: Eduardo Galeno, Gunter Grass and Percy Sledge

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N Monday night, the BBC’s NEWSHOUR programme, reported the passing of the Uruguayan leftwing writer, Eduardo Galeano 74, and the German writer, poet and Nobel Laureate, Gunter Grass, 87.

And just as I made up my mind to write a tribute to those outstanding writers, by Tuesday night, the same BBC programme was also reporting Percy Sledge’s death, at 73.

What a week to lose three outstanding representatives of human culture?! In 2010, Gunter Grass was one of the special guests at the World Editors’ Forum in Hamburg, Germany. He was already an old man even then, but was invited to address us, against the backdrop of the very disturbing events in the contemporary world.

Grass’ best known work is DIE BLECHTROMMEL (The Tin Drum), and on being awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1999, the Nobel Committee said of the work: it “was as if German literature had been granted a new beginning after decades of linguistic and moral destruction”.

It was in 2006 that he published the first in a triology of autobiographic memoirs. For

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the first time, he revealed that he had served in the Waffen SS, one of the most vicious of the Nazi gangs. It shocked a world that was willing to accuse him of hypocrisy for concealing that aspect of his past for so long, while being recognized as a strong voice for ethics and morality in the public space.

What must be said In 2012, he wrote a poem “What Must Be Said”, in which Grass expressed concern about the hypocritical German military support for a nuclear-armed Israel, saying the submarine it was given “could wipe out the Iranian people”. He then demanded that: “the governments of both Iran and Israel allow an international authority free and open inspection of the nuclear capability of both”.

In response, Israel declared him persona non grata! Gunter Grass died of a lung infection on Monday, but was without doubt, one of the greatest writers of the troubled 20th Century.

Similarly, Eduardo Galeano died on Monday and is best remembered for one of the greatest leftwing books of the Twentieth Century, OPEN

VEINS OF LATIN AMERICA, written in 1971.

Galeano had started his career as a journalist in the early 1960s. OPEN VEINS OF LATIN AMERICA was banned by rightwing military dictators in Uruguay, Chile and Argentina.

The book radicalised generations of leftwing activists all through the late Twentieth Century.

It gained renewed popularity after a copy was given to President Barack Obama, by the late Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, during the 5th Summit of the Americas, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Galeano described himself as: “ a writer obsessed with remembering, with remembering the past of America and above all that of Latin America, intimate land condemned to amnesia”.

Beautiful love songs Galeano burnt his imprimatur on the world of his time and remained true to his antiimperialist convictions till the end of his life.

On Tuesday night, the BBC also announced the passing of the African American singer, Percy Sledge, whose song “When a Man Loves a

tried to politically exploit the tragic event. And amongst other factors, his handling of the Chibok Girls’ saga, contributed to his loss in the presidential election last month.

It is therefore surprising that President Jonathan has clung to his political narrative about the Chibok Girls. On the first anniversary, this week, he gave an interview to the BBC, where he re-iterated that Borno State is governed by the opposition party.

He forgot that as commander-inChief, he had imposed an emergency regime in Borno and was in command of the troops on ground. It is to the incoming administration that Nigerians have pinned hope. The degree of seriousness to ensure the safe return of the girls home, so we can achieve a closure, will condition the trust that Nigerians will invest in the Buhari administration. One year after, the abduction of the Chibok Girls has left a deep sore on our collective conscience.

Woman”, hit the world in 1966.

It was certainly one of the most beautiful love songs of all time!

I used to be a deejay on Radio Nigeria in the 1990s, and I remember just how popular Percy Sledge’s song was. It was a ballad that touched the human heart and for an incurable romantic like me, he spoke, or sang, to my feelings in the most inimitable manner.

Percy Sledge came from a working class background and had worked as an agricultural labourer, before becoming a hospital orderly at a hospital, when, according to the legend a patient heard him sing and arranged for him to meet a producer, who signed him on his first contract.

The rest, as they say, is history. Human kind has lost three outstanding cultural workers and each in his own way, enriched our humanity with his artistic output. Please take a moment, if you have the access, to read the works of Gunter Grass and Eduardo Gaelano or just indulge the romantic side to your life, by listening to Percy Sledge’s original rendering of “When a Man Loves a Woman”.

Didn’t another Uruguayan remind us the other day, that love is the only permissible addiction? Try it for a change!

Similarly, I spoke with Aminu Bello Masari who broke the jinx in Katsina state, and showing that persistence pays. I believe he will work with purposefulness for Katsina. Aminu Tambuwal also won in Sokoto and will be expected to hit the ground running, working for Sokoto’s transformation. Dr. Ganduje received Kano’s massive endorsement, and they expect him to consolidate the development that Governor Kwankwaso commenced so commendably. Jibrilla Bindo was winner in Adamawa and his success thrilled me very much!

The final person on my list that I unfortunately omitted last week, is Tanko Almakura in Nasarawa state. I feel really glad that he was able to overcome the hurdles to be re-elected. As for Kwara state, AbdulFatai Ahmed, also handsomely profited from the Buhari hurricane and the absolutely incompetent and treachery-ridden challenge of the PDP, to return to power.

Buhari hurricane The problem in Kwara, is that the state is a hegemonic satrapy of a single individual, a hegemon, who has ruled and continues to determine everything, since 2003.

The slogan of CHANGE means NOTHING in Kwara. What we had and which will be consolidated is CONTINUITY of a systematic underdevelopment of our state. That is a pity but it is the reality that Kwarans will live with for the next four years: poverty for the mass of our people and the continuing enrichment of the hegemon, his family and cronies!

But we will keenly watch the governance process, in fidelity to Section 22 of the Nigeria Constitution: “The press, radio, television and other agencies of mass media shall at all times…uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people”

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 AS dates go, 10 November 2012 may not have a place in our political history, but it was the day the House of Representatives held simultaneous peoples’ public sessions in Nigeria’s 360 federal constituencies – they all started at 10am. People offered their views on amendments to the Constitution, the only time the people have had a say in the making of the document that governs us. On 24 July, 2013, the House of Representatives voted in tandem with the people, another landmark of the amendments.

The House Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Amendment that Emeka Ihedioha, the Deputy Speaker, led, by engaging the people deepened participatory democracy which has been a slogan since independence.

The people are only involved at elections, when their votes are required to keep people in office.

State Houses of Assembly at their sessions to consider the amend-

We, The People ments, which the National Assembly had passed, appeared to have favoured amendments that would serve legislators in the quest for more privileges and space to do their work, like the proposal for immunity from criminal and civil prosecution against members for what they say on the floor of parliament, including at committee sessions and financial autonomy for legislative houses, pension for their leadership.

However, the State Assemblies' rejection of autonomy for local government administration, the ever abused third tier of government, is unexplainable.

Other amendments that the State Assemblies affirmed were: •Indigeneship rights of a State to a Nigerian citizen who has resided in a particular community of a State for a continuous period of not less than 10 years. The proposed amendment runs against the more generous provisions of the Constitution for Nigerians to be shielded from discrimination and enjoy the same rights everywhere they decide to live. It would create situations where some citizens of Nigeria would be denied rights classified as “indigeneship rights” and the absurdity of citizens having fewer rights than indigenes.

•Rights to free, basic education and right to free primary and maternal health care services In Chapter 2 of the Constitution were changed and moved to Fundamental Human Rights to make them justiciable. This amendment would make governments more responsive to the education and health needs of the people.

•Independent candidacy in elections would create more platforms for political expression. The National Assembly would legislate on procedures, guidelines and qualifications for independent candidates.

•The three-month limit for the Federation or a State to operate without an Appropriation Act in any new financial year would generate more accountability that the current six-month provision.

In all, these amendments, and others are meaningless until governments become more about “we, the people”. Governments have run for too long without the people.

OPINION

Tribute to a hero

By Stella Samuel

T

HE titans clashed. The battle was lost and won. The winner celebrated. The loser conceded victory. The latter did not just stop there. He even went further to celebrate the winner (Quite unusual, wouldn’t you say?).

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, you fought fiercly, you lost gallantly.

When you lost, you did not sulk, you did not bemoan your fate, you did not rave and rant. You maintained your cool. What a sportsman’s spirit you have!

Ever-smiling president. Very rare to find on the globe. Even when criticised(destructively), you smile.

Even when you are pelted with stones, you still smile. Even when those who are young enough to be your children rain insults on you in the name of freedom of speech, you smile through it all.

People interprete your humility for stupudity, and your meekness for weakness. How wrong they are ! For you to be able to take all these smiling, you are a very strong person indeed, one to be respected.

Yes, you lost the fight; but one thing is certain : you did not lose your mind.

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your life has come to an end. You faced the challenges before you without flinching. You released the baton willingly without anyone wrenching it out of your hand. You refused to put up a fight even when you had the power to do so. You decided to let go and let God. What a show of maturity !

You sacrificed your ambition on the altar of peace. Kudos! I wish those who are aggrieved would emulate you.

Mr President, know for sure that God ochestrated your failure in your reelection bid for a purpose,and that is, that peace may reign in Nigeria. God knew before hand that you are the only one who has the strength and capacity to absorb the blow from

You released the baton willingly without anyone wrenching it out of your hand. You refused to put up a fight even when you had the power to do so

defeat. Such a blow landing on any other person could have spelt disaster.

Ouch!

They say your government is the most corrupt. They say you are the most irresponsible leader ever. Agreed (assuming it is true). You are not perfect , no. But the questions are: who is perfect? Who is not corrupt?

Who is that very responsible person?

Can the saints please stand for recognition? Do they not also use money and material things to woo voters? Do they not give jobs and contracts to people on man-knowman basis instead of on merit? Would that not be called corruption? Do they not play dirty with words ( (mudslinging). I wonder what name they would give to that.

Responsibility? Show me a saint in politics and I will show you a sham.

For all the good things you have done in your administration, people hardly remember. They brush them under the carpet. All they remember are your mistakes. That is human nature for you ! It is to be expected.

They vowed to frustrate you out of office. They pulled all manners of stunts. You build, they pulled down.

Some wined and dined with you, only to later turn around and stab you in the back. Traitors! But the beauty of it all is inspite of their antics, you remain undaunted, you still stand tall and strong. Thats bravery !

William Shakespeare had this to say : “All the world’s a stage, all men and women merely players : they have their exits and their entrances...” You have finished acting your part. You are leaving the stage for another actor. Probably an actor-cummagician ! The one that would perform the feat that no one has ever performed or would ever perform; the one who would satisfy all and sundry, such that not even one person would complain again. I pray earnestly for, and look forward excitedly, to that utopian world. May God help Nigeria !

Those who are today crying “Cucify him ! Crucify him !” against you, may well turn out to be the very ones to say “Hosanna ! Hosanna!” to you tomorrow. When it happens, do not be surprised.

Mr. President sir, you have a good heart. If every one of us were to have your kind of heart, then the world would have been a better place to live in.

Thank you so much for that sacrifice you made for the peace of our dear nation. I doff my hat for you. May the Lord God bless you real good.

Long live President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan! Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria !

•Ms. Samuel, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015—19

How Obasanjo destroyed PDP (2) F

ORMER President Obasanjo, as we can see, used the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to rule Nigeria for eight years.

As soon as he assumed office in 1999, he made up his mind to reduce Nigeria to a one-party state, his pet party system which he canvassed vigorously while Nigeria conducted its transition to civil rule programmes. The first part of this serial chronicled how he shrivelled the opposition parties and made the PDP into a colossus that dominated the political landscape. Eventually, most leading lights in the opposition parties decamped to the PDP. By 2007 when Obasanjo was constitutionally forced out of power, PDP was at the zenith of its power and glory. It had 26 out of the 36 governors, 260 out of the 369 members of the House of Representatives, 85 out of the 109 senators and an emphatic command of the majority in the state legislatures and the 774 local councils. It was at this point that the party started priding itself as “the largest party in in Africa”, and some of its

chieftains boasted that the PDP would rule Nigeria for “sixty years”.

The size of the Party was largely as a result of Obasanjo’s repression of the opposition parties, which became unattractive for politicians tocontest for power. The party was so powerful that Obasanjo suddenly developed an ambition to grab extra terms of office for himself when he was nearing the end of his constitutional two terms. To succeed, he nullified the membership of the party and ensured that all party members were re-registered. This, of course, ensured that those Obasanjo did not want in the party were weeded. These included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Kalu.

When his tenure elongation plans failed, Obasanjo put his Plan “B” into effect. He opted to unilaterally install his successor in office. He chose a terminally ailing Governor Umaru Yar’ Adua of Katsina state for president and paired him with a quiet, self-effacing Governor of

Bayelsa State, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as Vice President. He also planted his cronies as governors of the various states.

He even planted them in opposition parties. A case in point was in Imo, where the Obasanjo ordered the PDP to withdraw from the governorship race and support Chief Ikedi Ohakim, who had decamped from PDP when he failed to get the ticket at the primaries and ran on the ticket of the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA).

Obasanjo’s ambition, at this juncture, was to become the Life Leader of the PDP, such that he could wield great political influence and lord it over the occupants of Aso Villa from Ota or Abeokuta. The plan ran into storms, however. When Yar’ Adua assumed power, he refused to dance to Obasanjo’s tunes. He was determined to leave a legacy of his own. Obasanjo was not given any space to maneouvre.

But unfortunately, Yar’ Adua

Jonathan surrounded himself with people who posed as his lovers but were actually deceivers. They took whatever they could from him and abandoned him when he needed them most

When Ndigbo shot themselves on the foot

W

ANTED URGENTLY: President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – the nation’s Number Three Citizen.

QUALIFICATION: Minimum, Primary Six Certificate; Applicant must be of the Ndigbo extraction – from the South-East Geopolitical zone; and must have won election to the Senate on the platform of the APC. EXPERIENCE: Any warm body can apply – No formal experience required. Ability to handle the gavel and shout at the top of the voice in a rowdy session is an added advantage.

How liberal could any employer be – courtesy, the Federal Character requirement as enshrined in Section 14(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999?

The advert above, directed to the entire South-East, as simple as it seems, we were unable to find a suitably qualified candidate for the position. Going by the original threeregional arrangement for the country, President-elect has emerged from the Hausa stock of the North; his running mate has emerged from the Yoruba stock of the old West; but with no Senator-elect on the platform of the APC, from the eastern zone, it became obvious that the Senate President has eluded Ndigbo of the old Eastern region, now predominantly the South-East geopolitical zone.

It must be painful that the Ndigbo leaders saw change and did not embrace it. The inalienable truth is that the leaders could not calculate that the formation of the APC meant that the majority had shifted to the new party. By ignoring the wind of change, Ndigbo shot themselves on the foot.

Some saw it coming. For instance, people like Chiefs Ralph Obioha, Enechi Onyia, Onwuka Ukwa, Dozie Ikedife, etc, have been

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in the vanguard, agitating most relentlessly, that the Igbo nation cannot, and should not, jeopardise its destiny and viability on the flimsy excuse of “We are PDP and we must continue to vote PDP”. In essence, they have always pointed out the clear and ever present danger in swimming or sinking with any political party.

They have consistently maintained that the Igbo nation cannot gamble with positioning themselves in the Nigeria political equation. Ordinarily, the Igbo man is hardworking and deeply determined to excel in any personal or professional calling.

But essentially, politics is not in his blood and he may not necessarily test positive for politics, hence he can be easily misled by the political class.

It is not every time those political leaders recognize when desirable change is coming their way. Just see how they dispatched all their first eleven to the abyss! Is it not highly inconceivable that Senator Chris Ngige lost abysmally in Anambra State? Some time, some day, the location where the manufactured results was concocted will be known. Meanwhile, Ndigbo remain the worse for it.

Times are changing and it is only those who are prepared to change along that will not be shut out in the system.

There is a current controversy around the

Ndigbo can do without the big mess into which they are allowing the Yoruba politicians to push them

became seriously sick and died in 2010. Obasanjo jumped out of his political doghouse and started prompting Jonathan to run on his own terms in 2011, even though many northern leaders preferred that he allowed one of theirs to replace him.

Soon, Obasanjo found out he had lost his place in the PDP even under Jonathan. It was so bad he was almost ignominiously booted out of his Board of Trustees Chairman post. In the middle of 2013, he resigned from the post.

President Jonathan was later on to describe Obasanjo as “a goat seller who, after selling his goat, refuses to release the rope”. The Ota-born chicken farmer went home and started the war that led, ultimately, to the end of PDP’s reign.

In January 2014, he published one of his series of scandalous open letters to President Jonathan, accusing him of every abominable sin under the sun, including training snipers to kill his political opponents. A man under whose watch many prominent people were murdered was accusing a president who never recorded a single such incident in his five and half years as President!

Between April and May 2014, Obasanjo went round many states of the North and persuaded some of the governors he planted in power to run for president to replace Jonathan.

Some of these were: Governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto and Babangida Aliyu of Niger. Some of these OBJ-made governors were at the forefront of the rebellion against Jonathan. The tipping point came when five of the rebel

allegation that the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has placed a curse of the Lagoon spirit on the Ndigbo who will vote against his favoured gubernatorial candidate, Akinwumin Ambode. The Oba denies the allegation.

Besides, conventional wisdom dictates that Ndigbo should do the bidding of their hosts who have an APC National Leader, Senator Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who must not be disgraced at this particular point in the life of the new party.

Again, as individual citizens living peacefully in Lagos, Ndigbo do not deserve a curse but where they choose to form themselves into a trade union with the sole purpose of embarrassing their hosts, then, they must accept whatever wrath comes from the king. It is therefore in the core and vital interest of the Ndigbo in Lagos to remain good guests.

For sure, Ndigbo can do without the big mess into which they are allowing the Yoruba politicians to push them. They are irked by the Oba’s curse. And in an attempt to collect their maximum votes, the PDP candidate, Jimmy Agboje, is quoted as promising to build a befitting palace for Eze Ndigbo and place him on the same pedestal with Oba Akiolu – much to the chagrin of the Yoruba!

The time has come for Ndigbo to quickly put on their thinking cap and begin to restrategize immediately, lest the world beyond 2019, which is coming faster than most people expect, will still push them aside.

God forbid!

Apparently, Ndigbo will need a lot of luck to get mainstreamed into the new order.

Leadership failure has put them in reverse gear. Their type of situation has many parallels in history. Space will however

governors decamped from PDP and joined the newly amalgamated All Progressives Congress (APC) which was put together by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and General Muhammadu Buhari.

From that point on, the rapid emaciation of the PDP could no longer be stopped. Obasanjo was relentless in his attacks on Jonathan. Apart from writing public letters, he also nudged some of his out-of-work former ministers, such as Oby Ezekwesili, Nasir el Rufai and lately, Charles Soludo, to slam the Jonathan administration each time they got the chance to go public. Obasanjo climaxed his choreography with the public tearing of his PDP membership card a couple of months to the presidential election.

Of course, PDP’s fall from power under the watch of President Jonathan was further helped by the President’s failure to take decisive steps when and where he needed to. This made him subject to blackmail. Jonathan surrounded himself with people who posed as his lovers but were actually deceivers. They took whatever they could from him and abandoned him when he needed them most. Matters were not helped by his sloppy handling of the Boko Haram insurgency, which grew from a small pox on the nose to a plague that wracked the whole nation.

Perhaps, if Jonathan had been a little more in charge and decisive, he would have prevented some of the little problems that ballooned to decide for him only one term in office.

But Obasanjo was the headwind that chipped away, unchallenged, at the pedestal of his presidential power.

permit us to examine only one case here: ENTER LATE CHIEF HUMPHREY OMOREGIE OSAGIE (OMO-OSAGIE): He demonstrated extreme brilliance very early in life. In October 1923, at the age of 27 years, this ex-student of Kings College, Lagos, shook the world when he delivered a political lecture in Lagos under the auspices of Herbert Macaulay and the Nigeria National Democratic Party. It was clear that the young man would one day become a Titan in the struggle for the emancipation of his people.

He formed the Otu-Edo Party to support the Oba of Benin in the fight against the taxpayer’s insurrection under Iyase Gaius Obaseki and to support the Midwest State Movement.

Omo-Osagie was elected into the Western Region House of Assembly in 1952. His OtuEdo entered into an alliance with the NCNC at the national level while the Action Group founded by Chief Obafemi Awolowo was in power at the Regional Level in Ibadan.

Omo-Osagie saw change but did not embrace change and the development of Edo land remained stunted as a result. At a time when the Awolowo-led Administration in Western Region took development everywhere, including farm roads, Omo-Osagie remained tenaciously glued to the NCNC, which only had power of development east of the Niger.

That was gross miscalculation.

Change moves on the fast lane and that’s why wise men quickly embrace it before it changes again. Ndigbo should take note!

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

By Omoh Gabriel

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HE World Bank has disclosed that Nigeria received a total of $21 billion from its citizens living abroad as home remittance in 2014 saying that growth of remittance is expected to slow this year.

This fact is contained in the latest issue of the World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief, released in Washington at the ongoing Spring Meetings of the IMF/ World Bank Group. It said that officially recorded remittances to the developing world are expected to reach $440 billion in 2015, an increase of 0.9 percent over the previous year.

Global remittances, including those to high income countries, are projected to grow by 0.4 percent to $586 billion.

It said “The top five migrant destination countries continue to be the United States, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Russia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while the top five remittance recipient countries, in terms of value of remittances, continue to be India, China, Philippines, Mexico and Nigeria.

The release said “Nigeria alone accounts for around two-thirds of total remittance inflows to Sub Sahara Africa, but its remittances are estimated to have remained flat in 2014, at roughly $21 billion”.

It said that “growth of remittances to the Sub-Saharan Africa region is projected to slow to 0.9 percent in 2015, amounting to $33 billion. The regional growth in remittances in 2014 largely reflected strong growth in Kenya 10.7 percent, South Africa 7.1 percent and Uganda 6.8 percent. The level of remittance dependency varies across countries. Remittances in the Gambia, Lesotho, Liberia and Comoros equal about 20 percent of GDP in 2013, the latest available data. Remittance flows to the region are expected to pick up to $34 billion in 2016 and $36 billion in 2017. In Somalia, concerns are rising about the impact on remittances due to

$135.95

1.35

$2,824.00

-24.00

13.07

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

-0.12

$59.56

1.13

$54.84

1.55

CENTRAL

196 196.5 286.4736 287.2044 206.78 207.3075 200.1838 200.6945 1.6336 1.6378 0.2961 0.3061 267.3673 268.0493 31.552 31.6329 52.2555 52.3888 27.7169 27.7876 268.6964 269.3819

197 287.9352 207.835 201.2052 1.6419 0.3161 268.7314 31.7138 52.5221 27.8583 270.0673

CBN Exchange Rate as at 15/4/15

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— 21

Nigerians living abroad remitted $21bn in 2014 —World Bank

VISIT: From left: Executive Director, Small & Medium Enterprises, Bank of Industry, BoI, Mr Waheed Olagunju; Executive Director, Large Scale Enterprises, Mallam Mohammed Alkali; Past President, Nigerian Academy of Engineering, NAE, Dr Olusegun Ajayi; Managing Director\CEO, Bank of Industry, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, Vice President, NAE, Mrs Joannah Olu Maduka and President, Professor Raifu Salawu, during a visit of members of the academy to BoI, in Lagos. “de-risking”– the closing of bank accounts of money transfer operators by correspondent banks fearing risks of money laundering and financial crime” The World Bank said that “growth in global remittances, including those to developing countries, will slow sharply this year due to weak economic growth in Europe, deterioration of the Russian economy and the depreciation of the euro and ruble.

The 2015 remittance growth rates are the slowest since the global financial crisis in 2008/09. Nonetheless, the number of international migrants is expected to exceed 250 million in 2015, and their savings and remittances are expected to continue to grow.

The slowdown in the growth of remittances this year will affect most developing regions, in particular Europe and Central Asia where flows are expected to decline by 12.7 percent in 2015.

“The positive impact of an economic recovery in the U.S. will be partially offset by continued weakness in the

He also said that most of the tank farm owners constructed their facilities without making plans for truck parks, a development that has also contributed to the traffic problem

Euro Area, the impact of lower oil prices on the Russian economy, the strengthening of the US dollar, and tighter immigration controls in many remittance source countries. In line with the expected global economic recovery next year, the global flows of remittances

are expected to accelerate by 4.1 percent in 2016, to reach an estimated $610 billion, rising to $636 billion in 2017.

Remittance flows to developing countries are expected to recover in 2016 to reach $459 billion, rising to $479 billion in 2017.

Uncontrolled construction of tank farms cause of Apapa traffic —PTD

By Godwin Oritse

T

HE Petroleum Tanker Driver branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has blamed the perennial traffic gridlock on the ever busy ApapaOshodi expressway on the high number of tank farms in the area.

Speaking to Vanguard in Ibadan, the National Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Comrade Otunba Salimonu Akanni Oladiti, said the authorities gave approvals and licenses for the construction of these tank farms without putting the interest of other businesses into consideration.

Oladiti explained that the founding fathers of the nation knew that as the years went by, the city of Lagos will become congested and had the wisdom to move the capital to Abuja.

He also said that most of the tank farm owners constructed their facilities without making plans for truck parks, a development that has also contributed to the traffic problem.He said “You see information is very important, on the issue of Apapa, Nigeria founding fathers are so wise that they knew that as the years went

by, Lagos will become congested and decided to move the capital to Abuja.

“These Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) storage facilities are scattered all over the country, we have in Ibadan, Ilorin, Port Harcourt, Shagamu and other parts of the country and the aims and objectives of these scattered facilities is have free flow of petroleum product distribution across the nation.

“It is however a pity that the people that are ruling us do not care about the NNPC’s right of way and this has led to the issue of pipeline vandalism, a development that forced the government to abandon the NNPC’s right of way and this development encouraged private investors to start the construction of private depots in Lagos. “The construction of these private depots in Lagos is the cause of the traffic gridlock we are currently experiencing in the Apapa area of Lagos.

“In Apapa alone, we have more than 40 depots,and do not forget that 75 percent of total petroleum products importation come into Nigeria through Lagos and all these products are stored in private facilities in Apapa.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

,

Serious entrepreneurs think about saving some money before they start, or think of using their own savings to start a business

,

Creative ways to finance startups

E

very startup needs access to capital, whether for funding product development, for initial rollout efforts, acquiring inventory, or paying that first employee. Most entrepreneurs think first of bank loans as the primary source of money, only to find out that banks are really the least likely benefactors for startups. Thus “creative” really means maximizing non-bank financing.

The alternatives are many, but they are not easy. The most successful entrepreneurs are the ones who think creatively, not only about their offering, but also about how to acquire cash, and never say never.

They have to sell themselves, more than their product, to close on every alternative source of funding. Here are some top sources of funding startups: Personal financing - You may not think this is very creative.

Serious entrepreneurs think about saving some money before they start, or think of using their own savings to start a business. No investor will put money into a deal if they see that you have no financial commitment.

Personal credit lines - You qualify for a secured personal credit line based on your personal credit efforts. Credit cards can usually be acquired with even less history. We all know startups that have been built on one or both of these.

The advantage is that you retain total ownership and control, as long as you make minimum payments.

Family and friends - These are people who should believe in you, without waiting to see if your idea works, or waiting until you have real customers, revenue, and hard assets. These commitments should always be positioned in writing as promissory notes, or so-called bridge-loans, which convert to equity at a rate determined by later investors.

Peer-to-peer lending - This is a process whereby a group of people come together to lend money to each other. It’s been around many years, such as small business groups or ethnic groups supporting similar efforts. In the startup context, look for a successful entrepreneur peer willing to fund similar new ideas.

Crowd funding - Here you use the power of the Internet to find a crowd of like-minded people, with small amounts

each, to back your efforts.

Microloans - There are many private companies and non-profits that offer small loans, to promote entrepreneurship, to individuals who would not normally qualify for bank financing. Examples include Microfinance Banks Vendor financing - If you need tangible products for inventory, many manufacturers and distributors can be convinced to defer your payment until the goods are sold by you. This really means an extension of the normal 30-day payment terms to a period of months or longer, depending on your credit worthiness and extra fees.

Purchase order financing - The most

Look for a successful entrepreneur peer willing to fund similar new ideas

common scaling problem faced by startups is the inability to accept a large new order, since they don’t have the cash to build and deliver the product. PO financing companies will often advance the required funds directly to the supplier, allowing the transaction to complete and profit to flow to the startup.

Factoring accounts receivables - This is similar in concept to PO financing, but applies the advance to unpaid amounts not yet due or collected from customers. In high volume startups starting to scale up, this will provide cash on your sales immediately, rather than waiting for 30 to 60 days or longer for payment.

These aforementioned are different from the more conventional and less creative finance approaches of Angel and venture capital investors.

For new entrepreneurs, these sources usually have very little interest in early-stage or seed financing, preferring the lesser risk of a proven business model, with real revenue and customers, ready to scale.

BUSINESS NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES (15/04/15) Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N)

Central(N)

Selling(N)

196

196.5

197

289.3548 207.466 200.8608 1.6395 0.2965 268.0281 31.5779 52.2569 27.777 269.0296

290.093 207.9953 201.3732 1.6437 0.3065 268.7119 31.6589 52.3902 27.8479 269.7159

290.8311 208.5245 201.8856 1.6478 0.3165 269.3956 31.7399 52.5235 27.9187 270.4022

Commod Light Crud

Natural G Sugar Coffee Cocoa

Basic art and science of soap making

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency report

S

oap making is a mix of art and science. It is an art because you can play with a huge variety of ingredients; oils, fragrances, colours, shapes, sizes and textures. Depending on the effect you want to achieve, you could include interesting stuff like herbs, honey, shea butter, cocoa butter and other substances that are known to soothe, smooth and heal the skin. In the world of soap making, you are only limited by your creativity and imagination. Anyone can develop their own soap recipes. Soap making is also a science because it involves some basic chemistry. Soap is made by combining fats and oils with a chemical (Sodium Hydroxide, also known as Caustic Soda). This beautiful chemical reaction is known as 'saponification' in the world of chemistry. Don't let the highsounding name scare you, it's much simpler in practice.

Some of the most popular oils used for soap making are palm kernel oil, coconut oil, canola oil, olive oil, soya bean oil and several more. These oils are commonly referred to as base oils in soap making and each oil has unique properties that it will impart into the soaps you make.

Coconut oil, for example, produces soap that lathers (foams) very well. Olive oil and Shea butter are known to produce very good moisturing soaps.

Caustic soda is arguably the most common and widely-used chemical in the modern world.

Apart from its very important role in soap making, it is also used in the production of paper, textiles and cleaning agents.

Caustic Soda is a white solid substance that easily dissolves in water. It is available on the open market where it is often sold as pellets, granules or flakes.

However, note that the chemical is very corrosive. If it comes in contact with metal or human flesh in sufficient concentrations, it could cause serious damage.

There are a couple of important

points you need to take very seriously before and while you make soap. Understanding and obeying these elements will give you a firm foundation as you progress in the art of soap making.

Ingredients and Tools The main ingredients used in making soap are: fats/oils, Caustic Soda and water. Things like scents (fragrances) and colour are optional and will not prevent the soap from forming.

The secret of measurement in soap making lies in your understanding of "Saponification Values"

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 23

,

& YOU

dity de

Gas

Change ($) +1.92

% Change +3.60

2.61

+0.08

+3.08

13.03

-0.16

-1.21

136.35

+1.75

+1.30

2,820.00

-28.00

-0.98

Like the ingredients, the tools needed for soap making are very basic. Bowls and Spoons – a couple of bowls are needed for measuring and mixing.

Spoons are also required for measuring and stirring. It is preferable to use bowls and spoons that are made of steel, glass or plastic. Caustic soda will react and eat through bowls and spoons made of aluminium or wood. Measurement Scale – the importance of measurements in soap making cannot be over-emphasized. A scale is required to be sure of getting the right measurements. Stick or Immersion Blender – This is used to properly stir the soap mixture (oil and Caustic soda).

Although a spoon can do the job, but using a stick blender will achieve in five minutes what we require a spoon to do in one hour. Soap Mould – This is usually any container that you pour the liquid soap mixture into. The soap will cool, harden and eventually take the shape of this container.

It can be anything from empty milk cartons to plastic or wooden soap mould.

There are other basic tools such as knives (for cutting the hardened soap into desired sizes), freezer paper (for lining the mould so the soap won't stick to it) and a couple of other basic tools.

Measurement key to success Measurement is surely the key to success in soap making.

If you don't measure the ingredients or combine them in the wrong proportions, you just may produce something else that isn't soap. If the amount of fats and oils in your soap recipe is more than the caustic soda, the soap you produce will feel very greasy and oily on the skin. If caustic soda is in excess, the soap could irritate or even burn the skin. The secret of measurement in soap making lies in your understanding of "Saponification Values". Every fat or oil requires a different amount of Caustic soda to turn

,

Why great companies should constantly think differently

COMMODITIES (15/04/15) Last 55.21

Thinking differently starts when we begin to question the old ways of doing things that have not yielded results

it into soap. For example, coconut oil requires more Caustic Soda to form soap than olive oil. As a result, the Saponification Value for coconut oil is higher than olive oil. Knowing the saponification values for the oils you use will help you measure the right amount of Caustic soda.

Safety Soap making soap entails working with some very dangerous substances, such as Caustic Soda. So, a couple of easily available safety gadgets are required to protect different parts of your body. Because Caustic Soda releases some toxic gases when it's added to water, you need to protect your eyes with goggles and a face mask to avoid breathing in the gas. Caustic soda can also cause damage to the skin if it comes in contact with it, so a pair of gloves are also needed to protect your arms. It is also good practice to avoid exposing parts of your skin during the soap making process.

Another good safety practice is to properly label all the tools and ingredients you use in the soap making business.

Especially if you live with other people, you don't want somebody else using your soap bowls or spoons to eat food. And of course, if you have children or pets around you, make sure you store away all your soap ingredients and tools out of their reach.

Practice makes perfect Finding a successful recipe for your target market requires a significant investment of your time, energy and commitment.

Use the resources to further your knowledge and skill in soap making and apply them through practice until you find that recipe your market will love.

If you appreciate the value of soap in our daily lives and how much money people spend on soap every day, you would realize there's a huge potential in the soap business.

By ‘Uju Onwuzulike “Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought”…lbert SzentGyorgi

R

egardless of whatever reason(s) any business was established, the desire to achieve better result will always be prevalent. Then, again, achieving better result to most organizations is characterized by increased in profitability. Desiring an increased in profitability is an acceptable proclivity for organizations as a result of the services being rendered and paid for. But, the established truth is that no organization can achieve increased profitability by desiring or wishing for it alone except by thinking differently and doing things differently.

Years back, Steve Haines said something to me that changed my worldview about thinking.

He said, “You don’t need to think more, you just need to think differently”. That made me to realize that as individuals or organizations, we do not need to think more (quantitatively) just for thinking sake, we need to think differently with the result in mind – we need to think strategically. The same applies to organizations, to achieve better results, we may not necessarily do so many things for our customers in terms of quantity, but we need to begin to do things differently for them.

We might just focus on doing one particular thing differently for them. The other time I was discussing with an executive whose company has spent so much money on transformation, and I realized one key thing that was lacking – attitudinal change. For an organization to think differently and achieve its transformation goals, attention must be paid to develop the right attitude of its workforce first and foremost.

This is why I always encourage organizations or corporations that have merged or acquired others to pay attention to “Attitudinal Change Transformation”- a key area

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE that cannot be ignored. This is because one person with a wrong attitude can sabotage and make a mess of all the transformation effort. And right attitude is like a lubricant that will oil the wheels of “thinking differently”.

Unbelievably, and despite the fact that most organizations are doing the same thing year in year out,

When we blend in to what others are doing, we may not be able to stand out with a different result using the same business strategy and initiatives that have not worked, and yet they expect to have different and better results (that is impossible). With the stiff competition in the business world, if you keep doing your business the same way you have done it for five years; you will never even achieve the old results that you are used to, but rather below what you have been achieving. That goes to show that to desire improved results in all facets of business operations, we must have a paradigm shift, and that comes by thinking differently. The truth of the matter is that sometimes, we know why our organization is performing so badly, but we are stuck to the old ways of doing things – and we are not ready to try something new.

All organizations that are stuck to the old ways of doing things that have not yielded

them better results will end up becoming “Defenders of Decline” instead “Architect of the future”( example is Apple Inc. vs. others). Apple succeeded in becoming the “architect of the future” while others are busy defending the decline, little wonder Apple’s slogan is “Think Different”.

To paint a clearer picture of what thinking differently should mean to organizations, we need to realize that in our various organizations, there are strategies that are not working, marketing initiatives that are not producing the numbers, activities that are not worthwhile and generally things that are not working for the organization.

Thinking differently starts when we begin to question the old ways of doings that have not yielded expected results and begin to push the boundaries and think in new ways that lead to improved results. Thinking differently is akin to committing to make a difference. In order words, organizations that are thinking differently want to make a difference in the lives of their customers and employees. It is this committing to a make a difference that brings improved and sustainable results for the shareholders.

When we begin to think differently, we would realize that there is no just one way of doing things. Of course, it is a red signal to assume there is only one way of doing things. Employees must begin to ask optimal questions in order to have optimal answers. Questions like: why are we not achieving our desired results? Why are we not having enough customers to patronize our business? Why do our customers complain?

Are there things we are not doing well? How can we be different from competitors?

The fact is that when we blend in to what others are doing, we may not be able to stand out with a different result. That means we need to be different in all areas of our business (we need to be perceived differently and better) and that is the only time we shall stand out as an organization of choice.

C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

BRIEFS

ECB Boost: Euro zone banks expect sharp increase in loan demand

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Mrs. Bukola Awosanya, Group Head, Agric Finance, Sterling Bank Plc; Dr. Kenton Dashiell, Deputy Director-General, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan and Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, Head, Agric Finance, Sterling Bank Plc at the 2015 Annual Conference of IITA in collaboration with the International Association of Research Scholars & Fellows

Dud cheques: CBN slams 5-yr ban on offenders

By Babajide Komolafe

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ANK customers that issue dud cheques will be banned from issuing cheques for five years, and would not be allowed to access loan from any bank for five years This is one of the additional measures introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to deter customers from issuing dud cheques.

Also known as bounced cheque, a dud cheque is a cheque that has no value because the person who has written or issued it does not have enough money in their bank account to pay it.

In a circular announcing new measures to curb incidence of dud cheques, Director, Banking Supervision, CBN, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, said, “the CBN has noted with great concern the impunity with which some customers of banks issue dud cheques on their accounts despite the provisions of the Dishonoured (Dud) Cheques Act of 1977 and CBN’s recent directives to banks’ customers to desist from such practice.

“Consequently, it has therefore become imperative for the CBN to implement further measures to dissuade the issuance of dud cheques to the barest minimum.

“Therefore, in furtherance to our directives the CBN has put in place additional regulatory measures against dud cheque issuers. Upon CBN’s compilation and dissemination of information on serial issuers of dud cheques based on bank’ returns, banks would be required to; Recall/ cancel all unused cheque books issued to serial issuers of dud cheques; Bar the affected customers from use of the clearing system for a period of five (5) years; Forward the names of Dud

Cheque offenders to the three Private Credit Bureaux and the Credit Risk Management System (CRMS).

“The customers’ names would be listed on the database of the

It has, therefore, become imperative for the CBN to implement further measures to dissuade the issuance of dud cheques to the barest minimum

private credit bureaux and CRMS for a period of five (5) years from the date of submission, after which offenders will be eligible for removal. However, if the offender is found wanting after the name is removed, such an offender shall be permanently reinstated in the data base of both the three (3) Credit Bureaux and the CRMS; “Bar the serial issuers of dud cheques from accessing credit facilities from the banking system for a period of five (5) years. No institution shall, EXCEPT with the prior written approval of the CBN, remove such a person’s name from the three Credit Bureaux and the Credit Risk Management System (CRMS); Perform status check on a potential customer from CRMS and at least two Credit Bureaux BEFORE on-boarding a

customer.

“Where an Institution fails to report a serial dud cheque issuer in its return to the CBN CRMS and Private Credit Bureaux as required, it shall be considered as concealment and misrepresentation of material fact and the affected institution shall be penalized in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, LFN 2004 CAP B3 (BOFIA). In addition, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) and Chief Risk Officer (CRO) shall be liable to sanctions in line with the relevant provisions of the BOFIA. Any Institution that contravenes the above directives shall be appropriately sanctioned.”

Unbanked population drops by 20% - World Bank

By Jonah Nwokpoku

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EPORT by the World Bank Group released yesterday has revealed that access to financial services has improved significantly within the last three years as 700 million people became account holders at banks between 2011 and 2014.

This is even as the number of unbanked individuals dropped by 20 per cent to two billion adults within the period under review.

The report noted that the improved access was driven by other financial institutions including mobile money service providers.

Reacting to the report, World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim said, “Access to financial services can serve as a bridge out of poverty. We have set a hugely ambitious goal - universal financial access by 2020 - and now we have evidence that we’re making major progress.”

He added: “This effort will require many partners credit card companies, banks, microcredit institutions, the United Nations, Foundations, and community leaders. But we can do it, and the payoff will be millions of people lifted out of poverty.”

The report said, “between 2011 and 2014, the percentage of adults with an account increased from 51 per cent to 62 per cent, a trend driven by a 13 percentage point rise in account ownership in developing countries and the role of technology. In particular, mobile money accounts in Sub-Saharan Africa are helping to rapidly expand and scale up access to financial services. Along with these gains, data also show big opportunities for boosting financial inclusion among women and poor people.”

uro zone banks expect the strongest demand for loans in more than a decade in coming months as the European Central Bank’s bond-buying programme improves funding conditions, an ECB survey showed on Tuesday.

The ECB’s quarterly Bank Lending Survey, which polls more than 140 top banks, showed that lending standards were also gradually being loosened. The process was expected to remain slow, although there are bright spots, such as Italy.

The results are the clearest sign yet that the euro zone’s credit cycle is improving after years of anaemic lending. Combined with recent improvement in economic data ECONALLEZ, they provide an encouraging outlook for the region.

A net 39 percent of banks — the highest since the ECB started collecting the data in 2003 — foresee stronger demand for loans from companies in the coming three months.

Twenty-nine 29 percent expected it to rise for house purchases.

Firm harps on business strategies to drive profitability

T

he March edition of the monthly training programme for small and medium business owners and personnel by Customer Passion Point Limited (CPPL) has emphasized the need for business strategies that drive growth and profitability The Lead Consultant & Facilitator of the training, Mr. Ikechukwu Kalu said that, ‘’the highpoint of the March training was the discussion on the essentials for business growth. These are concepts that border on the content of our marketing plan, capacity to implement excellently and the ability to ensure that there is a strong invitation in our communication. Also critical is leadership – the business must be driven by someone who knows what he or she wants to achieve and is prepared to selflessly pursue it. Other factors are technology (and innovation) and a ‘Value Creation’ Mindset that runs across the business.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 25

•Malam Ibrahim Shekarau

•President Goodluck Jonathan

Stakeholders split over UN report on Nigerian education

By Amaka Abayomi

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DUCATIONISTS are divided over the recent 2015 Global Monitoring Report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, that Nigeria now has the highest number of out-of-school children and one of the worst education systems in the world.

While those who agree say the report is a damning indictment of the failure of capitalism to meet the basic needs of Nigerians for education, those opposed to it say the report has a political undertone.

Nigerian universities and the same old stories Pg. 27

Question leakage: Cowbell NASSMAC makes 16 yrs difference C M Y K

Themed:Education for All 2000-2015: Achievements and Challenges, the report stated that Nigeria lacks progress in almost every Education for All (EFA) goal as corruption, conflict and lack of investment have resulted in Nigeria having one of the worst educational systems in the world.

Launched in Paris, New York, New Delhi and Santiago de Chile, the report also stated that Nigeria, Chad, Pakistan and Ethiopia are among countries which are way off target on the six key educational goals that 164 countries agreed to achieve between 2000 and 2015.

The report added that the political leadership has been identified as corrupt, losing $21million of education funding over two years. Despite Nigeria’s GNP per capita growing substantially between 1999 and 2012, investment in education

remains low. As a result, the most basic of resources for education are limited, while an additional 220,000 primary school teachers, representing 15 percent of the global total, are needed.

The report further revealed that the

Nigeria, Chad, Pakistan and Ethopia are among countries which are way off target on the six key educational goals that 164 countries agreed to achieve between 2000 and 20i5

Continues on page 26

Shekarau tasks WAEC on global best practices in member nations

By Dayo Adesulu

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gap between the poor and the average in Nigeria has increased with the number of children from the poorest households going to primary school falling from 35 to 25 percent in 2013, adding that no country in sub-Saharan Africa has achieved the global EFA goals.

While Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Pakistan, and Ethiopia were listed among those which are way off target on the six goals, countries like Afghanistan, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Tanzania and India were lauded for their efforts.

Disagreeing with the report, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Federal Wing, Comrade Alex Okonta, said Nigeria’s education system is dynamic and boasts of a number of agencies working to ward formulating policies to better the lot of the sector.

Okonta said “in as much as I disagree

HE Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau has tasked the West African Examinations Council, WAEC to adopt global best practices in strategic human capital development process of member nations.

He said: ‘’WAEC should be at its best always by adopting global best practices in view of its strategic role in the human capital development process of member nations.’’

The Minister who noted that WAEC has been in the business of educational assessment for over six decades, urged the Council to continue to collaborate with other examining bodies to enable them benefit from its experience and expertise.

Shekarau who described WAEC’s mandate of conducting credible examinations and maintaining educational standards as an onerous task, urged the examination body Continues on page 26

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Shekarau tasks WAEC on global best practices in member nations

*Cross section of secondary students in Lagos State writing COWBELL, NASSMAC examination for the National Mathematics competition. Photo: Dayo Adesulu.

UN report on Nigeria sparks reaction from educationists Continues from page 25 with the report, we all know that the performance in the sector has been down due to the lack of implementation of these dynamic policies.

“Nigeria should not be classified as having one of the worst education systems in the world because we have very good policies on education.

Rather, our problem is implementing the policies for science and technology schools and the trade subjects are not being properly implemented.

“Also, we have the issue of inadequate funding, lack of monitoring and poor teachers’ remuneration because if teachers are not properly motivated, there is no way they can teach satisfactorily. The Federal Ministry of Education which is in charge of inspecting schools, should take the task seriously.”

Education systems In agreement is the President, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Alogba Olukoya, who said; “in as much as everyone is entitled to his opinion, we should not disregard the report on Nigeria.

Nigeria doesn’t have one of the worst education systems in the world and the issue of out of school children can be attributed to factors such as lack of facilities, poor teachers’ welfare, lack of or inadequate instructional materials, among others.

“The way out of this situation is for our leaders to make education top priority and do the needful by seeing that funds meant for the sector are judiciously spent.”

Questioning what criteria was used in adjudging Nigeria’s education system one of the worst, the Principal, Kings College, Lagos, Otunba Dele Olapeju, said the report has

some political undertones while the case of out of school children is as a result of the rising activities in insurgents in the northern region of the country.

Strongly agreeing with the report, the National Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign, ERC, Mr. Hassan Soweto said the is a damning indictment of the failure of capitalism to meet the basic needs of Nigerians for education, adding that the dilapidated state of public education is a consequence of the neo-liberal and pro-market education policies of the past decade that de-emphasized government role in providing investment for education.

Soweto said “The ERC feels vindicated because the report confirms what we have always said about the fact that statistics of progress habitually reeled out by Ministers like Okonjo Iweala, politicians and government apologists barely correspond to the reality that students and parents see on ground.

“For years, we pointed out

In 2008, there were 17 million more illiterate adults than they were in 1991; put together, Nigeria parades an embarrassing spectacle of a nation of substantially illiterate population put at over 40m

that the Universal Basic Education scheme was a conduit pipe for corruption and that nothing fundamental was happening on ground. I am sure that other activists and unions like the Academic Staff Union of Universities would not be surprised by the revelation that Nigeria is lagging behind in all the six major targets of the EFA goals.

“For the past 15 years, despite enormous revenues from crude oil sale and huge funds received from foreign donors for purpose of investment in education, no fundamental improvement has come the way of public education.

Public education “In a lot of ways, things have worsened as we now have the highest out-of-school children in the world, more girls are out of school or are dropping out due to poverty, child marriage, early pregnancy, cultural practices, while in the SouthEast for instance, we have very low enrollment of boys at primary and secondary schools.

“We have a shortage of at least 220,000 teachers. In 2008, there were 17 million more illiterate adults than they were in 1991. Put together, Nigeria parades an embarrassing spectacle of a nation of substantially illiterate population put at over 40 million.”

The ERC National Coordinator added that since the report highlights the failure of capitalist neo-liberal policies in making public education available for all, the in-coming government can avoid such mistakes by halting all subsisting pro-market education policies and rather recognise that education, being the cornerstone of development, is the social responsibility of government.

Continues from page 25 to fight against examination malpractice adding that, it is in tandem with the anti-corruption policy of Nigeria. rd Speaking during 63 annual meeting of WAEC held in Lagos, the Minister in his keynote address commended WAEC for her immeasurable contribution to the development of sound education and delivering worldclass services to stakeholders in the West African sub-.

Shekarau who was represented by the Permanent Secretary,promised to ensure that efforts were intensified by other stakeholders in education towards the eradication of examination malpractice.

He also advised stakeholders in education sector to assist in preserving the integrity of public examinations. ‘’By so doing, they would be guarding the credibility of the certificates issued to their children,’’ he said.

The Annual Meeting which ended in Lagos, with the election of Dr. D. Evelyn S. Kandakai of Liberia as the 18th Chairman of the sub-regional organization made her the first female to be elected into that position.

Her election is for a three-year tenure in line with the Convention's rules. She succeeds Emeritus Professor P. A. I. Obanya of Nigeria, who was elected in March 2012.

Extension of solidarity Also speaking on the occasion, the Minister of Education, Republic of Liberia - Mrs. Etmonia David Tarpeh - recalled with emotion the circumstances which forced Liberia to give up preparations for the 63rd Annual Council Meeting, and expressed gratitude to the Government and people of Nigeria for the assistance and solidarity extended to Liberia in difficult times. She appreciated the Management and staff of WAEC for the arrangement put in place for the hosting of the meeting on behalf of Liberia.

Council, which is the governing board of WAEC, holds its yearly meeting in rotation among thefive member countries - The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

The scheduled host for the 63rd Annual Meeting was the Republic of Liberia but due to the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in the country, the Council’s headquarters undertook all the arrangements for the meeting on behalf of Liberia and shifted the venue to Lagos. The meeting was hosted in 2014 by the Republic of Sierra Leone and it will be the turn of Ghana to host in 2016 and Nigeria in 2017.

Delegates from the five member countries who attended the three-

day meeting were made up of government nominees as well as representatives of the member states' ministries of education, universities, secondary schools and other interest groups.

The meeting also featured the 20th Annual WAEC Endowment Fund Lecture entitled: What Are We Writing on the Slate: A Holistic Preparation of the Youth, which was delivered by Hon. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Liberia.

During the deliberations, Council received reports on the activities of the five member country offices in the preceding year, and ratified the decisions taken on its behalf by the various committees.

Council also considered the action plan presented by the country offices and committees for hitch-free operations in the current year.

Cooperation and assistance Council appreciated the Governments of the member countries for their goodwill, cooperation and assistance since inception in 1952 and expressed gratitude to the teachers, officials of the ministries of education, the security agencies and all other stakeholders in the member countries who have constantly been assisting WAEC to achieve success in its operations and activities.

Council further commended Management of the various WAEC offices for implementing effective innovations that had brought improvements in the operations of the examining board.

It expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and property in the wake of the Ebola epidemic and activities of insurgents in some member countries, and urged the country offices to remain vigilant and proactive to ensure that candidates were not exposed to any form of danger while sitting WAEC examinations.

At the opening ceremony, three candidates were honoured with the WAEC International Excellence Award in recognition of their outstanding performance in the May/June 2014 WASSCE. They were Master Mickail Hasan (1st Prize), Master Blaykyi Kenyah (2nd Prize) and Master Archibald Henry Enninful (3rd Prize). The three candidates, all Ghanaians, were selected from a total of 2,018,497 candidates who sat the examination in the five member countries.

TheAugustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa was also presented to Master Mickail Hasan.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 27

Nigerian universities and the same old stories INSANITY has been described as doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result— Anonymous.

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DINNER: From left: Mr. Olivier Thiry, Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited; Miss Adesina Deborah, winner of the award for the Junior Secondary Schools; Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; Master Akintokun Adegboyega, winner of the award for the Senior Secondary Schools; and Chief Keith Richards, Chairman, Promasidor, at the dinner organised for winners of the 2014 Cowbell National Secondary Schools Mathematics Competition in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Question leakage: Cowbell NASSMAC makes 16 yrs difference

By Dayo Adesulu

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hen in 1999 the Cowbell National Secondary School Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC) began, little did anybody know that it would soon become a household name in Nigeria. Contrary to the expectation of many that the concept would, before long, fade with the faint interest of an average student in mathematics, the competition sooner than later became the bride in the heart of the target audience that is annually looked forward to.

The competition, organised by Promasidor Nigeria Limited for students in both junior and senior secondary schools as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), is meant to promote and encourage students to offer mathematics as a subject and to also remove the phobia students have for the subject.

Performance of students The company therefore, came up with the idea to stem the poor performance of students hitherto noticed in mathematics examinations in the country.

To say the annual contest has recorded success year –in, yearout is repeating the obvious. Not only do students now look forward to NASSMAC every year, even their mathematics teachers and schools alike are pleased.

The prize of emerging successful in the highly rated competition is today enjoyed by the winning students as well as their respective mathematics tutors and schools. As a result of this, the benefits accruable in the competition obviously spur the stakeholders mentioned above to prepare adequately even before entering for the competition.

The experience of Akindele Nurein Oyetobi of Iganmode

Grammar School, Ota Ogun State, the winner of Cowbell NASSMAC in 2011, was a good testimony for this. When the competition began that year, little did the 16-year old son of a trader know that he will emerge successful.

Oyetobi, who was wellprepared for the competition and from a public school, said he put in his best because he knew the kind of schools he would face during the competition. Words, therefore, could not express how he felt when his name was announced as the winner out of the over 34,000 students that participated in the competition.

The winner of 2014 edition, senior category, Akintokun Adegboyega, a 13-year old student of Ota Total Academy, corroborated this.

Despite the fact that Adegboyega is a mathematics genius, who had won multiple awards before the last NASSMAC award in the subject many students dread, he felt so excited to win.

His words: “I really prepared for the contest, but the coast was not clear over who would be the outstanding winner. I was therefore full of expectation.

Immediately I emerged the winner for my state, Ogun State, at the first stage final examinations, I became

I explored every available opportunity to ensure no stone was left unturned towards preparations for the final stage

apprehensive of what would be the final outcome of the competition. In fact, I explored every available opportunity to ensure no stone was left unturned as regards preparations for the final stage.”

Success story The success story of the Cowbell NASSMAC has been embraced not only by students; their schools too regard it as an honour when the winning students come from them.Ota Total Academy in Ogun State is one of such schools. The Academy has always motivated its students to participate in the annual competition; as it perceives every trophy won by students as a booster to its silhouette.

Adegboyega says: “My school has always encouraged us (students) to participate in awards like this and the school usually celebrates every winner. This is because the management usually counts every award won by its students as an honour to the school itself.

"For instance, when I won the award in 2012, the school gave me full scholarship apart from the fact that they also celebrated the award by uploading it on the school’s website. This year’s is not an exception. The school encourages us (students) and our teachers.”

From small humble beginning in year 2001, NASSMAC has grown into a credible and successful examination that all Nigerian secondary schools, teachers and students alike want to associate and identify with.

Today, NASSMAC is one of the most credible examinations in Nigeria. It might interest anybody to know that NASSMAC question papers Continues on page 28

IGERIA’S public universities are once again on the verge of the recurrent convulsions called strikes. Bored by it? Sorry; boredom is a luxury we cannot afford now. Alarm is more like it; because once again our kids in public universities might be heading for another prolonged stay at home – if there is a home. Invariably, that means all the social ills of forced idleness will be visited on society.

Because idle hands from time immemorial had been the devil’s workshops, parents might have to cope with cars smashed, food in refrigerators depleted, noisy music and weird dresses (all minor concerns undoubtedly), as well as serious issues like unwanted pregnancies, prostitution, fatal accidents, cultism and increased arrests for armed robbery by university students. Those have been the inevitable harvests of previous strikes; and there is no reason to think that the Devil will take a leave of absence this time around.

He is on duty 24/7 even if academics are idle.

Two reports in newspapers suggest we are in for another rough time with university education in Nigeria. The first is national – all public universities are getting ready to shut down again. The second concerns one university – Lagos State University, LASU. Lagos state prides itself on being Centre of Excellence; the university guarantees excellent crisis each time it erupts. It is natural wonder that there are still masochists left who want to be Vice-Chancellor of LASU. The latest “ victim” or “villain” or “martyr ” is Professor John Obafunwa, who, God willing, will be “saved by the bell” in October this year when his tenure ends. The two stories share some similarities; but, there

No university can reach world class if its classes are frequently disrupted and its science laboratories are shut down

are also some differences. Both of them will be analysed in this series of essays. We will also attempt to interview all those that matter in these disputes which will, once again rock the campuses.

The more things change, in Nigeria at least, the more they remain the same. As a Lagosian, the narrative starts with LASU which is not living up to the dreams of its founding fathers – particularly former Governor Lateef Jakande – or anybody else for that matter.

LASU closed once again – old story; new twist To be quite candid, it is becoming a rare occurrence for LASU to remain open for a complete session since its creation. One day, an enterprising investigator or historian might want to look into the history of strikes and shutdowns at the university to determine if there is a discernible pattern which can help avert future occurrence. But something definitely must be wrong with the university. One of my nephews, admitted to LASU in the 1980s started there before gaining admission to Obafemi Awolowo University (then Univ. of Ife).

I advised him to cross over – despite his father’s objection to the move. Akintunde graduated from Ife two sessions ahead of his classmates at LASU and was already a staff of Diamond Bank when his classmates were just “begging to apply”. That summarises briefly how LASU impedes the progress of its students.

It is not a record of which any university should be proud.

And, it is not a situation which the government of Lagos State should allow to continue. No university can reach world class if its classes are frequently disrupted and its science laboratories are shut down while experiments, which must not be interrupted, are in progress.

What obtains in that university now is the closest thing to bedlam that I know.

Just as troubling is the pattern the disputes have established.

None has occurred without the destruction of university and personal properties. Apparently, every set of students and staff includes arsonists and pyromaniacs waiting for any excuse to unleash mayhem. One eye-witness to the current one informed about vehicles destroyed and buildings vandalized.

Could such destruction be attributed to civilised and welladjusted individuals instead of those deserving straight jackets?

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

AUN joins UN's Global Priorities Group •Gets NUC accreditation for MSc/Ph.D in Computer Sc, Information Systems

By Ebele Orakpo

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HE American University of Nigeria (AUN) has joined nearly1,000 colleges and universities in the United Nations Academic Impact, UNAI, a global initiative made up of academic institutions that focus on global priorities such as peace, human rights and sustainable development.

AUN’s enrollment was announced Apri 6 via a UNAI email attached with a certificate of affiliation, signed by Arthur Georges and sent to Professor Margee Ensign, President of AUN. Congratulating Prof. Ensign, the email read: “You join nearly 1,000 colleges and universities in some 120 countries who are working with the UN to promote these global priorities.

"As a member, AUN is expected to carry out at least one activity in support of the UNAI and its 10 principles during a calendar year. The membership entitles it to airing of all UNAI-related activities in the organization’s newsletter and on the website https://academicimpact.un.org/ .

AUN is also authorized to use the UNAI logo in all its promotional materials."

Membership of UNAI, it was learnt, is open to all institutions of higher learning granting degrees or their equivalent, "as well as bodies whose substantive responsibilities relate to the conduct of research.”

Although AUN has been involved in peace-building in North-East Nigeria since 2012, "the Boko Haram attacks on civilians have produced a massive wave of refugees, about 400,000, almost doubling the normal population of Yola, home of AUN," according to a release signed by Mr. Daniel Okereke, AUN's Executive Director, Communications and Public Relations.

The Varsity, in partnership with

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the Adamawa Peace Initiative, API, has in the last few months, raised funds by appealing to philanthropists both in Nigeria and internationally, to feed displaced persons camping in various locations throughout Yola. Many are being housed by AUN staff in their homes.

"On April 1, Ensign addressed 345 AUN staff members hosting more than 550 displaced persons. The occasion was AUN’s monthly food distribution to these employees as part of its effort to maintain peace in Adamawa State.

She thanked the employees for their generosity in keeping displaced people and providing them with food, shelter, water, and most importantly, with hope.

"What you have done is an amazing act of generosity and as the President of your university, I could not be prouder of what you have done for the last year to take care of desperate, hungry people who are in great need,” she said.

In another development, AUN has received approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to offer PhD and Master ’s courses in Information Systems and Computer Science beginning in the 2015/16 academic session.

This will be the Varsity's second PhD programme. Last October, it received approval to offer PhD and Master ’s courses in Business Administration from NUC. The approval followed the acceptance by NUC’s Management Committee of the Resource Evaluation reports turned in by a panel of experts which visited the university earlier in the year and attested to the institution’s preparedness to run these graduate programmes.

Boasting advanced technological infrastructure and digital content delivery in all taught subjects, AUN has been

UNILAG inaugurates ULSU executives after 10-yr-ban

By Elizabeth Uwandu

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•Professor Julius Okojie fully accredited by the NUC since 2003. Accredited programmes are Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, Management & Entrepreneurship, Marketing, English Language & Literature, Telecommunication & Wireless Technology, Information System, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Economics, International & Comparative Politics, and Mass C o m m u n i c a t i o n s (Communication & Multimedia, Advertising, Print Journalism, Television/Film, Multimedia Design.)

I C E - C h a n c e l l o r, U n i v e r s i t y of Lagos, Prof. Rahamon Bello, has inaugurated new executives of the University of Lagos Students Union, ULSU after lifting the ban placed 10 years ago on student unionism by the former VC, Dr Ibidayo Obe over internal crisis that rocked the union.

Recall that in 2005, an internal crisis rocked the student union during which property were destroyed, the then VC's house was burnt and a life was lost, thus warranting the ban.

In his keynote address, the VC commended the new ULSU executives for making history in becoming the new face of the rebranded union.

Prof. Bello said; "I am happy for this historic event as my promise of restoring student unionism on my assumption of office has been fulfilled; at the same time, I commend these new ULSU executives for drafting a new constitution which is pivotal in piloting the affairs of the union.

He used the occasion to cancel the proposed suspension of cross visitation of students from May

Questions leakage Continues from page 27 have never leaked; an achievement that has made the target audience trust the body of examiners annually used for grading the results. The Managing Director of Promasidor, Olivier Thiry, was proud of this achievement; as the menace of examination malpractice is the order of the day with many examinations.

His words: “We are very proud of this feat and we pledge to sustain it. Our vision is to give all eligible Nigerian children the opportunity to participate in the competition and by so doing, improve their performance in mathematics.”

Thiry was convinced that Nigeria will require engineers and scientists to meet its developmental needs. To him, Mathematics will continue to be important for the future because all the sciences are based on it.

He stated: “We are however aware of the phobia some students have for the subject and firmly believe that through the encouragement of the study of Mathematics in secondary schools, we would nurture and build the confidence of our youth in embracing the subject.”

No wonder, Promasidor added an exciting new twist to the conduct of the NASSMAC examinations this year.

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According to the VC, cross visitation is now allowed from May 1. On week days, visitation will be from 4 - 5 pm; on weekends, it will be from 2 – 8pm.

Speaking on the occasion, the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof.

Tunde Babawale, thanked the VC for keeping his word of bringing back student unionism to the institution and for providing ULSU with a building and grants for its activities.

Babawale said the right of students to unionism is a fundamental human right and its powers is from the constitution.

‘The right of association is guaranteed under the nation’s constitution and it is where student unionism derives its power."

In restoring of ULSU, we have learnt from past mistakes, we appeal therefore, that the sacredness of this constitution that you wrote should be upheld by all players’.opined the Prof.

Babawale.

On the issue of leadership, the DSA called on the ULSU to beware of rumours and speculations. In his words,’ knowledge confers leadership.

Seeking confers knowledge.

Today you must take it as your first association to know more than those you are serving. As rumours and speculations are not to be put in place of knowledge.

The new ULSU were presented to the Vice Chancellor by the Dean of Students’ Affairs for the presentation of certificate of return after taking oath of office.

Meanwhile, the ULSU president Martins. A. Abiodun in his acceptance speech thanked the VC, the DSA and other principal officers for providing enabling environment for student unionism in the campus and promised on behalf of the executives not to disappoint the institution.

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VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015—37

There are no enough judges for election tribunals — Justice Adejumo Justice Babatunde Adejumo is the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN). He became President of NICN on April 2003 and has worked relentlessly to improve the lots of the court. He has created several divisions of the court across the six geo-political zones of the country as well as enhanced the laws establishing the court. In this interview, he spoke on the election petition tribunal as well as how to de-congest the Apex court of the country among other issues. Excerpts:

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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HE general election has come and gone, soon politicians will start approaching the election tribunal to contest the outcome of the polls. Do you think the 180 days for hearing of petitions is enough?

Definitely, it is enough. Why it was not enough to some people was that parties come with interlocutory applications. When you say no, they go to Court of Appeal, they want to stall the Tribunal’s proceedings.

Now if you have anything against the ruling they say no continue with the hearing, you can appeal all together. If you look at the psychology and philosophy behind that, you see that is justifiable.

Right person A person will be elected whether rightly or fraudulently and if it fraudulently, the court says election was not proper and he has stayed in the office for two years, he has been collecting public funds for two years, taking decision that will affect the states for two years.

If court now says he is not the president, certain things he has done cannot be reverse. May be he has signed one or two appropriation bill, or one law or the other, that law has been interpreted, he has appointed some people, those people have taken some actions, you cannot reverse. The best you can do is that the right person should take over. The state fund is being wasted, it is double jeopardy and problem created. For that, 180 days is enough to pursue election tribunal cases.

I think the question to ask is whether we have enough judges to handle election tribunal cases?

I don’t think we have. Because the moment you take these judges from the high court, industrial court, their work is hanging in their normal duty post.

That is just by the side and they will not be visible at their regular cases until they conclude the proceedings at the tribunals.

Cases will die temporarily, only to be awaken when they arrive back. That is why I said there should be a Constitutional Court.

The duty of constitutional court is to handle election matters. That will reduce the conventional court.

In South African, Togo that is the practice. The duty of constitutional court is to make sure that regular court are not saddled with election matters. It is in this regards you be able to train judges on the constitutional court.

But now, when you take justices of Sharia Court, or from different places, bring them together, that will not solve problem. How do you think the elongation of hearing of cases before the Supreme Court can be addressed?

So many things are to be done.

For example, they are taking 2006, 2007 cases now. It means that any matter you file now will have to stay for long before it gets there and it is not their fault because they have back log of cases. That is why National Industrial Court cases are not allow to get to Supreme Court to reduce the work load.

That is why the law says, it must end here except one that borders on fundamental rights. An interlocutory applications should not be allow to go to Supreme Court. It should end at the Court of Appeal, that would reduce the work load. Cases that qualify to go to Supreme Court must be

Justice Babatunde Adejumo...An interlocutory applications should not be allow to go to Supreme Court with the leave of the Supreme Court. Not every matter should go to Supreme Court.

If you want to appeal decision of Court of Appeal, you apply for leave, in their own wisdom if they think they are triable at the appellate level they will allow you to come, if they believe you are just coming to waste time, they refuse you and that is the end.

America.

But weighty constitutional issue will come to Supreme Court and with the leave of the Supreme Court.

If that is allowed, the Supreme Court will have less work and the Court of Appeal would now be Federal Court of Appeal because very few cases will be allowed to get to Supreme Court.

Allocutory matter If they can introduce leave, and make sure there is no allocutory matter taken to Supreme Court, these will reduce workload.

For the Supreme Court to be effective in discharge of the appeal, the number of cases going there must be reduce. The judges are not more than 16 or 17 and considering the ages of judges, they are elderly people.

In America, they have State Supreme Court and Supreme Court of United State.

In American you don’t appeal on everything, here you see a file so big. If you go there, the first thing to determine is if to hear or not to hear. They vote whether the case have merit or not, if six say no, that is the end. If five say to hear, then they will look at the aspect to hear. That is why the file will not be bulky. It is that area alone they will look at and see whether there is an issue. Here in Nigeria is not like that.

Another thing is that, the National conference recommendation of State Court of Appeal and Regional Court of Appeal so that all matters within the state will end there. That will look like Supreme Court of

I think the question to ask is whether we have enough judges to handle election tribunal cases? I don’t think we have. Because the moment you take these judges from the high court, industrial court, their work is hanging in their normal duty post

As the President of the Industrial Court, what are your plans to expand the scope of the court?

Well, I believe we are developing, expanding and growing. We have other heights to attain. We are already in about 24 states of the federation. We hope to have our divisions in more states of the Federation. We want to have more judges appointed within the next one and half years. Our headquarters project is in Abuja which is 70 percent completion.

We hope to complete it and develop the jurisprudence of the court the more. Very soon, we will be opening our Alternative Dispute Resolution centre.

We have the instruments and the rules already on ground, we are about to present them, so that the centre would be operational so that when cases are filed in court, those cases would be referred to the centre for amicable settlement that will safe time, reduce the degree of bitterness or the rancour that surrounding litigation.

What have been your challenges since you took over as President of the court?

We have lot of challenges. A court that had been in existence for 25 years before I was appointed and there was no much to show for it, for you to get to lime light is not a small fit.

It is quite pains taken,I have been to all the states of the federation either by road or air to search for how we can develop the court before we come to this stage. I met them Continues on page 38

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

There are no enough judges for election tribunals— Justice Adejumo Continues from page 37 with 129 staffs, five graduates, but today we have 1,500 staffs and over 300 graduates.

I met them with two lawyers, today we have about 50 lawyers.

I met three members who are not judges, today. So, when we are at Oju Olobun, I was able to built this place and we have courts across the country that can compete with any court all over the world. In terms of jurispudence, when I came, there was no enabling Act.

Proceedings in court It was established under the Trade Dispute Act which I think was not good enough, we were able to come out with National Industrial Court Act, 2006. I was able to make the Rules of Court to govern the proceedings in court in 2007 and 2010. We are able to come out with the amendment of the constitution, we had a third alteration.

We are now coming out with instrument and rules. I think the court has developed but it has not been easy to achieve that.

In the process, there lots of challenges but we thank God we are here.

Several stakeholders have been arguing that Industrial Court should not be final in the decisions on industrial issues, except on the one bordering on fair hearing or fundamental rights. Some are saying there should be a particular avenue for appeal.

What is your take on this?

You see, the law does not say National Industrial Court shall be a final arbiter. Section 243 of the Constitution was amended,that is appellate jurisdiction of Court of Appeal, was amended by adding subsections 2, 3 and 4. In subsection 3 , it says appeal from National Industrial Court shall be prescribed by the Act of the National Assembly.

EDITORIAL TEAM Innocent Anaba ( Head) Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri Dayo Benson (Supervising Editor) 08056180119 dayobenson@yahoo.com

One say that on fundamental rights, subsection 2,4,5 and 6 on criminal matters says you are free to go on appeal. But on any other matter, it cannot be appealed unless prescribe by the Act of the National Assembly.

Duty of the agitators If that is what the law says, it means that it is the duty of the agitators to move the National Assembly to come out with an Act that will prescribe an Act that appeal shall arise on decision of National Industrial Court and under Section 243 which was amended, states that “where appeal lies from the decision of the court of appeal, it shall be with the leave of the court of appeal, and the decision of the court of appeal shall be final.”

So,it does not say there should be no appeal on the decision of Industrial Court. Now you don’t need to go and amend the constitution, it has given that power to National Assembly to come out with Act. Prior to when the law were made, National Industrial Court Act, the third alteration, there were two cases. Amadi v.

NNPC. It went from the High Court to Supreme Court for 18 years before it was sent back to industrial court for trial on grounds of jurisdictional level.

There is another case of Ozuegbu v.CBN, it went from the high court to Supreme Court for 24 years before the supreme court send it back to National Industrial court to start afresh.

Now you can imagine the injustices that somebody must have suffered for 13 years before his case is to be retried.

Only God knows how many years it will take again before it would be concluded. In other to stop that, in their own wisdom, the law givers believe there should be no absolute appeal at the court of appeal.

That is why they gave the court of appeal limited appellate

is what labour deals with either as individual or corporate body.

One of the challenges facing the bench and bar is the issue of corruption, how is this issue being managed at the Industrial Court?

Well, in my court here, there is no cases of corruption. No judge has been taking to National Judicial Council on the ground of allegation of corruption. But if you say generally, as a member of NJC and as a member of Federal Judicial Service Commission, I am privilege to be one of those who have been considering the allegations of corruption against erring judges.

But I will tell you that 80 percent of allegations are unfounded, it was just allegation. Since the council have started, we are able to discipline four judges not on the grounds of corruption but other areas, may be found guilty of handling the case it ought to be handle.

Cost of justice Justice Babatunde Adejumo...it can be a continuous struggle jurisdiction unlike the high court. The high court didn’t have that limitation.

The law does not say National Industrial Court shall be a final arbiter. Section 243 of the Constitution was amended,that is appellate jurisdiction of Court of Appeal, was amended by adding subsections 2, 3 and 4

On land matters, it can be there one generation will go another generation will come and it can be in continuity. And like chieftaincy, it can be a continuous struggle. In an employment service, is an economy matters.

Assuming the Federal government or the State government is fighting with the union, they go on appeal, they refuse to go back to work, these are the reasons why they believe that they should not just allow the blanket appeal to be there. But the room is there for agitators to approach the National Assembly and move them to come out with a one paragraph law that we want it to be like the decision of the National Industrial Court to the Court of Appeal.

We don’t have any problem with that in our own court. But we must consider consequential effect of any law and the interpretation on the larger society. Nigeria economy

But when you talk of corruption, that is, taking bribe of asking for bribe. It is not been very common. Judges have been removed on other grounds. As if you have a case pending for more than five years, why you are been lazy.

You are not been able to meet up with your returns less than the number of cases you are expected to have handle or appear in the cost of justice. But in most instances, some aggrieve parties instead of some aggrieved parties to appeal their cases, they urged the council to discipline judge for refusing to grant them time or adjournment.

These are the cases of appeal not issues on which a judge can be disciplined. So the council has been able to identify some of these cases. Whenever we found that a judge is found wanting, the council will handle the matter but the council will give the judge and petitioner fair hearing and the council will investigate.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2015—39

If you must eat sugar, eat brown sugar — McNichols A

By Chioma Obinna

S the controversy over consumption of refined sugar rages due to its health implication in conditions such as diabetes, Nigerians have been urged that moderate consumption of brown sugar ensures a healthier life.

Managing Director, McNichols Consolidated Plc, Lagos, Mr. Chimaroke Ekpe said consumption of brown sugar is as good as consuming sugar cane in its dry and natural form.

Ekpe, who pointed out that cane sugar is richer in natural nutrients, said the company, which has been manufacturing products that contain sugar for 10 years, does not promote consumption of sugar, hence their products contain enable people to take as little sugar as possible.

He explained that an individual only needs as little sugar as possible to get the desired satisfactions in the food.

"If you can achieve a little satisfaction, we encourage our customers to be at that level."

Explaining why brown sugar is better than white sugar, he stated that White sugar due to manufacturing processes lose its natural nutrients after manufacturing processes. "Sugar

• Brown versus white: which sugar is healthier? is processed from crushing sugar cane and bringing out the sugar cane juice and drying it. When you dry it what you get is brown sugar. At that stage, the sugar is still in its natural state with all the natural ingredients retained, but due to industrial processes in the factory, the brown sugar is washed and bleached, removing all the essential nutrients for easy handling.

The brown sugar is healthier.

I am not saying that brown sugar means that you must consume

Brown sugar does not mean you should consume more sugar, but if you really want to consume sugar, brown sugar is the healthier sugar to consume

more sugar but I am saying that if you really want to consume sugar, brown sugar is the healthier sugar to consume than white sugar," he added.

McNichols, makers of several consumer products fortify the sugar content with Vitamin A to improve the health and well being of discerning low income Nigerian consumers who hitherto are forced to buy the unhealthy packed and unbranded imported sugar.

Ekpe who urged President-

elect, Mohammadu Buhari, to ensure effective implementation of the 2012 ban on importation of sugar in retail packs, said non implementation of the ban is affecting local manufacturers.

Further, he called for regulation that would promote and protect small and medium enterprises, as well as sustainin current efforts to improve access to capital to small and medium enterprises and the need to improve power supply to enable businesses thrive.

He said in 10 years the company has introduced granulated family sugar fortified with Vitamin A in single- serve packs for public consumption, developed Choice baking sugar to ease pain of home bakers, professionals and busy people who lose a lot of time and put in a lot of effort to bake cakes.

"We have also delivered good nutrition and cost savings via our family milk custard and family choco custard. We have also opened up new vista in cube sugar production in Nigeria. We have engineered packaging of brown sugar, which is a healthier sugar, for table consumption in Nigeria; family cane sugar in cubes and granules is now available in stores across the country.

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I

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It became so unbearable that three months ago I started a sex only relationship with one of my co-workers. The relationship is purely physical and I don’t plan on leaving my husband for him. This other man just fulfils my sexual needs and that’s all – Franka Dear Franka, what you are doing might sound clever but it doesn’t make it right. I understand that you are in a difficult situation and I am the first to admit that long distant relationships are impossible. But will you be okay if your husband did the same thing to you?

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None of this is easy but these are sacrifices worth making for family. But cheating is the worst option.

I know for certain that if you tell your husband that you are having an affair in order to save your marriage, he won’t be hugging you in celebration of your genius idea.

That will be the end of your marriage – Uche What vibrators for women give the most satisfaction?

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on how to use. Don’t be annoyed sir but please I need advice on how to use it – Samuel Dear Samuel, that is funny. You are an adult man. You have every right to seek the help that will improve your sex life. Most people go for help when they need help.

So don’t be embarrassed.

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Magic Mike is taken every 48 to 72 hours because one tablet works for days. The Dickalicious Arousal Gel is a mild erection supplement that men apply on the penis and then get oral sex afterwards to make it work. You can use this gel whenever and wherever you like. It has no dosage – Uche My wife and I have been married for 17 years now and our sex life no longer excites. We are like brother and sister these days. A friend told us about this swinger’s sex club for couples and that it helps strengthen relationships. I need your advice – James Dear James, do you know what happens in sex clubs?

People go there to have sex with each other’s wives, girlfriends, boyfriends and husbands. Are you okay with someone having sex with your wife in your presence?

This is one of those new age concepts that sound exciting at first but on closer inspection, it leads to jealousy , lack of trust and the spread of diseases. If you are looking for excitement, buy an adult film and watch it with your wife.

Adult books, movies, magazines and novelties are there to help you. But sex with other people will destroy your marriage – Uche Adults in need of the above novelties and treatments can call us on 08027901621 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. We deliver to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

40—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

indigenes, whether they live in Lagos, Abuja or anywhere outside the state, 45,800 of them sat for WAEC and only 4,500 of them got five credits and above in Katsina where the first middle school in Northern Nigeria was established.

In Katsina where the first generation, second generation and third generation including the President-Elect were products of the Katsina Native Education Authority.

We were the first to open an education account in the UK for the training of our people. But today from 1999 to 2014, we have presented over 255,000 students for WAEC. What did we get out of that? Only 32,000 of them got five credits and above in 15 years.

Teachers and classrooms

•Masari: Buhari will be a national leader

Opposition politicians should learn to be consistent

During my campaign, I was able to travel to all the local government areas in the state.

We have 34 local governments, I slept in 27 and in each local government and I made sure that I did not follow the tarred road. What did we see?

60 percent of our primary schools have either their roofs blown off of or the windows are down or the doors are down or no floor. On the average. A classroom is housing about 97 children. What are we talking about? There is a district that the District Head told me that in the whole of the district, only one child has gone to senior secondary school. The rest dropped out because there are no teachers, no classrooms. It is a terrible situation. There was a time we presented over 17,000 students for WAEC and all we could get was only 370 who passed. We cannot

— Masari, Katsina State Gov-elect GOVERNOR-ELECT of Katsina State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, a former speaker of the House of Representatives in this interview gives an insight into what the people of Katsina should expect from his administration. Excerpts:

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

M

Y experience as opposition politician It is really an experience for somebody to contest election in a party that is in the opposition, especially because of the way we see opposition in this country. I believe that the opposition should partner in the development of the democratic process in a country.

Unfortunately, in some quarters, people in opposition party are seen as enemies and not as partners. So, my experience, since I joined the opposition in 2009, is that for

you to be in the opposition, you have to be very patient, persevere and also to be steadfast.

Once you have an idea which you believe in, you should remain constant and consistent and in the end, God will definitely be with you in terms of succeeding. So, my experience has really been mixed in the sense that the ordinary person wants change all the time, but the powersthat-be always want to maintain status quo. The worst situation is the lack of level playing ground. But we have

seen how the simple introduction of card reader made it almost impossible to inflate votes, and this has made a little difference. Really, with the right leadership in the right place at the right time, Nigeria will get it right.

What to expect from me as the Governor of Katsina State If you passed through our campaign office, we said our project is Restoration 2015 for Katsina. What are we restoring?

Traditionally, Katsina is known for investment and producing highly educated and technically sound people. So, our main area, our first target, second target and third target is education because today in Katsina, the public schools, based on last year ’s performance in WAEC, we could not get three percent. If you take the entire Katsina

Once you have an idea which you believe in, you should remain constant and consistent and in the end, God will definitely be with you in terms of succeeding

continue like this.

Your relationship with other contestants We have done very well and have already passed that stage.

Nine of us contested the primary and all of us worked for the success of APC in Katsina state. The preparation for the Presidential and National Assembly election, as well as the governorship election, , each of us was involved and they all brought in materials and their physical presence into the project.

Even though APC was announced as the winner of the election in the state, the other parties are from Katsina and we will offer a hand of fellowship to them too. We are going to be magnanimous, we are going to be leaders. We are going to provide leadership and not rulership.

We have no problem in carrying along anybody who has the interest of the people of Katsina at heart. Our key word here is the people and not about skyscrapers. It is not about a road that will not go anywhere, but to develop the people and the people will develop the land.

Our expectation from the president-elect, General Mohammadu Buhari We are not meeting with Buhari on the platform of the political party alone. We have a long standing relationship and now, we have a political relationship. That Buhari is from Katsina State for us, is a plus and that plus depends on how we manage it.

Positive contribution We want Buhari to be a Nigerian leader. We don’t want Buhari to be a regional, zonal or provincial leader. We want him to be a Nigerian leader that will leave a legacy of positive contribution to this country and that is the basis on which people elected him.

So, we will help him to maintain and improve on those qualities that the people of Nigeria see in him. We will never do anything that will tarnish his image, his reputation or his standing internationally and nationally.

When we go somewhere and say I am from Katsina, we want the doors to be open. So for us, it is a plus.

What my new position means to me If you know me well, I am a normal person. I don’t look at things in such a way that it will carry my mind off the direction.

We have promised, we have pledged and we have prayed that God will give us the opportunity to restore the

Continues on page 41

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015—41

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

S

ENATOR Okpozo, leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Delta State was at pains speaking on the public announcement denouncing one of the sterling lights of the party in the state and in the country yesterday.

The state chairman of the party, Prophet Jones Erue and the assistant secretary of the party, Comrade Chris Onodjacha had in a joint announcement declared the expulsion of Hon. Temi Harriman and two others from the party. The other two, Dr. Alex Ideh and Mr. A.S Mene were also expelled from the party for purported anti party activities that led to the loss of Delta South Senatorial District in the recent presidential and National Assembly elections.

The intrigues, however, took some other dimension when Prophet Erue disowned the publications claiming not to have been part of any meeting where Harriman was listed for sanction.

Harriman, who was the state coordinator of the Buhari Campaign, was accused in the publication of allegedly withholding funds meant for the presidential campaign leading to what the signatories alleged led to the loss of her Delta South Senatorial zone in the presidential and National Assembly elections.

Public acclamation It was an allegation that shocked many given Harriman’s own antecedents especially her public acclamation as the only member of the PDP from the South in the House of Representatives who rejected the reported N50 million offered for support of the third term amendment in 2006.

The action against Harriman and the two others were especially displeasing to some within the party who saw it as a continuation of the crisis that followed the emergence of Otega Emerhor as the

•Emerhor: Governorship candidate

• Harriman: State coordinator for Buhari

Delta APC: The crisis that was predicted AFTER fighting from the trenches for many years and with his efforts again clouded by the unusual political habits of the establishment in his native Delta State, the pain could be deciphered in Senator Francis Okpozo yesterday. governorship candidate.

Emerhor came into the party from the former Democratic Peoples Party, DPP and met a handful of dedicated party activists led by Senator Okpozo and Harriman among a few others.

Harriman was believed to be part of a group in the legacy parties from the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP and the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC who apparently were not swayed by the seeming fiancial clout that Emerhor came with to the party.

The gulf was not helped by the fact that only Harriman’s Warri South Local Government Area refused to endorse Emerhor as the party ’s governorship candidate in the party primaries last year, an

action some said could only have been because of Harriman.

Party sources alleged a cold war between the two leading to efforts by some from the Emerhor side of the party to stop Harriman from taking leadership of the GMB campaign during the last election campaign.

Party leaders from within and outside it was learnt had to insist on Harriman being the GMB State coordinator before the opposition faded away.

Asked on the alleged expulsion of Harriman, Senator Okpozo said: “That expulsion is unauthorised. It is unauthorised because Harriman is not holding any political office that will make the chairman and his executive of the party to expel, suspend or remove her from any

Opposition politicians should learn to be consistent — Masari Continues from page 40 honour, dignity, prestige and integrity of the people of Katsina state and this is what we are going to work for, we see it as a challenge. I am not here not make a new name.

As Speaker, I was given presidential treatment anywhere I went in the country.

I am here because we believe that without executive power,

•Sen Okpozo: State party leader

you cannot make any meaningful contribution to development in this country at this point in time.

That is why I have decided to come back home and see how I can repay the debt because I am a product of public institution. So, I cannot be there and watch the public institutions where 99 percent of our people started from

crumble. If you are having 20 percent pass from Katsina State, where will Katsina be in 20 years time? It means we will be nowhere in the scheme of things in Nigeria.

There are some states in Nigeria that if they stop going to school, it will take us 30 years in Katsina to catch up with them.

position.

“Secondly, Harriman as the leader of the South Senatorial District in addition did not commit any offence because whatever money the party gave, she distributed it equally well to everybody’s satisfaction, so nobody should accuse her of anything. If the people accusing her wanted to take the money for themselves, it is their own headache. So I strongly object to this action of the state executive of the party and I have intimated the headquarters of the party. They should not harass the woman, they should not malign her and should not tarnish her image, she is an honest lady.

Asked if he was making any effort to resolve the issue, he said, “there is no issue to resolve. They made a mistake on it and if it is true that the executive issued that notice,

Party sources alleged a cold war between the two leading to efforts by some from the Emerhor side of the party to stop Harriman from taking leadership of the GMB campaign during the last election campaign

then they are misdirected and if care is not taken, they will discipline all of them.”

The matter took a different angle when Prophet Erue who allegedly issued the expulsion notice disowned the publication saying he neither issued it nor partook in any meeting where the matter was discussed.

Newspaper publication He said: ”I did not authorise that publication, I did not attend such a meeting, I did not know anything about it and I don’t know where the meeting took place. I have told my lawyers to find out who did it because it is eavesdropping my name. I don’t know anything about it.”

Speaking in the same wise, the state secretary of the party, Comrade Chudi Okonji “There was nothing like any exco meeting held on such and whoever must have taken such publications to the press should be held responsible. We never held any meeting for such, it is so sad, it is so painful seeing such in a newspaper publication.

The matter even took a more aggressive form yesterday evening when party stakeholders from 23 local government areas of the state met to take a resolution affirming their unflinching loyalty to Harriman for her sterling sacrificial leadership of the party in the state.

The stakeholders, however, further deepened the crisis when they announced the dissolution of the state executive.

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

BITS Bits NLC factions congratulate Buhari, Jonathan

‘Planned April 23 state councils’ elections'll worsen NLC crisis’

T

HE two factions of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, led by Comrade Joe Ajaero, and Ayuba Wabba, have congratulated Nigerian President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, GMD, retd on his victory in the Saturday’ Presidential election.

They equally praised President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat and sending a congratulatory message to the President-elect, even as the faction also commended Nigerians for the peaceful conduct of the election.

In a statement by the faction’s President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, yesterday in Lagos, “ we congratulate Nigeria and Nigerians on the successful conduct of the 2015 Presidential and National Assembly elections. We congratulate the newly elected President, General Muhammed Buhari.

Our congratulation goes to President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat to General Buhari in this historic free and fair election. We salute him for this unprecedented statesmanship. We salute Nigerians for coming out enmasse to cast their votes. In particular, we commend them for their patience, perseverance and resilience, as millions endured the inclement weather and made sacrifices to ensure hitch free, credible and transparent elections.

“Importantly, we salute our members - working men and women for being part of these historical elections as both voters and volunteer observers as directed by the Central working Committee (CWC) earlier this month. We are very pleased with the feedbacks that we have received so far from our members across the country about the conduct of the elections. The feedbacks commendably indicate great democratic enthusiasm on the part of all Nigerians, orderly conducts, patience and the unprecedented cooperation with INEC Officials to see through the various innovations by INEC in the bid to ensure hitch free and credible elections.”

Similarly, in a statement by Comrade Wabba, his faction said “We strongly believe that the election of Major General Buhari has undoubtedly opened a new and important chapter in the socio-political development of our nation as we have finally broken the jinx of transiting from one democratically elected government controlled by a ruling party to one controlled by an opposition party.

•Joe Ajaero

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

B

OTH factions of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, led by Ayuba Wabba, and Joe Ajaero, have fixed state councils’ elections for Thursday April 23, 2015.

In other words, the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, shall have two state executives each from April 23, unless something dramatic happens, or better still, if respectable labour veterans including Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, and progressive members of the civil society intervene before then.

Civil society intervention Today, both leaders of Wabba and Ajaero-led factions may be going about pretending not to acknowledge and appreciate the gravity of the crisis that Congress has been enmeshed in. Nonetheless, it is the opinion of Labour Vanguard that in the enlightened selfinterest of labour veterans, current labour leaders and members of the well-meaning civil society allies that the state councils’ elections are not held as scheduled until the crisis rocking Congress is amicably resolved.

While both factions of NLC may be busy trying to outsmart each other at the centre, taking the crisis to the state level and FCT, will obviously compound the already bad situation Congress has found itself following the disputed and allegedly manipulated March 12 rescheduled election.

Why the hurry to hold state councils elections

•Ayuba Wabba Though the factions maybe wanting to hold state councils’ election barely a month after to consolidate their hold on power, but in the long run, it may turn out to be a hurried election that would have definitely not moved Congress forward. The planned election is like pouring fuel on an already raging fire. To every sane mind, state councils’ elections at this time will only deepen the crisis at the centre.

The truth is that, the planned April 23 state councils elections is driven by the greed to consolidate their holds on power by the factions, rather than in the interest of the workers and the down trodden citizens.

In the past eight years, the state councils of Congress have not been funded and money centrally paid as dues to NLC secretariat, the state councils have not been paid their rebates which forced most of them to become appendages of the state governments.

Unfortunately, the Financial Committee during the last dispensation whose primary duty was to see to the funding of the state councils made it a point of policy not to pay rebates to the state councils. In fact, the committee deliberately refused to work out a rebate system to pay state councils their dues.

This situation has not only made state councils to be at loggerheads with the NLC leadership till today, but led the councils to become destitute, begging the state governments for monetary favours to run the councils. The result is that the action has paralysed the state councils so much that they cannot pay their bills without

the generosity of some benevolent state governors.

As at today, only one of the factions has what could be regarded as an articulated position on how the state councils should be founded. If the April 23 state councils’ elections go on as planned, the financial crisis rocking the states will worsen as the state governments will have a ready excuse not to assist.

In truth, no state government with integrity will want to be seen fraternising with a faction of NLC. It will obviously not be in its interest because it may back fire heavily and the state could be a testing ground for factions to test their popularity.

No affiliates, no NLC Let no one deceive him/herself that there is NLC without the affiliates. Without the industrial union affiliates, the NLC is just an amorphous body and when water eventually finds it level, it is the industrial union

The truth is that, the planned April 23 state councils elections is driven by the desire to consolidate their holds on power by the factions, rather than the interest of the workers and the down trodden citizens

affiliates that will determine where the pendulum swings to.

As things stand today, the 43 affiliates of NLC are almost evenly divided by the factions numerically and not on the basis of strength with the exception of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT and Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN. While leaders of MWUN have made it clear that the union would remain neutral and not support either of the factions until the crisis is amicably resolved, NUT is yet to state its position. The implication is that if they are interested, its national leaders have successfully deprived the state leaders the opportunity to participate in the state councils’ elections should both factions go ahead with the elections as planned.

However, on the basis of strength and ability to bring governments and employers to their knees, one of the factions dwarfs the other. If the crisis is not resolved soon, as time goes on, this will play a major role in determining the shape of popularity and acceptance by workers and Nigerian masses alike.

Imminent area of contests Whether leaders of the factions like it or not, the time to test their might and popularity will come sooner than later. Some of the imminent areas of contestations will be when Congress is to send representatives to Federal Government agencies or parastatals that statutorily require Congress’ representatives on their boards.

Agencies such as the National Pension Commission, PenCom, Nigeria Social Insurance TrustFund, NSITF, Industrial Arbitrational Panel, IAP, and Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, among others, are such agencies of government.

Though not a government agency, Congress is part of the owners of Trustfund Pension and such, has representatives in the Board of Directors.

It will be interesting to know which of the factions that will be sending representatives to these agencies when the time arises. If not now, when the incoming government of General Muhammadu Buhari assumes office on May 29, most of these boards, if not all, would be dissolved and new ones constituted. When that happens, which of the factions will send representatives, or will both factions send representatives and expect such representatives to be accepted or rejected. Time shall tell.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015—43

Array of performances as National Troupe preaches unity in diversity

By Japhet Alakam

F

OR millions of theatre starved enthusiasts in and around Lagos, the relative peace reigning in Nigeria as a result of the peaceful conduct of the presidential election and the great sacrifice made by President Goodluck in conceding defeat after he lost to the eventual winner, Gen. Buhari afforded them the opportunity to visit many event centres for relaxation. And as expected, the National Theatre Iganmu, the nations culture home was one of the places and in line with its tradition of staging quality productions during festive periods, the National troupe of Nigeria provided them with the landing space with a superlative and colourful performance of Spectacle, a four part musical folk theatre production with the infusion of comedy that received spontaneous applause from the audience.

The Cinema Hall 2 of the National Theatre Iganmu, venue of the event was filled to the brim as people from all walks of life, especially children took over all the seats in the place, leaving many standing throughout the duration of the show.

Conducive atmosphere Though, the new artistic director, Akin Adejuwon said he wasn’t surprised by the massive turnout, but that can be attributed to the conducive atmosphere and the rebirth of theatre production by the new artistic director. And as would be expected, the audience were not disappointed as they enjoyed every bit of what can be described as a potpourri of performances by the National troupe.

It was a novel idea and concept of creativity meant to fuse the different artistic elements in performance, that is, the unity of the elements of the African performative stage on the wholesome representation of Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage through music, songs, dance, narrative, masquerades and chants.

The first show opened with the rendition of folksongs from various parts of the country by artistes of the National Troupe who were joined by some guest singers and instrumentalists. They rendered Zam Zam Zam, an Igbo song, followed by Itsekiri and Efik songs before Emmanuel Adejumo, one of the sons of ace comedian, Moses Olaiya Adejumo (Baba Sala) who goes by the stage name Boy Sala mounted the stage

with his oversized glasses and rendered a love song from his forthcoming album, ‘Testimony’, which was dedicated to all lovers in the world. It was a love song that brought four dancers who dramatised it behind him.

When Boy Sala’s performance ended, Frank Ifogbe Okiemute and his wife, Chioma took to the stage with an electrifying contemporary dance of Bette Midler’s ‘From A Distance’. It was charming and entertaining, a song that made many to remember some forgotten scenes in their life and the compere Shaibu Husseini had to sound a note of warning to the audience

The Spectacle wasn't all about entertainment, rather a reminder to all Nigerians that though, there are differences amongst us, but that shouldn't stop us from inhabiting the same space

•A scene from Easter performance of Spectacle by National Troupe of Nigeria. Photo . Soibifaa Dokubo

not to try what the couple did on stage at home if they don’t want any medical emergency.

Next was the second part titled ‘Ifenkiliti’ (Spectacle) which featured dancers from the country’s various ethnic nationalities dressed in colourful costumes abandoning themselves to Terpsichore, the Greek god of dance. It also featured the dance by a parade of masquerades with the ‘ancestors’ also taking turns to entertain the audience. Lagos’ popular Eyo, Adanma, the Igbo male masquerade that dresses like a woman and another one from Enugu were fantastic.

The next part featured contemporary music, solo performances, duets, group performances, musical parody and traditional music ensemble. Three men and a woman parodied songs including the late Ayinla Omowura’s ‘Iyawo’ and a track by Musiliu Haruna Isola while another set

of dancers did Kiss Daniel’s ‘Woju’. Another member of the troupe, Funmi Abe performed ‘Owo’ highlighting the importance of money in the lives of human beings. The session ended with a choral performance of songs highlighting unity.

Choral performance The night ended with ‘Ajodun’ (Celebration), an abridged version of their interesting dancedrama, ‘Ajoyo’ that the Troupe toured three states with last year.

The appearance of the comedian, Malam Spencer, with his ribs-cracking jokes on Nigerian stereotypes added flavour to the night. In this transition period of change, the ‘Spectacle’ wasn’t all about entertainment, rather a reminder to all Nigerians that though, there are differences

amongst us but that shouldn’t stop us from inhabiting the same space.

Earlier in his opening statements, Mr. Adejuwon who wasn’t surprised by the massive turnout for the event, stated that it was because the audience included mainly traditional customers of the NTN, who are always eager to watch any performance by the troupe. An indication that Nigeria is moving forward.

The artistic director, restating the bias for traditional displays by the NTN, said: “According to the tradition, we shall continue to improve the contents of the National Troupe. We will always find something to educate, inform and entertain at the NTN” he said, informing that the troupe, since he took over its administration late last year, had deployed traditional contents in its performances.

Lagos Black Heritage Festival (LBHF) begins in grand style

By Japhet Alakam & Adelakun Ogo-Oluwa

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ASKING on the euphoria of change and successful conduct of the much talked 2015 general elections, the city of Lagos, the nations commercial nerve centre will witness a convergence of people and events as the 2015 Lagos Black Heritage Festival, LBHF officially opens on April 18.

The series of events for the festival which is adjudged as the biggest culture feast in city of Lagos will be declared open by the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola at the Freedom Park, Lagos on April 18 and will run till April,25.

The LBHF celebrates African creativity with the traditional and contemporary Dance, Drama, Music, Painting, Photo exposition

• A performance during the last festival

and others.

Highlights of the one week festival include, Vision of the Child — Children/Pupils Competition and Exhibition Programme; Masquerade Parade from Badagry; Exhibitions – Children Art & Art fair/Bazaar; Do Your own Thing – Talent hunt programme for youths ; Drama & Dance Drama – six plays on showcase and Poetry & Music – Night of the Poets There will also be the Meet The Artiste Showcase – which will showcase the Stage & Screen Career of Olu Jacobs; Film Screenings – Documentary & Experimental Films; Music Performances – Live from Emukay; Jimi Solanke; Eko Brass Band and more.

In his statement, the festival consultant, Prof. Wole Soyinka said, the theme was inspired by news of an impending visit by the

historic Globe Theatre in England was a major factor in LBHF’s decision to prolong its break from the geography based thematic series - The Black in theMediterraneanBlue - on which the Festival embarked in 2012. The visit of a famed professional theatre seemed too good an opportunity to miss for calling attention to the yet impoverished local status of Theatre.

Thus, for this year’s edition, it was decided to centre activities around – DRAMA! Alas, we were not to know that the real-life drama of the Nigerian elections would be extended by a full month, compelling the Festival’s shift of dates in turn.

Our expected collateral harvest of attention through immediacy is somewhat diminished. Nonetheless, we still hope that the passage of these professionals, will linger as the Festival picks up the gauntlet, even a month later. It should at least invigorate interest in the theatrical arts, underlining the practical challenges with which the home-grown version has to contend in virtually every aspect of dramatic presentation.

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Harvest of deaths in the literary world

By Japhet Alakam & Prisca SamDuru, with Agency reports

The minister's economy of truth

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FTER losing the likes of Nadine Gordimer, South African anti-apartheid Nobel Prize winner, and celebrated dramatist, teacher, theorist editor, writer and critic, Professor Adedapo Adelugba within a short time frame, death has dealt several blows to the literary world once again. In what looks like a harvest of deaths, Monday and Tuesday, 13th and 14th April, 2015 to be precise, recorded the passing of literary icons such as, the German novelist, social critic and Nobel Prize winner Gunter Grass, Watergate Historian, Stanley Kutler, Uruguayan author, Eduardo Galeno and many others.

Nobel Prize Winner, Gunter Grass

Günter Grass, the German novelist, social critic and Nobel Prize winner whom many called his country’s moral conscience but who stunned Europe when he revealed in 2006 that he had been a member of the Waffen-SS during World War II, died on Monday in the northern German city of Lübeck, which had been his home for decades. He was 87.

His longtime publisher, Gerhard Steidl, said he drank his final schnapps with Mr. Grass eight days ago while they were working together on his most recent book, which he described as a “literary experiment” fusing poetry with prose.

It is scheduled to be published in the summer.

“He was fully concentrated on his work until the last moment,” Mr. Grass was hardly the only member of his generation who obscured the facts of his wartime life. He was a pre-eminent public intellectual who had pushed Germans to confront the

“

Gunter Grass ugly aspects of their history, his confession that he had falsified his own biography shocked readers and led some to view his life’s work in a different light.

Mr. Grass came under further scrutiny in 2012 after publishing a poem criticizing Israel for its hostile language toward Iran over its nuclear program.

The poem created an international controversy and prompted a personal attack from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In 1959, he published his wildly inventive masterpiece “The Tin Drum.” He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1999, for his enormous task of reviewing contemporary history by recalling the disavowed and the forgotten: the victims, losers and lies that people wanted to forget because they had once believed in them.

Mr. Grass was a playwright, essayist, shortstory writer, poet, sculptor and printmaker as well as a novelist, but it was as a social critic that he gained the most notoriety, campaigning for disarmament and broad societal change.

Watergate Historian, Stanley Kutler

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N Tuesday, Watergate historian Stanley Kutler, who successfully fought for the release of President Richard Nixon’s secret tapes, died in Wisconsin at 80. Kutler, who had been in declining health, died in hospice care in the Madison suburb of Fitchburg, according to his son, Andy Kutler.

Stanley Kutler taught for 32 years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, retiring in 1996, and remained a professor emeritus. He was the author of several books, including two on Nixon.

In 1992, Kutler and Public Citizen, an advocacy group, sued the National Archives to force the release of thousands of hours of White House conversations recorded by Nixon’s secret taping system. Kutler won the gradual release of 3,700 hours worth of tapes

in 1996. After winning release of the Nixon tapes, Andy Kutler remembers his father going to the National Archives and listening to the scratchy, Stanley Kutler “horrible audio recordings.” Stanley Kutler used transcripts of the tapes to write his 1997 book “Abuse of Power.” He also wrote “The Wars of Watergate: The Last Crisis of Richard Nixon.”

Eduardo Galeno, author of Open Veins

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N Monday, Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano, whose “The Open Veins of Latin America” became a classic text for the left in the region and propelled the author to fame, also died at age 74.

Galeano had been ill with lung cancer for several months. His death was confirmed by the weekly publication Brecha, where he was a contributor. Born in Montevideo in 1940, Eduardo German Hughes Galeano began his career at 14, publishing cartoons under the name “Gius” because of the difficult pronunciation of Hughes in Spanish.

Galeano’s work inspired several generations of Latin Americans with powerful, acerbic descriptions of the continent’s exploitation by capitalist and imperialist forces. The writer defined himself as someone who helped rescue “the kidnapped memory” of Latin America, a “despised and beloved land.”

No work reflected that more than “Open Veins,” published in 1971. In it, Galeano wrote

that Chile with its vast nitrate deposits, Brazil with its abundant rain forests and small Venezuelan towns with oil reserves “had painful reasons to believe in the mortality of fortunes that nature bestows and imperialism usurps.”

“The world and Latin America have lost a maestro of the liberation of the people,” said Bolivian President Evo Morales, a left-leaning leader. “His messages and works have always been oriented toward defending the sovereignty and dignity of our peoples.”From the beginning, Galeano’s ideology and works embraced ideas on the left.

Those ideas forced him into exile in Argentina and Spain during Uruguay’s military dictatorship between 1973 and Eduardo Galeano 1985.

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he home of greed is the heart of hate. With callous manipulation he gives the dog a bad name so as to hang it for dinner” In the past two decades, practitioners of the Arts, actors, dancers, sculptors, visual artists, singers and instrumentalists including event managers have been plying their trade at the National Council for Acts and Culture (NCAC) zonal office Lagos ground as tenants of NCAC and the Federal Government.

In all these years we have never heard or seen Corpses lying anywhere in the National theatre Complex or it’s environ not to talk of the Artistes Village.

The level of our professional practice qualified us to rent the vacant space abandoned by the NCAC after the mass movement of government parastatals to Abuja .We have since found the place congenial to the people of like minds. Trained seasoned practitioners have since developed the place into what we call an Artiste’s village. There is no such community of artist anywhere in West Africa.

This unique community of artists haS provided entertainment at different Carnivals and Festivals within the country and outside the shores of Nigeria. It has also helped serve as regular training centre for Young and upcoming artists.

We find it insulting, wicked and inhuman to condemn group of seasoned professionals as “miscreants” by the minister for Culture and Tourism Chief Edem Duke.

On the 6th of March 2015 at the inauguration of APCON board of directors' ceremony in Lagos, the minister of Culture and Tourism Chief Edem Duke described the artist village as home of miscreants where pigs and goats are reared.

One wonders whether the minister has any idea or affinity with the arts apart from watching television, entertainment Actors and associating with Nollywood clan.

Hollywood in America grew from studios built by individuals into a community of Film makers who settled around the buses of Hollywood, and for want of a better name, they christened the place “Hollywood city”.

The great American “Broadway” that has spread into “OFF BROADWAY” and “OFF-OFF BROADWAY” grew out of a few stage thea-

One wonders whether the minister has any idea or affinity with the arts apart from watching television, entertainment Actors and associating with Nollywood clan

tre producers establishing theatre tradition and today has become a big source of America’s income earner.

If the minister is knowledgeable about this unique community called the Artists Village, the most valuable contribution as a culture minister is to develop the place and not to destroy it to achieve desperate ambition to get contract to build five star hotel and mall the Dubai style.

Tourism is not to impose foreign culture on our home and invite strangers to come and enjoy the hospitality of a foreign culture.

This cradle of artistic community is indeed the first of its kind in West Africa and attracts Tourists and provides the most useful artistic information about the people called Nigerians.

Knowledge of commercial arts It seems Nollywood is the minister’s only knowledge of commercial Arts in NIGERIA. He should be informed that Broadway theatre tradition built the American movie industry and still makes more money for America selling full house tickets six days every week through the years.

Therefore the minister should pay attention to the stage. There are things that could be done to enhance the existence of the artistes such as: •Ensure the wellbeing of artistes by advocating or introducing retirement benefits for artists.

•Liaise with our numerous ambassadors all over the world to encourage exportation of our artistic products. •Improve the circumstances surrounding the copyright law on piracy to save the artiste’s creative works.

•Build more auditoria and cottage theatres rather than arcades.

Artistic entertainment is different from social leisure. There are amusement parks and play grounds enough for kids, they are quite different from artistic and intellectual entertainment.

What the practitioners at the artiste’s village are doing is a replica of a miniature “Hollywood” and “Pinewood studio” It will be full hardy to rock the boat of Nigeria’s centre for artistic creativity which our West African brothers and neighbours “Ghana, Benin Republic and Cameroon are proudly emulating. When President in his magnanimity doled out a huge sum of money as grant to the arts sector, I thanked him and suggested that a part of it should be set aside to build a hall of fame for our hero’s past and present. This would attract tourists to the country and a big money earner. But the Hon. Minister for Culture and Tourism choose to ignore the idea to building a Shopping Mall and Leisure centre instead.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015—45

How Ijaw, Itsekiri leaders averted fresh EPZ crisis, by Gbenekame

By Emma Amaize

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ARRI—AN Ijaw leader in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, Chief Godspower Gbenekame, yesterday, explained how Itsekiri and Ijaw leaders, including exmilitant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, prevented what could have been a bloody clash between the two ethnic groups following Monday's violence on Ijaw people by some Itsekiri youths.

Gbenekame, who is the Ibe Benemowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, told Vanguard: “First, I want to say that the disturbance was not over the ownership of the site of the $16 billion Delta Gas City, Ogidigben, but over the clearing of bush for the projects, which contracts were awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to both Ijaw and Itsekiri contractors. Some youths from Madangho, an Itsekiri community came to attack the workers of an Ijaw contractor, injuring a security guard.

“Actually, after the attack by the youths of Madangho, Ijaw youths felt aggrieved and were bent on repraisal. The information came to us. Tompolo waded in, the Regent of Gbaramatu kingdom, HRH P.T Uyagha, particularly instructed me to go down to the scene of the incident and ensure

POLLS: Imoke commends C-River people for peaceful conduct

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VERNOR Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has commended the people of the state for their peaceful conduct during the just concluded general elections.

Imoke was also full of gratitude to the people for voting for the candidates of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in all the elections.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Christian Ita, the governor congratulated all those who won their elections, particularly the governorelect, Senator Ben Ayade, noting that the outcome of the poll was a clear manifestation of the expressed will of the people of Cross River State.

He urged the people to extend the support given to him in the last eight years to the incoming governor and his deputy, Professor Ivara Isu. C M Y K

the matter did not escalate.

“Itsekiri leaders like Mr. David Tonwe were all involved. We contacted ourselves and spoke to the boys to find out what was happening and Tompolo directed the Ijaw boys not to do anything beyond what they had already done because we also heard that they wanted to disrupt movement of Itsekiri people on the waterways.

“I got down to Tebu-Ijaw where Ijaw boys from Opudebubor and Okpelama were gathered itching for revenge because an Ijaw security man working for an Ijaw contractor was manhandled, but Itsekiri leaders assured us that the action was the handiwork of

a few misguided youths from Madangho and the action they took to rein in the culprits convinced us that they were saying the truth.

“I relayed their position to the Ijaw youths I met at Tebu-Ijaw and told them to discontinue any plan to retaliate or stop movement of anybody. Even the Madangho community youth leader was speaking with some of our boys and confirmed that it was an isolated action of a few persons, who they were going to fish out.

“We were informed later that they have caught one of the perpetrators and will hand him over to security agents for prosecution.

“Thank God, the Ijaw security guard that was injured is responding to treatment, he was injured but from what I saw, it is not a life-threatening injury.

However, it appears he sustained fracture, but a traditional bone setter is handling that for now, he will be taken to the hospital once his condition allows us to do so.

“The Itsekiri contractors are doing their own clearing on the job given to them and the Ijaw contractor is doing his own, so nobody should disturb the Ijaw contractor. I do not think anybody is talking about ownership, what they are doing from both sides is clearing. I do not see why they should be attacking Ijaw people on the project.”

CONDOLENCE: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (left) condoling with the children of late Chief Popo Edodo over the death of their father during a visit to Edodo family in Warrri, yesterday.

Delta APC chairman has no power to suspend me —MENE

By Daniel Gumm

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A R R I — T H E Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Mr Sunny Mene, has described his alleged expulsion from the party as “a nullity which cannot stand.”

Mene, who was reacting to a purported expulsion letter by the state Chairman and Assistant Secretary of the party, Prophet Jones Erue and Chris Onodjacha, said the leadership of the APC in the state was merely trying to make excuse for its embarrassing failure in the recent elections.

He said, “The state party chairman and assistant secretary who signed the letter have no constitutional power to do so, it is only the national convention of the party that can expel members as enshrined in the constitution.

“The action is null and void, it is alien to the constitution of the APC and against the principle of

fair hearing as enshrined in the party’s constitution. So, the socalled expulsion cannot stand.”

Mene described as “pure falsehood,” the allegation that he, Dr Alex Ideh and Temi Harriman worked for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,” stressing that it was a “mere propaganda aimed at covering the failure of

the Prophet Erue-led exco of the APC in the state.

He said, “Delta state APC has just emerged from an embarrassing political failure.

Rather than think about going back to the drawing board, the state chairman wants to continue in his act of maladministration that brought about the disgrace."

Be good losers, N-Delta group urges APC candidates

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—A Yenagoabased group, the Coalition of Niger Deltans for Justice and Development, CONJUD, yesterday, called on aggrieved candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu, Gombe, Rivers, Ekiti, Ondo and Akwa Ibom states to accept defeat and congratulate the winners of the last Saturday

governorship and House of Assembly polls.

The group said though the state Assembly and governorship elections in the affected states may have not been totally free from malpractices, the losers in the election should see the outcome as the decision of the people and the need to imbibe peace during electoral processes as exemplified by President Goodluck Jonathan.

POLL: Ex-militant leaders congratulate Okowa, Manager, others

By Onoja Innocent

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OMADI—NIGER Delta ex-militant leaders under the Phase II of the Amnesty Programme, have congratulated the governor-elect of Delta State, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, Sen. James Manager, Nicholas Mutu and the lawmaker representing Bomadi constituency in the Delta House of Assembly, Engr. Kenneth Preyor, on their victories at the just concluded general elections in the country.

They also commended Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for his developmental strides in the state, describing him as a good leader worthy of emulation.

The ex-militant leaders in the congratulatory message

by Mr. Kingsley Muturu, noted that their emergence at the polls was a victory for democracy and true choice of the people, stressing that the group will support them in policies and programmes of government geared towards the wellbeing of Deltans.

Okowa’s acceptability earned him Delta gov seat —SOLOMON

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ELTA State Commissioner for Works, Mr Funkekeme Solomon, has said that the victory of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa in the state's governorship election was as a result of the wide acceptability of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and its governorship candidate.

Solomon, in Asaba, noted that Okowa's victory at the polls was a clear indication of the hardwork and commitment of the PDP to sell its programmes to Deltans.

He commended the people for the large turnout of eligible voters, as well as Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for the smooth conduct of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections in the state.

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

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We don’t regret not supporting Buhari —Ohanaeze

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—OHANAEZE Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, said yesterday, that it had no regrets not supporting the ambition of the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, who won the March 28, 2015 presidential poll.

Ohanaeze also flayed the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, over the death threat he allegedly issued to Igbo people residing in Lagos before the governorship election.

Speaking in an interview in Awka, the national treasurer of the group, Chief Damian Ogene, said the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation supported President Goodluck Jonathan because of what he described as Buhari’s negative antecedents to Ndigbo.

According to him, the rejection of Buhari during the presidential poll is to remind him of the injustices perpetrated against Igbo during his earlier tenure as military Head of State.

He, however, said that since God had given Buhari an opportunity to be a democratic President of Nigeria, he should strive to right his earlier wrongs.

Ogene said: “We are ready to co-operate with him and to believe in his administration in the hope that he will, this time, address the injustices meted out to us since after the Nigerian civil war.”

He also advised the Presidentelect to deal only with the core people in Igbo land, rather than with the money-bags that were out of touch with Igbo nation and the masses.

“These billionaires have been using their oil money to block government from reaching the people at the grassroots level.

“He should liaise with peopleoriented organisations like

Anambra Association of Town Unions, ASATU, rather than with intermediaries,” he said.

He suggested to General Buhari to ensure that Igbo people, who were displaced in the

SIGNING: From left, Mr. Ercin Eksin, Co-Managing Director, ACE; Mr. Mitchell Elegbe, Group Managing Director & Chief Exeutive Officer, Interswitch, and Mr. Tunde Kehinde, Co-Managing Director, ACE, during the signing of the $850,000 Investment Agreement, at Interswitch Office, in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

Enugu House orders arrest of Accountant General

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—ENUGU State House of Assembly has ordered the arrest of the Accountant-General of the state, Mr. Basil Okolie, for refusing to appear before it.

Recall that the lawmakers had during its plenary, yesterday, summoned Okolie to explain the delay in the release of their allowances, but he failed to show up.

Subsequently, the House had empowered the Commissioner of

Imo lawmakers protest non-payment of 2 months salaries

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—IMO State lawmakers rose from a plenary, yesterday, and marched straight to the Office of the Accountant-General, AG, to protest the non-payment of their two months salaries and allowances.

The legislators were also irked that workers in some ministries and parastatals had reportedly not been paid their February and March 2015 salaries.

The lawmakers reacted angrily to the motion raised by the member representing Onuimo state constituency, Mr. Robertson Ekwebelem, and was seconded by the member for Ehime Mbano constituency, Mr. Kingsley Dimaku.

Following the motion, the House resolved to meet with the Accountant-General and the Commissioner for Finance, to ascertain why civil servants and lawmakers were being owed their legitimate earnings.

northern part of the country due to the Boko Haram insurgency, received compensation as their northern counterparts, in the spirit of equity and justice.

The obviously angry lawmakers, on arrival at the Accountant-General’s Office, were heard as they sought to know the reason their salaries and that of civil servants remained unpaid for two months.

Vanguard, however, gathered that their trip to the AccountantGeneral’s Office was fruitless as the AG, Mrs. S. N. Udogu, was said to be attending to another official assignment somewhere.

It was also gathered that Mrs. Udogu was promptly alerted of the lawmakers’ protest march and quickly scampered into safety before their arrival.

A senior staff member in one of the state ministries told Vanguard that “when the trip to the AG’s office failed, the legislators stormed the office of the Commissioner for Finance, before returning to the House to conclude the day’s sitting.”

Police, Enugu State Command,Mr. Dan Bature, to produce him next Tuesday, April 21.

While moving a motion for the arrest of the Accountant-General, Sunday Ude-Okoye, representing Awgu-North, said Mr. Okolie had refused to appear before them, adding that they had to exercise their constitutional power to compel him to appear.

Angry Ude-Okoye said: “He has continuously failed to obey our call to answer the House.

“Every time he says that he is sick but we learned that he is in his office. This is the third time.

“He wants to show the whole world that the House of Assembly has no powers. He wants to turn us like Akara. If we don’t use our power, I don’t think we will get the desired result.”

When the speaker, Eugene Odo, put the motion to vote, all the members present voted in favour of the warrant of arrest.

We can't allow Imo lose to another party, S-East APC chairmen declare

By Austin Ogwuda

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NUGU—SOUTH-EAST Forum of Chairmen of All Progressives Congress, APC, met, yesterday, in Enugu with a resolve to ensure that Imo State election which the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was yet to declare the final

result, was not lost to another political party through manipulation as was witnessed in other parts of the region.

It has, therefore, vowed that it was going to be fight to finish, using all legal and due process possible to ensure that the party was not robbed of victory.

The group also assured Ndigbo that the President-elect, General

Muhammadu Buhari (retd), was not angry that South East did not deliver enough votes towards his victory, accusing the handiwork of professional riggers that rigged them out.

Chairman of the forum, Dr. Ben Nwoye, who is also the chairman of APC in Enugu State, disclosed this at a joint press conference with other chairmen, in Enugu.

Anambra Shippers Association kicks against illegal tolls

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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N E W I — ANAMBRA State Shippers Association has appealed to Governor Willie Obiano to check the re-emergence of illegal toll collectors in the state, especially within Onitsha and its environs.

President of the association, Mr. Emma Akpaka, made the appeal while reviewing the security situation in Onitsha and its environs, as it affected business activities in the past three months.

He said traders and customers had started paying unauthorised and illegal fees to some miscreants, who harass and intimidate container drivers.

He said: “We are also faced with the dehumanising treatment meted out to container drivers from at least two illegitimate groups.

“Each of these groups poach on containers coming into the state and Onitsha in particular and collect nothing less than N10,000 each."

Veterans salute Buhari, Jonathan

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HE NATIONAL hierarchy of Veterans of the Nigerian Civil War of (1967-1970) under registered name of Carefirst for the Aged Welfare Development Association, have joined Nigerians to congratulate both the President-elect General Muhammadu Buhari on his victory and President Goodluck Jonathan for his love of Nigeria by conceding defeat.

In a congratulatory message, the veterans' National Chairman, Dr. Ubi Ikoi and National Secretary, Engr. Ray Chime remarked that the collective voice of Nigerians demonstrated the glaring solidarity that endorsed the victory of General Buhari as that of the people’s general, an ebullient and distinguished former military officer of amiable repute.

The veterans' association also prayed to God to grant General Buhari continuous good health, long life to pilot the country to greater heights.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 55

Walking in the dark in a constitutional crisis NEWS AN AL YSIS ANAL ALY

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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HE last minute constitutional crisis between the 6th National Assembly and President Goodluck Jonathan was wholly not envisaged by the framers of the Nigerian constitution. The Nigerian president and the legislators are walking in the dark in a face-off arising from the presidential veto of the constitution amendments articulated by the National Assembly and the state Houses of Assembly. Whereas past presidents have seen their vetoes on ordinary bills overridden by the National Assembly, there is really no provision in the constitution for overriding a presidential veto of amendments to the constitution as President Goodluck Jonathan has now done.

It is a sad irony for promoters of constitution development in the country especially given the warmth with which the amendments were received by the majority of Nigerians. Among the amendments forwarded to the president for assent were alterations to the constitution removing the president’s assent to future amendments of the constitution, the separation of the office of attorney general of the federation from that of the minister of justice and proposals to make provisions for free basic education and free maternal health care justiceable.

Financial autonomy Even more remarkable are proposals for Nigerians who live in any place for ten years to automatically be an indigene of such a place, financial autonomy for state legislative houses, independent candidacy in elections among others.

While constitution development enthusiasts and the legislators heartily saw the proposals as positive steps for Nigeria’s development, it was remarkable that a number of constitutional lawyers were averse to many of the proposals.

While canvassers of the position of the National Assembly were quick to point at conspiracy theories on the part of some members of the executive arm of government to sabotage the constitution amendment, they, however, failed to see the failures of the legislature in the whole affair.

The reported failure to attach the votes and proceedings backing the alteration of the mode of changing the constitution could be said to be unforgivable. What has been described as one of the landmarks of the constitution amendment was the proposal to separate the office of the attorney general of the federation from that

of the minister of justice.

In rejecting that proposal, the president cited the violation of the principle of separation of powers.

It would be foolhardy of the president to allow his attorney general, the key officer in justice administration to be appointed by someone else for him.

President Jonathan’s rejection of the proposal was his own effort to safeguard the powers of the presidency.

President Jonathan could, however, have cheered many hearts by cherry-picking the amendments with positive benefits to all. The president’s decision has inevitably left a sour feeling given the enormous amount spent on the review.

The National Assembly committees on constitution review have proposed a retreat to Marshall out their points on the

issue today and tomorrow, but there are fears that little can be

done to salvage the resources that may have gone down the drain.

Given that the legislators are walking in a dark swampy

terrain the hope and prayer of many is that they may peradventure find some hard ground that will avoid throwing away the baby and the bathwater.

From left: Segun Awolowo, CEO, of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nigerian Ambassador to the UAE, HRH Ibrahim Auwalu, NEPC Executive Secretary/ CEO Saratu Umar and Tonye Cole CEO Sahara group.

Why I didn't sign amended constitution — Jonathan Continues from page 5 sections he rejected would have been good for the country.

Sagay said: “There is the main issue of whether the President is really entitled to sign the constitution, that is the constitution could have been changed without him, that issue is not yet resolved and probably won’t be resolved until it gets to the Supreme Court because every constitutional change goes through a process of two thirds vote in the National Assembly and approval by state Houses of Assembly.

"So, it raises the question of after going through that process, is it still necessary to present it to the President for his signature.

That issue is there but the way the people behave this time is as if they needed the President to vote.”

Speaking further, the legal icon said: “If you look at his reasons for refusing to endorse the amendment, his main reasons are that the executive powers are being depleted to the advantage of the National Assembly and the National Judicial Council.

"For example, he said the office of the Accountant-General was split into two. One for the federation and the other for the Federal Government. That is a very good thing. I do not know why he should be against that because the present AccountantGeneral of the Federation operates more as the AccountantGeneral of the Federal Government. It is usually unfair to other parts of the federation, that is why that position was made, it was a sensible provision.

"As for the National Judicial Council appointing the Attorney-General, I do not think it is a good idea. It is going too far because the Attorney-General exercises executive powers in the sense that he can decide to

institute a criminal case and he can decide to end a criminal case.

I think that should remain with the executive and not with the judiciary.

“As for meeting the provision of Section 9 (3), I do not know what he expects them (National Assembly) to meet. They have met the Two Thirds requirements.

The only provision of the constitution which requires three quarter votes are those that affect human rights. These ones do not affect human rights as far as I know. I don’t see why he is complaining about Section 9(3).

All told, he has some minor justification but the bulk of what has been rejected would have been positive for the federation.”

President did the right thing —Ngige

On his part, Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN, said the president’s action was in order. He said: “My view is that I whole-heartedly support the President’s action by not signing the bill. It is only a fool that will append his signature to something that would make him look foolish. I am surprised that the National Assembly wanted the President to sign off his powers in the constitution amendment process.

“The President did the right thing and it is now left to be seen whether the legislators would override the President’s action. I am, however, in doubt that they will get the required number needed to do that as things stand now in the country. My advice is that they suspend the constitution amendment process until the next dispensation.”

Jonathan is correct —Keyamo

In like manner, Lagos lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, backed the President on rejecting the constitution amendment bill.

According to him, the National Assembly failed in attaching the votes and proceedings on the sitting that approved the clause to change the mode for constitution alteration.

He also sided with the President in rejecting the proposal to give the National Judicial Council the responsibility of appointing the attorney general, asserting that it breaches the doctrine of separation of powers.

He said: "I think the President is correct and he divided his objection into two. In the first one, he gave reasons he could not sign the issues dealing with healthcare, education and all that.

"In the second one, dealing with four-fifths requirement needed to alter the mode for constitution amendment is a special provision in the constitution and if you need to change the provision by which the constitution should be amended, you need a higher number than the normal twothirds and the President said that they did not attach the votes and proceedings to show that that number was met. That was very fair by him. There is no evidence that you have met the requirements before sending it to me. So he is correct on that one.

"On the requirement for free education and all that, what the President is saying is that you cannot impose free healthcare on private hospitals and private schools; you should restrict it to government schools. So do you want people to start taking private schools to court? It should be restricted to government hospitals because you would otherwise destroy the spirit of free enterprise in the country.’’

On separation of Attorney General and Minister of Justice

"What the President said was that they would be infringing on the principle of separation of powers. For example, it would mean giving the judiciary the power to appoint the attorney general who is an executive member and don’t forget that the attorney general sits in the exco.

"You are now saying that the judiciary should appoint him or recommend him to the President for appointment subject to the approval of the Senate, so that appointment is coming from the judiciary whereas in the past the NJC only recommended judges.

"Now, the danger is that when a government fails in its anticorruption war, you blame the president; meanwhile the person who is responsible for anchoring the anti-corruption war of the government is the attorney general who is not appointed by the government but may actually be destroying the anti-corruption war and yet the government cannot touch him.

"So it is a two-edged sword, but the government gets the consequence. So you could have a case where the attorney general can destroy the government’s anti corruption battle but the government cannot sack him."

It’s constitutionalism in action —Ajulo

On his part, Mr Kayode Ajulo commended the president for using his discretion, saying this is constitutionalism in action.

“When you look at it very well, the president has the discretion to either sign the amendments or not. What the President has done is the right thing because this is constitutionalism in action. It is well inscribed in the law and if the President exercises his discretion, so be it. Either rightly or wrongly, it now lies with the Supreme Court to do the required.”

56 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 16 , 2015

IS fighters withdraw from Yarmouk camp

Nuclear deal depends on lifting of sanctions —Iran ...vows to end Saudi-led air strikes on Yemen

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RAN said yesterday that it would only accept a deal over its contested nuclear program if world powers simultaneously lifted all sanctions imposed on it.

The comments by President Hassan Rouhani came the day after U.S. President Barack Obama was forced to give Congress a say in any future accord — including the right to veto the lifting of sanctions imposed by U.S. lawmakers.

Bolstering the role of a highly assertive Congress injects an element of uncertainty into the crucial final stages of negotiations between major powers and Iran aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief.

“If there is no end to sanctions, there will not be an agreement,” Rouhani said in a televised

speech in the northern Iranian city of Rasht, echoing remarks made last week by Iran’s most powerful authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“The end of these negotiations and a signed deal must include a declaration of cancelling the

oppressive sanctions on the great nation of Iran,” said Rouhani, who is widely viewed as a pragmatist.

A tentative deal between Iran and the six world powers was reached in Switzerland on April 2, and aimed at clearing the way for a fi-

nal settlement on June 30. Discussions will resume on April 21. However, different interpretations have emerged over what was agreed in the framework, suggesting that nailing down a final agreement will be tough, even without the added complication of Congress.

Many Congressmen have been highly critical of the U.S.-led negotiations, supporting Israel, which has said the framework proposal will not prevent Iran from developing atomic arms.

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SLAMIC State fight ers have largely withdrawn from a Palestinian refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus after expelling their main rival, several residents and a Palestinian official said yesterday.

The pull-out from Yarmouk leaves al Qaedalinked Nusra as the main group inside the camp.

The sources said hundreds of fighters of the hardline Islamic State had returned to their stronghold in neighbor-

Saudi Arabia beheads drug trafficker

S

Hassan Rouhani

ing Hajar al Aswad, from where they had launched their attack earlier this month. “Most of them have withdrawn in mostly to-and-fro skirmishes that took place between them and their adversaries,” resident Abu Ahmad Hawari said.

Alongside seeking to capture the camp, they sought to defeat their rival, the Hamas-linked Aknaf al Maqdis, an opposition group that was ideologically opposed to them.

AUDI Arabia yesterday beheaded one of its citizens for drug trafficking, adding to what Amnesty International has called a “macabre spike” in the kingdom’s executions this year.

The sentence against Khalid al-Rowaili was carried out as Jakarta summoned Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador over the execution a day earlier of an Indonesian domestic worker for murder.

Rowaili was convicted of smuggling ampheta-

mine pills and was executed in the northwestern region of Jawf, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

He was the 61st person executed in the kingdom so far this year, after 87 death sentences carried out in the whole of 2014, according to AFP tallies.

Rowaili’s beheading by the sword follows the execution on Tuesday of Siti Zainab, a domestic worker convicted of stabbing and beating a Saudi woman to death.

Malawi to evacuate citizens from South Africa 400 ffeared eared dead af aftter migrant boat capsizes— aid group … UN urges more effort to save lives

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URVIVORS of a capsized migrant boat off Libya have told the aid group 'Save the Children' that an estimated 400 people are believed to have drowned.

The Italian coastguard had helped rescue 144 people on Monday and immediately launched an air and sea search operation in hopes of finding others.

“According to their stories, they all departed from Libya, more than 550 people on the same boat that capsized only 24 hours after they departed,” Carlotta Bellini, a Save the Children spokeswoman in Rome, told Al Jazera.

The coastguard said it assumed that there were many dead given the size of the ship and that nine bodies had been found.

The deaths, if confirmed, would add to the

skyrocketing numbers of migrants lost at sea: The International Organization for Migration estimates that up to 3,072 migrants are believed to have died in the Mediterranean in 2014, compared to an estimate of 700 in 2013.

William Spindler, a specialist on asylum and refugee issues at the UNHCR, said that due to conflict in places like Syria and the Horn of Africa, the number of people trying to find safety in Europe has increased “enormously” since last

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ALAWI says it will repatriate its nationals from South Africa, following an upsurge in xenophobic violence.

At least five foreigners, including a 14-year-old boy, have been killed in attacks in South Africa’s coastal city of Durban since last week.

Some foreign-owned shops in the main city Johannesburg have shut amid fears that the violence could spread.

Zimbabwe has also condemned the attacks,

*UNHCR staff at Sallum in Egypt provide meals for stranded people, as well as milk and nappies for babies

blamed on locals who accuse foreigners of taking their jobs.

Tens of thousands of foreigners, mostly from other African states and Asia, have moved to South Africa since whiteminority rule ended in 1994.

At east 62 people died in xenophobic attacks that swept South Africa

in 2008. Malawi is the only country which has so far decided to repatriate its citizens.

Information Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa said the first group would return at the weekend.

About 420 Malawians are reportedly living in refugee camps in Durban after fleeing the violence, he said.

*Coastguard helped rescue 144 people and launched an air and sea search operation in hopes of finding others [AP]

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 57

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 59

Ancelotti not happy with draw R

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EAL Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti thought his team deserved more in their Champions League quarter-final with Atletico Madrid, which finished 0-0.

T L E T I C O Madrid coach Diego Simeone is already thinking about next week’s big game at Real Madrid after their goalless draw against their city rivals in the Champions League.

The derby rivals faced each other in the first leg at Vicente Calderon on Tuesday, but could not find a breakthrough, in part thanks to Atleti’s Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

Jan Oblak came to the rescue in the first half of Tuesday’s first-leg quarter final game at the Vicente Calderon stadium with a string of saves and Atletico were arguably the better side after the interval.

“It’s a result but not so good because we played really well in the first half,” Ancelotti told ITV. “We are happy for the performance of course, the first half was really good. We have to try to repeat it in our stadium.

“The goalkeeper was very important for Atletico in the first half.

Gareth [Bale] played a good game. I’m really satisfied, we worked hard all game, the first half with a lot of quality, the second was more difficult.”

Los Blancos will look to beat their La Liga neighbours, who they defeated in the final of last season.

“Next Wednesday we expect a classic game, those that anyone would love to play in,” Simeone said on his club’s official website.

“It will have that fear and anxiety factor that makes us fall in love with this sport".

•MADRID DERBY . . . Real Madrid’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo (C) vies with Atletico Madrid’s midfielders, Mario Suarez (R) and Koke during their UEFA Champions League quarter final first leg match at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid. Photo: AFP

Juve can become great – Evra P

ATRICE Evra warned Juventus suffered by being favourites against

Allegri happy with advantage stadium.

A penalty from Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal, blasted into the roof of the net, gave the Bianconeri the only goal of the game just before the hour mark and allows them to head to France with something to defend.

•Allegri

J

UVENTUS coach Massimiliano Allegri is satisfied with an aggregate lead after beating Monaco 1-0 at Juventus

A

“The result is good,” Allegri told Sky Sport Italia.

“Now we have a little advantage, but the return leg will not be easy.

“We know our opponent better now. They were well organised in defence and they have technical".

Monaco. “We felt that tension and anxiety.”

The former Manchester United left-back spoke to Sky Sport Italia after the 1-0 Champions League quarter-final victory. The second leg is on April 22.

Evra is one of the most experienced players in the Bianconeri squad and pointed out reaching the semi-finals

would be a milestone.

“Juve are a good team, but going through would make us into a great team".

their Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid.

“It’s still open. We must respect Monaco and we didn’t underestimate them the way Arsenal did. Alright, 1-0 is not a great result, but it puts us in a good position to qualify.

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ONACO boss Leonardo Jardim was left disappointed after losing 1-0 to Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

“We still have a lot to do and above all must maintain respect for Monaco. Every time I play with this jersey, I try to respect those who came before me and that’s a huge responsibility for me.”

The 28-year-old defensive midfielder was booked in the 85th-

minute for a cynical challenge on Real substitute Isco, a booking which rules him out of next week’s return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

• Simeone

Jardim rues ‘great injustice’

The Ligue 1 side faced the Italian champions at Juventus Stadium in Turin on Tuesday, where a controversial penalty from Arturo Vidal was the only difference between the teams.

Suarez apologises for ref slur

TLETICO Madrid midfielder Mario Suarez has issued an apology after he launched a scathing attack on the Serbian referee who officiated

Simeone expects ‘classic’

•Juventus’ defender Patrice Evra controls the ball during their UEFA Champions League quarter final match against AS Monaco in Turin. Photo: AFP

The incident started when Ricardo Carvalho brought down Alvaro Morata, but Jardim insisted it should have been a free-kick, not a penalty, as it happened outside the box.

60 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Ex-Nasarawa Utd players, coaches storm NFF over unpaid wages

BY JUDE OPERA, Abuja

F

ORMER players and coaches of premier league side, Nasarawa United yesterday besieged the headquarters of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over alleged unpaid wages by the management of the club.

Former captain and leader of the team, Stephen Moga told journalists that most of them are being owed several years of arrears which he said had condemned most of them to begging for survival.

Moga said although only about seven of them were able to travel to Abuja to present their case to the Arbitration committee of the NFF, more than 15 of them are being owed different amounts of money running into

SMILES . . .Former Super Eagles Captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN, Bayo Adekanmbi, Former Super Eagles Captain Kanu Nwankwo, and General Manager Consumer Marketing, MTN, Richard Iweanoge at the Launch of MTN Best 11 Promo at the Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos Photo By Diran Oshe several millions of naira.

Moga who claimed the club was owing him N8.4 million naira covering 2008 and 2012, said that most of the affected players are owed between 2 million to 10 million naira.

Ugbade Continues from BP team’s camp to travel abroad for trials without Siasia’s consent, and Ugbade said the player ’s behaviour was unacceptable and implores him to apologize to the U23 coach.

“Musa’s behavior is highly unacceptable and he must apologize to Coach Samson Siasia,” Ugbade stated.

“What he did is bad and shouldn’t be encouraged at all.

There’s no reason for him to have left the camp the way he did, and without the knowledge or consent of the coach.

“That is indiscipline and I think he must apologize first of all before anything else.

Sometimes these young lads get misled.”

Speaking further, Ugbade added that seeing fellow U20 teammates signing professional contracts with foreign clubs, plus pressure from parents

and agents, could turn a player ’s head.

“When you hear the likes of Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Isaac Success, Chidiebere Nwakali, Musa Yahaya and so on signing big contracts abroad, plus the pressure from their parents and agents, it can turn a player’s head and make him do stupid things, but they must learn to be patient and wait for their time,” he added.

Continues from BP ripped physique.

The 36-year-old posted an Instagram snap of himself tensing his upper torso while posing in a boxing ring.

Pacquiao said on Twitter: ‘Only 18 more days until the blessed event. See you in Las Vegas! # Te a m P a c q u i a o #MayPac.’ Mayweather ’s upcoming opponent has been stepping up his training programme in LA with the welterweight boxer recently pictured jogging around Griffith Park.

M e a n w h i l e , Mayweather has admitted he has fallen out of love with boxing and will have just one more fight after his bout with Pacquiao.

Supersand Eagles Continues from BP group game for the Sand Eagles and the Egyptians in the 2015 Caf Beach Soccer Championship, and the Nigerian team proved a handful for the North Africans.

The Egyptians though held their own in the opening period which ended goalless but the Sand Eagles revved their engines into life in the second period by going

Eagles Continues from BP players in the local league because we have a lot of talent in the league who could deliver for us if they were given the chance.”

Lawal added: “Most of the foreign players we

Pacquiao

invite, if they are not warming the bench, they are playing in some obscure league. So for me I think it’s better we stop inviting foreignbased players because they have not shown us the winning character.”

one goal up.

In the third and final quarter of the game the Super Sand Eagles scored three times to blow apart any kind of resistance from the Egyptians with Emeka Ogbonna helping himself with a couple of goals while Abu Azeez and Isiaka Olawale put gloss on the outcome of the contest.

Egypt though managed to get one back but it proved only elementary as Nigeria have now taken pole position in Group A ahead of the two other teams, Ivory Coast and Seychelles.

Nigeria now have maximum of six points from two games played so far and will face the Ivorians on Thursday in a game that could decide the group winners.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 61

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 — 63

Aluko: We don't fear Liverpool, Arsenal, Man. U

AYAC: Funds threaten Nigeria’s participation

By Ben Efe

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IGERIAN athletes face the danger of missing the second edition of the African Youth Athletics Championships billed for Mauritius on April 23-26.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria concluded the trials yesterday at the Yaba College of Technology, where about 40 athletes were penciled down. But AFN officials disclosed that there were no funds to cover the trip to the Indian Ocean Island country.

“Right now we cannot beat our chest and say we are going. And even if we are, we will be sending a small team.

“But we are hoping that there will be a reversal of trends, otherwise we will not be able to defend the title that we won at the maiden edition in Warri,” said an AFN

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technical official.

It was gathered that the athletes will remain in Lagos to train and await for developments between now and next week Monday. The team will likely travel on Tuesday, that is if Nigeria will be represented.

Nigeria won the maiden edition and officials were hoping to repeat the same in Mauritius. But now the field will be open to continental rivals, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and north African giants Algeria and Egypt. 33 other Africa countries have indicated their interest to participate.

It was gathered that the AFN is yet to recover from the expenses made for the African Junior in Ethiopia in March. At that championships, the coaches and athletes were paid only a 100 dollars allowance throughout their stay.

H

Despite that far from easy schedule, Aluko points to the club’s draws at Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal as proof they can rise to the challenge.

“We’re not fearful of anyone in this league,” said Aluko. “We have shown we can take points off any of the big teams.

“It is when we don’t perform that it is frustrating. Sometimes, we lose games ourselves, rather than teams beating us.

“We know we’ve got good players and if we play to our potential we will stay up. We just have to keep believing.”

Buhari boosts Okpekpe race

transform the country for good”.

On his part, Governor of the State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said, “I feel fulfilled that God has used us to make a difference in the lives of very ordinary people. We are convinced that rural Nigerians should benefit from development”.

•Nigerian junior athletes celebrating victory, will they be in Mauritius?

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HIS year ’s Okpekpe race has received a major boost as the President-elect, Major General Muhammadu Buhari said the opening of the Okpekpe road by the Edo State Government will boost the economy of

the area.

The 10km Okpekpe race which is an IAAF bronze labeled competition is an annual marathon which attracts top athletes from across the globe.

While giving his support for the race when he commissioned the

ULL City striker Sone Aluko said that his club is not intimidated by their imminent clash with title chasing Liverpool, Arseanl and Manchester United even as Hull is fighting a relegation battle.

The Tigers after a sixgame winless run sit just one place above the relegation zone.

Steve Bruce’s men must also travel to Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, leaving only the May 9 home clash with Burnley – who have a fine recent record against the East Yorkshire club – offering possible respite.

road recently, the President-elect said, “There is no doubt that this road will give accessibility to this community. Projects like this is a testimony of the huge level thinking of the APC and how the APC government will

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015

Pacquiao flexes muscles in countdown to Mayweather M

ANNY Pacquiao took time out of his busy schedule to hang out with Saved by

‘Inviting foreign-based Eagles waste of money’ F

ORMER Super Eagles star Garba Lawal has declared that inviting foreign-based pros to the country’s team is a huge waste of money.

The Atlanta ‘96 Olympic gold medalist has therefore called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to mandate whoever is named as the Eagles head coach to build a team from players in the domestic league.

Lawal in an interview with AfricanFootball.com maintained: “Inviting foreign-based players is a waste of money.

“We invite them, pay their air ticket refund, pay them allowances and what do they give us?

Nothing. No result.

“I think it’s better we concentrate on the Continues on Page 60

the Bell actor Mario Lopez, otherwise known as AC Slater, and NBA superstar Jeremy Lin. Pacquiao said of meeting Los Angeles Lakers guard Lin: ‘Thank you @JLin7 for coming to show your support. Thank for showing your love for the Lord and being a good example.’

The Filipino appears to be in fine fettle ahead of his highly-anticipated showdown against Floyd Mayweather with Pacquiao taking to social media to show off his Continues on Page 60

•Pacqulao

Ugbade: Musa must apologise to Siasia

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OLLOWING the disappearance of Flying Eagles captain, Musa Mohammed, from the camp of the national U23 team before their All Africa Games qualifier against Zambia, Flying Eagles assistant coach Nduka Ugbade has stated that the defender must apologize to Dream Team VI coach, Samson Siasia, for his behaviour.

The 18-year-old is believed to have left the Continues on Page 60

•THE END? — Mikel

Supersand Eagles trounce Egypt

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IGERIA’s Super Sand Eagles are closing on a Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup place

after defeating their Egyptian counterparts, 4-1 at the Roche Caiman Sports Complex in

Seychelles on Wednesday.

It was the second Continues on Page 60

•Musa

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S ANSWERS YESTERDAY'S

ACROSS 1 Bucket (4) 4 Enquire (3) 6 Too (4) 9 Pinch (3) 10 Scornful (8) 11 Equipment (4) 14 Fighting (3) 16 Command (5) 19 Aardvark (8) 21 Postpone (5) 23 Cheated (8) 24 Dissuade (5) 27 Wand (3) 31 Divide (4) 31 Divide (4) 33 Attendance (8) 34 Owing (3) 35 Ale (4) 36 Parched (3) 37 Discourteous (4)

DOWN 2 Declare (4) 3 Placed (4) 4 Flustered (8) 5 Retain (4) 6 Wrath (5) 7 Untruth (3) 8 Flood (5) 12 Swift (5) 13 Fat (5) 14 Lump (3) 15 Allude (5) 17 Dig (5) 18 Prompt (5) 20 Recuperation (8) 22 Colour (3) 25 Elude (5) 26 Go in (5) 28 Rushed (4) 29 Tolerate (4) 30 Tart (4) 32 Regret (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Appeal 5, Secure 8, Register 9, Onus 10, Asp 12, Ledge 15, Set 17, Awe 18, Rip 19, Lag 20, Villa 21, Eke 22, Ape 23, Sin 24, Win 26, Rhyme 29, Tit 33, Mean 34, Initiate 35, Client 36, Endure.

DOWN: 2, Press 3, Edit 4, Lithe 5, Spring 6, Clot 7, Route 10, Allow 11, Pagan 12, Lever 13, Delay 14, Erase 15, Spent 16, Treat 25, Ideal 27, Hoist 28, Maize 30, Inter 31, Once 32, Kind

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 014544821; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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