Lawmakers adamant; Gov Almakura fights back

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Folafunmi’s and Adeniyi’s wedding

Anti-smoking war goes to National Assembly

By Princewill Ekwujuru

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The new couple, Mr and Mrs Adeniyi Adegbite Adewusi, flanked by the parents of the groom, Mr and Mrs Adeniyi Adewusi, during their wedding at the RHEMA Chapel Int'l Churches, Bodija, Ibadan, yesterday.Photo by Dare Fasube

From left: Mr Richard Adegoke (bride’s father), Mr Adeniyi Adewusi (groom’s father), Mrs Bisi Arogundade (who stood in for the bride’s late mother) and Mrs Oluwasolabomi Adewusi (groom’s mother), at the wedding

HE House of Rep resentatives says it cannot ban smoking in its totality, but can institute laws that will control smoking in public places.

Chairman, House Committee on Health, Honourable Godwin Elumelu, who gave this indication while presiding over the final public hearing on the National Tobacco Control Bill, NTCB, however, assured tobacco firms in the country that government was not frightening them out of business, but only intends to ensure that rights of non-smokers are protected.

“We must let you know that we are not chasing you (tobacco operators) away. The bill is meant to control and regulate tobacco and its impact on the people. So don’t feel that way,” he said.

Similarly, Chairman, House Committee on Justice, Hon. Walid Hammad, said: “We cannot

ban smoking, but we must control it. The bill is not out to ban smoking and the tobacco companies.”

Hammed explained that his committee had to participate in the hearing because of the legal implication of the bill, and also to ensure that the views of every stakeholders such as civil society, groups, tobacco farmers and companies could be heard.

He said this will also help in enhancing and formulating a robust national framework for tobacco control such that everyone’s rights will be protected, noting that Nigeria is lagging behind in the global framework for tobacco control.

The Minister of Health, Chukwu Onyebuchi, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Mr. Linus Awute, said the bill is of great importance considering the country’s quest to protect non-smokers.

He cautioned stakeholders against losing sight of government’s intention with the bill considering the aggressive way both pro and antitobacco smoking advocates were going about it.

Anti-tobacco agencies had, in the bill, initiated outright ban on tobacco smoking, advertisement or promotion.

The hearing on the floor of the House had in attendance stakeholders in the industry, such as tobacco farmers, civil society groups, tobacco distributors and manufacturers.

At the hearing, pro and anti-tobacco groups argued their positions. For instance, Rasheed Bakare, President, Nigeria Independent Tobacco Farmers Association, said his association’s position is that tobacco farmers’ interest should be protected in the bill as their livelihood would suffer if anything contrary to that is done.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014 — PAGE 5

NASARAWA IMPEACHMENT CRISIS

Anti-Almakura forces adamant; gov. fights back *Tension as mother-of-all-rallies holds in Lafia ‘the mother-of-all rallies’. Tension was high in the state capital, yesterday, as Almakura’s party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), was said to be planning a counter ‘mother-of-allrallies’ across the state.

The police were apparently worried, last night, about the turn of events in the state.

A top security source told Sunday Vanguard that the Nasarawa State commissioner of police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, was frantically appealing to both parties, considering

BY ABEL DANIEL, LAFIA

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he forces opposed to Governor Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa State seemed on course, yesterday, to impeach the governor as they declared there was no going back on the move.

Indeed, the notice of impeachment served on the embattled governor through the media (newspapers), after the bid by the Clerk of the state House of Assembly to personally serve him failed, enters the fifth day tomorrow, setting the stage for the House to direct the Nasarawa Chief Judge to raise a panel to investigate the 16 allegations of gross misconduct against Almakura. To clear doubts that the move to impeach the Nasarawa governor was a ‘donedeal’, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nasarawa opposition party whose 20 out of the 23 lawmakers in the state are spearheading the action to oust the governor, are staging a rally in Lafia, the state capital early this week.

The rally is dubbed,

the volatile nature of the state that just recovered from ethnic and religious crises, not to embark on the planned rallies as they may lead to another round of mayhem in the state.

Mid last week, no fewer than three persons were allegedly killed during the protests in Lafia by youths protesting against the move to impeach the Nasarawa governor. *More stories on the Nasarawa impeachment crisis at pages 38-39

ATTACK ON JONATHAN

Tinubu, others have lost focus — Presidency HENRY UMORU

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OR daring to accuse President Goodluck Jonathan of encouraging fascism in the nation’s polity following Tuesday’s impeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, the Presidency yesterday lampooned the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, saying he has

lost focus. According to the Presidency, it was least expected of a leader in the person of Asiwaju Tinubu, a former govenor and one who has fought vigorously for the restoration of democracy to denigrate the office of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the country, adding that the tenets of democracy is the ability of players to accept defeat when they lose a contest.

Speaking with Sunday

Terrorism doomed to fail in Nigeria soon —Obanikoro ongoing nationwide familiarisation tour of institutions and agencies under his ministry.

He said, “Terrorism is not a 100-meter dash but a marathon. One thing that gives me strong hope is that there is nowhere in the history of humanity where evil has prevailed over good for so long. There is no doubt that we are going to turn the table in no distant time.”

The Minister

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

inister of State for M Defense, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, has declared that the current wave of terrorism in Nigeria is doomed to fail in no distant time.

Sen. Obanikoro expressed this conviction in a chat with news men in Sapele during his tour of naval formations in Delta State as part of his D

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From left: Mr Ugo Ajih, Project Director Folktales Moonlight, Adaobi Ogudo, Pinkberry Global Works Limited, Mr Yuri Olumba, Managing Patner Folktales Moonlight, at the press conference held in Lagos to pay tribute to late Nelson Mandela on his international day as one of the greatest icons of our time

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acknowledged the need for more investments in the Nigerian military in terms of the goals the nation has set for it, adding, however, that funding for the military is a global challenge not peculiar to Nigeria.

“Anywhere in the world”, he continued, “funding is a problem when it comes to military hardware. The Federal Government of Nigeria has resolved that within the limited resources available, the military would be properly kitted to deal with the challenges confronting the country for now and the future.

“If I tell you all is well, I will be deceiving you.

There is room for improvement and we are doing a lot that we can’t disclose in public before the media.

“We need not engage in a blame game but I know too well that the commitment the President has given in the last few years, if we have had that in the past, the military will not be where it is today.

Some of the acquisition we are doing to beef up military capacity has not been done in the last 25 years. That, to me, is what progress is all about.”

Vanguard yesterday, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, urged the former governor of Lagos State to respect the office of the President, an office he observed, leaders of the APC were also aspiring to.

Asiwaju Tinubu, after the events which culminated in last week’s impeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State by the State’s House of Assembly, had said the development was a setback for Nigeria’s democracy, adding that President Goodluck Jonathan was encouraging what he termed fascism in the polity.

But Alkali said, “It is very strange for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, someone who has led government before, someone who has been in the forefront of advancing democracy for many years,

to descend so low as to cast aspersions on the President of this country on issues he cannot prove.

It appears to me that since the Ekiti election, which PDP decisively won, Tinubu and APC leaders have lost their focus. This is democracy, it gives everybody the right to speak; but in doing so, you should not undermine institutions of governance, the same institution you are aspiring to take over and manage.

“Recently, the Adamawa State House of Assembly impeached their governor and even as that happened, the APC was up in arms, that it was Mr. President that impeached the governor of Adamawa State. Why should he do that and how can he do that? Are you saying the 24 or 25 members of the House of Assembly are not in control of their constituencies, that there

are no leaders or stakeholders in Adamawa State who worked for or with former Governor Nyako who could have stopped any of these practices.

“PDP has lost a lot to opposition political parties. I have said this repeatedly either at the court or more recently through defection, yet PDP stood firm and said let us continue to build on what we have and move forward.

“After losing Ekiti, the story has changed. It is time for them to tell one another the home truth.

If they are prepared to govern this country, then they must be prepared also to accept the principle of popular democracy that the people of this country would want to choose who should lead them and if they don’t, can’t or fail to convince people, they must also be ready to admit failure”

Oritsejafor hails FG’s fund for Boko Haram victims T

he Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday, hailed Federal Government’s new initiative to set up a special fund to cater for the needs of victims of insurgency in parts of the country.

Reacting on behalf of CAN and the entire Christian community in Nigeria to the cheery news, National President of the association, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, specially thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for taking such a bold and courageous step to care for the victims of insurgency in the northern part of the

country. “The action is a further demonstration that President Jonathan is indeed the father of the nation and a father to all Nigerians irrespective of the background of the victims of the crisis; and the decision has demonstrated that the present administration is responsive to the plight of the people,” he stated.

According to Oritsejafor, “for long, it has been the conviction of CAN that victims of the senseless killings and wanton destruction of property should be given some life-line in whatever name to be so called and we are glad that the

President has heard our call and responded appropriately,” he added.

The CAN president believes that the fund will address a wide range of issues facing persons displaced by the crisis as well as provide the basis for a more comprehensive programme of rehabilitation and reintegration of the victims at the end of the crisis (insurgency).

“I honestly believe that this initiative will give hope to our people and instill in them a sense of belonging while reducing the psychological and physical impact of the burden created as a result of the losses incurred while the crisis lasted.

PAGE 6—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014

OSUN 2014: APC, PDP trade accusations over rice-for-vote

BRIEFS OIL SPILLAGE

BY DAPO AKINREFON

Why we’re training indigenous professionals — NDDC boss

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LL Progressives Con gress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osun State, yesterday, accused each other of plans to distribute rice to voters ahead of the August 9 governorship election in the state.

The APC, in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi, warned the people of the state to be wary of the goods, alleging that they were confiscated expired rice.

“The citizens of Osun have been warned by the All Progressives Congress that the PDP, in collaboration with the Nigerian Customs warehouse in Ikeja, have loaded trailers filled with thousands of bags of expired rice, confiscated several months ago from smugglers, and are being brought to Osun for distribution to voters,”the statement said.

According to the statement, “competent sources from the Customs have also revealed that consignment the rice is unsuitable for human con-

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

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From left: Chief Nursing Officer, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, (LASUTH), Mrs. Salimat Ola-Aroyewun, Senior Admin Officer, Lagos State Law Enforcement Training Institute, Miss Aderemi Oriade and Personnel of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and Kick Against Indiscipline, (KAI), during the presentation of the gifts items to the children’s ward of the hospital. sumption.”

Calling on the people of the state to be vigilant, the party said: “Osun citizens should therefore be warned that their lives are at risk from the poi-

soned rice.”

The party recalled that it had warned citizens earlier of the PDP’s boast that they will win the election with a bag of rice and at least N10,000 to each voter.”

On its part, the Omisore Campaign Organisation accused the APC of attempts to distribute bags of rice in order to hoodwink the Osun electorate.

A statement by its Director, Media and Strategy, Prince Diran Odeyemi, said: “Our attention has been drawn to 70 trailers containing the All Progressives Congress, APC, branded rice slated for distribution to woo voters to vote APC in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

“It is preposterous for the APC who described the defeat it suffered in the June 21 gubernatorial election in Ekiti as politics of ‘stomach infra-

structure’ to now embark on sharing rice, noodles and other edibles to lure the good people of Osun who they have impoverished in the last three and a half years to cast their vote for APC again.”

The Omisore Campaign expressed surprise that the “APC which prides itself as progressives could stoop so low when it was obvious that people have rejected the party”. It added: “Those whose means of livelihood have been willfully destroyed by the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola-led administration should be wary of these Greek gift at the twilight of the APC misrule in Osun lest they are hoodwinked. In the last four weeks, it is an open secret that the APC has suddenly begun to distribute rice to appease people as published on page 9 of Thisday newspaper of July 12, 2014.”

Hajia Shema’s N400m empowerment for Katsina women

BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

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N furtherance of the Federal Government’s transformational agenda, particularly on the small and medium enterprises, SMEs, the First Lady of Katsina State, Hajia Fatimah Shema, through her Service to Humanity Foundation, and in conjunction with the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs, disbursed empowerment tools worth N400m to different categories of people in the state.

Among the tools are groundnut and oil extraction with all the attendant kitchen utensils and N50,000. Last year,six tricycles were distributed to each of the 34 local government areas in the state by the Hajia Shema Foundation. Because of the success of the programme, the First Lady announced an increased in the number of the vocational centres from 34 to 43. The centres empower apprentices with skills on perfumery, cake m a k i n g , w e a v e making,hair dressing, food

processing and preservation, tailoring, soap making, tie and dye making among others. On graduation from the centres (nine months course), each graduant is equipped with all the tools in his or her chosen field and money to start a new life.

To ensure the empowerment programme gets to the grass roots and the needy, Dr. TalatuNasri, Permanent Secretary of Katsina State Ministry of Women Affairs, said beneficiaries were mostly women,widows, people living with HIV and disabled persons.” The foundation’s care for the needy is all encompassing. There is a rehabilitation centre where our women with cases of VVF are rehabilitated, after they had been treated free of charge from the disease.

The centre, 83 of such, serves also as vocational.

They are given a stipend of N7,000 every month so that at the end of their graduation from the centre, they are equipped with tools and N50,000 to start a fresh but more importantly successful life.”

HE Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has commenced the training of 135 youths on oil spillage management in order to get homegrown professionals involved in efforts towards addressing the effects of oil spillage in the Niger Delta region.

The Managing Director of NDDC, Bassey Dan-Abia, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Youth, Sports, Culture, Conflict Resolution and Women Affairs, George Turnah, while flagging off the workshop, disclosed that the training was necessitated by the need for home-grown professionals who can get involved in the process of rescuing the region from environmental degradation.

Furthermore, the NDDC boss noted that the training which is the first in the series of Oil Spillage Management Training has a total of 135 trainees drawn from the 9 member states that make up the NDDC, would provide strategic support, advice and specialised skills to the participants.

Group wants Wada to contest for second term

By BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO,LOKOJA

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HE Wada Good Governance Support Group, WGGSG, has called on the Kogi State Governor, Capt. Idris Wada, to re-contest for a second term.

The State Director of the Group, Comrade Ali Yakubu, stated this yesterday in Lokoja while presenting Letters of Appointment to the 21 Local Government coordinators for the State.

Ali said the call for the governor to take a shot at another term is hinged on the need for continuity of projects and sustenance of his transformation agenda of the governor.

The State Director, therefore, urged the LG coordinators to go back and sensitize their people at the grassroots to the need to appreciate the genuine efforts of the governor at developing the state and its people.

The coordinators were also tasked to ensure that they enlighten the people as much as possible regarding the governor ’s efforts at transforming the state. Ali also urged the LG coordinators to use their wealth of experience to mobilize the people in support of the governor.

Slug 2015: We will mobilise the entire Urhobos for Monye —Agbarho People

BY HENRY UMORU

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HEAD of the 2015 Delta State governorship election, a group under aegis, Agbarho Political Forum, APF, in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state has vowed to mobilise the Urhobo people across the country for the realisation of the gubernatorial aspiration of Prof. Sylvester Monye, Special Adviser to the President on Monitoring and Evaluation.

In a statement by the President of APF, Chief Joseph Awala Inone, the “people of Agbarho fully support his political ambition provided he has the interest of Urhobo nation at heart, adding that it has become imperative for them to support Monye because of his love for the Urhobos”.

Ijaw youths want National confab members to revisit state creation

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JAWS in Burutu Local Government Area of Del ta State have called on members of the National Conference committee to revisit its position on state creation, to accommodate interest of the Ijaw nation.

Ex-militant and community leader in Ogbolubiri Clan in Burutu, Mr. Godday Smith, made this known in Warri while inaugurating the local branch of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), chaired by Prince Abraham Jokodigbi.

He said: “We condemn the National Conference Committee’s report which excluded the Ijaws who have been ardent campaigners for state creation. We further condemn the revenue derivation committee which suggested 18 percent revenue for the oil bearing states. The National Conference should go back to the drawing board, if not, the efforts by Mr. President and the huge money spent will be a waste.

“Ijaws demand creation of Toro-Ebe and Oil Rivers State for the Ijaw nation and 50 percent oil revenue derivation for the peace of the Niger Delta. The NNPC transnational distribution pipeline in the coast belonged to us. We will do what we know best if these issues are not properly addressed.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 7

ILL-FATED MALAYSIA FLIGHT

Ukraine accuses Russia of helping to destroy crash evidence

BY TONY NWANKWO with agency reports

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kraine accused Russia, yester day, of helping separatist rebels destroy evidence at the crash site of a Malaysia Airlines plane shot down in rebel-held territory — a charge the rebels denied.

As dozens of victims’ bodies lay in bags by the side of the road baking in the summer heat, international monitors at the crash site, yesterday, said they were still being hampered by heavily armed rebels.

“Some of the body bags are open and the damage to the corpses is very, very bad. It is very difficult to look at,” OSCE spokesman Michael Bociurkiw told reporters in a phone call from the site, where the smell of decaying bodies was unmistakable.

He said the 24-member delegation was given further access, yesterday, to the crash site but their movements were being limited by the rebels. The site sprawls eight square miles (20 square kilometers) across sunflower and wheat fields between two villages in eastern Ukraine.

“We have to be very careful with our movements because of all the security,” Bociurkiw said. “We are unarmed civilians, so we are not in a position to argue with people with heavy arms.”

Flight 17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was carrying 298 people from 13 nations when it was shot down, Thursday, in eastern Ukraine close to the Russian border, an area that has seen months of clashes between government troops and pro-Russia separatists.

At an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, the U.S. pointed blame at the separatists, saying Washington believes the jetliner likely was downed by an SA11 missile and “ we cannot rule out technical assistance from Russian personnel.”

The government in Kiev said militiamen have removed 38 bodies from the crash site and have taken them to the rebel-held city of Donetsk. It said the bodies were transported with the assistance of specialists with distinct Russian accents.

The rebels are also “seeking large transports to carry away plane fragments to Russia,” the Ukrainian government said, yesterday.

In Donetsk, separatist leader Alexander Borodai denied that any bod-

ies had been transferred or that the rebels had in any way interfered with the work of observers. He said he encouraged the involvement of the international community in assisting with the cleanup before the conditions of the bodies worsens significantly.

As emergency workers put some 80 bodies into bags, yesterday, Bociurkiw stressed that his team was not at the site to conduct a full-scale investigation.

“We are looking at security on the perimeter of the crash site, looking at the status in the condition of the bodies, the status in the condition of the debris, and also personal belongings,” he said.

Ukraine also called on Moscow to insist that the pro-Russia rebels grant international experts the ability to conduct a thorough, impartial investigation into the downing of the plane — echoing a demand that President Barack Obama issued a day earlier from Washington.

“The integrity of the site has been compromised, and there are indications that vital evidence has not been preserved in place,” Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said at a news conference in Kuala Lumpur.

He called for immediate access for Malaysia’s team at the site to retrieve human remains.

Ukraine says it has passed along all information on developments relating to Thursday ’s downing to its European and U.S. partners.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in a phone call, yesterday, that an independent, international commission led by the International Civil Aviation Organization,

ICAO, should be granted swift access to the crash site, said government spokesman Georg Streiter.

The commission should examine the circumstances of the crash and recover the victims, said Streiter, adding that Merkel urged Putin to use his influence over the separatists to make that happen.

In the Netherlands, forensic teams fanned out across the country Saturday to collect material including DNA samples that will help positively identify the remains of the 192 Dutch victims.

Police said in a tweet that 40 pairs of detectives from the National Forensic Investigations Team would be visiting victims’ relatives over the coming days.

The Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Kanu Uche (Front rowmiddle) with the Archbishop of Lagos, Dr. Joseph Sunday Ajayi (right-front row); Presbyter, Very Revd. Sola Ala, and other officiating ministers during the Episcopal visit of the Prelate to the Lagos Archdioccese, yesterday..

2 killed in Bayelsa sea pirates attack

By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

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rmed men sus pected to be sea pirates, yesterday, attacked a passenger boat killing two persons among them an aide to the former Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information along the Ogbia-Nembe waterways in the East senato-

rial district of the state.

But an aspirant for the state House of Assembly from the Brass council area, identified as Mr. Alfred Watson, a mobile policeman and a boat driver escaped death by the whiskers.

Awotimigha Iyabi was in his early 40s and married with four kids.

It was learnt that the gunmen, six in number,

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45-year-old se nior lecturer in the Department of Food Technology, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara state, simply identified as Adebowale, was, at the weekend, killed in Ede, headquarters of Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State by flood.

The flood, which also damaged property, was said to be as a result of a downpour that lasted several hours between Friday and yesterday morning.

the deceased persons and others ran into the scene and was attacked.

Contacted on the development,the Spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, said though details of the incident were not immediately available, two persons the died in the att a c k .

Crisis looms in Taraba PDP as gov moves to unseat Chairman *PDP youth wing kicks *It’s not true- Gov Umar

By Soni Daniel, Abuja

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S the Peoples Democratic Par ty, PDP, gains ground through the impeachment of an APC governor, crisis appears

to be looming in the Taraba State chapter of the party, as the acting governor, Garba Umar, is suspected of moves to unseat the chairman, Hon. Victor Bala Kona.

But the youth wing of

Flood claims life in Osun

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE, OSOGBO

were armed with sophisticated weapons, when they launched the attack on the boat conveying the deceased persons and others from Nembe area.

An eyewitness account had it that the gunmen were operating along the waterway and dispossessing boat passengers of valuables and money when the boat conveying

The victim was said to be returning from Offa to Ede, his home town, when he ran into the flood.

Adebowale was said to be driving in his Toyota Camry car, marked LSD783CA, when he entered into a swampy area which submerged the car.

The deceased, said to be living with his family members at Oke-Gada area, it was learnt, had almost arrived his residence, located at 4040 Avenue, before the incident happened.

It was learnt that the deceased communicated with his wife, Mrs Sade Adebowale, minutes ear-

l i e r .

It was gathered that the deceased had been warned not to take the swampy road by other drivers plying the road, but he insisted on taking the road.

It was also learnt that the deceased could not find people to rescue him after his car was submerged.

Osun State Commissioner for Environment, Mrs Olubukola Oyawoye, who said she had visited the scene of the incident and the family of the deceased, warned residents of the state against blocking drainages to stem flooding.

the PDP has vowed to use any means possible to stall the move by Umar, a development they say is capable of jeopardising President Goodluck Jonathan’s chances of being reelected.

Under the alleged ouster plan, the state chairman is to be suspended through the collection of signatures of members and replaced to enable the acting governor secure nomination for the 2015 gubernatorial election.

These moves are seen as a prelude to a possible removal of ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai.

Bala is reported to have entered the bad books of the acting governor when he and his executive members passed a vote of confidence on President Goodluck Jonathan and declared their support for his reelection but kept mute on Umar.

The youth wing raised the alarm last night, ac-

cusing Umar and his top aides of trying to destabilise the party so as to deprive the PDP and Jonathan the opportunity to win election in Taraba next year.

They said in a threepage document released to Sunday Vanguard that before leaving for lesser Hajj last week, Umar had instructed his aides to take steps to remove Bala and pave the way for the emergence of one of his trusted allies as the Chairman of the party in the state.

In the document jointly signed by the Chairman of the Taraba APDP Youth Congress and his coordinators, Hassan Bako, Atine Samson, Gabriel Inuwa Sabo and Japhet Nuhu, the youths vowed to stop at nothing in opposing the acting governor and pave the way for Jonathan to succeed in the state.

According to them, the push by Umar to sack the Bala-led PDP in the state was in violation of a subsisting court order dated June 19, 2014.

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014

•Mrs. Kema Chikwe addressing PDP women leaders as they prepare to go to Borno to distributes materials to victims of insurgency in Borno, Yobe and Chibok.

•Materials for the victims of insurgency in Borno, Yobe and Chibok.

Boko Haram kills more than 100, hoists flag in Borno

BY NDAHI MARAMA, Maiduguri with agency report OKO Haram extremists have killed more than 100 people and hoisted their black and white flag over a town left undefended by the military, just 85 kilometers (53 miles) from Maiduguri, a civil defense spokesman and a human rights advocate said yesterday.

Hundreds of villagers in another northeast area, Askira Uba, are fleeing after receiving letters from the Islamic extremists threatening to attack and take over their areas, spokesman Abbas Gava of the Nigerian Vigilante Group said.

“Nine major villages are on the run,” he said.

Survivors said yesterday that insurgents fired rocketpropelled grenades and lobbed homemade bombs into homes, and then gunned down people as they tried to escape the fires in the attack on Damboa town launched before dawn on Friday. Most of the town has burned down, they said.

A human rights advocate said the extremists struck again as people were trying to bury the dead later Friday, and said the death toll is probably much higher than 100. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to reporters.

The only defense came from vigilantes armed with clubs and homemade rifles, Gava said.

The town had been under siege for two weeks since Boko Haram dislodged soldiers from a new tank battalion camp on its outskirts. It seemed that instead of offering protection, the camp drew the wrath of the extremists.

The Defense Ministry had claimed to have repelled the attack and killed at least 50 insurgents for the loss of six soldiers including the commanding

B

officer. But locals said many soldiers were killed and the military was driven from the base. They said the extremists twice have ambushed military convoys trying to reach the base in the past week.

The militants had cut off access to the town from the south on Monday when they blew up a bridge further south. Damboa is

on the main road south from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, and at a strategic crossroads for farmers to bring their produce to market.

Hundreds of thousands of farmers have been driven from their lands in the 5-year-old insurgency, and officials have been warning of imminent food shortages.

Both Nigeria’s military and Boko Haram have been claiming victories on the battlefield in the rapidly spreading Islamic insurgency in Africa’s most populous nation and biggest oil producer.

Boko Haram has attracted international condemnation for the abductions of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls

who have been held in captivity for 3 months.

The insurgents have increased the number and deadliness of attacks this year, particularly in their stronghold in the northeast, though they also have detonated bombs as far away as Lagos, the commercial capital in the southwest.

Human Rights Watch published a report this week

which said the insurgency has killed at least 2,053 civilians in an estimated 95 attacks during the first half of 2014.

That compares to an estimated 3,600 people killed in the first four years of the insurgency.

Boko Haram wants to enforce an Islamic state in Nigeria though half the country’s population of 170 million is Christian.

NSCDC operatives assault JAMB coordinator, pregnant pleads with President Jonathan, NASS, Defence woman in Kogi *NASU Minister to probe attack

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Abuja

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HE Kogi State h a p t e r of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan, the National Assembly and the Ministry of Defence to probe the alleged attack of the staff of JAMB by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC. NASU, in a press release made available to Sunday Vanguard yesterday, alleged that the operatives of NSCDC had invaded JAMB office in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Wednesday where they molested, attacked and wounded three staff and a pregnant woman; they then allegedly arrested two private security personnel engaged by the board. It was also alleged that the NSCDC claimed that the private security guards employed by the board were not registered with the corps though sources at the JAMB office had said that the private security outfit was registered at the headquarters of NSCDC. According to the source, operatives of NSCDC had wanted to take over security at the board but they were infuriated that the board was not in a hurry to engage them.

The release signed by Comrades Samuel Azaba C

and Stephen Ignatius, Chapter Chairman and Secretary of NASU respectively stated that “The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), JAMB Chapter, strongly condemns the incident yesterday, 16 th July, 2014 where over hundred drunken armed operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) stormed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s State Office in Lokoja,

Kogi State, to attack and molest our defenceless staff that were carrying out their legitimate duties. We are indeed shocked and lost over why such an attack was targeted to our staff. Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board was established in February 1978 as Act No. 2 of 1978, which was amended and replaced with Act 33 of 1989 to carry out functions as provided under Section 5 of Decree 33 of 1989.

“We therefore wonder which of these stipulated

functions must have violated the security expectations of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps that made them to invade our State Office, barricading the gates to the office, beating up our staff, looting cash and equipment in the offices. Sadly, these unruly elements who parade themselves as security agents shamelessly beat up a pregnant staff in the process while so many others were left wounded and hospitalised. We

Police officer dies in sex romp

BY DAYO JOHNSON, Akure

T

HE quest by an Assist ant Superintendent of Police, ASP, (names withheld) attached to Ilu-Titun, Divisional Headquarters, in Okitipupa council area of Ondo State to satisfy his sexual urge while on duty has allegedly cost him his life.

He reportedly died while having sex with a woman allegedly laced with the dreaded ‘thunder bolt’ (magun).

Sunday Vanguard gathered that officer, after reporting for duty on the illfated day, inspected the officers on duty.

The residence of the woman he had sex with is said to be a walking distance to the police station.

It was gathered that the relationship between the lov-

ers had been on for a long time.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the police officer, who had no premonition that death was lurking around the corner, walked into the embrace of his lover only to somersaulted mid way into sex.

It was gathered that around midnight, the woman raised the alarm, but nobody answered her following which she rushed to the police station to report the case.

He was reportedly rushed to hospital, but died on the way.

Sources said some whitish substances foamed from his mouth.

The woman involved, according to police sources, has been arrested and detained.

The image maker of Ondo State Police Command, Wole Ogodo, said he

was not aware of the incident.

But a police source in

condemn this ungodly act in its entirety and ask President Goodluck Jonathan, the National Assembly and the Defence Ministry, to probe this incident in order to forestall future occurrence.

“We also demand that those who participated in this unholy act should be fished out and brought to book. Furthermore, we demand that our members of staff who were wounded during the raid be treated and compensated.

Enough is Enough!”

Okitipupa confirmed the incident, saying it was being discussed in hushed voices within the police command in the state.

Mandela celebrated in Lagos

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N a bid to celebrate the anti-apartheid legend, a nongovernmental organisation, Folktales Moonlight, in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, NMF, celebrated Dr. Nelson Mandela in Lagos.

The event, held at Protea Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, attracted prominent personalities from corporate organisations, government agencies and nongovernment organisations.

Speaking during the occasion, Mr. Yuri Olumba, Managing Partner, Folktales Moonlight, stated: “The project is part of our corporate social responsibil-

ity initiative. Our target audience are secondary schools students. We intend to encourage a better reading habit amongst the youths and engage them positively with techniques for improved efficiency in positive thinking, dedication and a sense of national responsibility at their early stage, for a better society in the future”.

Project Coordinator, Mr.Ugoh Aji, explained that the second phase of the project is slated for July 22, in Lagos, entitled, “Nelson RolihlahIa MandelaThe Authorized Comic Book”.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 9

PAGE 10—SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

Aregbesola deserves second term

Dirty, rotten scoundrels There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.-Nelson Mandela T is incredulous that it took the visit of Malala Yousafzai, to wake our Jona to consider meeting with the parents of the kidnapped school girls.

The window of opportunity was three months ago and now he weasels out of the promise he made to a 17-year old. There is no amount of spin doctoring that can make Jona look lily white. The facts are there for the world to see: on his watch, he and his administration failed and they failed spectacularly.

The girls remain missing and there is an almost daily onslaught by Boko haram, with no end in sight of abating. All the entire world and our people witness from Jonathan is more posturing, lame pronouncements and no action.

To add insult to injury, he wanted to cherry pick parents who can see him, and he invited the world media.

The parents did the right thing; they wanted all the parents of the missing girls to be present. Our president

I

was not having it so he threw his rattle out of his pram with a mighty tantrum, very well echoed by his court ministers. How dare they, don't they know who he is?

Enter his spin impresario, Okupe who declared that the refusal to meet the president "had become obvious that the campaigners were being driven by politics."

He claimed that the motive behind their action was to ensure that Jonathan was discredited so that he would not be able to present himself for re-election in 2015. And so he concluded "My priority is not politics.

My priority is the return of these girls". Try telling that to the parents of the missing girls. My, My here we go again, it is all about 2015,not about the children nor their parents or Nigerians and millions of concerned people worldwide.

As for discrediting and sullying, the big honcho, no help is needed, he is making this on his own with the help of his advisers.

Apparently, one politician declared that Nigerians can be bought for N10, 000 and a bag of rice! Roll on 2015.

Sir, you are not fit to lead.

stands on the League of States in terms of Federally- allocated revenue. So nobody should start comparing Osun with Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Bayelsa. Last week, I

If there is one aspect in which Osun State had left every other state behind – including Lagos and the Category 2 States – it is education. Aregbesola’s introduction of the Opon Imo or Knowledge Tablet was, by all measures known, simply revolutionary

,

classified all the 36 States into seven groups – with Lagos standing alone.

Osun is at the bottom of Category 4; which includes Imo, Jigawa, Benue, Bauchi and Sokoto. Incidentally, all the states share another significant attribute in common – they are all heavily dependent on money from Abuja with little Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, to speak of. None is

could find in Osun were yams, cassava, maize and vegetables. Now carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, sweet potatoes and other crops are in great supply. Food is cheap in that State today.

However, if there is one aspect in which Osun State had left every other state behind – including Lagos and the Category 2 States – it is education. Aregbesola’s introduction of the Opon Imo or Knowledge

Get out!

One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others." - Nelson Mandela I am not sure the people of Adamawa State will recover fully from the bungling, avaricious, Lothario pimpernel, Murtala Nyako.

His impeachment couldn't have come soon enough. In fact, this man was not fit for office from the word go. He fuelled his contemptible lifestyle by siphoning the state coffers, misdirecting official funds and cooking

two months salaries owed the civil servants in the state by ousted Governor of the state. And he went on: "The civil servants will get all their entitlements and benefits including the two months salaries they are yet to receive".

Mr Panny Boga, a member of the Save Adamawa Group, said of the impeachment: "is long overdue and the best thing that has happened to Adamawa State".

He said that the former governor was handed an impeachment notice "only that this time around it suc-

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ERTAINLY, most good leaders are enigmatic individuals who invariably sharply divide the society.

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State is one such political leader. Since making his grand entrance into political office in Lagos State, Aregbesola had carved for himself a niche as a workaholic and an original thinker. He is also totally passionate about what he chooses to do. And like late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, late General Murtala Mohammed, late Gani Fawehinmi and late Chief Bola Ige, you always know where he stands on any issue. That, to me, is the most important attribute of a leader. One might not always agree with him, but, you know where he stands. Very few Nigerian leaders who had

occupied executive positions could be so described.

So despite the setback to the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Ekiti, there is no hesitation endorsing this most complex of all the governors in Nigeria.

As usual, there is a need to state some things upfront; although I have learnt that most Nigerians don’t comprehend what they read. Weeks ago, I stated that Nigerian governors will be assessed on the basis of food first, health second and education third. My column on Abia State fetched a lot of rejoinders about Aba roads not tarred.

Osun state will also be assessed on the same basis.

In addition, I want to state, without fear of contradiction, that, Aregbesola and I have never met.

The only opportunity to meet at Iwo, a few weeks ago, was missed because I wanted to return to Lagos before sunset. So, this assessment is purely based on the basis of trips to Osun State in the last thirty-three years.

Finally, the reader needs to know where Osun State

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“Leadership is always somewhat mysterious. Leadership can be summed up in two words: intelligence and integrity, or, to use two synonyms: competence and character.” John Brademas.

1984. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 125).

industrialised and the private sector consists mostly of shop keepers.

Starting with food production, and considering the land available for cultivation, Benue is the only state which had increased agricultural output more rapidly than Osun State; which has more cities than any of the states in the same category. Sokoto State, for example, has only one. By contrast, Osun State has Osogbo, Ikirun, Ede, Iwo, Ife and Ilesha in addition to large towns like Ikire, Gbogan, Otan, Ipetumodu – all of which cover vast areas of land. Yet, the state had not only managed to produce food, it has diversified the content of its food basket. Years ago, all one

Can someone tell our politicians that we can no longer rely on our oil wells and that we need to diversify? They can no longer continue to squander our future commonwealth

the books while the house and the government watched.

This man should be arrested and frog marched to jail while the law deliberate on a worthy sentence to fit his crime. He did not put his people first as he should, he starves his people by withholding their salary for months. He should be made to apologise to his state and the country for the conduct.

But then, this is Nigeria.

Speaking at his swearing in, the Acting Governor, Umaru Fintiri has promised to bring back the "state out of Darkness". He promises to pay the outstanding

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ceeded". And he insists that "the man was a failure".

Obviously politics and the pending election is at the centre of everything as the former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, warned the PDP-led Federal Government against what he described as ''excessive use of power''.

He did not think the impeachment was good for decent democratic practice.

Try telling that to the thousands of civil servants who went without pay for months! When will we learn that when something or someone is wrong, it is wrong, no matter whom it

Tablet was, by all measures known, simply revolutionary. The introduction of computers to thousands of kids, at an early age, represents a quantum leap in education whose dividends, later on, can only be surpassed by the free education policy of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the 1950s. Expectedly, there had been several criticisms of the initiative, ranging from the cost to the limited distribution. Let me admit that some of the objections have merit. But, I have not read anyone stating that it is a wrong step. So, there is consensus on its merit.

The fact is, despite its limitations and the initial problems with implementation, Opon Imo represents the most original undertaking by any state governor since Governor Audu Bako, in 1960s, embarked on turning “barren” Kano State into a great food basket for Nigeria. Today Kano is probably the most self-sufficient State with respect to food of all the states. In a very short while Osun students will have competitive advantage over their counterparts in other states of Nigeria which are still wedded to eighteenth century methods of learning.

We have had such sparks of inspiration in the past with long term benefits. The Western Region surged ahead of the other regions and today people from the Southwest still dominate all the professions – medicine, law, engineering etc – all because of free education. Bendel State (now Delta and Edo States) became dominant in sports is. This country is riddled with rotten politicians and people so it is hardly surprising that his cronies, the chairman of the APC Governors Forum, Mr Rochas Okorocha, waded in "that the impeachment of the governor was not what the country needed at a period it is faced with serious security challenges". Is he for real?

Governor Okorocha said, "What the nation needs most this time should be ideas, unity of purpose and patriotism to deal decisively with the lingering security problems threatening our nationhood and not actions that would further inject bad blood among the leaders of this country and the citizenry in general".

What are these people on?

Make hay while the sun shines According to the Bank of America Corp, the U.S. will remain the world's biggest oil producer this year after overtaking Saudi Arabia and Russia as extraction of energy from shale rock spurs the nation's economic recovery. Can someone tell our politicians that we can no longer rely on our oil wells and that we need to diversify? They can no longer continue to squander our future commonwealth.

Osun State indigenes in the diaspora In the UK, the group have launched a website and app to serve as a repository of talents and expertise. The app and the aptly named website, OMOLUABI in Diaspora is to assist both public and private entities en-

when the great Sam Ogbemudia decided to create champions. The effect is still with us till today. Ogbemudia and Audu Bako were in the same class of governors; both left lasting legacies in one field of endeavour or another. Irrespective of what happens on Election day in August, Osun will eventually lead in computer literacy. But, it will be better if the people of Osun State give Aregbesola four more years to make this revolution irreversible. They will be short changing their children and generations unborn to truncate it now.

WHEN LYING BECOMES AN INCURABLE HABIT

“0805-562-2179 Food everywhere, how do you move it WITHOUT A ROAD [capitals mine].

Despite the fact that it was stated that food, health and education constitute my basis for assessing governors, this “educated Nigerian”, from Abia state, not only sent in this text message and went further to claim that there are no roads in Abia State. My first visit to what is now called Abia State was in 1974. I traveled on roads then. When Abia was part of Imo State, late Governor Sam Mbakwe built roads.

I have visited Abia at least six times every year since then traveling on roads which this “funny” fellow says don’t exist. Judge for yourself.

V i s i t : www.delesobowale.com or Visit: www.facebook.com/ biolasobowale

gaged in the development of Osun State by making available a pool of professionals and experts of Osun origin in the diaspora.

This will also be bolstered

by Non-Osun indigenes, friends and well-wishers of the State who have continued to keep a keen eye on the immense developmental programme being carried out under the leadership of Ogbeni AbdurRauf Aregbesola. "This is quite innovative and it ties in perfectly well with Gov. Aregbesola's plans of taking Osun State to the next level technologically" according to the coordinator, Abdul Rasaq in the UK. He concluded that with the app "It means volunteers, consultants and experts who would be willing to contribute their own quota to the development of the state are only a click away".

Mail bag-Osun: let the people decide I just finished reading your weekly OUTSIDE LOOKING IN in today's Vanguard Newspaper titled "Osun: Let the people decide".

You are totally correct for saying that August 9 election is all about the future of those of us in Osun. And I can tell you that we'll do the `right thing when the time comes. Similarly, I want to thank you for pointing out Ogbeni giant strides in all ramifications for all the doubting Thomases to see. Permit me also to tell you that I'm from Iwo. Thank you very much for being on the right side of history, God bless you.

Aduralere Olugbenga

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 11

of those who for the time being are our law makers especially at state level.

Thus those who claim that Nyako deserved his fate because he was allegedly highhanded got it wrong because the state legislators themselves had said a few months back that the former governor was dy-

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was away from Niger ia last week but didn’t miss much of the drama which the Adamawa legislators described as the impeachment of their Governor, Admiral Murtala Nyako. I give much of the credit of my knowledge of the events to technology.

However, my familiarity with our convoluted type of democracy had made it easy for me to forecast, with a large measure of accuracy, the outcome of the drama. Nyako could not have made it because his legislators’ appetite for materialism had grown beyond the ousted governor ’s capacity. In other words, the issue was not whether or not Nyako committed any of the offences he was accused of. He may even have done worse than was alleged and could also have been entirely innocent of all or some of the charges. None of these is relevant in any impeachment exercise in Nigeria. As far as the subject is concerned, what normally matters is what best serves the material interest

Hauwa Abba described as the state women leader formally disclosed how over 10,000 women and youths benefited from Nyako’s economic empowerment programmes in the state. It does not therefore appear rational to premise the Governor ’s impeachment on poor governance. He was impeached essentially because the legislators were determined to use the end to justify the means bearing in mind that others did likewise in the past

While it is true that two wrongs do not make a right, there is also nothing really wrong with retributive justice - a veritable aspect of natural justice which postulates that people will always reap what they sowed. Hence, Nyako should rest his case

namic, people oriented and the best governor the state ever had. Indeed, a few days before he fell, Adamawa women and youths were in the Governor’s residence to register their solidarity and support for him. There,

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and got away with it.

For example, everyone including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission knew as of fact that the immediate past Deputy Governor of Imo State, was so dealt

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos,

Understanding the role of emotional intelligence in corporate success (1)

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MOTIONAL intel ligence (or EI after wards) is one of the most exciting concepts that appeared occasionally in the literature of psychology in the 1970s and 1980s.

Therefore, it is fair to say that the concept is relatively new when compared to more established Freudian and behaviourist notions such as Oedipus complex, superego, reinforcement and conditioned reflex among others. EI emerged as a respectable psychological construct, based on the increasing recognition by psychologists, researchers in organisational behaviour, and managers of corporate organisations that cognitive or cerebral intelligence alone is insufficient for optimum performance at home, in the office or manufacturing plant etc.

Even so, up till now whenever Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and managers of corporate organisations consider emotions in relation to performance in the workplace, they usually concentrate on its more extreme and negative manifestations like anxiety, depression, embarrassing moments, hurt feelings and so on. Moreover, they tend to believe that emotions have no place, or a relatively minor role, in the corpo-

rate world, on the presumption that the competitive atmosphere of business thrives on “cold facts and figures.” However, the assumption that emotions are at best a relatively unimportant component of the workplace psychological environment has been seriously challenged by research findings to the effect that poor emotional and social skills have jeopardised careers and corporate organisations more than lack of technical expertise.

The lesson here is that those in charge of corporate institutions must pay more attention to the crucial role of emotions in the professional and personal lives of their employees - and of themselves as well.

In order to understand EI, it is necessary, first, to grasp the meaning of ‘intelligence.’ But the behavioural disposition or attribute denoted by ‘intelligence’ is difficult to define in a manner that commands universal acceptability among experts in psychology, cognitive science, philosophical psychology and related disciplines. For example, Robert J. Sternberg reports that in 1921, when editors of the Journal of Educational Psychology asked fourteen famous psychologists to define intelligence, their responses varied. However,

the answers given suggest that intelligence involves (1) the capacity to learn from experience and (2) the ability to adapt to the surrounding environment.

The impressive literature on ‘intelligence’ establishes that concept ties together different cognitive and psychological qualities.

Hence, intelligence connotes the ability to think and manipulate ideas systematically, the capacity for abstract thinking, and the power of appropriate responses from the point of view of truth or fact. It also involves the capacity to inhibit an instinctive adjustment, the ability to redefine the inhibited instinctive adjustment in the light of imaginally experienced trial and error, and the volitional capacity to convert the modified instinctive adjustment into overt behaviour to the advantage of the individual as a social animal. David Wechsler proposed one of the most influential definitions of intelligence. According to him, intelligence is the aggregate or global capacity of the individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal effectively with his or her environment.

Now, when the adjective ‘emotional’ is coupled to ‘intelligence’ to derive

Thereafter, the opposition filed an appeal against the ruling of the tribunal. But rather than deal with the case expeditiously in view of Section 285 of our the Constitution which provides that such an appeal must be heard and disposed off within 60 days, the Court of Appeal did nothing. At the end of August 2012, when the case had become over-ripe for hearing by as long as 2 weeks, the ACN alerted the nation on the grave implications of the failure of the Court of Appeal to act. Again, nothing was done.

‘emotional intelligence,’ attention is directed to a specific aspect or manifestation of intelligence. Emotion embraces evaluative, affective, intentional and psychological conditions such as happiness, love, sadness, fear, disgust, and other inner states sometimes difficult to capture adequately with words. Consequently, EI refers to and underscores the possibility of understanding one’s emotions or the emotions of others and using such understanding to achieve some beneficial result. According to the Oxford Dictionary of Psychology, EI is the capacity to monitor one’s own and other people’s emotions, to differen-

tional messages and utilise emotional information; and (d) the ability to control one’s emotions to bolster growth and well-being.

Related to EI are the concepts of social intelligence and emotional quotient (or EQ, which is analogous to the IQ index conventionally used to measure intelligence generally). Social intelligence is the ability to understand and interact with people requiring reasonable application of interpersonal skills and adaptability. Emotional quotient or emotional-intelligence quotient (EQ), on the other hand, measures the level of EI possessed or manifested by an individual. Like IQ, scientific as-

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Murtala Nyako needn’t go to court

with simply because the State House of Assembly was well serviced to do a hatchet job. The purported impeachment of some former Governors such as Ladoja of Oyo State and Peter Obi of Anambra followed the same pattern. In other words, people get impeached in Nigeria not because of any offence but because of commercialized politics. Unfortunately, the politicisation of the impeachment process in our clime has always derogated substantially from the otherwise weighty import of the scheme. It is therefore unnecessary for those who become victims of impeachment plots to feel too bad. In the case of Murtala Nyako, there is doubt if he needs to fight his impeachment in court. This is because having benefitted earlier from the manipulation of judicial proceedings, Nyako should expect that it would adversely affect him one day.

Here let us recall our article in this column on October 21, 2012 titled “Using the Judiciary to win elections in Nigeria”. The article reviewed the governorship election held in Adamawa State on February 04, 2012 in which the incumbent Governor Nyako was declared winner by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC). According to the story, the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) challenged the said victory of the incumbent at the election tribunal but Nyako’s victory was upheld.

On September 18, 2012 when the deadline for handling the case was only 4days away, the opposition frantically petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) alleging the obvious that the Court of Appeal was at the verge of allowing itself to be used to fraudulently win the election. 72 hours to the deadline, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) reportedly intervened and directed the Appeal Court to do its job. The panel which was hurriedly constituted arrived in Yola, the state capital, 48hours to the deadline. The next day, that is, 24hours to the deadline, the panel sat, wrote and hastily delivered a judgment in favour of Nyako making it constitutionally impossible for the aggrieved to take any further step.

The election petition of 2012 and the impeachment exercise of 2014 have much in common. To start with,

A purely rationalistic approach rarely leads to overall success in any corporate organisation or to a fulfilling personal life

tiate between various emotions and categorise them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour. It is that “ability to perceive and express emotion, assimilate emotion to thought, understand and reason with emotion, and regulate emotion in the self and others.”

EI encompasses four competencies, namely, (a) the ability to perceive, appraise and express emotions accurately; (b) the ability to access and evoke emotions when they facilitate cognition; (c) the capacity to understand emo-

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sessment of EQ is a daunting challenge to researchers. Meanwhile, since the late 1990s, there is reasonable progress in the development of more accurate measures that focus on the key competencies associated with EI. From the foregoing, EI refers to the array of personal-management and social skills that allow one to succeed in the workplace and life generally. Intuition, integrity, character, trustworthiness, good communication and relationship skills are essential features of EI. As indicated earlier, seasoned professionals in dif-

that the Appeal Court had to be compelled to begin the process of playing the role for which it was set up suggested that there was an official hidden agenda to help the defendant to delay justice. The judges might have acted a script which is what Nyako’s supporters are now saying of the state acting Chief Judge who for no reason reversed his former decision that faulted the impeachment process. Second, the appeal court had 60 days to handle the election petition but ‘ recklessly’ did it in one day. In the impeachment case, the Assembly finished the matter in 2 days though it had 3months to work.

Again, if the legislators worked to the answer to remove Nyako, the latter too worked to his own preferred answer by evading service and declaring some inexplicable public holidays to frustrate the process of law.

In which case, many things went wrong with the handling of both the election petition in 2012 and the impeachment process in 2014. Significantly, the judicial process was in 2012 manipulated to keep Nyako in Office; ironically, it was done again in 2014 to remove him. While it is true that two wrongs do not make a right, there is also nothing really wrong with retributive justice - a veritable aspect of natural justice which postulates that people will always reap what they sowed. Hence, Nyako should rest his case.

ferent domains of human endeavour oftentimes regard emotions as a hindrance to rational discussion or serious work. For instance, a senior manager who admonishes his subordinate to control her emotions, or reminds her that emotions and business do not mix, betrays ignorance of the strong nexus between emotions and productivity.

At any rate, the types of emotions intended when such advice is given are usually out-of-control emotions that interfere with work and other activities in a person’s life. But EI is different from pure emotionalism or the tendency of allowing emotions to overwhelm reason in challenging situations, since it stresses rational channelling of emotions for achieving stated objectives.

Preoccupation with our rational, factual side is not EI, because Instincts, feelings and intuitions gained through experience are sources of significant information about the world. As a result, if we use data derived from rational cognitive intelligence only, we operate with half the information we need to make appropriate decisions and choices. A purely rationalistic approach rarely leads to overall success in any corporate organisation or to a fulfilling personal life.

That is why genuine EI entails having access to information from the emotional centre of the brain (the limbic system) and complementing it with information from the rational centre of the brain (the cortex and neo-cortex).

TO BE CONTINUED

PAGE 12—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014

Chukwuedu Nwokolo (1921-2014) Nigeria in one generation.

It is well known in the medical community that had the Nobel Committee in Sweden found it in itself to honor the remarkable work done in Tropical Medicine, Chukwuedu Nwokolo should have won the Nobel Prize for Medicine.

Born in April 1921 in Oraifite, Eastern Nigeria to pioneer Anglican Missionary parents, Nwokolo spent his early childhood in Missionary compounds in the old Owerri provinces, specifically in Amaimo where his parents were missionary teachers, and in Ezinihitte-Mbaise, where he began primary school, and later at the Mbieri Anglican School, where he lived with his school master uncle, Zeph Nwokolo.

Chukwuedu Nwokolo was a precocious child.

From Standard Five, he passed into the famous Government College Umuahia in 1933. From the Government College Umuahia, Nwokolo was admitted to the Yaba Higher College to study medicine on a government scholarship. Most Nigerians continue to mistake the Yaba Higher College for the current Yaba College of Technology. Although the contemporary Yaba College of Technology inherited the grounds of the Yaba

Higher College, they are two different institutions with different missions and significance. The Yaba Higher College was established in 1932, to train a small cadre of indigenous professionals in Medicine, Agriculture, Education, Engineering and Surveys to serve as Assistants to colonial officers running the empire. It was the result, in large part, of pressures on

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ne of Nigeria’s greatest, and most eminent medical scientists of the 20th century, Professor Nathaniel Chukwuedu Nwokolo died in New York City on May 18, 2014. Professor Nwokolo lived a long and distinguished life. He was not only an eminent grise of medicine; he was a distinguished scholar and teacher of scholars in the human sciences. He was honored for his work with the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) – the Nigerian equivalent of the Nobel Prize – in 1982. The Nigerian National Merit Award was established by decree in 1978, and thus Nwokolo was among the early league, joining Chinua Achebe, Ben Enwonwu, Pius Okigbo, Adeoye Babalola, Muhammadu Junaidu, Akin Mabogunje, Ben Nwabueze, Ladi Kwali, Taslim Elias, TSB Aribisala, Adeoye Lambo, Abubakar Imam, and such others.

It is a terrible indictment on the current quality of the Nigerian press, that not a hint was made on the obituary of such a man as Nwokolo whose pioneering contributions to medicine not only had global significance, but does account in large part to the early quality of Medical training in

and the Walter Johnson Prize in Public Health. In the periods between 1946 and 1949, Nwokolo interned at the Women and Paediatric Wards of the Aba General Hospital, the Lagos General Hospital, and the Enugu General Hospital, where he worked as Assistant Medical Officer under the Senior Surgical resident Dr. Richard Savage, who later also became the Chief Medical Officer of Eastern Nigeria. When the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan began its Medical School in temporary quarters at the Adeoyo Hospital, Ibadan, in 1948, it requested the government to release Chukwuedu Nwokolo to it. Thus Nwokolo, alongside his Yaba Higher College classmate

He was a great Nigerian even if the skewed values no longer make it possible for Nigerians to grasp the meaning of true greatness

the colonial regime by Africans for an institution of Higher education for a new generation of Africans seeking higher or tertiary education in that era.

It was the Yaba of the Titus Ejiwunmis and Michael Okorodudus; pioneer Nigerian educators and administrators at Yaba, who also went on to greater accomplishment later in the early postcolonial years. Chukwuedu Nwokolo earned his Licentiate in Medicine at Yaba in 1946, winning the prize in Organic Chemistry

,

and friend, Dr. T.O. Ogunlesi, became the first of the Assistant Medical Officers to be seconded to Nigeria’s Premier Medical School in 1949 as House Officers; Ogunlesi under Dr. Margaret Joly in Surgery, and Nwokolo, under Professor Alexander Brown, UCH’s first Professor of Medicine and Dean of its Medical School. From UCH, Nwokolo proceeded to the Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup, in South East London, for Specialist Training in Medicine and Surgery. In 1952,

he moved to Edinburg, where he prepared and was admitted into the Membership of the Royal College of Medicine, the second Nigerian, after Dr. Olu Mabayoje, to earn that distinction.

On return from the UK in 1954, Nwokolo joined the Health Services of Eastern Nigeria as a Senior Physician at the Enugu General Hospital, from where he did wide-ranging research.

In 1960, he was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, and invited on the recommendation of Professor Alexander Brown to the University College Hospital as Senior Lecturer in Internal Medicine.

He traveled on a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship with which he spent two years from 1963-1964 at the University of Minnesota, attached to Gastroenterology research. He was appointed Associate Professor of Medicine at UCH in 1964, and on his return from the United States, established the first Department of Gastroenterology at UCH. Among his more distinguished students was Professor Jubril Aminu.

Chukwuedu Nwokolo was one of the key figures of the University College Ibadan Medical School until the troubles of 1966, when he moved, like most Eastern intellectuals and professionals, to the East following the nation-wide killings of the Igbo. At Enugu, Nwokolo continued his work, and was one of the key movers that prepared the grounds for establishing the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu in 1967. The late professor Onuaguluchi, a

great colleague of Nwokolo’s, has in his memoir detailed the moves that led to the establishment of UNTH in Enugu in 1967.

Displaced Igbo professors from Ibadan, including Nwokolo, had drawn up a program which was quickly approved by the government under OdumegwuOjukwu, for establishing UNTH, and thus Chukwuedu Nwokolo was appointed the first Professor of Medicine of UNTH, and from 1972-1975, Dean of the University of Nigeria Medical School. Chukwuedu Nwokolo’s pioneering work as medical doctor and a leading medical researcher of his age is actually the stuff of legend, evident in his groundbreaking work in the incidence of Paragonimiasis on which his international reputation was firmly established.

He was a great Nigerian even if the skewed values no longer make it possible for Nigerians to grasp the meaning of true greatness.

Chukwuedu Nwokolo was a great leader in Medical education in Nigeria, and was appointed Professor Emeritus of Medicine at UNTH Enugu, in 1982. In 2006, UNTH established what should now be known as the “Chukwuedu Nwokolo Memorial Lectures” at the College of Medicine. A great star has departed from among us. It is incumbent on the federal government to recognize the stuff of sterling accomplishment emblematized in the life and work of Professor Chukwuedu Nwokolo – distinguished scholar and winner of Nigeria’s National Order of Merit.

Tech startups: Inability to access domestic, foreign markets still challenging — Okeremi

BY EMEKA AGINAM

A

LTHOUGH start-ups in Nigeria and the rest of the African sub-region are developing real-world solutions expected to address local challenges, infrastructural challenges like inability in accessing domestic and foreign market, funding, mentorship, among others are still challenging to the growth of startups in the region.

Towards digital economy With no fewer than forty startups qualified to launch their product on the DEMO Africa stage in September this financial year, Yele Okeremi, the Institute of Software Professional of Nigeria, ISPON, representative on the Board of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, who disclosed this in an interview with Sunday Vanguard at the weekend noted that these challenges must be addressed if Nigeria and other African countries must be a digital economy in the knowledge economy.

Potentials of software Nigeria With global community heading to Nigeria this September for Demo Africa, Okeremi who is the Managing Director of Precise Financial Systems Ltd, said with optimum that the event is expected to unlock the potentials of software Nigeria.

To connect African startups According to Okeremi who is

theChairman,localorganizingcommittee of Demo Africa, the capacity building event will connect African startups to the global technology ecosystem.

“Demo Africa is an initiative of the US department of States for Africa.

“The idea of Demo Africa is to get young Africans who have the capability and technical know-how to perform well but who do not probably have things like business mentorship or funding.

“And so, what the Demo tries to do is to bring the young kids together with investors and mentors and hope that their business or little idea that started small will be taken up to something that will change the world positively” he

From left: Charles Asinugo, Territory Director, East, West & Central Africa, BlackBerry and Ugonma Akhigbe, Channel Marketing Manager, West Africa,also of Blackberry, at the weekend during the Blackberry Z3 Device launch in Lagos. Photo by Emeka Aginam

NITDA takes Nigeria at Gitex Roadshow to Enugu

A

LL is set for the Nige ria at Gitex Roadshow to hold in coal city Enugu this week which is also hosting the annual Conference of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS).

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is facilitating the roadshow with the support of the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) as part of the awareness campaign to drive participation in the Gitex Technology Show slated to hold in Dubai this October 12-16, with Nigeria as the Official Country Partner.

Gitex is the second largest ICT event in the world and recorded

over 154, 000 visitors last year alone. About 25, 000 of this figure came from Africa. NITDA is using the Gitex event to promote Nigeria’s ICT potential and encourage its budding innovators to attract global attention and investors.

With more than 1, 200 delegates expected at the NCS event, “this is an excellent platform to drive participation of major stakeholders and decision makers,” said Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NITDA, Mr. Peter Jack, in Abuja.

Messrs Bilal Al Rais, Director of Marketing and Eyad Khamis, both of the DWTC, United Arab Emirates (UAE) are expected to

lead the UAE DWTC delegation to the Enugu Gitex Promotional Roadshow. They will be joining the NITDA’s team in Enugu led

by Mr. Jack to highlight the benefits of Nigeria’s participation in Gitex and how stakeholders can leverage on these.

The NITDA’s boss had inaugurated a local organising committee (LOC) for Nigeria’s participation at Gitex months back to ensure speedy and focused preparations. The country is setting up the Nigerian Pavilion at the Gitex Expo and Conference to showcase the major drivers of its ICT sector including local financial institutions, solution providers and young innovators.

explained.

Prospects for the startups “There are very high prospects for the startups. This is because these forty finalists have been selected through many criteria.

One is relevant to society. So, it shows clearly that any of the forty finalists could have the opportunity to change the world possibilities.

The Minister for Communication Technology, Dr Omobola Johnson, who is very passionate about youth capacity building had earlier commended the software incubators saying that, “ Demo Africa presents another opportunity for African tech startups. Africa may have missed out on the industrial revolution, but we surely will not in the ICT revolution.

Nigeria, Africa in ICT map “Through innovation, we will put Nigeria and Africa in general on the ICT map. Realizing the huge potential of the software industry, we have put in place a set of initiatives that will assist the tech startups to create successful businesses, which will directly create jobs and wealth.”

It would be recalled that Nigeria topped the list in Demo Africa with a total number of fourteen startups qualifying followed by Kenya, Ghana and Egypt. Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa and Ethiopia will each have two representatives while Tunisia, Benin, Cameroon, Uganda and Zimbabwe have earned their space at the DEMO Africa platform.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 13

NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND DERIVATION

Knotty national question back to sender!

*Jonathan and the Technical Committee controversy

By LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

They came, they debated, they disagreed. This was the situation at the 2014 National Conference which had 492 delegates in attendance. The intrigues and hiccups arguably made the conference seemingly deadlocked.

T

HE conference has been adjudged the best in the political history of Nigeria, given the rich assemblage of the delegates. But virulently divided along ethnic lines of North and South with some vestiges of religiosity at play, they failed on where it mattered most.

Yet again, the issue was the contentious and vexatious resource control and derivation principle for Niger-Delta states as contained in the main report of the Conference committee on Devolution of Power. Though there were two new issues which included a proposed 5% each for the development of mineral resources across the federation and special intervention fund for national emergencies, the essentiality,

however, was derivation. In fact, through out the life of the conference, the issue kept many delegates on their toes and hopes were alive that an enduring solution would be found but that was not to happen.

This was the dilemma of Idris Legbo Kutigi, a retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, who was re-engaged by President Goodluck Jonathan to chair the National Conference that concluded its plenary in Abuja on Monday.

Kutigi might have spent some good years of his life at the bench where there must be a response to any issues in form of judgement, whether savory or unsavory. But in the case of the conference, he ended up on a note of frustration without any piece of “judgement” on a matter so serious and important. Instead, he, in a manner that conveys an impression of subdued competency and technical finesse, announced a retreat to the door step of the Presidency to resolve the derivation impasse.

The retired CJN said:

Conference therefore recommends that government should set up a Technical Committee to determine the appropriate percentages on the three issues and advise government accordingly “Conference therefore recommends that government should set up a Technical Committee to determine the appropriate percentages on the three issues and advise government accordingly”.

Events before The week before, Kutigi was encumbered to set up a committee of some 37 elders to reach a consensus on improved percentage to be appropriated to the Niger Delta states in addition to the current 13 percent derivation enjoyed by the zone. This came amid

the agitation for a substantial increase or a complete resource ownership by Niger Delta delegates who vehemently kicked against an earlier recommendation of status quo on the derivation principle by the conference Devolution of Power Committee.

To stem rising tempers, the elders committee jerked up the percentage from 13 to 18. In its wisdom, it further recommended that 5% of the national income be reserved for immediate development of the untapped abundant mineral resources national wide. Also,

going a little further, the committee set aside another 5% as special intervention funds for national emergencies.

All these seemed accepted by the delegates. But in a dramatic turn, a member of the elders committee and elder states man, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, who was asked to present the communique reached at the committee at plenary on Wednesday, last week allegedly brought in a clause. He announced that the proposed 5 % for national emergencies was for the rehabilitation of North-east, North-west and North-central, starting from the Boko Haram ravaged North-east. Then the lid was let open and anger flayed inflammably.

Torn between the ethnic lines of North and South, the conference adjourned till the next day, Thursday. Even on Thursday, there was no love lost. No compromises. This made Kutigi to announce an expanded meeting of the conference leadership with the 50 “wise men” who had at the beginning of the conference resolved a voting procedure crisis, the chairmen of the standing 20 committees and their deputies on Friday. The agenda was to further pursue a consensus on the outstanding matters. But, unfortunately, the meeting suffered a drastic boycott by the chosen ones.

Reasons were later given that many licensed to take part in the meeting had already booked their flight tickets for a weekend trip outside Abuja.

The last straw At the resumption of plenary on Monday, a disappointed

Continues on page 14

PAGE 14 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

Continues from page 13 Kutigi said: “I am still of the view that the committee that is handling the matter of coming to a compromise will still do their job. We couldn’t have the meeting on Friday. So, I am proposing that we give them two hours to meet with us”.

Two hours stretched to five hours and, when eventually the conference came alive again, the delegates who had waited with bated breath got what they never bargained for: “Having critically examined the issues in contention, conference recognizes the need to review the percentage of revenue to states producing oil (and other resources), reconstruct and rehabilitate areas affected by problems of insurgency and internal conflicts and diversify the economy by fast tracking the development of the solid mineral sector,”Kutigi told them.

“The conference also notes that assigning percentages for the increase in derivation principle, and setting special intervention fund to address issues of reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas ravaged by insurgence and internal conflicts as well as solid minerals development, requires some technic details and considerations.

“Conference, therefore, recommends that government should set up a Technical Committee to determine the appropriate percentages on the three issues and advise government accordingly”.

With this, all debates became concluded and the conference stood adjourned to August 4 when it shall resume to adopt the entire report which would be eventually be submitted to President Jonathan.

C M Y K

Other matters North’s insistence that what many regarded as self-inflicted devastation in the North-east must be paid for with the proposed 5% special intervention fund prompted more agitations from other zones. For instance, the Southeast rose up, pressing for reparation for injustices meted to it and a portion of the present South-south in the 1967-1970 civil war.

They reasoned that despite General Yakubu Gowon’s promise of 3 “Rs”, Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation of the zone, the Federal Government has not remembered the zone, 44 years after the war.

In a document entitled: “ Atrocities and Injustices against Ndigbo: Ohanaeze demands for Reparation,” they said: “The case of the South-east, which bore the full brunt of the civil war for 30 months, is particularly tragic. Most of it remained a wasteland, despite General (Yakubu) Gowon’s declaration of the three ‘Rs’, Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation.

“The Federal Government should pay N400 billion each to the five states of the Southeast as compensation to those who lost loved ones and properties and those still suffering dislocation today in Nigeria. The same amount

•Chief Bode George... Confab not deadlocked.

Knotty national question back to sender!

Without sounding immodest, I do not see anywhere in Nigeria where people with more technical know-how are assembled that those at this conference should also be paid to the government of Delta State for the benefit of Anioma area of the state.”

Angry reactions The idea of setting up a Technical Committee, instantly sparked off arguments. While some said it was the noblest path to toe in the face of the mountainous disagreements, others said the conference has failed to do what it was, ab initio, set up for. Recall that the president had given it the mandate of helping him solve the Nigerian problem, possibly in all its spheres. But by ostensibly taking the job back to the president, the conference, in the estimation of many people, has pooh-pooed.

Meanwhile, some delegates spoke Sunday Vanguard on the issue.

Conference shirked responsibility—Hon. Sola Ebiseni, Commissioner for Environment and Ondo State Local Government delegate “As far as I am concerned, there was no decision taken today. What we did was simply to abdicate our responsibility by throwing the issue back at Mr, who sent us here to assist in proffering solutions to some of our national challenges. What we fully failed to appreciate about what a National Conference is all about is that it is an extra-constitutional assembly of the people to critically examine all the issues

that were pushed to us in a federation like ours where we have to constantly review the terms of our national engagement as a country.

“To now come at the tail end and considering critical issue and say we couldn’t take a decision and push it back to he President, to me, it is a crafty way of adopting the status quo and refuse to talk about it.

“If a Technical Committee must be set up, after all plenary has been adjourned till 4th of next month, I would have expected the Chairman to draw the members from the conference itself.

“Without sounding immodest, I do not see anywhere in Nigeria where people with more technical know-how are assembled that those at this conference.

“The leadership and the conference should have set up the Technical Committee from within the conference itself to advise us rather than allowing government to set up a committee made up of politicians and ethnic lords. I must be quick to say that much as I disagree with the last decision of the leadership, the credibility of the final report of the conference would not be affected because it was just only one item out of scores of recommendations from 20 reports.

“The credibility of the conference won’t be affected because we have succeeded making far-reaching and

lasting decisions that, if eventually implemented, would make the country better in the long run”.

It achieved the desired purpose—Chief Bode George, former Military Governor, Ondo State and PDP’s delegate to the conference.

It is not a deadlock. It was the most sensible thing to do.

People looked at it. They had two options either to agree with what the committee recommended or to look at the main committee. It is far, far bigger than what we are looking at. Looking at all those various calculations and recommendations, we would never have been able to reach any decision on that because it requires more detailed calculation. And so, in the end, people thought there was no need to vote. If we had voted, many states, now that you have more states that are non oil producing than oil producing, everybody was a bit apprehensive. So they needed more study on this issues before we can come to conclusion.

The conference absolutely achieved its purpose. No body can say it did not. What we set out to achieve, we achieved it.

All they needed was more information, technical details, more analysis. If we look at what it took government to arrive at 13 percent, you realize that it took a lot of negotiations, discussions and analysis. The most sensible thing to do was to take it further and allow so many other agencies involved in the percentage allocation to do their job. The technical details must be taken into consideration. For me, the conference ended on a very resounding note. For the first time, those areas that were either swept under the carpet, that would have driven emotion beyond normalcy, but based on robust, super debates, we were convinced.

The conference did well by not approving exclusive funds for North-east—Mr. Christian

Udechukwu, delegate to the conference representing Nigerians abroad.

The conference took a good decision by not approving an exclusive fund for the Northeast because the violence and insurgency in Nigeria has affected all Nigerians and, therefore, it will be inappropriate to dedicate any fund specifically to the Northeast because, ultimately, if that that is done, it might create further incentives for other insurgent groups, like OPC, MASSOP, Zionist Movement to become more violent than they already are.

Sunny side of conference The fact that the National Conference witnessed keenly debated matters did not, however, diminish the thought of unity and democratic values in many of the delegates. To this end, some of them came together and planned what was christened, “ All Time Democrats Award”, to honor some distinguished Nigerians, dead or alive who have championed the cause of democracy in the country since independence in 1960.

This saw former President Shehu Shagari, his vice, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, and the acclaimed winner of 1993 presidential election, the late Chief MKO Abiola, recognized as “All Time Democrats”.

Also honored were three elder statesmen which included, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Edwin Clark and Mbazulike Ameachi.

Others included retired Justice Mamman Nasir, Mallam Tanko Yakassai, Mallam Magaji Dambatta, Chief H.I.D Awolowo, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Chief Tunji Braithwaite, Shettima Ali Monguno, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki, Chief Olanihun Ajayi, Chief Richard Akinjide, Governor Kayode Fayemi, Retired Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, Retired Justice Muhammed Lawal Uwais, Justice Usman Muhammed, Chief Benjamin Chahcha, Alhaji Inuwa Wada, Senator Franca Afegbua, Khalifa Alhassan Yusuf and Alhaji Maitama Sule were also honored.

Last line: Indeed, a great lesson should be learnt from the debates and disagreements. But whether successful or deadlocked, many share in the view that the 2014 National Conference reached some vital decisions that, if implemented, would put the country on the road to development. For instance, many see the establishment of state police, removal of president and governors’ pension and gratuities, removal of immunity clause, etcetera, as a good omen to ridding the country of official corruption.

But, above all, what might be a worry to all and sundry is the fact that uncertainty still mounts on whether the outcome of conference will be forwarded to the National Assembly for ratification or subjected to referendum. The picture of what becomes of the conference outcome will become clearer as the days go by.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 15

Email: vanguardwoman@gmail.com

We can never go wrong with agriculture — Hajiya Marie Dugbe * Reveals why she left US job

BY JOSEPHINE IGBINOVIA

N

igerian-Sierra Leonean Marie Hassan-Dugbe is a US-trained nurse who has just relocated to Africa after decades of professional practice in the US. Marie says she is in Africa to pursue her dream of bringing solace to women who, according to her, are faced with too many challenges. Dugbe was in Nigeria months back where she met the founder of Uplifting Women through Farming, UWTF, Afoma Adigwe.

She was impressed about the achievement of UWTF in touching the lives of rural women and swore to take UWTF to Sierra Leone.

Driven by passion, she came back to Nigeria her fatherland to learn the rudiments of farming before the launch of UWTF come September this year in Sierra Leone. She spoke with Feminista on her passion for developing women in Africa.

Y

ou are about setting up UWTF in Sierra Leone; what was the attraction for you?

Last year I was on vacation in Nigeria and I met the founder who told me few things about the organization and immediately I got interested.

Getting back to Sierra Leone, I wasn’t too happy with what was happening in the country and I decided to embrace this. Sierra Leonean women really need help because about 98% of them are single-handedly running their homes.

C M Y K

At this age where people want to make quick money, do you think farming is the best option for poverty alleviation?

Farming is the best because our ancestors fed us through farming. If we all rely on white-collar jobs, who will go to the farm to feed us?

We have good soil in Sierra Leone which can feed our people conveniently. We just need supports from agencies and government and I am

very optimistic that it will be successful because women succeed in anything they embark on. We will teach them modern ways of farming.

What makes you think that this project will be successful in Sierra Leone; is it because it is successful here in Nigeria?

It will be because I have spoken to some of our women and they are so eager to start doing something. Our president is a very good man and he is willing to help us. He has greatly empowered Sierra Leone women and he has done that more than any other president. He has also done very well with gender issues. I love him because he is taking a cue from President Jonathan in developing and empowering women. I am just coming to help reach out to more women, especially those at the grassroots. So far, I have visited over 35 villages in Sierra Leone because of this project. I see the hopelessness in our women’s faces as some of them didn’t even have cloths to wear. I also realised they don’t want

get the job done, we do excellently well in different fields. Tradition is still militating against African women because some of us still believe that it is a

Tradition is still militating against African women because some of us still believe that it is a man’s world. We should give women the chance to excel charity but want to be able to cater for their families conveniently. We can never go wrong with agriculture.

Some people think women empowerment is all about showcasing women as helpless; do you agree with that notion?

That is a wrong perception of women. Though we sometimes are harsh on each other in an attempt to

man’s world. We should give women the chance to excel. Nigerian women are doing well now in different fields all because they have the support of President Goodluck Jonathan.

How do you intend to fund this project?

Through local funding but presently I am using my own money. I close friend in America also intends coming

back home to support the project. She got some seeds for the project. We have people in Sirrea Leone who believe in us and are also helping us achieve our aim.

For me, failure is not an option because I am going to succeed with this program.

What’s sowed in you the urge to support Sierra Leonean women?

It pains me when I see young girls on our streets, selling their bodies to eat.

This was heartbreaking for me. So, I went back to America where I was practising as a nurse, packed my things, donated some and decided to return home to empower our women. I was very comfortable in America but I couldn’t abandon our women. I am going to bring back what I have learnt in America to our women. I want it to go down history that I helped our women. I know it is a hard road but I am ready to scale through because I am very passionate about it. We are running this project to

outlive us and we intend to take it across Africa.

You are a Nigerian-Sirea Leonean but you seem to lean more on the former; is it that you are not proud of your Nigerian root?

I am proud of both. My father was a Nigerian while my mother was a Sierra Leonean. I love both because they are both homes for me.

My children are Nigerians and their father was from Zamfara State because my father ensured we married Nigerians.

So yours was an ‘arrangee’ marriage?

Not really but I was introduced to him and we got along well. I wasn’t forced into it.

Can you share with us your experiences while growing?

I grew up in a very good home; my father was a diamond merchant and my mother was a business woman. My father brought us back to Nigeria so we could learn the Nigerian culture. Now, I read, speak and write Hausa.

PAGE 16— SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

Breaking women’s barriers to employment

BY OSADEBAMWEN OSAWE

W

OMEN have been re ferred to as an un derutilized talent pool. In Africa, they constitute approximately 50 per cent of the population and so for significant change to come about, women development must not be neglected.

Over the past 30 or 40 years one of the major social and economic changes has been the increase in women’s employment, especially mothers. Today, in 60 per cent of couples bothpartners are in paid employment. Therefore in the 21th century it is becoming the norm for women to be in paid work, with the traditional composition of full-time male bread winner and full-time ‘housewife’ now becoming the exception rather than the norm.

The reasons behind this enormous social change are complex.

However, women encounter a lot of barriers while trying to advance in organizations.

This barriers can be referred to as a “glass ceiling” which is an invisible barrier preventing women’s rise to leadership ranks. This article would be looking at a range of issues that can stand as barriers to women advancement in employment.

Although women’s labour market participation has increased rapidly and dramatically, women tend to be concentrated in certain occupations and industries. Approximately 88 per cent of jobs taken by women are in the service industries.

Not only are women poorly represented, there has also been a certain degree of ‘ghettoing’ where women managers tends to be concentrated in the banking, retail and catering industries, at lower managerial levels, and in the softer area such as personnel and customer service. Even as women enter more lucrative fields such as, medicine, engineering, business, it is apparent that their advancement to the highest and best levels of these professions have been limited. Informal and formal barriers act to prevent women’s progress in organizations.

Findings have shown that when Women are found in managerial or supervisory positions, their positions carry less authority and power than those occupied by men. A possible reason is that the concept of career itself is a masculine construct, since it is traditionally linked with an endless, unbroken record of full-time employment, reflecting male instead of female employment practice.

Thus, the popular concept of ‘career woman’ becomes similar to either a woman who has chosen not to bear children, or a woman who has sacrificed the primacy of her mothering role to her professional employment.

Hence, part-time work is traditionally viewed as the alternative for ‘non-career-oriented women’. The same family constrain do not traditionally apply to men, because of the general assumption that men’s basic area of activity will be that of paid work, so the concept of ‘career man’ does not exist.

C M Y K

The most common descrip-

Osadebamwen Osawe tions of men as aggressive, independent, objective, dominant, active, competitive, logical, worldly, skilled in business, adventurous, self-confident and ambitious support the image of men as efficient managers.

However, the traditional descriptions used to describe women have undermined their image as effective managers.Most traditional sex role stereotypes perceive women’s roles as incompatible with leadership, while in contrast are constructed to make men’s roles more compatible with leadership. This may be because of the social roles ascribed to male and female.

Stereotypes which are elusive in nature, are difficult to recognize and even harder to control. They are said to be powerful social constructs (either on societal or personal level) with great potential for exercising control over individuals. Writers have argued that sex stereotypes cannot be perfect predictors for individual personality traits because a man can be child loving which can be seen as a feminine trait, while a woman can be assertive and competitive which is seen as masculine. This shows that stereotypes do not actually reflect reality. However, people are more likely to remember information that confirms applicable stereotype than information that disconfirms it.

Stereotypes give rise to the belief that all individuals within a social category can be viewed as the same, which reflects homogeneity within a group. This can distort decision maker ’s perceptions of job applicants.

This has put some women in a double bind in constantly trying to prove the stereotypes wrong and trying to adopt more masculine attributes which are perceived necessary for leadership.

However, a number of studies have shown that women who violate their gender role are less likened and rated less favourably.

Negative stereotypes Negative stereotypes of women influence how employers and managers perceive their work,

how they are selected for further training and development, and how rapidly they advance. People still assume that women are not as competent as men, speculations abounds that successful women ‘sleep their way to the top’ rather than advancing due to merit, whereas men have to protect themselves from the assumption that they are potential sexual predators who will harass the women they supervise. It is often argued that for a woman to be regarded as competent, she must show a lot of evidence of skill than a man must. Explicit evidence must be given of the woman’s clear and substantial superiority. Such stereotypes aredetrimental to women’s advancement in the workplace.

There is claim that women invest less in the acquisition of skills than men do. This makes them also responsible for their underrepresentation in skilled occupations due to their own choices, accepting the differentials as compensations for the other responsibilities they have.

Women will invest less in human capital if they expect to withdraw from the labour market for reasons of family formation and caring responsibilities. Until women in Nigeria became serious human resources with all manner of qualifications, they were not viewed as actual contributors to the economy, prior to this, they were mainly seen as reserve mental and physical resources. Women in Nigeria oftentimes adjust to their partner’s careers by developing flexible, secondary careers that are characterized by adaptability and horizontal instead of vertical career progression, leading to women’s asynchronous career development to cope with lifestage transitions, essentially reflecting ‘trade-offs’ to compliment the more ‘conventional synchronized’ linear career of the breadwinner. Women’s activities in the informal sector enable them to efficaciously combine their productive and reproductive functions since hours of work are flexible, allowing them to care for their children. Women’s growing involvement in the informal sector is also due to the global recession, and the on-going economic hardship. To a higher degree, women are under increasing pressure to contribute to household income; this is even truer of women whose husbands have been dismissed by the formal sector as a result of rationalization, privatization of public enterprises, and cuts in government spending. The amounts of entrants to the informal sector

The effectiveness of mentoring systems in the work place might have tremendous benefits on the personal development of women.

Mentoring represents a powerful form of management development for both parties involved Another reason affecting women’s advancement in employment is education. Education is about imparting knowledge in people. Historically education in Sub-Saharan Africa and even Asia was initially available exclusively for males. This then implies that women were from the onset disadvantaged in the formal employment sector since jobs in this sector are primarily negotiable through acquisition of education and skill. In fact, women’s late entrance into education and the tailoring of women’s education to meet mainly domestic needs is not peculiar to Nigeria.

Qualifications are recognized as playing an important exemplary role in the rise in women’s labour market participation in Nigeria. Qualifications also protect against unemployment.

have swelled because of unemployment, Unemployment is charged with severe impediments to social progress considering waste of human resources and attendant generation of welfare loss due to decreased output, which means lower income and diminished wellbeing.

Mentoring Furthermore, Mentoring constitutes a basic HR practice where mentors always assist the mentee in making them learn to navigate at work and better their performance throughout their professional career. The effectiveness of mentoring systems in the work place might have tremendous benefits on the personal development of women. Mentoring represents a powerful form of management development for both parties in-

volved. Allowing individuals discuss confusing, perplexing, or ambiguous situations, and their innermost feelings and emotions, with somebody they can trust who is knowledgeable, and ‘street-wise’ in the way of the organization, especially its political workings.

Employees who are fortunate to have a mentor are normally more likely to gain organizational recognition unlike the non-mentored employees who may not recognize the importance of a mentor and may lack the necessary skills for overcoming barriers in obtaining a mentor. Role models, such as mentors, may be required to assist women become acknowledged as valid candidates for managerial positions and to facilitate their needs for achievement.

The lack of female figureheads has a detrimental impact on women’s career. Conventional sex-role stereotypes concerning females may be overcome by the presence of female role models. When women advance to upper management, the absence of women mentors to offer support is seriously felt. Men engage in informal mentoring most of the time known as ‘after work hours’. They may meet up at pubs or any other social gathering and could discuss work related issues, and this is usually late. This gives them an opportunity to familiarize with their boss and show their potentials. Women do not really have such opportunity especially the ones with husband who certainly would not want their wives out so late. Bosses generally prefer people they are familiar with, and this gives opportunity to male employees to gain preference from their boss which is useful for promotion.

In addition, young women may be uncomfortable asking older men for mentoring and the men may be unwilling because of possible connotations that could be placed on the relationships. As a result, women might find themselves without a mentor because male managers may prefer developing mentorships with male subordinates.

Findings showed that women who reached the top had to work extra hard for many years, and they found it difficult to understand younger women, who like young men, want quick advancement without being ready to go through the grueling experience.

Indeed some women who have risen well above other women’s ranks have often done so by exemplifying male attitudes, languages and behaviours. They can often be tough on other women. Some get to the top and automatically slam the doors at younger women asking for their support. Women who have advanced to higher positions are not always found to be approachable and friendly by the ones trying to advance. This has made mentoring so difficult for women. It is rather interesting that from research most females still preferred to have male manager and said they would rather choose to have a male boss instead of a female.

*Osawe, a human resource manager, graduated from University of Bradford, United Kingdom'

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 17

bb pin: 75E17ABC

My problem with Empress,

by Timaya

O

nce, Bayelsa artiste, Tima State-born music ya and actre Em the town onpress Njamah were tass presumab account of the love thlk of had for each ey Timaya anly other. was as if thde Empress were so smThen, how wrong w y could do no wrongitten, it . But e were or

TIMAYA , EMPRESS NJAMAH AGAIN?

Because befo is it, they wer to nest time re the love could find e? a place so on put it to sham couple not on e as they also wenly went their separate the Empress an t for each other ’s jugu ways, details how d Timaya showed us in lar.

How one’s soon love could becom graphic honey in on e vinegar in on e’s tea could hate. e’ s vi n e.

Then, they st be a tearing each ar words they shother to pieces. The sw ted which one w ared became venom, eet Obviously cranted to poison the othwith show his dis ushed, Timaya was th er. regretted dattaste in public, saying he first to beautiful ac ing the actress. But the e as she fired tress would not have an have been thback that her mother w y of that if she had m e saddest woman in thould e world That was th arried Timaya. buried the hen and the lovers have si separate liveatchet and moved on w nce he made his s. Timaya has found a ith their enough whenwife and he seemed hapwoman married the he told me recently h py on the other woman of his dream. Ee man she is lohand might not have fo mpress enough, wor oking for but she seem und the running her king on her acting cares happy House of Em er venture. press businesand s However, w of months aghen I ran into Timaya a found there o, I sounded the singer couple for the ebon may still be a residue of out and mischivious y beauty actress. Okay, feelings himself and and got talking with h I was im about the fiery moEmpress and what it was ment and like, h

I’m more concerned with charity works now-Empress Njamah have always loved Empress

I

Njamah. She’s beautiful, sexy and smart. But what I love most about her is her simple, down-to-earth nature, which takes in the steam of life and find a way to make it cool for herself and everyone around her.

When I took the Timaya’s statement by her she simply replied that she isn’t interested in getting in a fight with anyone over little things. “I am beyond all these small talks. I’m more concerned with charity walks now. My interest in life is putting smiles on the faces of the deprived, the sad ones and those who need a helping hand”, she returned in a Blackberry chat.

Truly, as controversial as the actress is or the media has made her look, Empress seems to have found a quiet place in her life and living life on a different plane from the old shambolic one. All we hear about her these days is visiting one Motherless Babies Home or visiting a Hospice.

“I run a charity foundation for the less privileged and women on wheel-chairs. And I have been doing this, using my personal funds, with no support from anyone for ten years now. Most Homes in Lagos know me and miss me. Since I moved to Abuja I have been building same here. I have over 1,300 kids on my watch with 150 of those on wheelchairs” she told me.

She said it is something God has called her to do. “My mum said she is not surprised because she saw the traits when I was growing up” she said, adding that that was all she wanted to talk about, not Timaya and ‘little talks’ as she put it.

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wh im still misse d a part of ehther a part of Tell you som e e th in g he told mr.e missing any th in g about Emp ? “I’m not my past and ress. She’s I h a ve a bea now. What is there to misutiful family s about her? ”

P

Getting sexually “harassed is a personal decision Peggy Onah

eggy Onah isn’t exactly just another face in the crowd and definitely not one to be missed, that is, if you are one of those who still appreciate beauty and the gifts of life God has blessed us all with. She’s beautiful, well-accentuated in the right places, with a nature, as quiet as a smouldering fire. She’s hot, even though she doesn’t like to talk about her selling points, which are easily on display for all to see.

Peggy, as she is called, shared her story with me; how she came to Nollywood and what drives her.

She said she has found herself in acting because that is all she had ever wanted to do. She started off by doing dramas in high school. “A friend of mine introduced me to a producer who gave me few scenes to do. He encouraged me and recommended me to some other marketers . And from there they started starring me in their movies. And that was how I got to the level I am today. I have done over 20 movies and still counting”, she said.

Unlike most of her upcoming colleagues, Peggy said she is yet to experience sexual harassment in the industry, alluding the cause of sexual harassment to how an actress carries and presents herself.

“I think it is an individual decision. None of such has ever happened to me. Like I said, It is an individual decision . No one forces anyone to sleep with anybody It’s your personal decision. If you want to be harassed you will be harassed and it has nothing to do with how beautiful you are or not”, she declared.

PAGE 18 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014

Why my mind

marriage not on now - Chidinma

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I ha havve man manyy pe pett names for dif diffferent reasons

TN Project Fame first female winner, petite beauty Chidinma Ekile has not only won the hearts of music lovers with her soulful, danceable songs, she has a drove of suitors and admirers, waiting and anticipating, to pounce, should the pretty diva pull off the ‘stop’ sign. But Chidinma told Potpourri at an event recently that she isn’t ready to give up her life 24/7 to any man to do as he wants.

“It’s not yet time for marriage, I still have quite a lot to do and I still have a lot of money to make“, she said. Chidinma is only 23 but then she has done virtually all there is for a woman to do. She is one of the most sought-after female artistes in Nigeria, just as she is also the most courted. Artistes and nonartistes alike have openly professed love for the Imo State-born diva, with no one actually getting beyond the ground floor, or is there?

She was even recently alleged to be dating the prolific video director, Clarence Peters but the talented Kedike crooner labeled the rumour unfounded and told Potpourri it is not true. “The story is not true.

Funny enough, he is not the only man I have been alleged to be dating”, she said.

Recall that Chidinma and Clarence Peters were spotted together at the MAMA’s awards held in South Africa as the duo, were seen holding hands at Durban Mall, South Africa. They also walked to the MAMA’s red carpet holding each other’s hands and sat side by side during the event. This has raised lots of speculations that the two had become an item as lovers.

Interestingly, this is not the only man to have been alleged to have rocked the tender heart of this young singer. The romance between Prince Charming of Soundcity, Adams and Chidinma has been on the lips of many. There were also reports that NURTW boss, MC Oluomo had a sizzling secret romance with her. The rumour was given flight when MC Oluomo splashed N100,000 on her on stage while performing in one of Pasumas concerts.

- Chika Oguine

H

ighly talented Nollywood actress, Chika Oguine, is a quantum of sexual explosions, excuse my language. The graduate of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, is so sexy and disarming that one cannot fail to feel the overpouring sexual magnetic force that emanates from her. Even though she has a quiet nature, she has a body that is anything but quiet.

The Sex on the Beach role interpreter got talking with Potpourri recently on sundry issues, bothering on the movie industry, her next engagement, her yet to be released films and other things.

When we got talking about pet names Nollywood actresses call themselves and the reasons they call themselves such names, Chika revealed that she, also has her own pet name. She said, she has not one but several, with each defining and explaining different essence of the person called Chika Oguine. ”Where do I begin?” she queried. “I have many pet names and for different reasons. Some of my pet names are Baby Bear, Pumpkin, Cookie, Angel Eyes, Baby Doll, Gypsy and Pookie” Explaining what each one means; “I am called Baby Bear because I could be soft and bossy at the same time. Gypsy, because I move around a lot like a wanderer, and my work takes me around Africa. I am Cookie because I am so sweet. Angel Eyes because I have beautiful eyes with lashes wellpruned and combined. I am Pookie because I could be mischievous, assuming and I can act like a detective. I predict things and they happen. I have different characters too”, she explained.

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N

ollywood’s rising star, Ibiwari Etuk, who has an Ikwa Ibom State-born father and Rivers State-born mother has been having a sleepless night ever since Potpourri reported the chat it had with her where she stated ‘she cannot marry a poor man’. Disturbed Ibiwari said she wasn’t too happy with comments she got over the statement, saying what she really meant wasn’t the way people received it.

“May I seize this opportunity to appreciate my teeming fans out there and indeed everyone. I will love to correct an erroneous impression about a post relating to my marital choice. It is important to draw our attention to the fact that poverty must not be limited to the mere absence of money rather it should be understood to be a state of being destitute of vision, potentials and pupose,” she explained.

Speaking further, she gave a graphic picture of what she meant by being poor. “ I consider a man who has money and lacks the aforementioned to be poor. On the other hand, a man who lacks material things for now,but has vision, potentials and purpose is considered a rich man by my understanding. It is on this standpoint I made my declaration that I cannot marry a poor man. I also wish to state here that the choice of a life partner is and always will be a very personal issue which is subject to an individual’s personal conviction”.

Ibiwari’s first movie was A Tale of Hidden Treasure produced by OJ Productions and directed by Frank Rajah with Ramsey Nouah Jnr, Stephanie Okereke, Nadia Buhari, Olu Jacobs, Collect Orji and Esther Audu as principal characters.

ott hyy I said I canno Wh marr y a poor man - Ibiwari Etuk

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 19

Behold Maheeda on her way to Church on Sunday Is Anita Joseph a cold-hearted woman? ph, a, Anita Jose ollywood div t, has a figure without doub nd a man N ther se that could ei ith joy. She

C

aroline Sam or Maheeda, whichever name you prefer, doesn’t seem like a person who is ever going to let us off the hook any time soon. If the Holy Chick as she calls herself isn’t flaunting her nudity in our faces, she is asking other erotic questions many of us may never have answers to.

Whether you believe it or not, she is a gospel singer and calls herself the Holy Chick and goes about promoting her songs with videos that would make some xrated videos look like something for the kids. Last Sunday, Maheeda had a luscious selfie as her Blackberry ‘Display Picture’, captioned it with a phrase, “I am ready for church, hope you like my dress. I will need special prayers too”.

Fans read meaning to Davido’s message to Wizkid on birthday

D

avido and Wizkid are fast becoming the hot rivals in the music industry, what Genevieve and Omotola have become in the movie industry.

Just as Genevieve and Omotola have said they have no beef for each other, Davido too, has shown that he has no ill feelings towards Wizkid by sending him a birthday message through the Instagram on Wednesday, which was Wizkid’s birthday. But what seemed like a harmless birthday message, the fans of both crooners have begun to attach different diverse meanings. Davido wrote “Happy birthday Oga”, to start series of interpretations with many asking the question whether Davido has finally conceded that Wizkid is his boss in the music industry. Both have fought for many different awards in the past but Davido seems to be winning all there is this year.

runk w grieving or d ell-stocked both up w an om ita, as is a w k but then N front and bac ll her doesn’t take her friends cashe flaunts her gift prisoners as hout fear or favour. of nature wit st have prompted Whatever mu nted actress, Anita the multi-talesage, probably posted a mesmeone on her Blackmeant for so ’t have an ex, if it’s berry. “ I don ever happened”. over then it ntpourri probed But when Po king the actress, she further by as “No one. And heart crisply replied on” t have a don’t say I d .. because I do”

Charly Boy and his Guardian Angels?

S

how-stopping veteran entertainer, Charly Boy Oputa is never to be seen without some spectacle of sort. His maverick self wasn’t to be spared a minute even at his father celebrated burial that held in Oguta, Imo State, a couple of days back.

The Areafada was causing a stir everywhere he went. But most unsettling was his going everywhere with two girls, one on the right and another, on the left. Charly Boy, whom some reports claim has turned a Buddhist, posted pictures of himself and the girls on Instagram, calling the girls My Charly’s Virgins.

I gave you your first collabo, Sound Sultan tells Wizkid

H

ey, before it begins to read like there is a rift between the Naija Ninja, Sound Sultan and the Star Boy, Wizkid, what Sound Sultan told Wizkid on his birthday was actually to appreciate the music sensation.

In a birthday wish to him, Sound Sultan writes: “I always remember the first day you called me on the phone . I was like, ‘you ain’t a girl? Then you must be a kid’ , he said yes, ‘Wizkid !’ Correction that was essential ! ‘Wiz’ as a prefix makes sense 7 years later, wizard , Layon(lion), fame didn’t give him the Lion heart, he had it from day one .

Gave him his first collabo he gave me my latest ! Ayo S.Balogun, happy birthday”.

Watch out next week: Pet names Nollywood divas call themselves and why C M Y K

PAGE 20 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014

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our experience in the entertainment industry so far?

It has been quite an adventure ,because everything I have done in the industry are things I never thought I could do.

And it’s quite interesting and the adventure is real. I have been working hard, doing what I know how to do best.

It’s not about you getting to a

particular destination but it’s along the way, so I feel satisfied with everything I ve done so far How do you cope, working with different artistes?

Every field you want to get into actually has its challenges. It has issues only you can deal with. So I won t say there are issues, nothing is ever an issue. Winning a beauty pageant was not easy as well, so being in the entertainment industry has challenges and I will say it s not easy but it has been good You have been silent for quite some time now, what actually happened?

It wasn t too long, and nothing actually happened, I just decided to take a break.

It’s not everytime you have to release songs, you have to take time out in between. If you continue doing songs all the time, before you know it, you will crash and it is happening to a lot of people right now without them even knowing it. So I had to take some time away to study people, the environment, and the music industry to know those that love and hate me.

So that’s what I did. I took a step back and it wasn’t too long and I also used the time to work on my tracks and work on myself as well. So that is why I decided to keep quiet.

So now that you are back, what are you up to?

Yeah, I have been doing music; I am working on bringing out my new album, and I am shooting a lot of videos of my new track.

There is a new single by you going viral on air, can you tell us about it?

The new single I just released is titled “No tomorro:, it’s crazy and it has been banging on air and I love it.

It’s for people to have fun and basically it’s just a dance song which is about going to the club and dancing like there is no tomorrow.

There has been controversies about artistes management and as one of the artistes who has been in the music industry for a while, what can you say about artistes management?

Your management has a lot of roles to play in recreating your career. If you are signed with a body that is not quite good for the image you are trying to portray, and they really don’t know who you are and how they can train you to fit in with the image they are creating of you, there may be problem.

Another thing is, never make

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a decision when you are desperate because that is a mistake most of us make.

Because we want to make music so much, we want to be out there, we want to be known, and we want to be like 2face, Psquare and D’banj, you now go and sign

If you have conscience, you won’t do anything - Munachi Abii

fifteen years deal, ten years or five years, without really knowing if the management has what it takes to promote you or not. If you sign with a wrong management, you may end up ruining your career.

Before you got to where you are right now, what were the challenges?

It has been good, I thank God. But I have experienced a lot before music brought me to where I am now. I know what it takes to promote and all the same, I thank God and my fans, they have been supportive, if not for them I wouldn’t have been where I am today. I also love my team, they have been hardworking and we have been making it and I love working with people that are hungry because I am hungry as well.

One-time Most beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN), Munachi Abii who has made her way imto Nigerian music industry as a rapper, songwriter and model is a lady with a mission.

And according to her, she is ready to take on everything life has to throw her way.

Taking about why she chose the name No Konscience as her record name, the beautiful rapper reveals what may be her life’s biggest philosophy. But more than that, Muna in this chat with Potpourri, opens up on her musical journey, her life and a whole lots more.

— Alariwo of Africa

Looking at the entertainment industry, we have a lot of upcoming artistes who are making it big, and we also have a lot of superstars. Now, do you see yourself as being in competition with any of these artistes?

I know there are a lot of people out there who want to be in my place, as if we are in a competition of sort. I

BY IYABO AINA To me everybody is cool to work with. It’s just that women are tough to work with. I don’t know why we are like that, working with the men is easier because they know what they want but with the females, it is different.

It only works well when you are friends.

If an upcoming artiste who is not popular, at all, wants to feature you in his or her song, will you accept it?

I don’t have any problem being featured on anybody’s track at all. That is, if I see that you have a good track and you want a good job done, I will do it.

Why is your record called No Koncience ?

Because if you want to make it in life, you need no conscience and if you have conscience you won’t do anything. But I don t mean you

tell you, if you want to live this life to the fullest, you really don’t have to look left and right because when you do so, you will miss your way. I don’t look left and right, I look forward .

Why did you decide to go into rap ?

Rap is something I have always wanted to do but I kept asking myself how I could make it work. So, I have to work on myself and I was able to do it well. And its been fun and amazing .

Who are hard to work with in the industry?

have to be bad, I mean you have to be able to live your life. If you are too afraid to grab life, it will be hard for you and | you will be nowhere to be found. So if you know what is good for you, live life to the fullest because no one knows tomorrow

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 21

BRAND MANAGEMENT INQUEST (3)

...Who Manages Your Brand?

I

prived and lacking in so many respects, almost giving up.

But the aspirant comes on the rekindle their hope. He encouraged them so much, and promising them ‘because I did it, you too can do it’.

As a professional in Brands management, however, it was more engaging as I saw that advert time and again. It made for a good opportunity to consider some imperatives in brands management; ingredients for effective and persuasive communication, of advantageous teaching aid.

For the purpose of building up instructive contrast (and for the benefit of consumers of advertising products) let’s look at an advert product in this market. It will enable a critical consideration for learning.

Though the BABA BLUE TV commercial has been rested for some time, it readily comes to mind here. To wit, BABA BLUE TV Commercial is a concept built on value-essence communication for the establishment of (the) brand’s promise. By use of drama, the commercial aptly played out the reasons-for for BABA BLUE, a brand of candy with the added value of cold treatment. We won’t drive too far into analysing the TVC’s creative thinking here to avoid selling the brand free on this page, but suffice that the creative product aired for the brand is a product of a creative process that adhered to some of the grand rules for effective advertising and marketing communication.

For effective brand benefit communication the creative process for any advert development requires a clear understanding of prevalent market learning inclusive of the

need to satisfy consumer or target audience expectation/ traits and habits, activities of competition, prevalent market dynamics that should therefrom help in determining desired own-brand’s positioning statement and creative inputs for developing the way forward. Choice of words and pictures are derived from a careful consideration of the above, on a step-by-step approach.

By the tutelage some of us professionals were exposed, being aware of the above-mentioned, alone, amounts to just about 60% of the requirements

of otherwise serious situation, for meaningful and interesting engagement. Therefore, each time the TVC runs it immediately elicit friendship from among the target audience because of the relief it brings into their lives (by use of drama), the enlightenment and information, and above all, the brand promise it establishes FIRMLY. For effectiveness, the creative process must be singleminded in its objective and creative treatment. In this case, literary treatment is very important. The advert copy/ script must avoiding ambiguity and emphasise clarity. So, again you find that the BABA BLUE concept played out in the courtroom setting, and clearly established its valueessence and promise through a very concise PROBLEMSOLUTION treatment.

The news here is that the BABA BLUE creative concept is the vintage PROCTER & GAMBLE treatment. The P&G copy strategy is treated as sacrosanct. It was one of the first official hand-over(s) they gave to our team when we worked on the Euro Pampers and Vicks Lemon Plus brands, time past. It observes the rules for effective brands communication.

Perhaps the team that worked on the “I AM GOODLUCK...” TVC needed to look into the P&G copy strategy.

What came out strong in that creative product is an overplay on emotion. Yes, we appreciate the fact that creative concept can rest on either ra-

,

N the third and final leg of our series – BRAND MANAGEMENT INQUEST – emphasis will shift to content generation for impact and effectiveness. Before now, we considered the need for experts’ involvement (for reasons of gains and ethics) and the importance of professionalism in developing the ideal ‘seller/buyer ’ environment.

This week’s consideration is made much exciting because we shall be considering the importance of engaging professionals in brands management for proper process management, effective brand message communication, gainful competitiveness and brand success…over-all, by considering a case-study: “... I Goodluck...Goodluck Jonathan...”

May we bring to our remembrance that political campaigns are brands management; political ideas and flag bearers/contestants for given political offices are brands.

They have identities, competing with other ‘market’ players, they have identified needs (and people or target audience) to satisfy, demand patronage at a price and they make positions demanding of their target audience’s consideration and empathy.

Like products and services brands, Politicians need to create the desired impression that will sell them in the market place to make, for the purpose of earning their target audience’s share of mind, to be competitive. They should have set their market and marketing objective, to the extent of acquiring a market position – leadership, competitive followership or laggards.

All of the above underscores the reasons for engaging professional brand managers for discerning brand managers/ owners. For any brand to succeed, the process and quality of contents for advertising and marketing communication is very important. In addition, the extent and quality of brands management also impacts on the nature, extent and robustness of targeted audience involvement, engagement and belief.

The first time I saw the television advert “I AM GOODLUCK...GOODLUCK JONATHAN...” I ‘enjoyed’ it – for many reasons. It hit me with a dazzle, from various angles. From the position of the ordinary television audience, it paints the picture of a politician aspiring to the office of Presidency, offering himself for election. In doing so, The Politician is encouraging the target listener to HOPE, by telling his own success story.

His own story served as HOPE to his audience: presently de-

For effective brand benefit communication, the creative process for any advert development requires a clear understanding of prevalent market learning inclusive of the need to satisfy consumer or target audience expectation

,

for adverts that actually sell: an understanding of methods of application is very important. As a rule, the process does not permit assumption.

The BABA BLUE creative team seem to have applied much of understanding the target audience – the low class man and woman who will passively take in “sweet” and move on; they are jolly-good fellows who are given to drama/comedy. They will appreciate some a comic slice-of-life treatment

tional or emotional appeal, but even when campaigns are built on emotion, those involved must be careful not to lose focus on set-objective(s) and target audience profile.

The brand must not come confused in terms of reasons-why.

Credibility suffered a hit on the part of Brand Jonathan, and the target audience safeguard against credulity was undermined by the creative team behind that project.

There was no way the brand

would have been believed with both gender across all agebrackets saying “I am Goodluck Jonathan...” – let us leave out the other deliveries on that commercial, to save time. A lot of people who listened to that commercial came out asking wetin be this?

So we ask WHO MANAGES YOUR BRAND. How much of the understanding of the creative process reside in the team you engage for the management of your brand. The lesson here, once again, is that the size of your brand’s market success depends also on the quality of your creative team and process. If the mix is right the brand, the consumer/target audience and indeed the investor gains. Otherwise, everybody suffers. That is why we bother.

Our suggestion is for brand owners/managers rethink their choice of brand managers. We emphasise the need to engage professionals instead of “businessmen” in the business of advertising, if they desire to be competitive, customer-centric for market success good returns on their advertising investment.

On the ‘I AM GOODLUCK...GOODLUCK JONATHAN...’ campaign we have looked at as a case study, we would rather that the readers fill in the gap, using the BABA BLUE learning aid, to avoid being seen as partisan.

We are only looking at the need for deep thinking for consumer-friendly creative advert products. See you next week.

OUR CONSUMER PROTECTION COUNCIL...

On Wednesday March 31, this year (last week) I listened to the Director-General of our Consumer Protection Council, Mrs. Ify Omehi, on Radio Continental 102.3FM, in its early morning broadcast. It was quite interesting. It reminded me of the existence of a Council of that nature in Nigeria.

In fact, the Council was legislated into being in 1992, but commenced operation in 1999.

Bravo!

Mrs. Omehi, in that interview, made a smart connection between voters’ participation in the next general election and consumer satisfaction. She warned us all that we cannot complain if things don’t go our way after the election, if we do not vote now. Good!

But what bothered me, however, is that our DG did not address the issues that are primarily of immediate concern to her office and function: what would she do about MULTICHOICE and its abusive billing? Nigerians have been crying out loud over this issue for too long for her to feign ignorance. What about the GSM operators? Not to mention other retail consumer brands with varying queries over consumer abuse.

Well, we shall help ourselves. Our readers should watch out for incisive information on whom and how we can protect our consumer rights in weeks ahead. Please vote right.

PAGE 22 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

MALAYSIAN FLIGHT M17: Making the skies the choice spot for terror strikes

By HUGO ODIOGOR, Foreign Affairs Editor

T

he vulnerability of the aviation industry to acts of terrorism and armed conflict became manifest once again on Thursday when a Malaysian passenger plane MH17 on a direct flight from Malaysia to the Netherlands, was brought down in the Ukrainian airspace.

No fewer than 295 persons have been reported dead in a mishap that struck the soul of the global aviation industry and Malaysia in particular, which is yet to unravel the mysterious disappearance of another aircraft, MH237, which disappear in March on its scheduled flight from Kuala Lumpur to China.

A litany of plane shot downs Travelling by air is acknowledged to be the fastest and safest, but incidents of this nature have cast doubts on such claims.

Some past incidents support the view that skies have become a choice spot for terrorists On February 21,1973, a Libyan Boeing 727, flying from Tripoli to Cairo, strayed into the Israeli control Sinai

desert where it was brought down by the Israeli Air Force which claimed that the airplane flew over some military facilities. Only five out of the 1132 passengers on board survived the incident.

On September 1, 1983, a South Korean flight 007, with 269 passengers on board, was shot down by Soviet fighter jets on the Island of Sakhalin. The New Yorkbound flight was passing through Alaska before crossing the Pacific Ocean.

On July 3, 1988, Dubaibound Iranian Airbus 300, was shot down by two US missile cruiser Vincennes while the plane was still in the Iranian air space. This caused the death of 290 passengers.

In that same year, a South Korean Boeing 747 plane was brought down by soldiers of the defunct Soviet Union which alleged that the plane disobeyed its warnings and strayed into its airspace.

A total of 290 passengers were killed. The defunct Soviet Union inflicted more midair tragedies on South Korea as part of the Cold War then.

On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Airline Flight 103 was brought down in Lockerbie, Scotland by Libyan sponsored terrorists. The airline went

We saw what happened in Rwanda in April 1994. Terrorists are anarchists; the only way to fight them is vigilance and intelligence under after the attack.

In October 2001, a Siberian plane, with 78 passengers on board, was shot down by Ukraine which denied any role in the incident at first, but later admitted that its military downed the airplane during military training.

There are countless acts of hijacking of airplanes by terrorist and armed groups around the world. On Sept 11, 2001 a group of Al Qaeda jihadists seized four airplanes in America to unleash attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, the White House and the Pentagon in one of the most horrendous terrorist attacks using aviation facilities. We had the Christmas day failed attempt by a radicalized young Nigerian student, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, to blow up a Delta Airplanes

plane in the air.

The United States, Russia, Ukraine and Israel cannot boast of a clean record in cases of attacks on civilian airplanes.

Consequently the early frantic attempt by the Ukrainian authorities and a section of the US intelligence community to find a scapegoat in the Malaysian air disaster is suspect.

The government in Kiev and some hawks in US are keen on worsening the relations between the United States and Russia over the widespread discontent in the eastern region of Ukraine where a predominant Russian population are opposed to the attempt by Kiev to join the European Union, a move Russia strongly oppose.

The Malaysian government has told the world that there is the need to carry out an

international investigation to ascertain the cause the disaster. The Dutch government holds the same position which the US president Barack Obama thinks is the wise step.

The authorities in Kiev were the first to link the disaster to an earth to surface missile strike by Ukrainian separatists on its eastern flank which are demanding full autonomy from Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has joined in the blame game which will only complicate to process of investigation.

Both President Obama and the Malaysian Prime Minister have insisted in securing the site of the crash and ensuring that no items are removed from the scene to enable investigators determine whether the aircraft was hit by a missile. The location of the black box is a major priority for the search since the crash was said to have come suddenly.

There have been controversies on which of the sides to the Ukrainian conflict fired the alleged missile that may have struck the aircraft.

The fighting groups on both sides were expected to maintain a truce to permit the use of diplomacy in a conflict that threatens to dismember Ukraine.

Attack on airplanes attracts instant global attention as the magnifying impact of the incident in the media takes the centre stage. This makes that strategy attractive to terrorists and armed groups in conflict zones.

In one single incident, more deaths have been recorded far more than what has been reported since the Hamas militants and Israeli troops began a full scale military offensive last week.

There is no doubt that Malaysian Airlines has been worse hit in the past four months. It is yet to overcome the trauma of its MH370 that went missing in March. The global search for the aircraft has proved abortive. Another massive negative publicity arising from the recent incident is bad for its business.

A retired Director of DSS who wanted identity protection told Sunday Vanguard:”With the Boko Haram sect growing in their acquisition of sophisticated weapons, the security and intelligence communities , the aviation authorities and the general public must brace up to high level vigilance.

“We saw what happened in Rwanda in April 1994.

Terrorists are anarchists; the only way to fight them is vigilance and intelligence.”

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 23

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Wayward daughter-in-law caught in the act!

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SUALLY, it’s the daughter-in-law that’s in awe of her mother-in-law but in Bridget’s case, the table’s turned. “The first time I met Sinmi, my son’s girlfriend, I thought she was rude. My husband didn’t agree. He said she was nervous about meeting us the first time but as time went by, her attitude didn’t change. If I tried to engage her in conversation, she would answer with grunts as if I was irritating her. On the few times they visited, she was always in a hurry to leave”, explained Bridget.

“Greg, my son was no help. He was completely under her spell and I hated the way she bossed him around. Our family is wellto-do and she came from a modest home. One would think she would be grateful for being welcomed in a home like ours. When it became clear that their relationship was serious, I felt I had to tell my son how I felt.

As tactfully as I could, I listed a few things that had upset me in the past, but he simply shrugged them off, saying that I must have misunderstood Sinmi, because she wasn’t that ‘type of girl’.

I realised there was no point arguing with him - he was in love and I had to support his choice, whether I approved of his partner or not.

“After they got married,

she kept the three children of their family away from us as much as she could.

Her mum could come and visit as often as she wanted and take control of the kids whilst I was treated as an outsider. We weren’t close at all but we tolerated each other. In time it was time for my son’s 40th birthday. The children are now eleven, nine and six and were away in school most of the time. I’m sure if Sinmi had her way, I wouldn’t be involved in planning the lavish party Greg wanted. But our money would come in handy and she grudgingly accepted my input. On this fateful day when she fell into my trap, I’d gone to the caterers to select items on the menu. It was only fair that I sought her approval.

Calls to her mobile didn’t go through, so I drove past the house on the offchance she would be home.

She’s a legal practitioner and has her own chambers.

“As I approached the drive, I saw a very flashy car in the drive. I knew Greg hadn’t bought a new car - his family had two perfectly good ones. To this day, I don’t know what prompted me to do what I did. As I came down from my car, I took my mobile and snapped a picture of the strange car. Before now, I’d had the odd whispers about Sinmi’s carry-

ing ons with other men, mostly prospective clients.

Her husband never complained, so how could I? Cautiously, I approached the house from the kitchen which was always opened because of the helps. Listening quietly, I heard voices from their bedroom upstairs. I went back to the kitchen door and re-opened it with a loud bang. ‘Sinmi are you home,’ I yelled excitedly, ‘1 have something you just must see’. As I talked, I bounded up the stairs - only to be confronted by an irritating looking Sinmi.

“As soon as she saw it was me, she made to rush back to the bedroom but I was right behind her. She had a robe thrown carelessly over

her and there on their double bed was this rogue fastening his clothes. ‘What are you doing in my son’s bedroom?’ I challenged. ‘He’s just a colleague’ Sinmi spluttered. ‘He messed up his clothes at lunch and I brought him back so he could wash and dry them~ ‘In your bedroom?’ I challenged. As the man hurriedly got out of the room, his shoes were forgotten but I picked them up and threw them after him. At first Sinmi looked defiant. She said she’d always known I didn’t like her and I should go ahead and tell Greg. She knew her husband wouldn’t believe me as it would be my word against hers.

“I told her exactly what I thought of her and her bra-

zen attitude. If she dared me, I would tell Greg what I just saw and let’s see who he would believe. She must have seen the determination in my voice because she started pleading I shouldn’t be so hasty. That the man I just saw was a prospective client who was in charge of a contract her chambers was interested in. Nothing had happened, she assured me. She said if I hadn’t barged in, only Heavens knew what could have happened. “ “I looked at her with so much loathing she hurriedly looked away. Who did she think she was fooling? I told her she’d made it impossible for me to like her and I never would. For the sake of my son’s sanity, I would

keep my mouth shut as long as I have full access to the grandchildren - and my son of course. That was a few years ago. With time she learnt to be civil to my husband and I, and I could see my grandchildren any time I wanted. I was careful not to abuse the new truce we had until her mum paid one of her unscheduled long visits and started controlling the household.

I called her to order and warned her daughter she shouldn’t step out of line.

Sinmi’s fiery nature showed its fang for a few moments and I was enraged too. I casually opened my phone and showed her the photograph of her lover’s car sitting in my son’s drive with the culprits’ car numbers conspicuously displayed. If looks could kill, I would have disappeared that instant!

“As things are now, Sinmi has more or less been subdued, she even buys me presents from time to time.

Now my son reminds me as often as he could how he’d warned me to be patient with Sinmi, and that he was glad things worked out between us too. Umph!

If only he knew. But 1’l1 never tell. Greg wouldn’t stand an unfaithful wife and if he sent her packing, who would look after the three kids of the marriage?”

08052201867(Text Only)

Yoga moves keep you fit and firm Taut Abdominals: The leg raise ECHNIQUE: Sit on the floor with the legs outstretched in front of you, place the hands just behind waist level and a little away from the body.

Inhale and raise both legs up diagonally, forming a ‘V’ with the trunk.

Once you are in the posture breathe normally.

Retain the position for five to seven seconds, rest and repeat a few more times.

T

C M Y K

C M Y K

The Triangle: Firm Thighs and Butt Technique: Standing with the feet apart, bend the right knee to waist level with the toes pointing forward, keep the left knee slanted with the

knee locked. Keep the hands at shoulder level and the trunk erect.

Count to 10 and repeat legs.

Strong Arms: The Bow Technique: Lying on your belly, bend both knees and with the legs up in the air hold the feet with the corresponding hands. Lift up the chest and stretch out with the elbows straightened out.

Hold the pose for a slow count to 10. Rest and repeat.

Front to Back Splits amazing Technique: Standing up straight, turn the trunk to the left and begin spreading out the legs as you lower down the body. As you get closer to the floor invert

the left foot and keep the right heel down.

You may keep the hands on the floor so you can hold your body up a

bit if the stretching effect gets too uncomfortable.

As usual, regular practice makes the pose easier and easier.

*The Triangle Pose *The Bow Pose

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

P AGE 24—SUND AY Vanguard , JUL Y 20 , 2014 SUNDA JULY

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

08056180152,

SMS only

Sad tales of the forgotten children of divorce

I

T’S very rare that children caught in the middle of a divorce are told why it is happening. Some parents claim such an attitude is to protect the children while in reality, it is the adults whose interest and emotions are protected.

Separation, single parents, remarriages and the ensuing step-parents and siblings - all the after-effects of divorce are now part of a ‘normal’ family life. Today, a third or so of children now live with one of their parents.

So who talks to these bewildered children when things fall part?

Evelyn was only eleven when her life fell apart a few days after she came home on holidays from the fancy private school she attended. Her father, a flirty DJ and a renowned entertainer was her hero.

“There was this almighty argument and dad left, fuming he’d had enough. A few weeks later, I heard he’d moved into the palatial home of a socialite a few years his senior. Needless to say, the relationship between my father and I never recovered. When he was home, he used to take me to some of these wild concerts and children’s party where he entertained”, recalled Evelyn.

“That was some 15 years ago. Today, we have little or no contact.

The last time I saw him, he was living with a scruffy looking friend, the fling that wrecked his marriage was obviously forgotten. All his trendy clothes were gone and and he looked dull and grey beyond his years.

Sadly, he is in denial when it comes to the break-up of the marriage and was quick to blame mum who he said wanted to trap him with more children - a respon-

sibility he wasn’t ready for. I really pity him - he was a failure, a disaster.

The ‘senior girl’ he was so eager to move in with threw him out when she couldn’t condone his excessive drinking and womanising.”

It is sometimes the information that parents choose to withhold from children that wreaks the most damage. Maryam, an attractive girl of 15 was nine when her mother, Kike, whisked her away from her father without any explanation.

Lie was piled upon lie until a bewildered young Maryam insisted she wanted to live with her father when she started secondary school. “His place was nearer to my school,” she said, “and I was curious to find out from dad what had really happened to fracture our family. Reluctantly, dad told me it was mum who considered the marriage to be dead. She just bolted, taking me and all the furniture with her. I’m still bewildered about the way mum handled things – moving into a flat which I later learnt was rented for her by this bloated rich boyfriend of hers. He also got her a car and whilst I was living with dad, mum had another girl. Mr. Money bag ts not as forthcoming as he used to but mum deserves all the hardship she new experiences. It is now we are rebuilding our relationship.”

For Joys, a 16-year-old undergraduate, the pain of separation is still raw - her parents split up only two years ago. A beautiful young woman, she is still quietly • troubled, sometimes tearful.

Her parents - an IT consultant and a school’s administrator - don’t seem to understand the depth of her wretchedness and can’t conveniently explain why all

that she knew and loved was torn down. Her family, says Joys, swims in a swamp of secrets and lies. “I’m somehow fearful of getting to the bottom of things because I suspected there’s ugly stuff underneath.

I believe it .was the expense and challenges of bringing up children that led to the collapse of the relationship. Nothing was discussed with my two siblings and I. We were simply downgraded from our posh private school to a public school. It was humiliating to say the least.”

Sadly, today’s children are all too ready to blame themselves when their parents can’t make their marriages work or last.

But boys handle the pain and confusion differently from girls. Nine years after his parents separated, Cornelius, an uncommonly serious 22year-old has only just accepted his parents are not getting back together.

“When I was 12, they told me the time was ripe for them to split, but I thought: ‘I don’t think it is. Things can be sorted out’” he says. ,A typical reaction among children, unwilling to accept the finality of a decision way out of their hands. The

tears, he said, came later.

Did my parents ever worry about the effect the split would have on me?

I know I worried intensely about how the loss of a father would affect me and whether I would go off the rails like some classmates in my shoes did. Thank goodness I have turned out well.” : As an Agony Aunt, I’m frequently contacted by young people seeking advice. Not too long ago, a young man, now 17, and a silver spoon kid wrote to me. His parents are divorcing and he has no one he could confide in. Disabled by grief, fury and loss of faith, he raged: “Dad never told me anything. He never thought to consider me or my brothers and sisters, to think about how important our family is to us. We asked for a family meeting but we got none.

I can’t do my school work, can’t sleep, eat.

And they tell me it just happens. It doesn’t fxxxxxx just happen.

They do this to us. We didn’t ask to be born.

How do they think we will ever believe in love or marriage?”

Another letter came from a young woman who described the

and give unreserved love to my heart. Your love indeed intoxicates me and has driven me into a deep pool of happiness.

Akachukwu Ferdinand.

08063819314

Y

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

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

Your Love

If I have a way of reaching the moon,I will go there and sing to you a love song for you radiate, create

Dear Blessing,

I hide my tears when i say your name but the pain in my heart is stil the same. though i smile and seem carefree theres no1 who misses u more than me!!

Emma Mine 07051037749 Delta State

day,her family splintered as: “Just like a car crash for us kids. Out pf nowhere, this blow, this noise, the pain all over, loss of consciousness.

You come out of it but are never yourself again. I am insecure, mistrustful, cry easily, expect the worst, break up with men before it gets serious. They did this to me.

It’s true, your mum and dadl they fxxx you up.”

“While nobody should feel they must stay with bullying, abusive or truly unsuitable partners, once you have children, you can’t just please yourself or indulge your own desires.

It is really deplorable watching how many children are treated as objects by divorcing parents. Living together is not easy, but walking away has become all too easy. An intact family unit is more precious than anything else.

What Goes Round, Comes Round! (Humour), The unfaithful husband went to pick up his wife Jane, from a conference and was startled to see her leaving the building with his mistress. He hid from sight until his mis-

My Angel

tress had gone, then picked up his wife and drove home casually remarking: “Did I see you leaving with a friend?”

“0h no/I she repliedl “she was just one of the delegates. What a tart!

Flirted with anything in trousers and kept a few beds warm all night.

The husband was dismayed to hear this and was determined to find out from his mistress about his wife’s behaviour. The next time he saw her, he casually asked about the conference and the sort of people that were there. “I think I heard that one of the speakers came from my neck of the woods:’ he said. ‘”Oh yes,” replied the mistress, “that would be Mandy. She wasn’t much fun. She came with her husband and they spent most of the time in their room!” .: I Think I’ll Pass! (Humour} It was Friday night and Bob was down the club with his mate, Pete. “Going to the match tomorrow?” asked Bob. “Oh, I dunno,” replied Petel “my wife’s not keen on me being out every Saturday ”.

“Listen, that’s no problem. On Saturday morning, take her upstairs l strip her naked and give her the best shagging you can. When she’s really enjoying herself then tell her you’re going to the match.” On Monday, the two men met up for a lunchtime drink. “Didn’t see you on Saturday ”, remarked Bob,. “did you try what I said?”. “Yeah!” replied Pete. “I took the wife upstair:s, ripped her clothes off, saw her lying there on the bed and thought ‘Oh bugger it, the team’s not.been playing that well anyway!”

Back in the year 2005 I started writing to Sunday Vanguard lovenote zone when writers of lovenotes use to win Star Letter, expressing my emotion to you the best way I can. Today, our love have grown and I do remember that only you have gained entrance into my heart,loving me beyond words,cherishing me beyond my imagination and being there always for me. I love you dear and I will always be there for you. You are my universe my angel..

Cheers James Okonkwo (Freesoul) ngesinaj@gmail.com +2348066043380

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE — 25

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BY IBANGA ISINE

H

AVING read his book, “The Greatest Encounter,” and listened to some of his messages, I think and rightly so, that there is yet another exemplary prophet of God in Nigeria. He is not one of Nigeria’s most popular television evangelists and has never craved to be one. He does not blow his trumpet on the rooftops to be heard or court power to enjoy special privileges and favours. But with a simple, courteous and unassuming mien, Bishop Kleham Kings Degaya has been speaking the mind of God to Nigerians and people all over the world, who care to give heed to his message.

Perhaps, if he were from another part of the world and carries just a pint of the anointing God has deposited in him, Nigerians from all walks of life would have scrambled for visa and tickets and pay huge sums in hotel bills to get to be in his presence and to listen to his uplifting and spiritually refreshing messages.

But because Degaya doesn’t just do the showmanship thing that has been the hallmark of contemporary Nigerian preachers and evangelists, a lot of people have unwittingly lost out on his amazing story, his awe-inspiring result-oriented teachings and his easy-to-follow Christian principles.

Nobody, who has had the opportunity to sit under his voice, as he expounds on the mysteries of God and explicates on the awesome power Christians command over situations, nature, negative spiritual forces and satanic principalities; has ever been the same.

While many people have criticized and even branded him a spy, Degaya has constantly challenged anybody who is in doubt of his conversion and anointing to do the needful: Seek discernment from God and God alone, who calls and empowers His apostles, prophets, ministers, evangelists, preachers and teachers of His Word.

Born as Abdullazeez Abdulkabir Alhassan Dan Fodio, a great grandson of the legendary Uthman Dan Fodio, Degaya said his life took a new turn when he had “an encounter with Jesus Christ Glorified.”

With a Ph.D in neuro science and an odious involvement at the highest and deepest levels of the occult, Degaya said he is the first person in his linage to be born again and who has openly confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Before the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ arrested him and changed the course of his life, Degaya said he was “Bahamah-Appysinail” and enjoyed all the pleasures that the kingdom of darkness could offer.

But when Jesus personally revealed Himself to him in the C M Y K

INTRIGUING LIFE OF UTHMAN DAN FODIO’S GREAT GRANDSON

‘I made Arabic Bible during three-month transfiguration’ magnificence of His glory, he said, “I found myself operating on strength, different from the one I had acquired from the satanic enclave…. The God of impossibilities penetrated the deepest darkness and beamed His light of love on me and decided that this mortal being (me) is for Him.” Freed from the yoke of satanic manipulations and the forces of darkness, Degaya said Jesus gave him a “royal assignment” after his arrest and conversion, which lasted three hours, his transfiguration experience that lasted three month and the last appearance of Jesus to him. It was during the three-month transfiguration that he translated the Holy Bible into Arabic, which he later printed and distributed over 150 million copies to countries in the Asia and parts of the Middle East.

For over 21 years, he has been sharing an amazing and compelling message of salvation through Jesus Christ Glorified and the mysteries of the Word of God with Christians and non-Christians all over the world.

Degaya has revealed the secrets to success, good health, personal freedom, unlimited power and salvation in messages that have touched the lives of many, in more than tangential ways.

In one of his atypical messages, he said mankind has been a problem since creation because he is easily carried away by little things.

Degaya insists that although many children of God are sincere, they still face problems because most of the things they do are fabricated. “Most of what children of God do don’t exist in the realm of negative spirituality and they don’t exist in the realm of positive spiritually and that’s why they are not effective.”

He also spoke on the growing helplessness among Christians in contemporary times. “In Christianity today, there is a level of helplessness, especially with sincere people. You are asked to give your life to Christ, you have done that. You are asked to come to church and you have done that.

You are asked to attend Sunday school and you have done that.

You are asked to be consistent in church and you have done that.

You are asked to pay tithes and you are doing that. You are asked to pray and you are doing that.

You are asked to fast and you are doing that. You are asked to observe some guiding principles instituted by your church and you

*Degaya are doing it. The question is, after doing all these, what are the results?”

When all these fail to deliver, he said Christians need to enter the realm of divine spirituality. “Divine Spiritual practicality”, according to him, “is what Christians need to know to be

It is, therefore, the failure of men of God to stay connected to the flow of God’s divine power that, he said, makes many of them to fabricate things and use them to entrap their members.

Degaya shares some simple but very effective principles that deliver solutions to a wide-range

Born as Abdullazeez Abdulkabir Alhassan Dan Fodio, a great grandson of the legendary Uthman Dan Fodio, Degaya said his life took a new turn when he had “an encounter with Jesus Christ Glorified” powerful and to be above all satanic principalities and powers.

With teachings that dig into the womb of some of the most powerful occult groups in the world, his followers have concluded that Degaya is backed by a force that is above all the satanic principalities and powers operating in the heavenlies and on earth.

But he is quick to point out that the Church is yet to attain the height God had purposed for it from the beginning of time. He, therefore, insists: “Most churches are powerless because they don’t know the powers that they have in God.” Because of this, he has consistently asked, “If magicians have something that works for them, occultists have something that works for them and even the herbalist, what is it that works for children of God?”

of human needs and problems.

For instance, he said, it is possible to stop untimely death and protracted death in the society. I can hear someone say, “This is a huge joke.” Fortunately, it’s not a joke. “You don’t even need to be a believer for this to work for you,” says the bishop.

“You can take your faith and put it in the book of your car or hang it somewhere. You don’t even need faith for this to work for you. What I am about to tell you will make a difference between life and death, between the life of deliverance or that of affliction, poverty and sudden death.

“Anybody confronted with the spirit of sudden death and or protracted sickness that leads to humiliating death does not need a long fast or a thunderous prayer session.”

For one confronted with the

mark of sudden death, Degaya advises you say, “Bahaly: Stop and be quiet,” and for protracted sickness that could lead to death, “Balamas: Stop and be quiet.”

Period.

He further explains that before death comes knocking, humans are put on a seven-year notice by God. That is, God gives signs of an impending death seven years before time.

However, if such a person is ignorant of the signs and or unable to interpret the dreams and several revelations through which God communicates and the person ultimately dies prematurely without being born again, that person would become a waste to the kingdom of God. “And there is nothing that hurts God more than a wasted man. God doesn’t care whether an angel or an archangel evaporates because they were not created in the image and likeness of God,” he says. We should, therefore, not excuse our ignorance when we allow bad things to happen and attribute them to God’s will.

But Degaya teaches that decrees and intercessions are, by far, the most effective tools of attracting positive experiences.

Continuing, he said, “Don’t be helpless when you have a problem. The problem you have is an indication that you need knowledge and information.”

To access the blessings of God, Degaya advises children of God to eschew pride, bias and hate, adding that the measurement of human perfection is not in the hand of man but in the Almighty God.

PAGE 26 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

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DOCTORS’ STRIKE CASUALTY Lack of oxygen kills two-month-old baby

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Abuja

A

two-month-old baby has died at the Daughters of Charity Hospital, Kubwa, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, as a result of lack of oxygen for treatment following the nation wide strike embarked upon by doctors.

Meantime, a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Magery Okadigbo, has appealed to the striking doctors to consider the poor Nigerian masses and call off the industrial action they embarked upon as a result of unresolved welfare packages with the Federal Government.

Hospital sources told Sunday Vanguard that the baby had high fever and was brought to the hospital when the situation became critical and the mother was allegedly told by the doctor on duty that the condition was extremely bad.

Although the medical team was said to have made frantic efforts to revive the baby that was brought to the hospital about 12 am Sunday, the efforts did not yield result as the baby gave up at about 4pm that day.

The hospital sources said if the baby had been placed on oxygen at the time he was brought there, perhaps, he would have lived.

Efforts made to speak to the mother of the baby, who was crying uncontrollably, did not yield result even as the hospital management kept mute while the

medical doctor who tried to revive the baby to no avail was in a bad mood.

Speaking in an interview, the senator representing Anambra North and a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Okadigbo, appealed to the doctors to respect the ethics of the profession they sworn-to and go back to work.

Okadigbo, who has attracted five health centers to her constituency and will be giving out empowerment packages to over 700 people including 100 widows and physically challenged people, said that it was the masses that were suffering the effect of the strike.

She said, “I have a personal experience on the issue of strike in the health sector. About 11 years ago, when my husband (the late Chuba Okadigbo) was sick and we had to take him to hospital, we took him round three hospitals in Abuja here and he eventually gave up.

“It is a bit difficult to understand while someone who took an oath to save lives and failed to think about it but rather chooses to go against that oath. To me, it is personal but we can only appeal. We at the Senate Committee level had a meeting with them.

“Yes, some of their demands were reasonable. They need improved conditions of service, but some of the demands are a bit frivolous in my opinion but we can only appeal that they should all come together and find a way

Wazobia Foundation donates to widows

BY EDIRI EJOH

W

AZOBIA Widows Foundation has donated N400,000 cash and other items to widows.

The nong o v e r n m e n t a l organization, NGO, founded by Evangelist Benjamin Igoh, made the donation at the 11th anniversary of the Foundation in collaboration with Micura Service Limited, in Ajegunle, Lagos.

The items donated include food stuff, refrigerators, grinding C M Y K

machines and clothing.

The event tagged, ‘Celebrate with us’, was, according to Igoh, to relieve human problems by putting smiles on their faces.

“I was brought up in Ajegunle and I had never thought about anything than to make others happy especially widows, because that was the motive of Christ ministry on earth. Before the end of this year, we are planning to purchase a bus to aid the foundation program and ministry possibly,”the founder said.

•An empty hospital ward arising from the doctors strike. to resolve the issue.

“People are dying daily as a result of the strike while the demands include mundane things like justifying the need for better conditions of service because you spent more years in the university than other health workers. The NMA should be reasonable with their

demands.”

Okadigbo disclosed that she has attracted five health centers to his constituency, adding that three out of the five health centers had been completed while two were near completion,” she added. ”I was two years in the senate on July 17, I will say I was effectively in the upper chamber for

one year because the first year was spent in the court room chasing after judgement. ”But I also feel it is right to appreciate the constituency that had stood by me, throughout the struggle in court. So on the 18th; I want to have my empowerment day which will be the first in my constituency. ”Members of my

constituency are all excited about it because it has never happened in such a large scale before in the entire seven local government areas consisting 99 wards of the senatorial district. We are trying to empower about 700 people with various items while the Senate President, David Mark, is expected as the special guest of honour.”

Nestle calls for good climatic condition

BY EBUN SESSOU

W

ORLD Environ ment Day (WED) is observed every year to raise global awareness about various environmental concerns. Activities like street rallies, parades, concerts, tree planting, clean-up campaigns among others are organised to highlight a particular theme.

World Environment Day 2014 was celebrated under the theme of SIDS, with the goal of raising awareness of their unique development challenges and successes regarding a range of environmental issues, including climate change, waste management, conservation, and unsustainable consumption, degradation of natural resources, and catastrophic natural disasters over times.

This year’s theme, “Raise

Your Voice, Not The Sea Level”, according to the United Nations reports is to throw spotlight on how small islands are being affected by global warming and the rising sea levels.

The reports further indicated that, factors like food wastage and garbage, growing population, intense industrialization, urbanization among others have contributed in raising global warming to alarming levels that threaten our very own existence.

While speaking on the need to ensure good environmental condition to encourage organic farming, soil and water conservation and also helps in reducing pollution, Managing Director, Nestle Nigeria Plc., Mr. Dharnesh Gordhon, who engaged some environmental journalists, during a factory tour to the

Nestle Nigeria Plc, factory in Agbara, Ogun State, said there is need to maintain good manufacturers need to maintain good climatic condition in order to reduce pollution in the society.

According to him, one of the goals of the company is to be the most efficient water user among food manufacturers in Nigeria. “In Agbara, nestle drives operational efficiency in manufacturing by increasing water reuse, reducing water withdrawal and discharges and returning clean water to the environment, among others.

Gordhon said that one of the ways the company has successfully reduced pollution in the environment is the introduction of the new features of the waste water treatment plant which is a surface aeration system

with an oxygen control which helps to reduce electricity usage.

He therefore called on Nigerians to think about the plight of small island developing states and to take inspiration from their efforts to address climate change, strengthen resilience and work for a sustainable future.

“Creating awareness in the minds of the population is also a major task. Let us hope for a better, safer environment in the year 2014 and aim for further progress in the coming years also to save the world for future generations.

“Everyone who is directly or indirectly involved in the practice to promote a healthy environment for growing crops and raising livestock should do so without further delay ”, he urged.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE — 27

20 DAYS TO OSUN 2014

Aregbesola’s anti-people policies will sweep him out — Omisore *‘How gov, his men rule from Lagos’ *Says state surer for PDP than Ekiti

BY DAPO AKINREFON

S

enator Iyiola Christopher Omisore is the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Osun State in the gubernatorial election that holds in 20 days time, specifically on August 9. In this interview, Omisore bares his mind on the Aregbesola administration, his electioneering campaign, his plans for the people of the state and what INEC must do to ensure a hitch free election. Excerpts: What are your expectations from security agencies and political stakeholders in Osun State as the election draws near?

There is so much hype on the election and the noise is coming from the APC. I do not know why they have to be noisy about it.

The governor of Osun State has not hidden his tendencies for violence and thuggery.

He has said it many times that people should go to the polling units on election day with knives, cudgels and charms; which I think is uncharitable. With the Ekiti experience we had where C M Y K

security personnel were on ground, the election monitored properly, thugs arrested, miscreants barred from causing confusion, we came out with a peaceful, fair and credible election and the turnout was tremendous and unprecedented in the history of this country.

I believe that INEC can ensure fair and free poll in collaboration with security agencies. I have been campaigning from ward to ward because this is where the votes are. I am not interested in calling noisy rallies. Rather, I go to the villages and towns because these are where the votes are.

If votes must count, there must be security to protect everyone coming out to cast his vote.

The APC governor is causing fear everywhere because he used that successfully in the 2010 election when people were chased away from polling units.

But now that things are being sorted out, there won’t be any harassment; there will be security to ensure that people are free to vote their choice.

What has been your message

All ongoing projects have been stopped because of over invoicing and capital flight to Lagos to the people in the course of your electioneering campaign?

I am doing a rigorous campaign, I have visited 332 wards in the state and my message to them is that they should vote peacefully on the day of election and ensure that their votes count. I have appealed to people that there should be no violence, no thuggery and they must obey the Constitution of the land; they must not compromise on any issue. I have also appealed to our people to comply with the Electoral Act. There are 19 contestants vying for the position of governorship. Do you feel intimidated?

It makes it easier so that there will be lots of interest groups.

They should sell their manifestos and let the people decide what happens. I actually want INEC to make use of youth corps members in the August 9 election.

I am not unaware that there will not be enough corps members in Osun State because we have about 4000 polling units. That means they have to look for corps members outside the state. If they try to employ electoral officers in the state, they may end up employing thugs, political activists and there will be confusion in the election. No money is too much to be spent on a credible election

because all the plans of the APC is to cause confusion and violence in the election.

APC is totally rejected in the state because there are no teachers in schools, students are being taught under trees; there are no developmental projects anywhere the state. All ongoing projects have been stopped because of over invoicing and capital flight to Lagos.

What makes you think you are the best out of the contestants?

My pedigree; my experience; my exposure and the love for my people is evident everywhere in the state.

It is natural to be a gap between a sitting governor and an incoming one. How far have you been bridging the gap?

It is an albatross for Aregbesola because he has initiated anti-people policies throughout the state. Everything he has done in this state is antipeople and so, it has become an albatross for him for life.

It is a problem for him to be an incumbent governor, it is unfortunate for him because he is rejected throughout the state completely and that is why he is desperate. He is even claiming that I am a street urchin, I am not a street urchin; I have a good pedigree because I have a very good background.

There is no doubt that there some members of your party who are aggrieved. What efforts are you putting in place to bring them back on board?

Well, maybe they were aggrieved few weeks ago, but now, our party is one. If you attend any of our rallies, you will see all of us there. All the aspirants are together, we have

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PAGE 28 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014,

Continued from Page 27 been campaigning together. As a matter of fact, PDP in Osun is the most peaceful state chapter in this country.

What of the former governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola?

It is between him and the national secretariat of the party; it is beyond Osun State.

There is this allegation by the APC that you intend placing implicating materials around the house of Senator Isiaka Adeleke. Kindly clear the air on that.

I am not aware. I am just hearing this. Maybe that is what they are planning in the APC. Adeleke should be very careful too because he is going to a place he does not know, it shows the kind of people he is working with, they can put problems on his head.

Are you saying that what happened in Ekiti State can also happen in Osun?

Far better.

How? Osun is surer than Ekiti State because Aregbesola is the worst governor in this country. His policies have been anti-people.

The education sector has been bastardized, Opon Imo falsified, road construction has been abandoned, no rural settlement, no agricultural project, nothing to lay hands on.

Recently, one of the schools constructed by this administration collapsed, that shows the inferiority of what he is doing. It is an albatross and a major problem for us in this state.

But some people keep talking about various attempts at development under Aregbesola. For example, the Opon Imo you just mentioned, the O’Yes programme and so on.

Which are all blatant failures and cause of his disaster as a governor...

So what fresh ideas do you have in mind?

That’s just part of the makebelieve of his administration and perception of those outside the state. These awards were bought.

The truth is that the so-called O’Yes participants have not been paid for the past eight months; in that regard he has failed.

Opon Imo has been withdrawn. I join other wellmeaning people to demand for its withdrawal all over the state because Opon Imo has 17 subjects and 87.7 errors, that’s the reality. On Opon Imo, the governor spent N8.4bn. He gave the contract to one of his sons.

Doing this is not the problem, but the reality is that a dangerous work, capable of destroying our students, was done. It has 17 subjects, and 84.7 per cent errors. For example, in mathematics, algebra to be specific, there is no single graph inside Opon Imo, no single diagram and so on. I am a mathematician, you cannot teach mathematics without illustrating figures. It’s not possible. No single table, when you go to physics, same story. And in chemistry nothing.

The idea was driven by profit, Opon Imo, in chapter 4 (history), says history of the Songai Empire, what you will read in the body is the history of Mali. That’s the character of Opon Imo, I have written to the British government, that they C M Y K

should withdraw the recognition of Opon Imo: I have gone to the UNESCO. It’s an embarrassment. They’re being withdrawn from schools now. In O’Yes, he’s owing them salary.

You don’t know government by slogans, it’s not by sloganeering.

But the reality is that, at times, one cannot really run away from the reality of the level of the governor’s education.

A good and effective governor must focus on developmental issues. You must be driven by developmental issues, developing human capacity, the people’s capacity and not by misapplying people’s money. Can you image a governor sewing school uniform for N14bn, depriving the small traders, the clothes sellers on the street, depriving tailors on the streets? He’s taken food from one million Osun indigenous, men and women. These are people who voted for him. All because you wanted to siphon money. All these things have made him to fail. He came to Lagos Airport Hotel to showcase Osun Airport, spending about N4bn, but nothing on the ground to show for it.

What do you have for the people of Osun?

Unlike Aregbesola’s government that everything is Lagos arrangement, even carpenter, bricklayers, welders are brought from Lagos. I have two principles -equity and accountability-and four strands of development: develop viable human capital, arrest technology for commission and leadership, partnerships, promote regional operation and national integration.

Then you now go to my eight cardinal programmes. The first is education. Education in Osun State is in comatose, the merger of schools, St. Mary’s with Ahmadiya Grammar School, St John with Baptist Boys High School. There is confusion. Now, children have to walk four or five kilometers going to school.

UNESCO said you encourage student to school within one kilometer distance of where they live.

No single health center is in any of those rural areas up till now; no pipe borne water. The only health centre we saw in Ioke-Ila was the one erected by one of the House of Representatives members.

Ironically, these people ruling Osun are not based in Osun State. They don’t know our communities.

On gender equity and youth development, our women, our children are our legacy, gainful employment and wealth creation; that is not the O’Yes kind of slavery. Gainful employment for youths. You engage and encourage students, graduates, entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprises, not putting them and using them to work as slaves. There is no hope for them. No hope.

So, what we are expecting from you now is a fundamental shift from the present state I have a pact with the people. I don’t want to take you through the whole stories. But I have visions, principles inside my progammes that cover education, health sector, gender development, human capacity development, youth evolution, agriculture, infrastructure, commence, transparency in governance and accountability in governance and traditional

*Senator Omisore

‘How Aregbesola, his men rule from Lagos’ I join other wellmeaning people to demand for its withdrawal all over the state because Opon Imo has 17 subjects and 87.7 errors, that’s the reality rulers involvement in governance, I have it all in what I call eight-point agenda.

For instance, Osun State is a rural state based on agriculture.

You have root crops, cash – etc.

Aregbesola has not invested one kobo in rural roads in three and a half years; that is the mainstay of Osun’s economy. And you know in Nigeria, most of our fruits are seasonal – they are perishable items. They will all perish in the farm, thereby impoverishing the farmers who cannot bring their produce to town to sell, that is why he’s going to lose. My people don’t believe in most of those things you guys talk about, they don’t read your newspapers or use your televisions. They are not interested. Everything has been done in newspapers, on television or radio, but nothing on ground to support the claims. The reality must come to bear. You can’t pretend about people who haven’t been paid salaries, teachers have not been paid since February. Teachers are being owed, pensioners are being owed.

Schools are being closed. What do you say? You want them to

vote for Aregbesola? They are going to vote him out, they are determined.

How do you intend to handle issues concerning public schools in the state?

They have destroyed the children’s psychology. What we saw in Baptist High School, Iwo, where some students were wearing masquerade dress, some wearing choir dress and some wearing hijab only portend chaos. It is destroying the psychology of the child. He’s destroying the future of Osun State, so he must go, he must be removed.

How do you intend to tackle that aspect?

I will return schools to the owners of the schools and stop the merger of schools; I am going to announce immediately

by August 10 that all schools should go back to their owners.

I will return the schools to missionaries and private school owners, except where they don’t want them. Then, I will cancel the sewing of school uniform by government. We don’t have to deprive people of their livelihood.

So, we want to continue our economy in Osun State and make government transparent.

The plan of this present government is to continue to deceive the people and eventually perpetuate themselves in office by using things to rig the election, but I can assure you we are going to resist rigging. They have failed; they did it in Anambra, they failed;,they did it in Ekiti, they failed and they are going to fail in Osun State as well. One-man-one-vote must count and I can assure you that Aregbesola will lose in every local government.

In a broader sense, what kind of education policy do you intend to run?

We are going to have organised, free education up to the secondary school level and even the tertiary institution. We are going to have scholarship for brilliant students, empower indegent ones so they can pay.

When you are paying N10 and parents are not empowered, how can they afford education? The GDP has gone down below four per cent in the last three and half years, but there is capital flight to Lagos from Osun.

How do you intend to improve on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)?

Osun is a civil service state. I’m sure you know that. There’s no Cadbury in Osun State, no Texaco, no Chevron, no Cocacola, no Seven-up, so you cannot force revenue. When you say people should pay high taxes, you are just hurting them the more. It is better for you to

Continues on Page 29

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE — 29

Continued from Page 28 manage what you have for the people in that state and they would understand you.

So, I am not going to engage in any high tax regime.

Aregbesola is now saying he would withdraw the taxes because he wants to win election.

That means he’s unfocused; you see a government that just wants to fumble and wobble.

Aregbesola lost the Osun election over a year ago, nothing can salvage him. No amount of Bola Tinubu, Bisi Akande will save him, he’s a drowning man and be’ll drown.

People are being made to believe that you are a violent person. What can you say on that?

They are trying to make people believe that I am a violent person. Behaviour is like smoke.

When you hide it, it will still come out; people have now seen that Aregbesola is a bad person.

They have also seen that I am a gentleman per se. With my pedigree, my educational qualification and exposure, I cannot be a violent person.

People already know; they cannot be deceived anymore, that is why I have massive support in the state. We are trying to let them know that we know more than they do, we know the fake and the original.

People have seen beyond them, they have seen that Omisore is the best for this job. I believe that the best should lead the rest.

You have been going round the state. What are the specific demands that the people are making?

One, they told me that they want the sewing of uniforms to stop. “Omisore, gba aso iya lorun wa; awa o fe mo (Omisore, rid us of the clothes of suffering.

We don’t want it),” is the song everywhere. Two, the schools should be returned to their original owners, for those who want them back. We are going to run a people-oriented, peoplebased government. Workers’ salaries will be paid promptly.

Professionals who are useful are going to be brought in to restore pride in the people.

All the tertiary institutions will be reopened; they have been on strike now for over five months.

A lecturer handles as much as 12 subjects because Aregbesola did not employ enough hands; no teachers, no bursary, no scholarship. So, the economy of this state has become comatose.

They are all foreigners here; they come from Lagos on Tuesday and go back on Thursdays. They come with their soap and drinking water. ..The people of Osun are visibly hungry and very angry.

There’s been some controversy over the debt profile of the state, but the Debt Management Office has said Osun State’s debt is sustainable. What is your take on the issue..?

How much is this sustainable debt? The government should come out with the debt portfolio of the state now. Any government can borrow money, but it is the right of the people to know how much has been borrowed and what it has been used for. The point is, what has he used the money for? There is nothing on the ground to show for it. You borrow money to do what? To steal? That is the problem. Even the allocation from Abuja, about N613 billion in the last three C M Y K

Omisore: Osun surer for PDP than Ekiti

*Senator Omisore and a half years now cannot be accounted for with what is on the ground. The roads that are said to be ‘ongoing,’ the government has not done 60 per cent of those roads. They are not up to N200 billion in totality. So, where is our money? A state which cannot pay salaries can buy helicopters for N4 billion for surveillance.

Osun is the second safest state in this country but they now bought helicopters for N4 billion, to be patrolling the state. This is money that can be used to pay pensioners for years. It would pay civil servants for two consecutive years. Sustainable or not, how much is the debt profile? What have they done with our money?

Why the debt in the first instance? What is the necessity for the debt? The government has done no single rural road, and Osun is an agrarian community.

Most farmers ride bicycles to the farms. That is why the hungry cry all over the place. The farmers are poor; they can’t even transfer their goods to town because there are no good roads. I have traversed this state in the last one and a half months. There are bad roads everywhere. When I got to Atakumosa West…my vehicle broke down; I had to board an okada (motorbike) to get to my campaign ground. That is the kind of thing we have. The roads are so bad. But you see, the beauty is that Osun indigenes know this and they will decide on 9th August.

Some people said your riding Okada was to imitate former Governor Ayo Fayose My vehicles got stuck and I just took okada from that point to my campaign venue. That is all.

Fayose takes Okada in Ado-Ekiti now and then. It was the only option available to me to get to my campaign venue. And I took it. I even take Okada in Osogbo.

They must find fault. I was passing and market people blocked me. I came down from the vehicle and had to address all

of them. Even people going to church or coming from the mosque would stop me. It is very common. Some of the women would give me corn. It was their show of love and acceptance.

And I always accept such graciously. On a particular occasion, I was passing by Sekona market and the people gave me corn, pepper, tomatoes and what have you. It is what they have. Fayose goes to the market in Ado Ekiti. If I am in Ede on a market day, the people would stop me. I have to stop and address them.

The other time you said “There will be security in Ekiti.”

And your major opponent, the sitting governor, a tough man,

this state.

Osun has 30 local governments.

He is going to lose every local government. Go and mark it down today.

Including where he comes from, Ilesa, East and West?

He’s a (potentee?…) in Ilesa.

Go to Ilesa and find out. He’s from Arigidi Akoko. So, the Ijesas know themselves. I’m an Ife-Ijesha man. We know ourselves very well.

Are you saying that Governor Aregbesola is not from Ilesa?

I don’t know. Go to Ilesa and find out. Maybe his parents should answer that question. He may be Ijesa abroad.

From what you have seen now of the ongoing projects, it means that you have a serious work to do if you are eventually elected as governor. Are you not worried that, given the state of the economy of Osun, you may not have the wherewithal to solve the people’s problems?

And, what magic are you going to use?

One, the projects that are ‘ongoing’ are Federal Government projects. I’m going to beg the Federal Government to take on the projects and pay for them.

Being a sitting governor, I will have access to them. Two, all other problems are things he (Aregbesola) caused. I would just return the schools to their owners, allow school uniforms to be sewn by those who were sewing them before. Everybody will be free. There will be peace in the state immediately. And any bank that he ‘over borrowed’ money from should go and look for Aregbe where they sacked

“Omisore, gba aso iya lorun wa; awa o fe mo (Omisore, rid us of the clothes of suffering. We don’t want it),” is the song everywhere said that he is a street man. You are also a strong man. Do we expect war on election day?

I’m not from the streets. He is from the streets. I have a good pedigree. I’m from a good home, a comfortable home, and very good parents. I’m not from the street o. I’m just courageous and strong in my will…The governor has said it himself that he controls thugs now, the State Boys. He is saying it everywhere, openly. Look at what happened in Ekiti; all thugs were arrested.

Let our votes count. It is too late for him and he must know that he can’t use violence to win election in Osun. The last election we had, they snatched ball boxes from polling units.

That is what he is used to, but he will be shocked. Osun people have decided to shock him with this election. In fact, he is going to lose every local government in

him.

You won’t stop the ongoing projects?

No. They are Federal Government projects, basically, and I think it is easier for us to fund them from the Federal Government purse. Osogbo ring road, Kwara boundary to Osogbo, Sekona to Gbongan are all Federal Government roads.

But the Minister for Works said recently that his ministry is not going to be involved in any urban renewal programme of any government, that what the ministry is going to concern itself with are inter-state roads, which means that the roads linking one part of Osun to another will not be…

We have the necessary road documents and their geographical locaions. It is not that the minister that will tell you. I know much more about

the roads in the country. I was in the Senate Committee on Appropriation and I know the roads physically. It is not about ministerial discretion. We know the federal roads in every state.

They are mostly inter-link state roads. Before state creation, some of them pass through the states. That was long ago when we had 12 states. Now that we have 36 states, some of them are now inside the states and in the towns. So, that is not a problem at all. We know federal roads everywhere in Nigeria.

How do you see the trend of Yoruba politics between now and 2015?

Well, Ekiti has gone to the PDP. Osun is going to the PDP in a few weeks time. Oyo, Ogun and Lagos will follow. That is the trend now.

Why do you think this is happening, because we need to distill it, ..

You know, people have been deceived for a long time. These people (APC) are mere hypocrites. Yoruba people are wise people; you can’t fool them for long. They will pretend to look at you. In fact, what is happening in Osun State, I’ve not seen it in my life. A two-year-old, a four-year-old with tell you what is happening to Aregebesola.

“Ole ni o, o ko owo wa lo s’ Eko. A o fe mo! A a ni teacher ni school wa’ (He’s a thief, he carried our money to Lagos, we don’t want him again! We don’t have enough teachers in my school). I’ve never seen this in my life. It is a lifetime experience.

My reception by the people has been massive. You have to come and see the massive turn out for yourself. If you are just imagining it, you might just say “O popular ni” (He’s just popular) but it is beyond that.

Yesterday, I just passed through Iwo by chance and for two minutes, the whole place was in an uproar.

My own worry is this. You have gone through the state and you have seen the massive turn out.

Quite so often, all the places you have touched have challenges and people have been talking to you about these challenges, issues that they expect you to begin to address. Are you not scared that, “At the end of the day, will I, Omisore, be able to meet the people’s expectations’?

Two, if inside one or two years by reason of bad economy in Abuja, your state is affected, how prepared are you to revamp the economy of this state to the extent that you would not have done your permutations based on whatever you would be getting from Abuja? Again, people would profile Omisore, saying that ever since you came into politics, you had just one ambition, to become governor; that even when you were a deputy to Chief Bisi Akande, you wanted to be governor. Is it just about being credited with being the governor of Osun State? What is the driving force? One, going through this state with the myriads of problems can be scary initially. But with a sense of leadership and purposefulness, the problems are surmountable.

A lot of money has been collected in this state in the past three and a half years; it has not solved the problems of the state because of capital flight. Our main problem is capital flight; there is no transparency in governance at all.

PAGE 30 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

INTRIGUING EXPERIENCES

D

r. Frederick Fasehun, leader of the newlyregistered Unity Party of Nigeria and founder of the O’dua People’s Congress, OPC, is not a new face in the Nigerian socio-political arena. He has seen the good and bad times in Nigeria in his bid to push through his own idea of a better society and is still plodding on with the registration of his party, which he says is to be used to galvanise the Yoruba race and bring about good governance in Nigeria.

In this interview, Fasehun talks about his relationship with President Goodluck Jonathan and why the birth of his party became imperative barely ten months to the 2015 general elections in the country.

BY SONI DANIEL, Northern Region Editor

C

AN we say that the Unity Party of Nigeria just registered by INEC is the same with the one that the late Pa Awo founded and used to mobilise Nigerians to participate actively in politics?

Basically, I would say yes!

The vast portion of the new UPN is in consonant with the old UPN. We are talking about absolute free education, full employment, rural-urban integration and free health. But we have expanded the programmes to make it more relevant to the current time. Free education, like I said, will be totally free from the primary to the highest level that one can attend. And even when people graduate, they will no longer graduate into unemployment because we are going to encourage full employment in that the government will serve as employment bureau. The government will encourage employers to generate jobs for the Nigerian people. The provision of social standard for the Talakawa will be so high that there will be joy in even being a Talakawa.

People without employment will receive social benefits that will sustain their feeding, transportation and accommodation.

It appears that the new party is coming at a time that most Nigerians are fed up with more parties.

No, Nigerians are not fed up with more political parties with non-performing political parties and politicians that are not involved in democracy but in what I would call selectocracy, which is undemocratic. If you want to engage in democracy, why then do you embark on selectocracy.

Why I am trying to step into Awolowo’s shoes, by Fasheun * Speaks on his rejection of Jonathan’s offer of appointment Democracy is a grassroots affair; let the grassroots determine its leadership. As you can see from the Ekiti result, it is truly a democratic decision by the people.

Democracy is a government of the people, peopled by the people and working for the people; and that is what you have just seen in Ekiti.

But some people criticised the process leading to the election, saying an atmosphere of fear, intimidation and harassment was put in place by the ruling party at the centre in order to snatch victory with the gun, which made a free, fair and credible election impossible.

It was free and nothing more, as it introduced enhanced security to the process. Which one would you have preferred if there was electoral warfare in Ekiti after the election? So, the tool that is available to you is what you use to secure yourself and the people.

Was it also right to stop some APC governors from attending the rally of their party?

If any governor, no matter how rich or how powerful, was going to undermine security in the course of the Ekiti election, it was absolutely appropriate for security agencies to stop them.

I know that I don’t fit into Awolowo’s shoes; but the shoes must be worn anyway, whether. they fit or they don’t fit; otherwise nobody would be able to do what Pa Awo did For instance, Governor Oshiomhole’s helicopter and Amaechi’s convoy were stopped from entering Ekiti on their way to attend the APC rally. Was it also right to have stopped them from going to Ekiti so as not to compromise security?

To be honest with you, I don’t have the report. I did not see the security report as to what gave rise to stopping them from entering Ekiti and I am not in a position to know what the cause was.

The situation in the Southwest has changed politically and some of the politicians are not helping it to achieve the kind of hegemony that gave it a voice and identity in the days of Pa Awo. How are you going to bring back the unity and cohesion of the people of the region?

People of the South-west are culturally democratic.

Recently politicians have come trying to introduce one-party system in the zone and the people are kicking

against it That is what we are seeing and it is not that their cultural situation has changed. What they are kicking against is an attempt to introduce one-party dictatorship through one man. It is the same people that are occupying this space that were occupying the space in the time of Awo , nothing has changed politically and culturally. But what the people are kicking against is the introduction of one-party and one-man dictatorship into the culturally democratic environment.

Are you not afraid that the atmosphere has changed and that the people of the South-west may not readily accept you as they did to Awo? I am not worried because the journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. We will go into it and then see what happens. I know that I don’t fit into Awolowo’s shoes; but the

shoes must be worn anyway, whether. they fit or they don’t fit; otherwise nobody would be able to do what Pa Awo did. If he was alive, he would still be striving to make things better for Nigerians. So it does not matter that a new person is coming in to improve on the lifestyle of our people.

There are so many people contending to emerge as the political leaders of the South-west and by extension, the leader of the Yoruba race. Don’t you think that the leadership struggle

by Yoruba leaders has the capacity to weaken the people and divide them along political lines?

The unity and stability of the South-west will depend on the educational standard of the people; that is why we are coming in at this time to prove that the people had been hoodwinked and intimidated by sheer ignorance and mischief. The quest for education will open the eyes of the people the more. One of the slogans of the UPN is: “The veil has been removed from our eyes”. Some years back, our eyes were covered and you had various people selling themselves to the people, no longer as the Asiwaju of Isale-Eko but the Asiwaju of Yorubaland, the Asiwaju of

Continues on page 31

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 31

INTRIGUING EXPERIENCES

‘Why I rejected Jonathan’s offer of appointment’

Continued from page 30 Africa and the Asiwaju of the world and we are still waiting for the Asijwaju of the PDP and the Jagaban of the UPN. So, instead of serving the people well, you see people trying to intimidate and dominate the people. Even in the days of Pa Awo, as erudite as he was, he did not seek to dominate the people. He gave honour to whom honour was due. He paid particular attention to the monarchs in Yorubaland but now the monarchs are nowhere because the Asiwajus have taken over and they are relegating the monarchs and even scoring them. If you don’t score high marks with the Asiwajus, you are not seen as a monarch.

That is not how to serve the people: if you are serving the people you pay particular attention to service by giving the people what they need most and allow them to rise and become the Asiwajus of their respective localities in Nigeria. This is the difference between now and what happened in Pa Awolowo’s time.

If I may ask, what is the difference between the UPN headed by Fasheun and the APC headed by Ashiwaju Tinubu?

APC is creating a dynasty; UPN wants to serve the people and our slogan is ‘’Peoples first.” Every political platform in Nigeria is now progressive. In time past, we had sinners in one camp and saints in the other.

But all of a sudden, saints started mingling with sinners and sinners were embracing the saints and before you know it, ideologies were thrown away. So, political parties in Nigeria are no longer ideological but continue to hoodwink the people and continue to intimidate and loot the treasury of the people.

Do you believe the National Conference can change the things that are holding back this country?

I am one of the eleven people that started the agitation for Sovereign National Conference in Nigeria and that was one of the reasons I did not attend the conference because what I have been saying for years formed the contents of the National Conference. If I may ask, what am I going to say at the conference that has not been said in the past other than robbing the youth of the opportunity to take part in it? So, what I want Nigeria to be, I have said it

view on how he has so far administered the country?

I have no special or unusual relationship with President Jonathan. He is the President and I will give him his constitutional respect as the leader of this country, but that is the end of it. I am happy that my people are here and can testify that I was invited about a year ago to come and take up a board chairmanship and I turned it down. It is not even a year now. I am going to be 79; I don’t need any public office anymore.

Why are you not keen on taking up public office? Are you more interested in remaining a kingmaker than a servant of the people?

Not so. It is because public service in Nigeria is associated with lack of

•Dr. Fasehun in the past. I want Nigeria to be democratic and truly people-oriented but through honest, true leadership that will say ‘do what I do and not what I say’. I want a democracy that puts three square meals on the table for all Nigerians; and we don’t want people to go about hungry as it is the case today. The Igbo people believe in hard work and commerce, but look at them now. The Yoruba were never a hungry people but today they are hungry. That is what we want to change. In a country that is so blessed with huge resources but bedevilled with bad leadership and leadership that has no integrity, that is why UPN has come. It is ideological, egalitarian and based on social welfare and social democracy.

Are you not afraid that the UPN is coming a bit late with just about a year to the next elections?

Unlike other political parties and politicians, UPN is not just looking at the next election but the future of Nigeria. To others, their past time is the next election but, to us, our preoccupation is the future of this country.

You are being described by some people as a mole of the Presidency by setting up the UPN to divide the South-west vote and pave the way for the PDP to make an inroad into Yorubaland.

Have you heard such allegation directly before?

Yes, I have heard it. Some

I have no special or unusual relationship with President Jonathan. He is the President and I will give him his constitutional respect as the leader of this country, but that is the end of it are even saying that Dr. Fasheun set up UPN to cause mayhem in the Southwest. But I think those who are saying that have warped mentality. If anybody was going to cause mayhem in the South-west, the last person to do so would be Dr. Fasheun. What I have been doing all my life is to make sure that the South-West is absolutely secure. So, for people to now wake up and say that Dr. Fasheun is setting up UPN to cause mayhem is irresponsible. If I may ask, when people set up ACN to push out PDP of the South-west, did they cause mayhem? If I was a disciple of Jonathan, who would have stopped me from joining PDP? Should I have gone through all the problems of forming another political party? I would take the easiest way by finding my way to PDP rather than going to found a political organisation that would become an auxiliary to the main party. I would never do a thing like that.

So what is your relationship with President Jonathan and what is your

accountability and I am a very accountable person. I believe that once I mingle with those in power who are even mistakenly being dubbed as corrupt I would also be dubbed as corrupt after so many years of crusading against corruption. I won’t like such an experience. That is why I refused to take on that responsibility. I believe that the youth should also be given the opportunity to run this country. What am I going to do in the public service? To earn a salary, build a house or buy a car?

Let a younger person render service to the people.

Given what you have known and seen in Nigeria, is there anything that now worries you about the nation?

What worries me about Nigeria is the high level of insecurity, instability, impunity and corruption.

These are the things that worry me about Nigeria and once you remove impunity, law order will come in and corruption will fizzle out.

But the government says it has done enough to tackle corruption and impunity in

Nigeria. Are you satisfied with the corruption fight being waged by the administration?

Don’t confuse personal traits with natural occurrences. Are there no statute books in our land to tackle the problem? We have enough laws to tackle the challenges starring us on the face. It is the people that execute the laws.

But some readily blame the leadership for the failure?

The leadership is not the judge, the warder in prison, the policeman on the road and the lecturer in the classroom. That is why I said earlier that the leadership should be the type who can say ‘do what I do and not what I say’.

Look at the man who stole pension funds in billions but asked to pay a few thousand Naira and he was left off the hook.

Was he not defended by a lawyer? Was there no judge in the court? These are the issues that make me say that Nigerians are the cause of most of their problems.

Where is OPC at the moment?

OPC is there waxing stronger and stronger.

Waxing stronger with two leaders?

No, this is always the mistake by the media over OPC. You don’t have two leaders in OPC: you have the founder; you have the president and the coordinator. The president is not a coordinator, the founder is not the coordinator and coordinator cannot be the founder and the president. That is the situation. We have achieved the core values of the group.

We thank God that the South-west is doing well in terms of peace and stability as a result of the intervention of the OPC. What is your honest advice to the president to govern Nigeria given the way things are going?

I would ask him to look at the programmes of past leaders in the country and build on the foundation of those leaders and avoid their weaknesses. Government should be a continuous thing and not continual. If a leader has left a legacy but has some shortfalls, copy his legacy and forget his shortfalls. All we want is to have security, good standards of living, rule of law, good governance and so on. So, Jonathan should stick to the good things that our past leaders have done and forget about the bad ones so as to build a good future for the people.

PAGE 32—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

T

HE Federal Govern ment has turned its attention to the sugar sector of the economy with a view of replicating the success story of Backward Integration Policy in the cement industry in that sector.

Accordingly, the government has through the National Sugar Development Council, NSDC, and the Bank of Agriculture, BOA, floated N2 billion development loans for investors in the sugar industry, especially those that have taken advantage of government’s Sugar Master Plan p by investing in domestic sugar production.

Investigation conducted by SUNDAY VANGUARD, revealed that both BOA and NSDC contributed N1billion counterpart funding each to make up the N2 billion for onward lending to sugarcane out- growers and entrepreneurs at a single digit interest rate.

Investigation further revealed that the four major players currently in the industry are : Dangote Sugar Refinery (DSR), (which acquired 95 percent of Savannah Sugar) BUA Sugar Refinery, Josepdam Sugar Company, and new entrant Flour Mills of Nigeria.

Available records on installed refinery capacity show Dangote Sugar has 1.44 million metric tons, BUA 720,000 metric tons, and Flour Mills of Nigeria (Golden Sugar Company) commenced operations of a 750,000 metric tons plant in June 2013. Some new investors are entering the market place with the aim of expanding capacities at older sugar estates but the rehabilitation of these estates remains stalled at various stages of development.

In total, investments in annual sugar refining capacity have reached 2.9 million tons, exceeding national consumption needs estimated at 1.7 million tons per year.

Despite this overcapacity, investors are establishing additional sugar refineries, aiming at future export markets. These increasing investments appear to be spurred by Nigeria’s law tariffs on raw sugar (subject to a duty of just 5% and exempted from the development levy).

Managing Director of BOA, Dr. Mohammed Santuraki, noted that the N2 billion seed fund is meager compared to the needs in the

Sugar: Nigeria’s next goldmine sector •FG floats N2b investors’ incentive sector but assured that the fund will increase from time to time for as long as pay back structure is encouraging from the out growers On the issue of single digit interest rate, the BOA MD said the bank may consider reducing it further when the scheme is fully operational.

Some of the incentives in the sugar sector as stated in the Nigerian Sugar Master Plan include: low duty of 2.5% on machinery for the industry; chemicals for sugar production have zero duty; import duty of 20% on refined sugar, as well as a development levy of 10% and VAT of about 5 percent; Provision of infrastructure including access roads, boreholes, power lines, land acquisition, and health care facilities for new sugar estates; Others are: 100 percent foreign ownership of sugar complexes is allowed; Provision of a credit support scheme for sugarcane growers in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and commercial banks.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, had during the agreement sign-

ing ceremony for the loans between BOA and NSDC, stated that the incentives would be similar to what was given to investors who joined the government’s Backward Integration Policy in the cement industry, adding that the move would help the country to achieve selfsufficiency in sugar production for both domestic consumption and export.

Aganga, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Ambassador Abdulkadiri Musa, described the sugar industry as capital intensive and highly integrated with field and factory processes that were interde-

pendent and mutually inclusive.

H

e stressed that sugar estates, as envisaged in the NSMP, were usually situated on a large expanse of land requiring massive infrastructures, the minister disclosed that the government had some serious challenges in the provision of infrastructures needed in the sugar estates.

He said where such infrastructures are provided by the investors, the NSMP has made provisions for investors’ incentives by way of 30 per cent tax credit on the cost of provision of such critical

In total, investments in annual sugar refining capacity have reached 2.9 million tons, exceeding national consumption needs estimated at 1.7 million tons per year

infrastructures by the investors.

He said the Agriculture and Farm Infrastructure Fund was established for on-lending at a single digit interest rate to industrial sugar cane growers for the provision of infrastructural facilities connected with field operations in the industry.

The Executive Secretary of NSDC, Dr. Latif Demola Busari, indicated that Nigeria is targeting production of 1.7 million tons of by 2018. He said production in excess of national consumption will go into the export market. He further indicated that NSMP requires massive private sector investments of more than $3.1 billion over the next 10 years to fully cover Nigeria’s 28 sugar projects (which include estates, infrastructure, etc.).

He explained that the NSDC agreement with BOA was aimed at providing at least N1billion that would be facilitated by the bank in order to create a pool of fund that would finance both the out-growers programme as well as some farm infrastructure needs of sugar investors.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20 , 2014, PAGE 33

Six nations, one currency! *Nigeria, 5 other countries’ road to monetary union STORIES BY UDEME CLEMENT W ITH

less than six months to the dead line set aside by the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) to adopt a single currency for Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), experts have disagreed on the ability of WAMZ to achieve a unified payment system for the countries within the sub-region, namely Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, by 2015.

The deadline has been shifted twice in the past. While some experts said the new deadline is not realisable, others called on members of WAMZ and ECOWAS to first ensure a common capital market and proper economic integration, in order to pave the way for a single currency in the region. Dr. Okon Umoh, a former lecturer, economic expert and Senior Programme Manager, West African Institute For Financial and Economic Management, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Learning Centre, Lagos, speaks on regional integration, the rationale, challenges and prospects, as well as the measures needed to put in place to achieve single currency for ECOWAS. Looking at the fact that 2015 is very close, do think the plan to achieve a single currency for the economies within the sub-region is still realisable, with less then six months to the deadline?

To start with, formal economic integration can take place in stages, beginning with the lowering or removal of barriers to trade, which culminates in the creation of an economic union.

As the economies of co-operating countries become completely integrated into a single market, there should be need for common stance in social policy on education, health care, unemployment benefits and common political institutions. A single market is the mid-point of integration where the economies of co-operating states should become integrated for all barriers to movements of labour, goods and capital to be removed. At this stage, the integrating states should set a common external tariff on goods from other countries known as Customs union.

A further step in the process of economic integration should be the adoption of a common currency, with monetary policy regulated by a single central bank.

Regions also need post-independence economic integration to gain bargaining power and survive economically against the threat of marginalisation in the globalisation process. It should also aim at achieving efficiency through enhancement of commitment to harmonisation and integration, protection of the integrity of the region, reduction in transaction costs through provision of common services and effective use of scarce human resources. Regional integration is appropriate for Africa, as a continent characterised by small countries, small economies and small markets. What is the issue, however, is whether the linear model of regional integration currently, defining the African integration paradigm, makes sense for the Continent.

What are the economic benefits that would come with regional integration and adoption of sin-

To start with, formal economic integration can take place in stages, beginning with the lowering or removal of barriers to trade, which culminates in the creation of an economic union Dr. Okon Umoh gle currency for the sub-region?

The advantages of regional integration include trade creation as member countries have wider selection of goods and services not previously available and more trades between member countries. Others include, political cooperation, as a group of nations could have significantly greater political influence than each nation would have individually, employment opportunities, as economic integration encourages trade liberation and could lead to market expansion for more investments into the country and greater diffusion of technology.

It creates more employment opportunities for people to move from one country to another to find jobs. For example, industries requiring mostly unskilled labour tend to shift production to low wage countries with regional cooperation.

Regional integration fosters competition, access to wider market, larger and diversified investment

and production, socio-economic and political stability as well as bargaining power for the countries involved. It could be multidimensional to cover the movement of goods and services, that is capital and labour, socio-economic policy coordination and harmoniation, infrastructure development, environmental management, and reforms in other public goods such as governance, peace, defence and security.

Some economic experts are of the opinion that regional integration has some demerits. What is your take on this?

Well, the challenges are perceived in creation of trading economic blocs, because regional integration may increase barriers against non-member countries. National sovereignty is also a point in question, as integration requires member countries to give up some degree of control over key policies like trade, monetary and fiscal policies. The higher the level of integration, the greater the degree

of controls that needs to be given up. Also, integration could therefore, be complicated by perceived or real gains or losses among the members that may lead to disputes and a sense of loss of national sovereignty.

Individual countries that desire to integrate are at varying stages of development. Africa engages at the periphery of the global economy, as it is evident in the continent’s declining share in global production and trade. High cost of trade transactions culminating in high cost of doing business, poorly developed crosscountry connections leading to high transport costs, lack of skills and capital to establish and operate sophisticated modern communication systems, geographical factor, as most African countries are landlocked, also low per capita densities of rail as well as road transport infrastructure are among the challenges. Others include, lack of information at a reasonable cost, small domestic markets and continental fragmentation, which translates into

lack of scale economies in the production and distribution of goods and services as well as colonial orientation in geo-political configuration of Africa among other issues.

Notwithstanding, regional integration in the sub-region is important. For instance, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1964 reflected the awareness, by the leaders of the day, that Africa’s strength was rooted in Pan-African cooperation. From the beginning of the decolonisation process in the 1960s, the establishment of sub-regional economic communities was a significant part of Africa’s development strategy. In the period from 1960s to 1980s, several inter-governmental economic cooperation organisations had been established to promote technical and economic cooperation. These regional agreements in Africa generally sought to expand the growth of intra-regional trade by removing tariffs and non tariff barriers, strengthen regional development through promotion of economic sectors, regional infrastructure and establishment of large scale manufacturing projects.

What is the way forward?

Overlapping membership of competing groups must be resolved to allow a clear political commitment to particular country groupings, the war and conflicts in a number of African countries, which have devastated transport networks, communications and other basic infrastructure need to be peacefully resolved, involvement of private sector in the integration process is vital and new policy instruments to deal with the fears of economic polarisation must be found, dispute settlement mechanism should be strengthened to ensure policy credibility. Additionally, stakeholders in the sub-region should create confidence for investors that integration measures would not be reversed and that barriers to regional markets would not also be re-instituted overnight. Integration require strong commitment by member countries to implement the agreed arrangements, fair mechanisms to arbitrate disputes and equitable distribution the gains and cost of integration.

NCS uncovers new trend of smuggling

T

HE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/ Osun Command, has repositioned its security network within the border lines of the Command to prevent smuggling of prohibited goods into the country through the region. This is sequel to recent uncovering of a new trend of smuggling contra-band items concealed with veterinary chemical products into the Command.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), of the Command, Mr. Oteri Richard, said this in a chat with Sunday Vanguard, warning smugglers to desist from illegal border trades to enhance sanity in the economic environment.

The CAC explained that Customs officers from his Command while on patrol intercepted two trucks loaded with rice and concealed with veterinary chemical products by smugglers, but their effort

was thwarted by officers who carried out a thorough search and eventually discovered that they were conveying prohibited goods.

He said, “The Comptroller

General of Customs, Alhaji Abudullahi Inde Dikko, has equipped us with necessary logistics to enhance efficiency in our statutory duty and we

in Oyo/Osun Area Command reiterate our commitment to curb smuggling in the region”.

The Customs Area Controller, Oyo/Osun Command, Mr, Oteri Richard, inspecting the seizures of prohibited goods concealed with veterinary chemical products in Ibadan.

PAGE 34 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20 , 2014

How Bayelsa is being made safe for investment, by Gov Dickson

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Last week, Bayelsa State hosted its first Investment and Economic Forum.

For the governor, Seriake Dickson, it was an opportunity to explain to the world the giant strides of his administration. Here are excerpts: How Bayelsa is being made safe for investment s I took the oath of office as gover nor, most of the critical initial steps my government took were aimed at building this cardinal imperative upon which our policy thrust as government will be delivered. Accordingly, prime among this was the issue of insecurity, which made it impossible to live and do business in Bayelsa. By deliberate and determined deployment of legislation and policy, backed by decisive and clear-headed leadership, mobilizing the security asset of our country and the citizenry, our state within the short period of two years has now become one of the safest places to live and do business in the country.

Our investment in the three components of a viable security system, which include people, platform and processes - are undeniably world class, a fact that is clearly attested to by Wikipedia. In this state, we have rolled out statewide security communications across all our communities. We are rolling out with the support of the Electronic Surveillance Law, the first Safe City Programme and work is ongoing for the installation of electronic surveillance equipment across the State.“ We have made investment in the security task force code named Operation Doo Akpor, which is adequately equipped to burst crimes at very short notice with a response time of not more than three minutes, a fact that I authenticate every morning from automatically generated system call logs. Operation Doo Akpor has become a household name in Bayelsa and beyond because of its services which even go beyond just meeting security distress calls but majorly any kinds of distress calls which has further given the people of the state greater confidence in their abilities. It has earned the reputation of an internationally acclaimed security outfit, having won the best security award in Africa held last year in South Africa. We now have a purpose built command and control centre which coordinates activities of our security unit and receives distress signals on a continuous basis from all over the State.

the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria(MGBN) pageant (which you will be witnessing the event during your time here at the end of the forum)among others.“ Every month, the state is hosting one major event or the other without any adverse security situation recorded.

On the gains of a secure environment As a consequence of our effort and the huge investment in security, nightlife and businesses have returned to Yenagoa. Indeed, as a result of the prevailing peace, our state is witnessing an influx of people, families and businesses now relocating to Bayelsa. Tourists and investors are daily streaming into the state. The peaceful and serene atmosphere pervading the entire State is so strong and contagious that it has attracted many prestigious events such as the International Jazz Festival, African Academy Movie Awards (AMAA), Caribbean African American Nations, (CAAN) Music Awards, African Fashion Reception,

On infrastructure While we are battling with funding ongoing projects, we are committed to hitting the Atlantic Ocean where our real wealth lies from three flanks. These projects include a road and rail project fromYenagoa – Ekeremor – Agge, a distance of over 110km where a deep seaport will be built.

Feasibility studies and preliminary designs have since been commissioned on the deep seaport and are in the process of being finalized. We have surveyed 20,000hectares of land for this support to host a new port city coming up in that vicinity. Incorporated within this city will be a Free Trade Zone for which the process of obtaining Federal

A

Governor Seriake Dickson

While we are battling with funding o n - g o i n g projects, we are committed to hitting the Atlantic Ocean where our real wealth lies from three flanks

Government approval has commenced.

The second road is the Yenagoa – Ogbia – Nembe – Brass road and rail project a distance of over 105kmwhere series of investments in the Oil & Gas sector will be taken place connecting the East Senatorial Zone. Projects like the renowned Brass LNG project, Brass Fertilizer Project with investment value of $3.3billion and BP/Banner Gas Gas Aggregation Terminal with Mini LNG will all be taken place along this corridor. With our renewed support and intervention now, our development partners SPDC/NDDC will be able to take the road from Ogbiato land in Nembe by December 2014.

The third road is the Yenagoa – Oporoma – Koluama road project opening the central senatorial zone and our forest reserves for agricultural business and lumbering.

Our government will be committing the state later this year into a PPP arrangement that will enable the completion of these all important road and rail projects and we seize this opportunity to call on willing partners to co-invest with us on these projects, as the roads when completed will be concessioned and tolled.

Advancement in education Even more important than physical infrastructure, is our investment in human capital development. At the inception of my government, during my inaugural address, I declared a state of emergency in the educational sector. Knowing the primacy of education as far as the promotion of the economy is concerned, our restoration government in two years has executed major educational programmes, spread across the state, raising real hope of a bright future for our children in the acquisition of quality and requisite education thereby creating a better society.

Today in Bayelsa State, education is free from primary all through to the secondary level. Education is free in every sense of

the word as essential materials such as school uniforms; school sandals and textbooks are given to students without a single kobo being paid by them. We have built over 600 primary schools with headmaster’s quarters. 8 model secondary schools and 25 constituency schools with boarding facilities across the state, built from scratch by the restoration government and fully equipped with science laboratories and modern facilities required for 21st century learning. We have in addition re-built and upgraded St. Jude’s Amarata Girls School, the oldest girls’ school in the state and BDGS. We have expended over N6 billion in the state scholarship programme, where we now have 140Bayelsans are on fully paid government scholarships to study for PhDs in highly rated Universities in Europe and America. In the last two years since the inception of our government, we have been paying W.A.E.C, G.C.E, N.E.C.O, science & technical practical fees and JAMB fees for all our students in the state, which amounts to the tune of over N3.2b.

It is noteworthy to also mention the State’s partnership with the prestigious Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, which aside from our students learning on its campus, also extend technical assistance and support to the state-owned Niger-Delta University.

Education infrastructure Indeed, our state is fast becoming the educational hub and epicenter of human capital development in Nigeria especially with the establishment of the following institutions of learning: •Teachers Training Institute, •Maritime Academy, •School of Agriculture, •International Institute for Tourism and Hospitality, Elebele •International Institute for Driving, Yenagoa •Music school, Yenagoa •School of Nursing, •Sports Academy, •Football Academy, •Re-establishment of BYCAS, to prepare our students for remedial studies and which has now acquired a student population of over 3,000students •Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro College of Education, Sagbama •The multi-billion naira Youth Development Centre, Kaiama •Newly established State Polytechnic, to address vocational and technical education All of the above institutions are built like universities of their own and require partners to strengthen their curriculum and human capacity to ensure the production of world-class graduates. We are currently partnering with a Canadian Group on our Teacher Training Institute for which work has already commenced in earnest.

Tourism development Firstly, on Tourism development, it is clear that in the past two years Bayelsa State has consistently hosted world acclaimed events. We have hosted International Jazz Festival, African Academy Movie Awards (AMAA), Caribbean African American Nations (CAAN) Music Awards, African Fashion Reception, the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MGBN) beauty pageant and a host of other international events. We have beautiful tourist sites such as the White Man’s graves at Akassa in Brass Local Government Area, beautiful lakes with the famous OX-Bow Lake the only natural OXBow Lake in the country, mangrove serene

Continues on page 35

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20 , 2014, PAGE 35

‘How Bayelsa is being made safe for investment’ Continued from page 34 environment with one of the longest coastlines of beautiful white sand beaches. The reason why we are constructing the most ambitious Tourism Island project, a New Yenagoa City with a 20,000 hectare area comprising of choice residential and leisure spots. Already, the Castle Rock Hotel a 24suite 100 bed six star hotel with an Amphitheater, casino, wellness centre, chapel and other facilities will be completed and commissioned within the next two months; a Golf estate with an 18holeInternational PGA Golf course; a world standard Polo turf and Club; Helipad and Conference Facilities, A film village etc. Our vision is to be the tourism, sporting and conferencing headquarters in Nigeria. A major road show to raise funds for the New Yenagoa City project will commence soon. This project is intended as a private sector led initiative and we invite you all to partner with us to realize it.

We have 3 hotel projects (the Bayelsa Castle rock hotel, Bayelsa Tower hotel and the Ox-bow lake hotel) that will deliver over 500 world class rooms by the end of next year for which we invite willing investors to take advantage of. Our investment team is on hand to organize site visits and inspection to these hotel sites.

Adding value to land ownership It is interesting to note that we have liberalized the land title system in the state with the setting up of Bayelsa Geographic Information System (BAYGIS) by which we have simplified the process of obtaining Certificate of Occupancy for land titles.

Within 60 days, we will be able to process and issue C of Os to cover land titles and I have signed several of them to date already.

The state is also investing in a mortgage bank to enable access to mortgage facilities by our people to easy development of properties for investment, business and residential purposes.

Agriculture Bayelsa State has comparative advantage in large-scale production of rice, palm produce, aquaculture, banana, plantain, cassava and vegetables. The state has invested in mega aquaculture projects with two Israeli companies, which are presently under construction to produce 3,000 tons of fish annually. Our vegetation is suitable for three cycles of rice production. We have major rice farms of our own which produces the Restoration brand of Rice. Currently, we have 4,000 hectares of rice farm at Peremabiri, 5,000 hectares at Isampor and 2,000hectares at Kolo. We have the capacity to grow and produce rice that will feed the entire Bayelsa State, Nigeria, West Africa and for export oversea.

We have established in conjunction with Ostertrade Engineering & Manufacturing KFT/DPP International APS, a Hungarian/ Danish consortium a cassava starch processing plant with a capacity to produce600 tons of industrial starch per annum and an out growers scheme of 600 hectares cassava farm. We have concluded a seed multiplication farm on a 40 hectares at Ebedbiri for this cassava farm.

Industrial park With the availability of power we are projecting by December 2014, it has become imperative to have an industrial layout that will house heavy and light manufacturing investments. This project we expect to commence next month. There is a plan to establish an inland port with warehousing and storage facilities around the corridor linking Bayelsa State and Anambra State to take advantage of the legion of importers and the business community prevalent in the eastern part of the country.

We have surveyed 400 hectares of land for this purpose. Our desire is to build industrial parks with the most modern facilities required for businesses in the modern world today to attract all classes of businesses to the State. We are looking for co – investors

Gov Dickson

One of the greatest problems of this state even with all the developmental strides by our government is the need to get our people engaged in productive enterprise outside of government

The state has a palm plantation of 1,200 hectares with a potential to grow the palm plantation to 2,000 hectares at the current location. In addition, Bayelsa is the natural home of organic banana and vegetables in Nigeria. That is why we are building the Cargo International Airport to prepare the state for the export market. From Bayelsa to anywhere in Europe is less than six hours in flight time.

Power On power, this is one of the strongest selling opportunities for investment in this state. We are the home of Oil and Gas in Nigeria. Indeed, 40% of the nation’s gas deposit is located here in Bayelsa State. Our aspiration is to be the energy centre of the nation. It is on record that our state is the first to build an Independent power plant in the early 70s in Nigeria, which is still in use today. The gas turbine investment by previous administration which we are in the process of overhauling and increasing its capacity by an additional 83 megawatts to bring the total capacity to a 100megawatts.

Furthermore, we are pleased to report that the state has attracted the following investment in power as follows: 1. IPP Energy Limited of Canada raising $200m for over 100megawatts.

2. Proton Energy Limited to create 500megawatts.

I have accordingly directed the investment and power teams to conclude all discussions with prospective investors in the power sector to enable us make investments in the sector.

to partner with the State to develop these industrial parks and layouts.

SME development One of the greatest problems of this state even with all the developmental strides by our government is the need to get our people engaged in productive enterprise outside of government. Presently in our state, relative to our population, we have the highest number of workforce employed by any state government in Nigeria. As a result we are confronted on a monthly basis with a bloated wage. We have battled with the issue of payroll fraud and we have been able to reduce it from N6b to N4.3b. Similarly, our political wage bill is also the highest in the country. Even with this, we have a high threshold of political patronage that is not sustainable in anyway and has not proven to be beneficial to the system. There is a limit to government’s patronage.

I know that access to capital is a problem.

I also know that not having title is a problem.

But we have addressed all these through the measures we have put in place to enable them process title document and have access to capital. We are creating an SME development fund of between N20b to N30b. We expect our people to seize this opportunity to make the transition from seeking and waiting for government jobs and appointments, which is not sustainable, to becoming self-reliant by owning their own businesses.

Airport/seaport We have started the development of a cargo and passenger airport in conjunction with the Federal Government, which we

intend to complete by the end of 2015. We like to thank the Federal Government for the partnership with the State to construct the Terminal Building of the airport. This airport will open the State to ease of entry and exit from the State which will stimulate traffic into the State.

To further open the State for development we are building a deep seaport at Agge area of Bayelsa State. Bayelsa is in the middle of the Gulf of Guinea and is in prime position to service the countries of the Gulf of Guinea.

We look forward to investments in the deep seaport and airport projects.

Health The health sector is another primary area where there exist opportunities for investment by would be investors. We have invested over N25billion directly into a 380bed hospital with specialist capacities.

A world class diagnostic centre. We have built several primary healthcare centres around the state. To ensure quality healthcare for our people, we have established a Health Insurance Scheme, which guarantees demand to healthcare providers in the state.

We are looking for partners that will collaborate with us and invest in the provision of other healthcare facilities like Optical clinics, dentistry other healthcare projects.

Housing The State Government is in the process of investing in a Mortgage Bank to ensure access to mortgage for the people of Bayelsa State creating capacity to acquire their own houses. The State Government is investing the sum of N2.5billion to acquire and recapitalize the target Mortgage Bank. Thereafter, the State Government shall be developing a Mortgage Fund in the sum of N25billion to funding the construction of residential and commercial real estate in the State. With these initiatives taken by Government we wish to invite potential investors interested in investing in the housing sector in the State to build residential and commercial real estate for acquisition by people of the State.

ICT The State Government is also interested in the development of an information technology backbone in the State, which will provide facilities for data transmission and telephony services. The State has invested in a telecommunications company called Suntel Telecommunications Limited, which provides broadband, fixed lines and wireless telecommunication services in the State.

Availability of financial services It is the intention of the State Government to set up a Bayelsa Financial Services Centre (BFSC) to create a centre for the provision of capital and financial services in the State The Bayelsa Development & Investment Corporation (BDIC), Establishment of an Oil & Gas/Commodity Trading Market, Business Process Outsourcing and Contact Centres, Role of Bayelsa Development & Investment Corporation (BDIC)

PAGE 36 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

MALALA’S INTERVENTION ON

CHIBOK GIRLS My advice to Boko Haram and President Jonathan and letters from people. I believe that God saved my life because of people’s prayers.

Today, this Malala Day, I’m not here to tell my story because I am not the only child who has been target of extremism. There are thousands who are suffering from terrorism, from violence and do not have access to education. I speak for those children whose right to quality education has been snatched from them.

Initiator of Malala Fund, Malala Yousafzai, during an audience with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida.

To mark her 17th birthday, Malala Yousafzai, the young, precocious Pakistani girl who was shot and left for dead by the Taliban two years ago, visited Nigerian in solidarity with the over 200 girls abducted by members of the criminally- minded members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, which in English means, “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad”, and otherwise known as Boko Haram.

She met some of the girls who escaped from the group; and she also had audience with Nigeria’s Minister of State, Education, Nyesom Wike. But Wike, true to type, shot himself on the foot when he tried to explain the issue of out-of-school children. He said of the 10.5 children, nine million were from the North, to which Malala’s father pilloried him: “I don’t know about the system that is here, we only know that there are over 10.5 million children that are out of school.

But it brings very bad name to the country”. The issue is even if 10million of the out-of-school children are in the Delta Basin, they are still out-of-school children in Nigeria – the minister should have known that he was talking to people who are interested in best practices and not politics, the type he’s been playing in his home state of Rivers.

Below are excerpts of Malala’s modest intervention in a crisis that Nigeria’s leaders across the political divide have mishandled.

APPRECIATION I thank the Nigerian people for the warm welcome. You are an incredible strong nation; you work every day to fight against your challenges through your unity, resilience and determination. Dear brothers and sisters, last Malala day, I told my story.

MYLIFE Last Malala day, I spoke about my life in Pakistan. I spoke about the rise of terrorism and the ban of girl education there in my home town. I spoke about the Taliban that took on my life and attempt to silence me forever.

I met and told President Jonathan that he needs to fulfill his responsibility. And, his responsibility is listening to his people that are saying “bring back our girls.” Luckily, the President did make two promises.

He made two promises to me and to you, the people of his country.

I will repeat what I said last year.

Nothing changes in my life except days. Weakness, fears and hopelessness die. Strength, power and courage were born. When I was shot by the Taliban, the world stood up. I, Malala, was the cry I heard around the world. I received thousands of good wishes cards

SOLIDARITY WITH MY NIGERIAN SISTERS I speak for the 66 million girls who are out of school. This Malala Day is the day for education of every child and it is dedicated to my dear Nigerian sisters who are going through the same rigorous situation. I dedicate this day to my sisters in Nigeria.

I will begin with the story I am here to tell you about the girl whom I met yesterday. I am really sorry I cannot mention her name, but I will call her my sister. My sister comes from the Nigerian village of Chibok. She is 16 years old. One day, my sister was in school; some armed terrorists called Boko Haram came and tried to steal her dreams. They kidnapped her. But, she was one of the luckiest ones who escaped from the abduction.

Before that, her father got killed; and her mother and sister got injured in the unstable situation in the North of Nigeria. Since she escaped, because of insecurity, she can no more go to school and her fairest subject is biology; she wants to become a doctor.

100 DAYS OF CAPTIVITY Every day, Boko Haram razes nearby villages to terrorize the people. Over 200 girls were kidnapped and since have not returned. Next week, it will be 100 days; 100 days since they were taken. 100 days in captivity; 100 days out of school; 100 days without parents and 100 days under fear. My sisters and brothers, not only in Nigeria, but the situation all around the world, especially in the Middle East countries, African countries and Pakistan is getting worse every day. And when children do not have access to education, their studies are badly affected.

TERRORISMANDREFUGEE SITUATION IT BREEDS Around 157 million children are out of school. 10.5 million children in Nigeria do not have access to education. Around 400 girls in

total have been abducted by Boko Haram in Nigeria. Seven million children in Pakistan are deprived of education. Around 900,000 people are homeless in Pakistan. In Pakistan, they have to leave their homes for safety when military operations are going on against the terrorists. Because of that, many children now do not have access to education and they are out of school.

Girls from Syria who were once in school and learning are now living in camps and are made to understand a new life as refugees while the world is silent doing nothing. And, the children in Syria are becoming a generation lost!

Because of conflict between Gaza and Israel, people are badly affected. And, children on both sides are suffering. Recently, many children died because of Israel’s strike on Palestine, unfortunately.

BIRTHDAYWISH Dear sisters and brothers, issues are countless. I am here to tell you my birthday wish on this prestigious occasion and to ask responsible people to listen to the voices of the Nigerian girls and their parents for whom I am here today. This birthday is not the kind of celebration where I will be having any enjoyment, eating cake and those things. This birthday, I want to celebrate it, standing up with my Nigerian sisters and their parents who are right here behind me.

Malala Day is a day where we all stand together for those who are voiceless and must be heard.

WIDOW’S MITE But, for things to change, it must be of affection towards our organization, the Malala Fund; with this, about $200,000 that will be given to two Nigerian organizations: Girl-Child Concern and Centre for Girl-Child Education. The heads of the two organizations are here today. I am really thankful to them for the work they are doing and becoming partners with us which has helped to empower and educate Nigerian girls.

I know that my small contribution is not enough; we still need a lot to do. But, this is just a start. But, under a just God, this is what I could do in such a short time.

CHALLENGE TO PRESIDENT JONATHAN The question here is: What did the elders do? What will responsible people do? What will the leaders do to bring back our sisters? One thing that is important today is that I was able to meet with President, Mr Goodluck Jonathan. I met and told him that I hear the voice of my sisters. I am representing my sisters and their parents to you today.

‘And, as you are the elected President, you need to fulfill your responsibility. And, your responsibility is listening to your people that are saying “bring back our girls.’ “Luckily, the President did make two promises. He made

Continues on page 37

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014 — PAGE 37

Continued from page 36 two promises to me and to you, the people of his country. He promised the government will do

`My advice to Boko Haram and President Jonathan’

its best to bring back the girls alive and safe. The second promise he made that is important is that he will meet the parents of those girls that were abducted. I am hopeful that Mr President will meet you soon because he promised to me, to you and to all Nigerian people.

each other as human beings. All human beings should treat each other as human beings. We should not discriminate against each other on the basis of religion and the language that we speak.

I call upon the world community to protect girls across the world; to protect girls from inhuman hate and violence.

MESSAGE TO BOKO HARAM Today, not only am I asking the President and government of Nigeria to take action, but I am also asking Boko Haram to stop misusing the name of Islam. Islam is a religion of peace. Islam allows every boy and every girl to get education by going to school.

And, education is compulsory in Islam. The word ‘Islam’ means peace. Islam gives a message of prudence, patience, harmony and humanity. I want to tell Boko Haram, think about your own sisters; just think for a while; think about your own sisters. If they suffer the same way, the same brutal and harsh situation, how would you feel?

To Boko Haram, I ask, if your own sisters are homeless, if they are around the captivity of some people who are so wild and cruel, how would you feel? Those who are under your imprisonment are like your sisters. Islam gives a message of brotherhood. We are all sisters and brothers. You are

ON OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN 10.5 million children are out of school, specifically I want to highlight the issues of the the girls who were abducted and the girls who escaped, they are out of school now, there is no security for them and they are feeling insecure and so what should the education ministry do for them?

I am hoping that the three tiers of government would sit together and become united and they would consider the crisis in education as a national issue, especially on children that are out of school. They shouldn’t blame it on each other; they should sit down together because this is the future of this country and if they want the future of this country to be bright and shining, then they should increase the efforts they are making on education and they should increase the budgetary allocation to education, as much

President Goodluck Jonathan officially receiving the Initiator of Malala Fund, Malala Yousafzai, and her father, M r.

Ziauddin Yousafzai, during an audience with the President over the missing Chibok school girls at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida. misusing the name of Islam but you hang your Quran there.

Release my sisters and release the daughters of this nation. Let them be free; they have committed no crime.

WHY NIGERIANS MUST UNITE To Nigerian people, I will like to say that Nigeria is a rich country not because it has oil resources

but because it has people that have bravery and courage. It has people with the heart of humanity.

This is the wealth of people; this is the wealth of this country. This is my word to this nation. So, make your country stronger for unity and togetherness. Make it stronger. Do not judge each other on the basis of your religion, class, colour, creed. These are just words of identity. We should treat

as it can be increased. Hopefully, by the time I come back to this country I hope there would be zero number of out-of-school children in Nigeria. No child should be deprived of getting education and I am hopeful that the girls that escaped from the abduction are able to go to school and they get full protection. I have a lot of expectations from the government.

I know it is difficult for government to do things quickly but, hopefully, I believe by the time I come back, education would have improved in Nigeria. And, hopefully, I want to see those girls in school as well as the 200 girls rescued.

MALALA’S FATHER When we talk about Nigeria’s education crisis, the Federal Government must intervene and they should take the crisis as a national crisis; they should reach out to the state and local governments. Make Nigeria a good country where children go to school, I don’t know about the system that is here, we only know that there are over 10.5 million children that are out of school. But it brings very bad name to the country especially the abduction of the girls in Borno State. You, personally, should ensure that girls go to school and they feel secured when they go to school.

Malala’s Villa encounter with Jonathan

BY BEN AGANDE, ABUJA

N

ot many people have been shot in the head and lived to tell their stories. But for young Pakistani girl, Malala Yousafzai, her close shave with death when Taliban terrorists shot her in the head has catapulted her from an unknown rural girl to international status, earning her a spot to address the United Nations, UN, General Assembly. So, when the Taliban’s brothers-in-crime, of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, which in English means, “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad”, and otherwise known as Boko Haram, gained international notoriety by abducting more than 200 school girls in Chibok, Borno State, it was only natural that Malala was going to join in not only the international condemnation that greeted the heinous crime, but also champion their release. The crime for which she was shot by the Taliban was the same crime which earned the Nigerian girls abduction. Like Malala, they dared to go to school.

So, when she decided to come to Nigeria to press for the release of the abducted girls, it was only natural that her visit would attract the attention of the international media. After meeting with parents of the abducted girls and some of the girls who escaped from their abductors, Malala met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.

Though the visit has attracted criticism against the backdrop of President Jonathan’s failure to meet with the parents of the abducted girls more than 90 days

after the girls were abducted, the significance of this can be located in the fact that a victim of a terrorist attack can better understand the ordeal the abducted girls and their parents are going through.

For Mr. President, the visit by Malala provided another opportunity for his government to explain to, not only Nigerians, but also the international community that no effort is being spared to ensure that the abducted girls are released - and safely too.

“Terror is relatively new here and dealing with it has its challenges. The great challenge in rescuing the Chibok girls is the need to ensure that they are rescued alive. The time it is taking to achieve that objective is not a question of the competence of the Nigerian government. We have had teams from the United States, Britain, France, Israel and other friendly nations working with us here on the rescue effort and they all appreciate the challenges on the need to tread carefully to achieve our purpose, he stated.

Jonathan added that the rescue of the girls is not an end in itself as the abduction of the girls has exposed the vulnerability of the girl-child which his government henceforth would pay special attention to.

“I personally believe that since about 50% of our population is female, we will be depriving ourselves of half of our available human resource if we fail to educate our girls adequately or suppress their ambitions in anyway. We are therefore taking steps to curb all forms of discrimination against girls and women, and have also undertaken many affirmative action on their behalf.”

To Malala Yousofzai, her visit to Nigeria to empathize with the families of the abducted girls on her 17th birthday was more important than celebrating the birthday in a way that a teenager would have loved to do. For a victim of terror, an attack on any girl in any part of the world reminds her of her close shave with death and would naturally draw sympathy.

She explained: “I am here in

“This is the promise the President made and I am hopeful that his promise will come through and we will soon see those girls return th Nigeria on my 17 birthday for a price which is to see that every child goes to school. This year, my objective is to speak up for my Nigerian sisters about 200 of them who are under the abduction of Boko Haram and I met President Goodluck Jonathan for this purpose. I conveyed the voice of my sisters who are out of school or who are still under the abduction of Boko Haram; and for those girls who escaped from the abduction but still do not have education. And in the meeting, I highlighted the same issues which the girls and their parents told me in the past two days. The parents said they really want to meet with the

President to share their stories with him. And I asked the President if he wants to meet with the parents of the girls. The President assured me that he would meet with them.

“I spoke to the President about the girls who complained that they cannot go to school despite the fact that they want to become doctors, engineers and teachers.

But the government is not providing them any facility. They also need health facility, security, and the government is not doing anything. These are the issues I presented to the President today.

And the President fortunately promised me that he will do something for these girls and he promised me that the girls under the abduction of Boko Haram will be released as soon as possible.

“This is the promise the President made and I am hopeful that his promise will come through and we will soon see those girls return. Yesterday, I also met with the parents of these girls who are still under the abduction of Boko Haram and they were crying and hopeless.

But still, they have this hope that there is still someone who can help them. They asked me if there is any chance for them to meet the President because, at this time, they need the President’s support; so I asked the President if it is possible for him to go and see them to encourage them and the President did promise me that he will meet the parents of these girls. I am hopeful that these two promises - the return of the girls from Boko Haram and meeting with their parents - will be fulfilled and we will see it soon.

“The President promised that

these girls would return. There are difficulties which he mentioned, one of which is that it is quite risky to do a military operation and that these girls could be targeted. It is quite a complicated situation. But as far as I know, that depends on the government because they are responsible to the people who elected them; people believe that President Jonathan is the father of the nation. So, he should be responsible for the duties that have been given to him on the seat which he is seating on and I am hopeful that he will do it but we will continue our campaign, we will not stop and this should be kept in mind.

“He has made promises but in politics, nothing is clear. But the President said these girls are his daughters and he is pained by their sufferings and that he has his own daughters and he can feel what they are feeling.

“Even though the promises have been made, it does not mean I am going to stop talking.

I will be counting days and I will be looking when those girls are going to be returning home. I can’t stop this campaign until I see those girls return to their families and continue the agitation. This is the position of the Malala Foundation. My father and I and the entire family want to speak out for those 10.5 million children who are out of school. They have no access to education because of many problems”.

Though tender in age, Malala’s experience has exposed her to the double standard of the international community especially when it comes to dealing with issues concerning Africa.

PAGE 38 — SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

NASARAWA IMPEACHMENT PLOT

The forces against Gov. Almakura; the pact he breached

zSource: His problem is self-inflicted

BY ABEL DANIEL

A

lhaji Umaru Tanko Almakura came to power under the umbrella of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011 as the third governor of Nasarawa State after beating the incumbent, Aliu Akwe Doma of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in that year’s general elections.

All efforts by Doma through the tribunal and subsequently the Supreme Court to challenge his defeat only worked in favor of Almakura. At the tribunal, it was established that Almakura had 30,000 votes more than Doma. However, at the Supreme Court, it turned

out to be only 300- votedifference which gave Almakura the edge.

Meanwhile, Almakura ordinarily should not have won the election, especially in this political clime where the power of incumbency matters in elections. But Doma, who was vying for reelection in the 2011 polls, was believed to have been sold out by his god father, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu.

Adamu, who Doma succeeded, once said he single-handedly removed Doma because he made him governor in the first place.

The alleged anti-party activities played out by Adamu and his group actually culminated into the defeat of Doma.

Sources told Sunday Vanguard that the gameplan, prior to the general elections, was that if Almakura emerged as governor on the platform of CPC, he would decamp to the PDP. This happened after Adamu began to have problems with Doma and the former hatched the plan to remove the latter at all costs.

By then, Doma already had the gubernatorial ticket of the PDP to contest the election in Nasarawa. Almakura was said to have consented to the plan. After the election, however, the governor reportedly refused to keep to the terms of the agreement but rather was busy working for the merger of his party, the CPC, with the Action

Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, and a section of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to become the All Progressives Congress, APC, which eventually was realized. This was the genesis of Almakura’s problem with the powerful forces in the Nassarawa PDP. At the time of Almakura’s emergence as governor in 2011, the state House of Assembly had 23 members out of which PDP had 21 and CPC two. Later in 2012, one member representing Awe constituency died. In the ensuing bye election, CPC won to increase its lawmakers to three. But the House, even with this overwhelming number as opposition, never had it smooth with Almakura.

Analysts believe the Nasarawa Assembly, with its forces as opposition, actually played soft on the ruling party probably due to the numerous crises that besetted the state since Almakura took over power three and a half years ago.

Though allegations have in the past been laid against the governor over misappropriation of state funds and contempt to Assembly resolutions, the lawmakers never went this far because Almakura allegedly

kept manouvering to stop any attempt to impeach him.

However, on July 14, 2014, the Assembly, during a plenary, raised a motion for the impeachment of the governor over 16 allegations of over N13billion misappropriation/ misplacement of the state funds, gross misconduct and abuse of oath of office.

Allegations

Despite the provisions of Section 120 Sub-section 2,3and 4 which prohibit all sorts of expenditure without an appropriation/virements, the state government allegedly over-spent N2,200,371,212.67 in 2012.

Another allegation borders on mis-appropriation/ misplacement of funds in local governments joint account.

“A discovery by the committee revealed a lot of financial misappropriation/ misapplication to the tune of N4,054,121,967.76”, the lawmakers said.

On local govt SURE-P fund, the House alleged that after a critical examination of the local governments. records, it was established that from the inception of the SURE-P

Continues on page 39

SUND AY SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014, PPA AGE 39

The forces against Gov Almakura; the pact he breached Continued from page 38 program in April 2012to April 2014, the ministry of local government. and chieftaincy affairs under Almakura received N2,710,903,656.10 and expended N765,682,226.94 inappropriately without authority from local government councils chairmen.

The lawmakers alleged the transfer of local governments SURE-P money to a fixed deposit account.

“A review of the bank statement shows that an unauthorized sum of N1,789,796.000.00 was transferred to a fixed deposit account in a bank and N33,972,972.59 was generated as interest representing 1.9 percent but cannot be traced anywhere in the state govt. record books,”they said.

According to the House, its joint committee revealed that between May 2012 and May 2014, N44,496,869 was missing from the local government SURE-P fund.

The House pointedly accused the Almakura government of the falsification of Nasarawa State financial report for the year 2011 and diversion and misapplication of flood fund.

The lawmakers claimed that the Almakura government’s release funds to NASIEC for payment of salaries and other expenditure even in the absence of appropriation of

BY ABEL DANIEL

A

*Scene from the demonstration against the Almakura impeachment move which reportedly claimed lives resolution signed by more than two third of the House of Assembly members in demanding for the removal of the NSIEC chairman/ commissioners over their misconduct.”

The lawmakers recalled that the governor, on assumption of office in 2011, terminated the appointment of over 7,000 workers of both the local and state governments without due process. The House said: “These workers were legitimately employed by elected local government chairmen/ administrators and the relevant authorities in the state e.g Nasarawa State Transport Service to whom

Observers of the Nasarawa impeachment crisis said Almakura will be remembered for his infrastructural development of the state the funds to NASIEC was a gross misconduct.

“See the salaries of NASIEC members as paid for the month of June 2014 by the state govt. even on zero allocation, against the position of the Constitution in Section 120 Sub-section 2 which says no money shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state except to meet expenditure that is charged upon the fund by the Constitution or where the issue of those moneys has been authorized by an appropriation law, supplementary appropriation law or law passed in pursuance of section 121 of the constitution,”they said.

“His excellently the governor of Nasarawa State bluntly refused to respond to the letter conveying a

OMBATSE: ALMAKURA’S IMPEACHMENT IS THE END OF OUR PROBLEM

funds are appropriated by the state House of Assembly via Ministry of Finance Head 483 sub-head 014 and which the state House of Assembly is empowered to investigate and express its opinion in accordance with Section 128 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

“The House faulted and passed a resolution that the governor should restore the workers back to work considering the consequences of the massive unemployment and the risks associated with the same and the security challenges danger which could encourage high rate of crime like the one being experience in the state today. The governor in his usual style refused to implement the position contained in the resolution of the House. The

House views this as an act of gross misconduct under Section188(11) of the Constitution.”

Governors won’t go down without a fight

In the meantime, Almakura is giving the lawmakers a run for their money. As it were, if he has to go down, it won’t happen without a fight. He has refused to be personally served with the impeachment notice. And without being personally served, the effort to remove him from office may amount to a breach of the Constitution. Several visits by the clerk to the Nasarawa House to the Government House to serve the governor the notice have yielded no result.

Consequently, the lawmakers resolved to serve him the notice through the media.

How far the lawmakers can go in their bid to unseat Almakura will be known in a matter of days or weeks in the face of the protests by a section of Nasarawa residents against the impeachment move last week.The protests reportedly claimed about three lives.

Fixing dilapidated Nasarawa At the weekend, observers of the Nasarawa impeachment crisis said Almakura shall be remembered for his infrastructural development of the state. The governor was said to have met a dilapidated Nasarawa when he took over power in 2011, and, from that time till now, various sectors such as the education, road, social service have received face lift.

“When you tried to compare his administration with those his predecessors, you will come to the conclusion that none of his predecessors came near him,”an observer said.

On assumption to office, he proposed an eight-point agenda, tagged, Action Points or Road Map to Nasarawa Recovery. His intention was that at the end of his first term, the people of the state could use this as mirror in passing judgment on his second bid to the Government House on Shendam Road, Lafia.

Nasarawa under him was the first to implement the new minimum salary wage proposed by the Federal Government in 2012, when many other states in the country were contemplating whether or not to implement.

It is no longer news that one major sector that received a boost in Nasarawa is education.

He did not only encourage parents to take their wards to school but also made it free.

Every secondary school in each local government state wears a new look of TA’AL model structure.

The construction of roads, government buildings and private houses have also given urban areas a new look. The glittering solar street lights are a testimony to a governor with vision. It’s an incontestable fact that the present administration in Nasarawa has recorded several achievements in the aspect of rehabilitation and construction of roads as well as the development of infrastructure at the grassroots.

Though there are still a few areas he needs to focus on like water supply to every home in Lafia the state capital, for the opposition planning to unseat him, it will be a major herculean task despite other strong allegation laid against him by the state house of Assembly.

However, the major setback Almakura’s administration will be negatively remembered for is his gross inabilities to manage human relations which earned the state the huge crises that placed the administration among the eras that witnessed the largest number of people killed and properties lost to tribal conflicts in the country.

s protests by supporters of Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura continued to spread in Nasarawa State following the impeachment letter served on him on Monday, the outlawed Ombatse group is challenging the governor to appear before the state House of Assembly to defend the allegations levelled against him if he is clean.

The legal adviser to Ombatse, Zamani Zachari Alumaga, while condemning the protests, said “those who are protesting are sponsored to do so because they don’t understand what the letter of impeachment means”.

“Alumaga added: As far as I know, the impeachment letter is mere query calling on the governor to defend himself against the a l l e g a t i o n s .

Everybody must be held accountable for his actions. The letter is just asking him to explain certain issues.

If his hands are clean, let him come out and let justice prevail.

Protesting in any form does not justify him.

“With the impeachment of Umaru Tanko Almakura, the problem of Ombatse as well as the Eggon nation is coming to an end”. He asked the Eggon people to stay calm and distance themselves from the protests since the issue on ground is a state matter with various state agencies at work.

Alumaga also blamed some traditional rulers in Nasarawa who signed a communiqué to cause chaos over the impeachment letter instead of fostering peace. He maintained that there was nothing tribal about the impeachment notice.

PAGE 40 —SUNDAY, Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

Jo er w eds in style Joyy Emodi’s daught daughter weds

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t was partly a measure of the goodwill earned by the parents that society heavyweights turned out recently for the wedding ceremony of Chibuogu Emodi and Chijioke Ilozue. It was particularly an opportunity for friends and well-wishers to honour the invitation of Senator Joy Emodi, immediate past Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters to witness the wedding of her last daughter, Chibogu.

Fund-raising dinner ffor or Aregbesola

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he re-election bid of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun for the next tenure received a major boost in Lagos when members of the Oranmiyan Vanguard organised a fund-raising dinner in his honour.

Prominent APC leaders graced the event which held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island on Thursday. Photos by Biodun Ogunleye

The couple, Chijoke and Chibogu Ilozue, with their mothers.

L-R: Senator Oluremi Tinubu, APC chieftain, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and his Deputy, Otunba Titilayo Laoye Tomori.

The couple, Chijoke and Chibogu Ilozue.

Senate President, David Mark, arriving at the event

Some Senators and friends of bride’s mum.

The wedding made in Benin Kingdom Heir-apparent to Benin throne, Crown Prince (Amb.) Eheneden Erediauwa, gave out the hand of his eldest daughter,Princess Ikuoyemwen, in marriage.

L-R: Senator Khairat Gwadabe, Speaker, House L-R:Senator Babajide Omoworare, Senator Sola of Reps, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, Hon. Emeka Adeyeye and Senator Ganiyu Olarewaju Solomon Ihedioha,Justice Aloma-Mukhtar and others

The Egori and Ekeutomiye nuptial The families of Pa Ègori and Pa Ekeutomiye became one when their children, Vivian Egori and Allen Ekeutomiye, got married.

Husband and wife at the event.

C M Y K

Allen and Vivian at the occasion

Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, Hon. Jide Jimoh and Hon. Musiliu Folami.

L-R: Mrs Babafunke Ajose-Adeogun, Prince Femi Awofisayo, President, Oranmiyan Vanguard and Senator Bayo Salomiat

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014 — PAGE 41

NYANYA

•The scene of blast

Another tragedy averted!

Petrol truck driver saves scores from death

By CALEB AYANSINA

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HAT would have been a black day was averted in Nyanya, the scene of April 14 bomb explosion where over 100 lives were lost, while scores sustained various degree of injuries.

Another blast ripped through the area on May 1, killing several people.

The tragedy was averted, penultimate Saturday, when a tanker fully loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, fell on a car in front of the NNPC filling station in the area and spilled its volatile contents on the road.

The car with one person inside was damaged beyond repairs, but the victim sustained light injuries, according to eyewitnesses.

It could not be ascertained whether the victim was the driver of the car or a passenger who could not evaluate before the accident.

From under the tanker, the victim was said to have cried for help before people rescued him. He immediately took to his heels.

The atmosphere smelled of gas The road was consequently closed while the ground was wet with petrol to traffic, to allow fire fighters neugushing out of the tanker. tralize the PMS. They sprayed the The area, right from Nyanya park, area with chemical while a towing down to the NNPC filling station, van from the Federal Road Safety became tensed waiting to explode Commission (FRSC) removed the with a spark. tanker and the car wreckage from the Before the arrival of security road. operatives, Sunday Vanguard The incident triggered heavy traffic gathered that some ignorant resifor more than five hours along Keffi / dents, mainly women and children, Abuja dual carriage way. took to scooping the spilled fuel An eyewitness, who claimed to from the tanker, have participated while some in the operation, people frowned Mr Abraham at their action, Uwanagbe, reminding them narrated to of several unforThe driver alerted us by Sunday Vantunate incidents shouting, asking people to guard how the that had hapdriver’s warning pened in the past run, as he had lost control prevented the as a result of of the truck. We quickly situation from spilled petroleum alerted the drivers of the claiming lives. products.

“This morning, The operatives vehicles and other people at about 6 in front of him and they and men of the o’clock, I was Fire Service from started giving way. The walking up the Abuja, on arrival, All of a luck we had was that the road. dispersed the sudden, I saw road was not very busy women and this petrol tanker children. rolling back. The

cause I would not know, but the driver alerted us by shouting, asking people to run, as he had lost control of the truck. We quickly alerted the drivers of the vehicles and other people in front of him and they started giving way. The luck we had was that the road was not very busy.

“The driver was able to control the truck for some meters. But while he was trying to climb the pavement to enable him stop safely, the back tyre burst.

“While the truck was falling off, he now turned his hand (steering wheel) to cut off the head from the truck. Then, the truck fell on one side on a Volkswagen Gulf car while the head landed safely.

“The driver came down from the vehicle and ran to the Gulf car, to see if he could rescue the person inside, shouting for help. Some people nearby rushed and opened the car door and pulled the victim out.

“We thank God that no life was lost; it is only the car that was damaged beyond repairs. God did not allow the people of Nyanya and Abuja to cry again.”

PAGE 42 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

WHEN WHEN PEOPLE DIE DIE PEOPLE FOR LAND LAND !!

FOR The Abuja govt officials, developers, private individuals’ connection

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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BUJA is fast becoming a conundrum wrapped in mystery over land. This is the reason individuals, developers and public officers stake their lives for land in Abuja. Land in the FCT is an asset as valuable as diamond.

The FCT occupies about 8,000 square kilometres of land with the Abuja city covering about 250 square kilometres of this. From the city centre to the satellite towns and other parts of the FCT, land is an asset that people die for.

A victim of land racketeering, who identified himself as Samuel Ikpodo, said he bought a piece of land in Kubwa through a staff member of Bwari Area Council and not long after, some officials came to tell him the council would redesign the land.

Ikpodo said he was at first apprehensive about the twist in development, but, on a second thought, he became optimistic that he could be lucky to get a strategic piece of land after the redesign.

Later, he was told he lost the land to the redesigning.

He said many Abuja residents had fallen victim to the corruption of some FCDA officials who connive with land racketeers to dupe and displace original land owners in Abuja.

A source told Abuja Bulletin the problem lies with the Abuja Geographic Information Systems, AGIS. “There are people within the system who have mastered the art of hacking into the system to create fictitious layouts as well as sell other people’s allocations.

The racketeers are like a cabal. A top official of the AGIS is the arrow head

of the cabal in the FCT”, the source said. “As am l talking to you, some victims of the land racketeering have petitioned the FCT Minister over double allocation, redesigning of layouts and other corrupt practices for which most of them fell victim due to the assurance they had because of the involvement of some FCT officials”.

He mentioned the name officials who the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, invited to a meeting in connection with the petition two Thursdays ago.

Mohammed was allegedly sad that issues of land administration probe have become a recurring decimal in the administration of the FCT as it has become a tradition for some FCTA officials to damn the consequences of being caught in the racketeering.

The minister was said to have expressed concern over the anomalies allegedly discovered in the AGIS/ land department where land speculators had reportedly broken through the electronic system with alleged connivance of staff which include duplication of allocations and obtaining C of Os ahead of genuine applicants.

The office of the minister is also allegedly inundated with court cases ranging from wrong revocation/ allocation titles, undue delay in the processing of building plans and conflicting land use plans originating from AGIS and Urban and Regional Planning Department as well as land allocation in areas not due for infrastructural service and issues of fake layout in area councils.

From 1975, when the General Murtala Muhammed-led military junta mooted the relocation of the

FCT from Lagos and the Justice Akinola Aguda panel recommended Abuja, to 1992 when General Ibrahim Babangida transferred the seat of power, Abuja land was no hot cake.

But soon after the relocation, an unrelenting regime of land grabs, land speculations and the primitive acquisition of Abuja land became the pastime of the political and business elite who used their connection to grab as much landed assets in the FCT as the human mind can imagine.

Land in Abuja has significantly appreciated in value since the 90s.

Some plots of land in the FCT have appreciated by 10 times their initial value in the past five years.Real

long time ago while racketeers throng business centres opposite the council to perfect their papers for prospective victims.

Fraudsters also scan fake allocation papers and print them out in order to give the impression that the papers are not new as the Area Councils have not been allocating lands but trade in existing ones. So, a dealer that does not have a genuine old allocation paper can forge one, backdate it and create the impression that the paper had been in existence for a long time.

A surveyor, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said, sometimes, private surveyors would go to virgin areas, discuss with indigenes and design a

Real estate in Abuja is a booming business and one that holds many opportunities. This trend most likely will continue in years to come as the forces of demand and supply continue to push the prices of land and properties in Abuja up estate in Abuja is a booming business and one that holds many opportunities. This trend most likely will continue in years to come as the forces of demand and supply continue to push the prices of land and properties in Abuja up.

The contest of who grabs the biggest Abuja land and the near-demonic disposition of rich clients to pay outrageous fees for landed assets are the underlying reason for the high cost of land in the FCT. Further investigations showed that some forged allocations papers were backdated and put in the sun to give the impression they were issued a

new layout.

For those who insist on seeing the land before payment, a land surveyor, Mr. Dan Osifo, warned that it does not guarantee one will not be duped.

According to him, with a simple Ground Positioning System, one can easily locate any piece of land whether the allocation is genuine or not. “All that is required are the coordinates. Once you get two or three coordinates, you can locate any piece of land. The ability to locate a piece of land does not mean that the allocation is genuine”, he said.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 43

2015: The Battle for Ebonyi

• Gov Martin Elechi

BY PETER OKUTU

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HE battle to succeed Governor Martin Ele chi come 2015 has started with likely contenders especially from the Ebonyi South senatorial district.

Possible contenders include a former deputy governor, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, the current deputy gover nor, Mr Dave Umahi, a former Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Paul Okorie, Rector, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Afikpo, Prof Francis Otunta, the Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, a former Minister of Education, Chief Aja Nwachukwu, a former Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Obinna Ogba, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, and Director, Bank of Industr y, Chief Dave Nwachukwu.

Elechi recently said he would hand over to someone from the southern part of the state, the only zone in Ebonyi that has not produced the governor since the state was created in 1986.

In terms of population, Ebonyi South senatorial district, with five local government areas, is bigger than Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central zones. However, if the North and Central join forces in the forthcoming election, it is obvious they would defeat a south senatorial zone candidate.

Meanwhile, in view of the tradition in the state whereby stakeholders follow the direction of the incumbent governor, analysts believe Elechi would do everything possible to ensure that power shifts to Ebonyi South.

Going by the calibre of politi-

• Onyebuchi Chukwu

• Anyim Pius Anyim cians from the south senatorial district, observers say the race to the Government House would be keenly contested.

Senator Anyim Pius Anyim The profile of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim, is solid considering the positions he has occupied in the country over the years.

Many political observers believe that if the SGF decides to run for governorship election in the state, no contender would be able to match his credentials. But, so far, no feeler has revealed his interest to run for governorship come 2015.

However, there are calls from different quarters especially in him home Ebonyi South senatorial district urging the former Senate President to run in the governorship election come 2015. If he runs, it is believed he will do well considering his wealth of experience in administration, politics and humanitarians services.

Paul Okorie Okorie is an engineer. He is said to be prepared to serve his people come 2015 in order to take Ebonyi to the next level from the foundation laid by successive administrations.

He, in fact, served under some of the administrations, namely, the government of the first military administrator of the state, Navy Captain Walter Feghabo, and that of the late Commissioner of Police Simeon Oduoye as General, Ebonyi State Environmental Protection Agency, EBSEPA. He also served under Governor Sam Egwu as General Manager of Ebonyi State Water Corporation as well as Commissioner for Works and Transport. He was a Commissioner for Environment under the Elechi regime even as he retired voluntarily as Director of Engineering in Ebonyi State Civil Service.

During his short stay as Commissioner for Environment, the state capital, Abakaliki, was adjudged the cleanest state capital in the South-east with sustained cleaning programme and prompt solid waste evacuation.

Deputy Nweze Dave Umahi Umahi is the current deputy governor of Ebonyi. Since he

Going by the calibre of politicians from the south senatorial district, observers say the race to the Government House would be keenly contested took over as deputy governor after the 2011 general elections in the state, there hasn’t been any report of insubordination or disloyalty to his boss.

Going by this precedent, many have tipped him as suitable to succeed Elechi come 2015.

Umahi, appointed the acting State Chairman of the PDP from 2007 to 2009, became the substantive Chairman during the 2009 state congress of the party, a position he held till 2011. A philanthropist, he has given out scholarship to over 750 undergraduates from year one to final year since 2009.

Even though he is yet to make his gubernatorial ambition public, it is believed that if the deputy governor is elected governor, he would revamp the state’s economy consider-

• Chief Aja Nwachukwu

ing his appeal for distinction, quality, and resoluteness to cause positive change especially in infrastructural development.

Dave Nwachukwu Nwachukwu has had over 30 years experience in financial services industry before venturing into the consulting industry. He is an expert in banking and finance, as well as multi-disciplinary project management.

Having a strong background and experiences in financial matters, many people are of the view that Nwachukwu has the requisite qualifications on his side to handle the economy of the state if elected governor of Ebonyi come 2015.

The clamour for him to run is

on as many have tipped him for the position of governor.

Chigozie Ogbu He was deputy governor of Ebonyi under Governor Sam Egwu between 2003 and 2007 and the first tenure of the present administration of Elechi between 2007 and 2011.

Ogbu is known for his loyalty, commitment to social justice and profound knowledge of the state. He is said to have begun consultations with stakeholders in the state to ensure a successful campaign for his governorship ambition.

Ogbu, notable for his contributions to the health sector among other areas, is believed will perform well if he succeeds Elechi.

PAGE 44 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014

Edo is ‘work in progress’ —Omo-Ojo, Transport Commissioner *’Oshiomhole is a brand’

BY ADEKUNLE ADEKOYA, GENERAL EDITOR

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or those who know Orobosa Omo-Ojo, and have fol lowed the trajectory of his media activism especially as it relates to his home state of Edo, it was inevitable that, sooner or later, he would end up in government as a key functionary. Hitherto Lagos-based, Omo-Ojo kept Edo in view as he pursued his livelihood as a journalist and publisher of MidWest Herald, which he produced in Lagos and sold mainly in Edo and Delta States. This enabled him make friends and acquaintances across various shades of political opinion in the state. In the interview below, Omo-Ojo, presently Commissioner for Transport in Edo State, tells how he came to work for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, whom he called a brand, and speaks of his efforts and challenges at managing the transport sector of the Edo economy, saying the state itself is work in progress. Excerpts: When and how did you join Oshiomhole’s government?

The journey started in 2006; fortunately I was invited by him.

I may have been referred to him, but I didn’t ask questions, but met him. At the meeting, he asked me if I could x-ray the political coloration of Edo state as at that time and I outlined the different

Edo State Transport Commissioner, Orobosa Omo-Ojo, in the uniform of EDSTMA, Edo State Traffic Management Agency power blocs, so he solicited my support in terms of media coverage and support, to which I happily agreed because I believe in him as a brand. That was how we started and about two months later I got a letter from him appointing me Director of Media and

Publicity of his campaign organization.

How did you manage while Professor Osunbor was governor?

The battle continued. By and large we had to pursue our dreams and we all threw every-

thing that we had to encourage ourselves. I remember a situation in which I had to shut my newsroom (remember I was publishing a paper then) and used it to assist the campaign office. I used my computers and other ICT gadgets in-order to enable us meet the deadline for the filing of our case documents to the tribunal. We actually won the first and the verdict of the tribunal was appealed by the PDP and on November 12, 2008, precisely eighteen months after theelections, Governor Adams Oshiomole was declared winner and assumed office as the Governor of Edo State’ With your background as a journalist and publisher of MidWest Times, one would expect that you will head the government’s media machinery. How did you end up in tourism?

Many people have asked me this question but looking back it has to do with faith, because when we were pursuing our project none of us did what we did because of the promises of higher office. I didn’t expect to serve in a particular capacity as head of media and strategy. As I said earlier I worked tirelessly because I believe in our project who was, and still is, Adams Oshiomhole. However, let me add that Edo State is on trial by those that helped rescue it in the first instance. The state is still largely work in progress and some of us have rededicated ourselves to keep the ship assail in the midst

of an ever-present tempest. Otherwise, our struggle since 2006 would be in vain.

Talking about your cur rent schedule as Transport Commissioner, Edo State has a robust transport industry with many firms running inter-state fleets of buses. Is the industry regulate d ?

Edo State is a unique state, not like Lagos State where you have many people who could understand the importance of regulation. Generally I would say the transporters are not willing to submit themselves to regulation.

As a ministry we are putting all we can into place to achieve a minimal situation. For instance, the urban planning law says that no motor park can be established without the owner getting permission from the Ministry of Urban Planning, certified by the Commissioner of Transport so that their operations do not obstruct free flow of traffic. But what do we have? Most transporters run to their various local governments to get their permits , so what we have are local governments issuing permits that are at variance with the urban planning policy of the state government.

When you meet them they brandish the permit from that tier of government at you. If you go further to act against why a motor park should be sited in a particular place, they quickly run to court. Nevertheless, we still have to put them under regulation. As I said earlier, in Edo state it is a matter of work in progress; all we need do is bring in the scientific approach to the issues, so people don’t see us as being hard or harsh or that we are merely trying to introduce ideas from other places. As you may know,

Continues on page 45

Edo PDP has been reformed — Hon. Momoh

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH Hon. Abubakar Momoh is a member of the House of Representatives representing Etsako Federal Constituency of Edo State. The former councilor, local government chairman, member of the Edo State House of Assembly is now aspiring to represent the Edo North in the Senate. In this interview, he explains the reason behind his defection from the All Progressive Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), his relationship with Governor Oshiomhole amongst other issues.

Excerpts: ow true is the allega tion that you defected to PDP because Governor Adams Oshiomhole was not disposed to the idea of a fellow Etsako man like him emerging the representative of Edo North in the Senate?

I am compelled to clarify some things due to the lies and falsehood by the governor’s cronies to mislead the public. The position I am today in the House of Representatives is by the special grace of God. In 2011, I overwhelming won the party primaries but they wanted to deny me.

I, however, fought back and, on the last day, the name of the person the powers-that-be brought was substituted.

At a point, the governor called those who were supporting my aspiration and intimidated

H

them. He asked them why they should support an Etsako person to become a senator. However, what they told him was that the Secretary to the State Government, who he appointed, has told the whole world that he has been adopted by his people. This is a man whose kinsman was the last senator who represented Edo North before the incumbent one.

The other person from AkokoEdo has also said that he has been adopted by his people. What we have is an agreement because there has never been any written document. We started from Etsako in 1999. From there, it went to Owan in 2007 and from Owan to Akoko-Edo in 2011.

So, if it is by rotation, it is the turn of Etsako. Unfortunately, those who had it in 2007 are now clamouring for it now. The governor, who said no Etsako man should aspire to go to the Senate because he is Etsako, is now asking somebody from his ward to vie for the House of Representatives seat. Today, there is nobody in APC who is aspiring for any position again; everybody is waiting for the governor’s approval.

So, what were the real reasons you crossed over to the PDP? I was elected on the platform of the ACN. When the ACN merged with other political parties to form the APC, we thought the merger would provide a conducive and reasonable platform for one to define his political fu-

Hon. Abubakar Momoh ture. No sooner than the party was formed that we discovered that some unholy and undemocratic practices have characterized the activities of the APC. Starting from the registration exercise, majority of our members were de-registered. My complaints to see that these issues were addressed fell on deaf ears. The first point was that our people were deregistered from the party. When it was time for ward congress, those who won were not those who were announced.

Ward 10 of Etsako East Local Government was a clear example. Instead of announcing the person who got 394 votes, they said the candidate with 374 votes was elected in that ward. In Ward 6, where the former chairman of the local government hails from, they said he scored zero; that he could not even vote for himself.

These practices are undemocratic and they were supported by the authorities of the APC in Edo State.

That has been the cause of the party ’s problem in Edo State.

Another was that the party leaders in the state did not address any of these complaints. Consequently, all the aggrieved members met and felt that they could not continue to remain in the party. So, they had to leave for the PDP and majority of the people who left were all foundation members of the PDP. So, it was not as if they were going to a new environment. We felt that since PDP has been reformed, it is better we use it as a platform to continue the struggle.

Now that you have moved to the PDP, is your ambition still intact?

I was in the other party, I was the aspirant to beat as others were just masquerading as aspirants. Since I left that party, they have been silent about their aspiration; they are all waiting for an individual to anoint them.

Soon, it will be clear to some of them that there is nothing to contest for in the APC. Yes, I’m still aspiring. If I get the ticket, I’m waiting for the person in the APC, who will face me. By then, we will tell the electorate what and what we have been able to do for them.

My happiness is that all the people who claimed that they are aspiring for the Senate in APC are people who have held one

position or the other before and some of them are still holding positions. We will showcase our achievements. I will challenge whoever is their candidate to a debate to tell the world what we have been able to do for the people. It is not a matter of relying on one man, who thinks that the people would not vote for you without him.

How have you been able to rise to the present position from councilor through to the House of Representatives?

That is because I have always served as a messenger of my people. I always put the interest of the people who elected me above any other interests. I’m not like some other politics, who turn their back at their people once they are elected. That is the secret.

What has been your contributions in the House of Representatives?

The past three years have been fulfilling and rewarding to my people. There is no ward in the 32 wards in my constituency that has not got one, two or three projects. Today, I have about 55 verifiable projects that have been executed in the various wards of my constituency. The projects range from water, solar street lights, provision of transformers, health centres, construction of classroom blocks and furniture and community halls. All these projects are verifiable and cover the entire constituency.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 45

Industrialisation of Akwa Ibom is our next phase of uncommon transformation – Udom

BY HUGO ODIOGOR Hon. Emmanuel Udom has just marked his 100 days in office as the Secretary to Government of Akwa Ibom state where he has come to restore stability to the focus of governance of the nation’s fastest growing state. The former banker is one of the hybrids of technocrats and bureaucrats which becoming the new face of political transformation in Nigeria. He brings his private sector perspective into public service. In this interview with Vanguard, Hon. Udom lists the challenges facing the Akpabio administration. Excerpts hat are the problems of the state from your perspective of a private sector person coming into the public service?

The main difference between the public and private sector experience is the same in Nigeria and in other climes. It is not is thick as the Chinese wall. The area of similarity is that they are both focused on service to the people and appropriate allocation and utilization of resources.

In the public service, there is a clear objective; the criteria for measurement of performance and reward are clearly defined.

The private sector insists on getting result. There are clear cut expectations, objectives and unit of measurement of achievement.

But in the public sector that unit of measurement is not clear, you cannot actually measure it. In life you are told that what gets measured gets rewarded. In the

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Private sector you have the Service level Agreement, you have the LSS as units if measurement, in the public service it is not so.

But the principles are the same in terms of service to the people and management of resources to achieve certain result.

They run on the same rules but in different directions, but to achieve one result of the well fare or well-being of the people. The question now is how do you bridge the gap? if at all the gap can be closed. First there are shared values which are like culture, which could be linked to attitude.

The attitude and orientation of the human capital must be changed to embrace the service culture, delivery culture and attitude.

They always say that your attitude will determine your altitude service. This is linked by the attitude of human beings as it is said that your attitude determines your altitude. Except we get the same units of performance measurement in the public sector, you cannot attain the same level of performance, which is what people are talking about.

What would you regard as the critical focus of government in the post Akpabio administration in Akwa Ibom State?

The problem of the state is not peculiar to Nigeria and indeed Africa and that problem is the decay or lack of infrastructure.

These are manifest in areas of dearth in development of human capacity, especially in health and education sectors, as well as de-

The attitude and orientation of the human capital must be changed to embrace the service culture, delivery culture and attitude velopment of physical infrastructure.

The State has been lucky in the last seven years to have the persons of Obong Godswill Obot Akpabio as the governor who has invested so much time and resources into human capacity and infrastructure developments.

These have been seen in the rate of developments in the health and education sectors. Like they say: “a healthy nation is a wealthy nation”.

Similarly, “an educated population is an asset to the nation.”

This administration has taken various actions that have yielded positive results. The administration actually took the bull by the horn in terms of road construction where it has done 1,400 kilometers of roads, including 32 bridges, all handled by Julius Berger.

So, the main challenge facing any incoming administration is on how to sustain the mo-

by Hugo Odiogor, mentum o development of this administration and build on the foundation that has been laid. It has to take decisions on the key focus areas of health, education and infrastructure but in addition to these, it has to focus on industrial development, our goal here is to create an Africa Dubai in Akwa Ibom State. Before now, you could not land in Uyo, but now, we have a functional airport which was started by the previous administration but the first aircraft landed under this administration.

As at today, the Akpabio administration is developing the Maritime sector and the ancillary infrastructure, with the construction of a deep sea port at Ibaka, in partnership with the federal government. Beyond oil and gas, Akwa Ibom is rich in agriculture.

Our farmers here do not require the use of fertilizer before they could be guaranteed of bumper harvest. But we are in the

Oshiomhole is a brand’ Continued from page 44 the transport industry is one of the largest providers of jobs in Edo, as a result of which we will design a peculiar way to address our specific challenge in the state.

Are there major revenue trains that the transport industry generates for government?

Transporters pay a fee to the state government through an agent that goes from one motor park to another, street to street to collect this revenue.

How do you manage the antics of the transport unions, apart from other challenges?

For fear of being misunderstood or getting accused of looking down on the drivers and their unions, it is common in Edo to see a 14-year old boy behind the steering of a passenger bus, without a driver ’s license, and not understanding a jot of the rules that govern driving as well as the highway codes. You also notice that the youngster had used illicit drugs before mounting the driver ’s seat. In this regard, the transport unions have not been co-operative in the effort to check excesses. Getting them to even attend a meeting to discuss issues has also been an uphill task.

Despite the appreciable road network development in Edo State in the last few years, traffic gridlocks still occur. What are you doing about it?

First, in the management of issues that are involved is indiscipline on the part of various com-

muters and pedestrians; we are always in a hurry. For instance, we have installed about 400 bus terminals around the city and it will amaze you that commuters will still decide to wait for buses outside those terminals and the buses themselves have no option than to pick them, so what has happened now is that they are not enjoying the benefit of these beautiful roads. Equally, the drivers are fond of indiscriminate change of lanes on the move, another is the attitude of illegal parking or wrong parking, for instance the traffic laws says don’t park under the traffic light but they still do; also the siting of motor parks around the metropolis and these maks them park anywhere causing lock-ups on the roads.

In that case, how helpful has the uniformed services men been in the control and management of traffic?

The problem I have with that is lack of co-operation among them, you will barely find one agency in the same vehicle with the other or notice them work hand in hand, but I will not fail to say for the FRSC that we have highly managed the level of accidents on our roads.

Recently, we were informed that Edo State was ranked fifth for the worst road accidents throughout the thirty-six states and we believe that was one infamous position for the state to occupy, so I decided that our roads under my tenure will no longer be slaughter grounds. That led us to the

Considering the Federal Government policy on the production of vehicle, we are also bidding to attract vehicle manufacturing companies to the state because of the vast land available and the ready market compulsory vehicle check, where we have our men who stop and inspect the transporters and their vehicles. They worked with a device which they place on the battery of the bus for check and after which the vehicle, if certified will be allowedt to embark on the journey and if the reverse, all passengers will be alerted to alight for safety reasons. But petitions started flying around, so we had to withdraw our men from the roads and streets to let everyone be. For me, I think we have to pay for it now with a little discomfort to ourselves than to have our loved ones missing as a result of accidents. I see vehicles that ply our roads and I wonder if these are vehicles used and abandoned elsewhere, then later brought to Edo State — vehicles without head lamps, side mirrors, etc. We put all the checks in place to actually counter check the transporters in addition to their check mechanism, but this

only lasted for a short while as our people petitioned against the checks.

How about the Okada component of the public transport system?

They are lucky that the executive governor before now has proscribed the use of motor-cycles as a means of commercial transportation in the state. Not too long ago, the governor fulfilled his promises to the former bike riders, where he entered into an agreement with a leasing firm to supply us with 300 brand new Suzuki cars. Now, the former bike owners had to let their bikes off the roads and are now proud owners of brand new Suzuki cars.

Edo, like Ogun and Ondo, is a transit state for people moving to and from other parts of the country. Is there a possibility of leveraging on that peculiar nature to earn more money for the state government? One of the things we are working on now

process of introducing mechanization into agriculture, to boost our output. As we speak today where have completed arrangement for Mr. President to come and perform the ground breaking ceremony of an Ethanol plant worth 41.8 billion. This is a private sector initiative. We need to develop the industrial sector to create jobs for our young people who are ready and willing to work. These are the ways to sustain the good work that the Akpabio administration has done.

Would you say the response of the investors is commensurate with the time and resources so far invested in prospecting them and building infrastructure?

Well as you know, all over the world, investors and investment drive take a process of due checks on the laws, security, business culture and environment. So far, the investors are coming I have just mentioned the ethanol plant, the truth of the matter is that investors are slow in taking investment decisions. This has to go through a process that may take up to five years.

Akwa Ibom Sate is very secure for investors because we have a zero tolerance on crime.

When people from outside the state commit crime, it does not take much time to apprehend them and punish them accordingly. We also believe that if you are going to build something more enduring, it has to take a little long, the existence of these basic infrastructure is critical to any investment drive.

You can see the quality of the roads, schools, the Stadium which is designed like the Allianz stadium in Munich. He governor is building a hospital the will rank among the best in Africa.

So, having laid down the foundation our next task is build Akwa Ibom into an industrial and tourism destination.

is the development of trailer parks. That we are called the Heartbeat of the Nation is because of the centrality of the state.

At the moment I have three designs for trailer parks on my desk, because we noticed that trucks lifting various commodities from the West to Abuja and the North, go through Edo State and most times park. Secondly considering the Federal Government policy on the production of vehicle, we are also bidding to attract vehicle manufacturing companies to the state because of the vast land available and the ready market. Many times I get requests from transport unions to meet private sector operators to enter into partnership with them to supply them cars and buses for them to pay over time and so we believe that we must benefit from the centrality of the state.

You were once on the tourism & culture beat. What is happening to Igue Festival?

The Igue Festival is a brand.

What I think is the problem is that we as a people have failed to recognize the inherent value of the festival; so many of our rich men believe it’s a festival you just come and dance away, but except we see it as a wealth creator and form of tourism development we may never get it right. Besides, it is a sad commentary that the Nigerian tourism master plan does not recognize the tourism of Edo State. When I was on that beat I complained through the Ministry of Agriculture and Tourism that It was wrong that Edo State was not considered as one of the hubs of cultural tourism in Nigeria, because we don’t have waterfront or flowing rivers.

PAGE 46—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014 sameyoboka@yahoo.com

08023145567 (sms only)

Building bridges of religious harmony

By SAM EYOBOKA

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O demonstrate his commitment to national peace and develop ment, it took less that 100 hours to book the appointmentfor the unusual gathering last Saturday of Arewa Community in Delta State who called on the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, to express gratitude for his unshaking resolve to build bridges of unity and pledge their support for current efforts to liberate the nation from the clutches of terrorism.

For several years, long before the American security reports which say that the most populous black nation under the earth may disintegrate by next year, Pastor Oritsejafor, bogged by perceived injustices, inequality among the different ethnic and religious groupings in the country, began a campaign for peaceful co-existence and enthronement of the truth as the only panacea for national development. He was undaunted by criticisms and criss-crossed the nation with the gospel of peace based on truth, praying and hoping that the Nigeria our founding fathers envisaged sprouts from the ashes of self-inflicted security challenges to the shame of certain American prophets of doom.

Last Saturday, the Arewa Community in Delta State, comprising over 33 persons from different parts of northern Nigeria visited Pastor Oritsejafor in his church office in Warri. The leader of the delegation and the Special Adviser to the Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan on Special Duties, Alhaji Auwalu Tukur, told the CAN president that the solidarity visit was in appreciation of his bridge building efforts to unite the country despite the differences in tongues and tribes.

“Most of us here were born here in Delta State and we have no other place we can call home except Delta State.

We appreciate the role you have been playing to resolve the current security challenges in the country and we have come to pledge our support for your efforts and say that we are solidly behind you and the efforts of President Goodluck Jonathan to restore peace to every part of the country,” he said, adding that he originally hail from Kano State, but “I know very little of the ancient city because I have been accepted here.

He recalled how the then PFN president donated relief materials to the Muslim Community who fled Onitsha to find shelter in Asaba in February 2006, when violent retaliation against killings of Christians in religious riots in northern cities of Maiduguri and

Katsina over caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed in a Danish and other European publications. Tukur said the cordial relationship that has existed between the community and the Delta State government and people over the years made them recently to establish a committee in collaboration with security agencies in the state to screen every person coming to the state to declare his/ her intention.

The leader of the Muslim Community in Asaba, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir also expressed gratitude for the relief materials they got in 2006 as well as the peaceful moves the CAN helmsman had been making across the nation, noting that they had been part of all political processes leading to the creation of the state.

Islam abhors killing

Asked by the head of the delegation to espouse the position of the Holy Quran on terrorism, the Chief Imam of Kakaudu Community, Asaba, Alhaji Habib Faruk said the Quran is very clear that nobody has a right to kill any soul.

“Soul here does not just imply human soul but any soul. Because nobody can create any single soul by himself, so nobody is allowed to unlawfully kill any soul. That is for humanity.

“We name our children Issa, (Jesus).

Any Muslim who doesn’t believe in Issa, as one of the foremost messengers of God to this earth, seizes to become a Muslim. You can’t say you accept all tenets of Islam and disagree with Issa.

This simply means that Islam and Christianity go hand in hand. Nobody is allowed to take anybody’s life."

Continuing, he told their host: “Most of us don’t have anywhere else to go.

We are torn between the irony of indigeneship and citizenship. We are in Delta state and we believe in the right of citizenship. We believe we have a right as every other citizen in this country. Delta state is a special place. We wish other states can emulate Delta state. I'm from Niger State. If I go to my own place, they don’t accept me because I did not grow up there. They see me as a stranger. If there’s any benefit I should enjoy as an indigene, I have to start going to another indigene to assist me. All Northerners living outside are torn between this irony of indigeneship and citizenship. That is why we have embraced Delta state the way they embraced us.

“Among all the states in Nigeria, Delta state is the only state that has given three Special Advisers, from South East, South West and the North. We have been telling it to the world; they should emulate Delta State because by so doing, we will be able to enjoy the peace everybody so desires,” he added.

Also speaking, Omachi Attah Igala and Onu *Head of delegation, Alhaji Auwalu Tukur making Igala, Hon. Francis Salifu, who hails from his speech.

L-R: SA to Delta State Governor on Special Duties, Alhaji Auwalu Tukur, Alhaji

Habib Faruk, an unidentified member, CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir during the visit.

Kogi State said: "I'm grateful to God that ernor went public to tell everybody that my brother said that we have put a they have negotiated with the church mechanism that people should not come and the church has agreed to sell the to destroy what we have been enjoy- land; which is not true. ing.

“The governor told everybody that he “Nobody should come here and de- wants to give the church N20 million. stroy the relationship that we have built Is that logical? Is that ethical? Is that over the years. That is why we have right? If you bought a land in 2005 for come to you to help us talk to our gov- N22 million, and in 2014 somebody ernor and our president to carry us along wants to give you N20 million! If you in everything,” he stated. offer them N250 million, it makes a lot of sense. But even then, they have the Northerners should right to say no if they choose to. Till reciprocate today, the governor refused them to build.

Reacting to all the outpouring of love, “Another church in Gusau belonging the CAN president, Pastor Oritsejafor to the Redeemed Christian Church of said he was totally overwhelmed, God, RCCG, was attacked and burnt by stressing that "if my heart is not open, persons yet to be identified. After burnthen I am not fit to preach the gospel. ing it down, members started worshipI'm so glad that some of you were there ping under rain and after some time, when I came to Asaba. I have read some they gathered little money and decided things in the papers where people say to build something. The community I hate Muslims. How can? How can a leaders called them and said they canman who hates Muslims hear that a lot not build. These are the things that are of them crossed the Niger Bridge and I happening. It is not good like that. In left Warri to Asaba, is that out of ha- the same Nigeria where you are a Spetred? How can hatred move somebody cial Adviser to Delta State governor. like that? It takes at least two hours to drive to Asaba from Warri. So I bought Build trust few materials and gave out in Asaba with hatred? It’s not possible! I'm glad “I am asking; there are many Muslim that you are here to testify to it. To me, traditional rulers, Muslim religious that is very important”. scholars, and Muslim politicians there.

For the avoidance of doubt, he told his I have taken time to go to these people visitors that he is very frank and tells to tell them please this thing is not the truth always, saying “that is what good. If we want to make Nigeria great, some people are uncomfortable with. I we must build trust. To build trust, we will tell you the truth as it is. Fortunately must do certain things that will show for me, I am not a politician. I'm not that we love and appreciate each other. vying for any position so I just tell the It is not enough to come out to condemn truth. What we are saying is that just as Boko Haram. Everybody can do that. you have accepted here in Delta State; They must go beyond condemning Boko we want Christians to be accepted in Haram. Boko Haram is an ideology, a Sokoto, Kano, Zamfara and the other radicalization. It is not about poverty. If Northern states." you give every one of them one car each He proceeded to narrate two stories and one house each, it will not change which leave soar taste in the mouth. them. It is the doctrine," he emphasised.

According to him, there is no church in “I don't want people to say that Boko Sokoto that has a C of O. "It’s not good Haram members are not Muslims. We like that! In Zamfara, there is a Win- are not the ones giving Islam a bad ners Chapel in Gusau which bought a name, it is all these people. You have to big land beside from a Muslim for N22 identify them and deal with them. million in 2005. They wanted to build a He then assured the Arewa Communursery, primary and secondary school. nity that he and his fellow Christian Till today as we speak, they are not al- leaders in the state and indeed in the lowed. The government kept giving nation, would continue to restrain excuses. Three weeks ago, the state gov- Christian youth from taking up arms.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 47

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Ungodly sacrifices Why are sacrifices so objectionable to God? Jesus teaches that if something is of men, it cannot be of God. He says to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan!

You are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23). Jesus also says if something is from men, it cannot be from heaven and vice-versa. Accordingly, he asked the Pharisees: “The baptism of Johnwas it from heaven or from men?” (Mark 11:30). Sacrifice is of men; therefore it cannot be of God. Men have always seen sacrifice as the way to worship deities. Primordial man sacrificed.

Idol-worshippers sacrifice.

Devil-worshippers sacrifice. In the bible, men sacrificed even before the Law of Moses. But God has no need for sacrifices.

Hear him: “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens.” (Psalm 50:9).

“Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?”

(Psalm 50:13). Thanks to Jesus, we now know that: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

(John 4:24).

Jesus says: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire

THE SACRIFICE OF FOOLS mercy and not sacrifice.’” (Matthew 9:13). When we follow this injunction, we discover that sacrifice is incompatible with the abundant mercy of God. God does not withhold forgiveness to the penitent, pending the offering of a sacrifice. If he does, the Father of the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable would not have rushed out to embrace his returning errant son. He would have asked him first and foremost: “Where is your sacrifice?” However, instead of requiring the blood of bulls and the fat of rams, it was the Father who killed the fattened calf in celebration of his son’s return.

Inadequate sacrifices God desires love without sacrifice. By its very nature, a sacrifice is hardly ever given whole-heartedly because we are required to sacrifice what we love. However, the love God requires comes “with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind.” (Matthew 22:37). That means it cannot be sacrificial. A sacrifice involves loss. The man who gives sacrificially loses the valuable thing he gives. Therefore, there is often discontentment in sacrifices.

But with love, there is no loss: there is only gain. When we truly love, we don’t give sacrificially; we give wholeheartedly. The man who gives out of love loses nothing. There are no grounds for disgruntlement because he delights to do the

,

OD said to the Israel ites: “What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.”

(Jeremiah 6:20). It is not surprising therefore that Solomon also says: “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.” (Ecclesiastes 5:1). Christians would do well to heed these counsels.

To sacrifice the valuable, Jesus would have had to give up his eternal life in heaven.

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will of God. Accordingly, David acknowledges to God: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire; my ears you have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering you did not require.

Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do your will, O my God, and your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8).

When Jesus told the chief young ruler to go and sell all he has and give the proceeds to the poor as precondition for inheriting the kingdom of God, the man saw the requirement as a sacrifice and refused to fulfil it. But the love God desires is not sacrificial. It is one where we give God everything without batting an eyelid because we are completely overwhelmed by his love. This is why Jesus says: “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33).

Jesus insists on love and not sacrifice. God never takes anything valuable from us. He only insists that we give up rubbish in order to receive the Excellency of all things, which is God

Adeboye urges Christians to pray more

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ENERAL Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has enjoined Christians to pray without ceasing. He made charge at the official dedication of the provincial headquarters of Lagos Province 36 at Ajao Estate in Lagos, reports OLAYINKA LATONA. Speaking on the topic: “Prayers make things happen”, Pastor Adeboye who was accompanied by his wife, Pastor Folu Adeboye, explained that prayer is the only solution to life’s puzzle.

Adeboye told the congregation that there is nothing impossible for God to do as God knows the end from the beginning, praying that the newly dedicated building would serve as a place for miracles and a home of prayer.

In his words: “The truth is that when you pray the way you ought to, God always sends help, either through an angel or human being. It is

only sin that hinders answers to prayers."

Congratulating the Pastor– in-charge of the Province and the congregation for not relenting in their efforts in building the church despite challenges, wife of the General Overseer, Pastor Folu Adeboye said the dedication is scriptural and it is the celebration of the goodness of God. Mummy G.O. said completion of the ultra-modern church is the Lord’s doing and a major landmark in the church. She therefore en-

joined the worshippers to remain steadfast and have unwavering faith in God notwithstanding challenges or obstacles.

The host minister, Pastor Tunde Netufo appreciated God for the completion and official dedication of the ultra modern auditorium despite challenges that confronted them during the construction stage. Netufo also called on parents to inspire their children by devoting time, money and other resources to give them quality education and sound moral upbringing.

himself. Just listen to Jesus: “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46). Buying this precious pearl does not involve any sacrifice.

Bloody sacrifices Sacrifices are evil and unjust.

Jesus says: “If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.” (Matthew 12:7).

With every blood-sacrifice, the innocent is killed. Such injustice contravenes the mercy of God. Therefore God says: “Whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a man, and whoever offers a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig's blood.” (Isaiah 66:3).

The kingdoms of men are built on the injustice of sacrifices. We build kingdoms on the blood of others. We sacrifice slaves; we sacrifice blacks; we sacrifice minorities; we sacrifice the poor; we sacrifice women; we sacrifice the underprivileged. Therefore, God who is love cannot be part of any sacrificial system, including the one allegedly ascribed to Jesus. But God is at the centre of every truly loving system.

False religion justifies violence as sacrifice. But true religion exposes this as decep-

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BUJA - FOLLOWING increasing rate of homicide across the country, women under the aegis of Mothers' Union Anglican Communion have said that as much as the primary responsibility of a mother is child upbringing, it takes prayer for the purpose of God to manifest in a child's life, reports CALEB ANYANSINA. Vice president of the Mothers' Union/Women's Guide, Cathedral Archdeaconry, Mrs Josephine Adekola stated this at the sideline of the third Archdeaconry Women's Conference of the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Angli-

Apostolic Faith calls for prayer, godly living

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ISTRICT Superin tendent, West and Central Africa, Apostolic Faith Church, Rev. Adebayo Adeniran has described sincere prayer and Godly living as veritable ingredients to tackle the current security challenges confronting the nation, reports

OLAYINKA LATONA. Rev Adeniran made the statement while addressing journalists recently at the church district headquarters, Anthony Village, Lagos to herald the 2014 edition of the church annual convention titled: “The power of Holy worship” scheduled for Sunday

August 3 to August 24 at the church convention ground at Igbesa, Ogun State.

The cleric decried the frightening level of ungodliness among individual citizens of the nation which, he noted, has opened way to the corruption and other social vices ravaging the country.

tion. Sacrificial systems are founded on violence and killings. Once sacrifice is falsely construed as a basic requirement of faith, cruelty is the answer. Sacrifice often entails the shedding of blood. In the bible, the children of Israel sacrificed their neighbours, sacrificed their prophets, sacrificed their children and they sacrificed Jesus, their Saviour. Leviticus depicts a bizarre society that regarded the spilling of blood as a means of maintaining an ungodly religious civilisation.

Hatred of life Jesus sacrificed nothing by allowing himself to be killed.

On the contrary, he traded the futility of this world for the glory of the Father. That is the antithesis of a sacrifice. Jesus said to his disciples on his departure: “If you loved me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father.’” (John 14:28). Where then is the sacrifice?

Jesus teaches that: “The man who loves his life will lose it.”

(John 12:25). Accordingly, Jesus himself hated his life on earth. If he had lived to a ripe old age, that would have been a sacrifice for him. But he died young; ensuring that he went back quickly to the Father he loves. That is not a sacrifice. A man who gives up what he hates does not make a sacrifice.

A man who hates his life cannot sacrifice his life.

Jesus says: “Love one another as I have loved you.

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.” (John 15:1213). Jesus is not asking us to sacrifice here: he is asking us to love. A sacrifice implies the loss of something valuable; but life in this world is disposable.

To sacrifice the valuable, Jesus would have had to give up his eternal life in heaven.

Insecurity: Anglican women seek divine intervention can Diocese of Abuja, in Life Camp, Gwarinpa, Abuja.

Recently, there were several cases of incest and sons killing their fathers, widely reported by the media, signifying great decline in moral upbringing in the society. Fielding questions from journalists on whether it has to do with their upbringing, Adekola noted that although mother takes a larger part of child's upbringing, it goes beyond physical efforts of parents to reshape a child. "Child upbringing is an assignment that should be taken up both physically and spiritually. Some parents put in their best but the children still turn out the way they are. No doubt, the mothers have a big role to play when it comes to children upbringing, we still need to pray while we play our part for God to perfect His will in their lives," she said.

PAGE 48—SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505 ByPRISCA SAM DURU DRAMA

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•A scene from the drama performance

The Seige... theatrical narrative of Soyinka’s philosophy of the country you shouldn’t vie for a position. We are very tribal people, individuals look at tribe first before the country. That is one of the lessons we want people to take home from 'The Seige'. Always allow room for the other side because that other side has a belief that is as valid as yours."

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eminiscences on the dark chapter of the deeds of colonial masters during the scramble for and partition of Africa is not in anyway, meant to revisit old wounds as that became history with attainment of independence. But then, owing to the fact that almost every African country is bedeviled with civil war and or terrorism as well as bad leadership with most ‘ rulers’, hanging unto power, it becomes imperative that for Africa to deal with the challenges, its root or foundation must be revisited.

Perhaps, this is why Sam Omatseye’s play, ‘The Siege’ is set to premiere by 5pm on the 24th of July at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos. The play directed by veteran stage producer and director, Wole Oguntokun which also, celebrates Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka @ 80, will be speaking to Sudan where it is set as well as Nigeria to see if the two countries and indeed others in the continent will learn from their past and make amends.

The Seige tells the real story of Charles Gordon, a Briton who was in the British Army in charge of Khartoum, Sudan in the 19th century. He was asked to leave Sudan by his government which felt it couldn’t hold Khartoum anymore.

Gordon refused because he thought he could hold it for his country.

Unfortunately, he met a man who was as zealous and as strong as himself in the person of Mahdi who fought to hold his country back from the British.

Speaking ahead of the premiere, the writer and executive producer, Sam Omatseye explained that he chose to celebrate Soyinka with ‘The Seige’ because, “To me, Soyinka has really been an iconic figure since my teenage years. He has inspired me in many ways that I can really articulate, not only in his politics, but in his human right struggles, battle for democracy and African dignity. He has also shown to be, even in the literary world, a man of great courage in the experimentation in the use of language and exploration of very didactic themes of our contemporary Nigeria, Africa and even the world. Therefore, I saw that there was no way I could pay a personal tribute to this avatar of literature in my own small way than dedicate this play to him at this special occasion.”

“I am using both white actors –they are from England –and Nigerian actors.” he Director Wole Oguntokun, who has been promoting the theatre business through his Renegade Theartre, for a decade, disclosed that the “Play is based on an original happening.” “ It's about the siege the Mahdi laid on Khartoun with Gordon inside Sudan’s city which led to his (Gordon's) death. Its about people who hold and believe in their own ideologies.

The two men fundamentally, believed in the course they fought. The writer was probably telling people to sometimes, look at both sides of an altercation. For instance, Because I’m a christian, muslim cannot have a view point, its dangerous. Also, Muslim cannot try to impose sharia on Christians. In any situation where two sides are fighting, each must try to look at where the other is coming from.” Oguntokun said.

According to him, “Elections are coming and people tend to feel that because you come from a particular side

as a belief does not lead to killing people then let them be. That’s how best to celebrate Soyinka who strongly believes in freedom.”

The Seige is an epic play that takes a serous look at bigotry and exposes it for what it is. The premiere parades 16 star actors both local and foreign.

To me, Soyinka has really been an iconic figure since my teenage years. He has inspired me in many ways that I can really articulate, not only in his politics, but also in his human rights struggles, battle for democracy and African dignity

The play he said, also “celebrates Soyinka who is a foremost proponent of live and let live. Its not that we must stage one of his plays to celebrate him but this is like showcasing his philosophy. As long

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One of the white actors from UK, Sam Quinn (playing the role of Charles Gordon), said “Good to be back in Nigeria. Colonialism is not something am proud of as an English person. It’s a dark chapter when you consider what

happened to local people. A difficult role to play being the bad guy. Both key players were very religious and strongly believed that God was on there side. The role is challenging because I’m not a christian. and even the manner of lines are unique as well. Its poetic, an epic play, it’s a play that everybody should see and appreciate.

Unfortunately, infrastructure for theatre is not very strong for the country, if I have a venue paid for, I will allow it show for like 4 or 5months. It speaks to society and the situation on ground.

It is an epic play that takes a serous look at bigotry and exposes it for what it is.

The premiere parades 16 star actors both local and foreign.

One of the white actors from UK, Sam Quinn (playing the role of Charles Gordon), said “Good to be back in Nigeria.

NICO trains cultural workers for productivity

By CALEB AYANSINA CULTURE

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he National Institute for Cul tural Orientation have organised training exercise for cultural officials of the Ministry of Tourism Culture and National Orientation to repositioning them for improved productivity. The five days training workshop for some selected 40 staff of the ministry is part of the mandates establishing NICO. Declaring the workshop open, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke regretted that the civil servants have not been delivering the key services in every sector because of inadequate training.

“Civil servants have not been properly positioned, given the necessary capacity to deliver services. All our staff will be given some level of training.

“What we are witnessing today, the

training of 40 cultural officers of level 7 to 10 is the beginning of series of training programmes that we will undertake in the next few weeks and months to come,” Duke said.

Represented by a Director in the Ministry, Dr. Ochapa Ogenyi, the minister further stated that the training will continue in the ministry until all the staff have some level of capacity to discharge the duties of their offices.

Duke said “this training is very strategic following the rebasing of the Nigerian economy, the culture and tourism industry is playing a prominent role in its contribution to our GDP. He also noted that Nigeria is trying to move away from an oil dominated sector to a non-oil driven sector, adding that “there is a challenge to diversify and culture and tourism is a very important exchange earner.”

The minister further said that the

training would lay a very strong foundation for the trainees to know their duties, grow the economy and implement the tourism master plan, urging the participants not to see the training as a welfare package, but a means to acquire knowledge.

I

n his welcome remarks, the Ex ecutive Secretary of NICO, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma said that the institute had been mandated to organize the workshop, adding that the last exercise was very rewarding.

He also regretted that some workers at the workshop were after the financial benefits of the training, stressing that “training of this nature is more of knowledge than financial benefits.”Ayakoroma therefore assured the Minister that the quality of the training workshop will improve by the day.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014—PAGE 49 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505

Kongi @ 80

Jazz raises quality of life — Oti Bazunu

The Global Citizen from Ijegba....

USINESSMAN and jazz aficionado Oti Bazunu lives life on his own B terms; and when in 2010 he decided to begin the November annual music festival that has come to be known as the Lagos Jazz Series, the terms of engage-

By BANKOLE OLAYEBI TRIBUTE

ment, apparently, were designed to be as lofty as his lifestyle.

While previously, Nigerian jazz connoisseurs have had to travel to Paris, London and New York to enjoy live jazz performances, the Jazz Series now affords the opportunity to enjoy in the commercial hub of Lagos, music of artistes such as two-time Grammy Award winner Marcus Miller, Hugh Masekela and Bob James; alongside locals Bez, Cobhams and Seun Kuti. In this interview Bazunu talks about the philosophy behind the festival and the upcoming Media Series.

T

*Oti Bazunu

Harlem. when the Abyssinian Baptist folks in New York said they would put an all star band together for us I thought was a

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here are a few jazz fes tivals springing up in the wake of yours now. Why, all of a sudden?

We are glad that Jazz is coming back alive in Nigeria. When we first started in 2010 the country was completely silent as far as jazz is concerned. The folks at Calabar, Bayelsa, Lagos Jazz. For us it keeps the music alive.

I’ve heard about you talking about raising the standard of living of Lagosians; I did wonder, how does jazz do that?

Music first of all tends to waken people up. There are all kinds of sayings about music taking the blues away from you and what not. Our aim was to cool Lagosians down a little bit.

We thought that outdoor music as we had at Muri Okunola park, as we also did at Federal Palace- it tends to cool the tempo. That is the idea- that once we are relaxed a bit from the stress we are back to being highly productive as we should be.

What makes Lagos Jazz series different from the rest?

We are an outdoor music festival, primarily. We fuse international artistes and home grown artistes together in one harmonious music festival. We do these things just a tad different from what this town has known before.

What could have prepared you for all of this?

Exposure, travel, civilization.

I’ve been halfway around the world and seen what civilized people do. when you have come to see things differently from what you know before you hold on to what is of core value to you and therefore you are a much better person so you want to give back- to people who do not know any better or who haven’t had the opportunity to be as exposed as you are. You can’t really arrive- if there is any such thing as arrive, because I don’t want to arrivewithout giving back.

Tell us a bit more about this August event It’s our way of keeping Lagos Jazz series, the annual festival, in the minds of the people before the main festival in November. We call it the Media Series.

This one is cosier. Interestingly so because the artiste we are bringing in is coming in from

Over this number of years that’s what our criterion is.

You once spoke of bringing Victor Olaiya.

We are very much embedded in the local homegrown music scene. There are some prolific musicians. We have introduced highlife. Last year we had Orlando Julius. In continuing with that tradition, we have done interaction with folks like Burma Boy, Nice, MI, even the likes of Tiwa Savage.

We’ve fused them in. let’s see where it takes us to?

How do you pay for all of this?

A lot of my own personal monies have gone into it, many sponsors over the years but we are

We are an outdoor music festival.

Primarily we fuse international artistes and home grown artistes together in one harmonious music festival

good thing and that quintet that they put together for us has Grammy award winners, drummers, Alicia Miles Olatuja, an American vocalist married to a Nigerian bassist. She was performing at Obama’s inauguration. When you have this kind of talent put together for you to perform in a cozy environmentthat is magic.

Ola Onabule is not very well known here, as opposed to people like Hugh Masekela…

There’s a whole lot of range of artistes that we haven’t touched yet but there are those that I call gems. Ola Onabule has not been here before but he’s a very, very accomplished musician, a master of his own art. I think he’s going to be a surprise. In fact he was interviewed by CNN who said of him as being one of “music’s best kept secrets”.

What are your own criteria?

Accomplishment. Their contribution to the art of music.

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treading a path that is not usual to them but however, we appreciate them. We’re happy, we’re glad. We are hanging in there.

Last year cost over a million dollars! It’s not about that, it’s about giving back to Lagos in the way we see it, which is music.

H

ave you had infrastructural challenges?

It’s a bit shameful that we don’t have proper musical entertainment venues in this town so we all end up in convention centres.

They are not acoustically correct.

With the rebasing and what not as the world is looking to Nigeria we need to begin to step up to the plate as they say. in my mind’s eye I see a full scale entertainment centre with proper musical hall where international artistes can come or we can get to hear our own artistes the way we have never heard them before in a hall that holds 10,000 people.

kinwande Oluwole ‘Wole’ Soyinka was born on 13 July in Ake, Abeokuta, present day Ogun State. His father was headmaster of an Anglican primary school, and his mother, whom he nicknamed ‘Wild Christian’, was a shop owner and trader. In 1981, Soyinka published Ake, a memoir about his youth, described in the New York Times as ‘a classic of childhood memoirs wherever and whenever produced’.

After studying Greek, English and History at Ibadan University College in Nigeria from 1952 to 1954, Wole travelled to England to study English Literature at Leeds University.

In 1960, he returned to Nigeria to research West African drama, and wrote and directed dramatic sketches critical of the government.

Four years later, he again ran foul of the government.

After being accused of holding up a radio station to prevent the broadcasting of false election results, he was arrested. A protest over his imprisonment was organised by an international group of writers, including Norman Mailer and William Styron. He was acquitted after a court trial.

In 1967, at the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War, Soyinka was accused of helping rebels in the breakaway Republic of Biafra buy jet fighters. He was arrested but never formally charged and spent most of the next 27 months in solitary confinement.

During his imprisonment, he surreptitiously wrote on cigarette packets, toilet paper and between the lines of books he secretly managed to acquire. Many of those scribbling were later compiled in his 1972 book, The Man Died : The Prison Notes of Soyinka. In Octo-

•Prof W o l e Soyinka o n ‘Okada’

*Prof. Wole Soyinka

ber 1969, he was released from prison and became chair of the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan.

In 1975, he returned to Nigeria and the following year became a professor of English at the University of Ife and also served as a visiting professor at numerous universities, including Harvard, Yale, Cornell

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By MORENIKE TAIRE INTERVIEW

A

The Swedish Academy described Soyinka as one of the finest poetical playwrights that have written in English

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and Cambridge.

In 1986, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, the first African to be so honoured.

The Swedish Academy described him as ‘one of the finest poetical playwrights that have written in English’.

Between 1993 and 1998 Soyinka was again forced into exile as a result of his opposition to a military dictatorship and its brutalities. He has since assumed a position as Professor Emeritus at Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, but still teaches in Universities in Europe and the USA. Bankole Olayebi, CEO BookCraft Publishing( Soyinka’s Nigeria Publisher).

Page 50, SUNDAY Vanguard, July 20, 2014,

Terrorism: For effective and integrated information management VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Inside the National Information Centre

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HERE was confusion in most newsrooms in the country on May 12.

Boko Haram had released a video. Leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau spoke in the video, indicating the interest of the group to exchange the school girls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State on April 14 for Boko Haram operatives detained by government.

For newspapers, the news was not the video. By the following day when the newspapers would be on the street, the story would be stale.

The newspapers wanted to know whether government was going to negotiate with the group.

Unfortunately, there were discordant voices coming from top government officials. In fact, government’s stand on the matter was confusing.

A top ranking minister conceded that the government was ready to negotiate with Boko Haram.

Another minister rejected the idea of negotiation with the group.

From the legislative arm of government, a respected leader of the National Assembly ruled out the possibility of negotiation with the

VIEWPOINT

BY ROTIMI LADEGA

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Questions over a cement firm’s asset acquisition

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AFARGE’S recent Annual General Meeting in Lagos at which it secured approval for its proposals, in what it termed, its new vision, approved by shareholders, indeed leaves much to be desired. This is more so in an era in which the global business community is not only preaching, but also enthroning corporate governance principles. If it were a Nigerian business , one would shrug it off, but not a multi- national with interests in the leading economies.

This short piece should not be seen as an indictment but a call to more transparency and disclosures in the running of businesses to engender the confidence of investors.

Before the AGM, a lot of issues, some of which have been subject of discussions in the corporate arena, have dogged the company, not only in Nigeria, but also in its

VIEWPOINT

BY MARY OYIBOCHSAGBAJOHROTIMI LADEGA

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

An agenda for a new minister

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T is a thing of joy for the Urhobo, the Niger Delta and Nigeria when the new Minister of Niger Delta Region, Dr Stephen Oru, assumed duty recently as Minister of the Ministry of Niger Delta. The Urhobo are especially happy because their kinsmen has been appointed to oversee a ministry in which they are stakeholders. In his speech after his inauguration, Oru vowed to consolidate on the achievements of his predecessors, adding that after inheriting failed contracts on East-West Road, there is nothing to do but to channels all funds to paying con-

The National Information Centre is an inter agency briefing team where agencies with anything to do with the war on terrorism are represented

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The National Information Centre is an inter agency briefing team where agencies with anything to do with the war on terrorism are represented.

Agencies in the Centre include the Defence Headquarters, represented by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade; the Nigeria Police, represented by the Police Pub-

lic Relations Officer, ACP Frank Mbah; and the Department of State Security Service, represented by Deputy Director, Public Relations, Marylyn Ogar.

Other institutions represented there are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Information and the Presidency. Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri, was saddled with the responsibility of coordinating and hosting the Centre.

The operations of the Centre revolve around the regular briefing of the press and a question and answer session where the press ask any question bordering on security and the on-going war on terrorism in different parts of the country.

Before the briefing, however, the agencies meet to harmonise all information they have before articulating a position presented by the Director General of NOA. At the question and answer session, any member of the panel could tackle questions.

This shows how democratic the Centre is run even though the members seek continuously to speak with one voice no matter the pressure from journalists.

The first task that faced the information centre was to resolve the cacophony of government voices that preceded the inauguration of the Centre.

Within the first days in the life of the Centre, many newsmen, local and foreign, besieged the

Centre and most of them wanted to know if government was negotiating with Boko Haram group.

Omeri said all options were on the table as efforts were on, on several fronts to secure the freedom of the Chibok girls.

The National Information Centre has since established itself as an Integrated Clearing House for authentic information on the war against terrorism. This explains why newsmen representing all sorts of media organisations throng the Centre for daily update on the war against terrorism.

Indeed, the establishment of the Centre shows that the Federal Government appreciates the importance of effective and timely management of information in the war against terrorism.

It shows that the Federal Government recognises the importance of getting civilian support through efficient dissemination of information as an important aspect of winning the war on terrorism as a restive and insecure populace only condemns the government for perceived inaction to protect the lives and property of the citizenry.

A parallel can be drawn here from the United States of America. The United States failed to win the war at Vietnam because of lack of support at home. The people were not properly informed even though the war was extensively covered by the media.

On the supply side, the United

Issues Lafarge has not resolved subsidiaries elsewhere.

One of the issues that Lafarge has failed to address, or explain to its shareholders, in addition to the most recent regarding cement quality, dates back to 2001, or thereabouts. It is on its resolve, which it may have now achieved through its AGM last week, to foist on its Nigerian minority shareholders, an overvalued asset.

The asset, or plant, is based in its South African Holding. It was first advertised for sale in 2001 for $800 million. Ordinarily, that transaction ought to have been a foregone conclusion. Curiously, 13 years after, the same equipment, having failed to find buyers in the international market, is now offered for acquisition by its Nigerian subsidiary, Lafarge WAPCO Plc. The issue at stake is not the object of the sale. Any company can decide to dispose-off its assets as it deems fit, but the curious part of the transaction that intrigues the

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BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

terror group.

Given this confusion, a newspaper declared the following day – Chibok girls: FG’s position on negotiation unclear.

To avoid this kind of confusion, the Federal Government acted quickly by establishing the National Information Centre to manage information on Nigeria’s war on terrorism especially given the offer of assistance by several countries.

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VIEWPOINT

Curiously, 13 years after, the same equipment, having failed to find buyers in the international market, is now offered for acquisition by its Nigerian subsidiary, Lafarge WAPCO Plc

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Nigerian minority shareholders, and for which many of them are up-in-arms, is why the equipment should cost $400million more than its estimated price more than a decade ago?

“Lafarge should , at least explain

to the Nigerian shareholders why it could not dispose-off the equipment since 2001, and why the equipment has been revalued to above $1.3billion after so many years of usage, or being idle,” queried a shareholder.

He said the deal, which has been concretised, leaves shareholders with what one of them termed, “an excess luggage,” given that the full value of the equipment, its bloated price notwithstanding, must be borne by all shareholders.

The concern of the Nigerian shareholders, who obviously are weighing the impact of the transaction on their ROI (Return On Investment), calls for redress. As they rightly observed, this move by Lafarge would have taken a large chunk of money out of its Nigerian shareholders, by grossly overestimating the value of the assets.

In addition, the return on the assets would be much lower than the Nigerian shareholders are enjoying currently. From their own cal-

States failed at the Bay of Pigs invasion on April 17, 1961for lack of real time information. This led President John F. Kennedy to establish the Situation Room in 1961. The Situation Room which exists till today enables the White House to manage intelligence properly.

Given its success within a relative short time, the National Information Centre has attracted commendation from high quarters.

One of such commendations came from the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh. During the visit by Omeri to present the Centenary Flag to the military helmsman, Badeh commended the team running the National Information Centre.

It is important that Omeri and his team should not see the success of the National Information Centre as an opportunity to turn the centre into propaganda machinery for the government.

Perhaps, what the government or the NOA should do is to properly equip the Centre to serve as a resource centre for proper gathering and monitoring of information, management of sensitive information, as well as real time dissemination of information to all interested parties.

A section of the Centre could be equipped as a Resource Centre for journalists who patronise the Centre. culation, the projected revenue from this line of investment would not exceed $493million. Overall, the Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA), will come up to about 22.6 per cent, while Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) margin will average 18.2 per cent.

One cannot therefore blame the indigenous investors for kicking, for they would eventually end up paying an inflated price for the assets which, eventually, will result in much lower yield than they are currently enjoying.

With its new size and market capitalisation of about $3billion (about N568billion), the new company, Lafarge Africa Plc to be listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange soon, such a firm, with its international status, would be expected to address the issues so far raised so that it can be properly admitted into the circle of global corporate governance players and assuage the feelings of its Nigerian minority shareholders.

•Ladega is a financial consultant.

Steve Oru and the challenges of Niger Delta tractors to make sure all important roads that lead to the heart of the Niger Delta are completed.

Oru, who vowed to dedicate his time to the realization of developing the region in the time of President Goodluck Jonathan by concentrating on the projects he met on ground, described his appointment as a “Test Case” to prove his worth over the years of his commitment and support for the Jonathan administration as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Director in Delta State and PDP Chairman in the SouthSouth. While his statement is a welcome development, he should be reminded that past leaders of the Ministry who were found wanting made similar promises. His

name will go into the golden book of Niger Delta history if he excels in his new adventure.

The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs was set up four years ago by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua with the mandate to coordinate efforts at ensuring infrastructural development, environment protection, youth empowerment and creation of peace in the once-restive region. Investigation however revealed that despite the huge amounts pumped into the Ministry, no meaningful development has been achieved in the region.

Significantly, the East–West Road, traversing the Niger Delta region, and into the southern states of the country as a putative Trunk “A” federal road, has re-

mained in a terrible state.

This is to remind the new Minister of the Niger Delta about the Herculean task ahead of assuring the people of the region that he will perform to their expectation.

Being an Urhobo indigene and aware of the Urhobo cry to Jonathan of marginalization, the ball is in his court to make the President believe that the Urhobo whom had been neglected for long are good managers, achievers and performers if given the opportunity to work.

He should perform creditably well so as to make the President proud of having achieved his aim of developing his region.

It is cheering news that Oru, while addressing the press after his

swearing-in ceremony, affirmed that the challenges facing Niger Delta region were still there for him to address, maintaining that peace in the Niger Delta was germane to national development.

Be that as it may, the Minister, being an indigene of Niger Delta and the Urhobo nation, saddled with the responsible of producing onshore oil and gas knows where the shoe pinches, is expected to work extremely hard to ameliorate the pains and suffering of the people of Niger Delta.

*Oyibochs-Agbajoh, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, is based in Abuja

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014,

I

N a tribute he wrote to the Punch family in 1984 when the founding Chairman of The Punch, Olu Aboderin, passed on, the immortal Obafemi Awolowo wrote : “Those who mourn and shed tears for his transition should stop doing so and instead, think of the survival of the monument-The Punch-which he had laboured for years to build. It is that monument that will immortalize his name.”

Ajibola Ogunshola, foremost actuary, Baaroyin of Ibadan, younger brother of Olu Aboderin, took Awo’s counsel to heart. Unknown to him, his brother’s death would dramatically alter the course of his life.

First, he was appointed a member of the Board of Directors of The Punch that year and, three years later, its Chairman.

The Punch of 1984 was a newspaper gasping for breath in the intensive care unit: salaries and allowances were owed employees for months; it was a period when the newspaper simply couldn’t afford the cost of buying newsprint, the main raw material for the production of a newspaper; not unexpectedly, the company couldn’t meet its obligations to its contractors. As Ogunshola himself, confessed in an interview, there was an occasion when he had to hide under a table to avoid the wrath of a rampaging contractor.

As would be expected in such trying situations, the newspaper lost its quality staff to rival publications.

That was the scenario in 1987 when Ogunshola arrived the then Onipetesi headquarters of the “lively paper for lively minds”.

VIEWPOINT

BY TONY NWANKWO

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

A marginalized Abam, in Abia State, requires its own local government

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BAM deserves a local gov ernment. With 22 villages and other settlements of hardworking, resourceful and highly enterprising people, the area is unceremoniously tucked into Arochukwu Local Government Area, Abia State, where they have been marginalised since 1989. Located in fertile lands of Abia North, following the dissolution of the old Ohafia/ Arochukwu LGA these villages which constitute a unit of a single ancestry have found themselves lumped with Arochukwu and some others. Legends are replete with collective social and conflict resolving relationships of the Aro and Abam people, but times have changed. And Abam is highly diminished by the current arrangement.

The location of the Local Government headquarters was designed to shortchange Abam.

You require a minimum of N5,000 for transport, if you have a day’s transaction at the headquarters, even for a normal identification form, compulsory for children at school.

Since the creation of the LGA, there has been no meaningful de-

A toast to Punch’s inspirational leader As the story went, Ogunshola had no doubt about the enormity of the task ahead. He called a meeting of the staff and advised them not to be too hopeful of the arrears of salaries and allowances the company was owing them; but thence forth, they should be assured that they would be getting their salaries and allowances as and when due.

But he told them they would have to earn their pay.

Load-shedding, downsizing, retrenchment, etc, didn’t start today.

Ogunshola had interrogated the meaning of those words at The Punch in the middle and late 80s.

Hurricane Ogunshola, after a system analysis, sent to the labour market, employees whom he felt would not fit into his new vision of The Punch.

To him, it did not matter whether your surname was Aboderin, Alatede, Are, Osinubi or Ogunshola.

If you were not pulling your weight, if you couldn’t differentiate between the past tense and the past perfect tense, Ogunshola’s axe would cut you down.

The result is the excellent newspapers The Punch group has become today.

But Ogunshola would be the first to say he performed no magic at The Punch, rather attributing the success of the paper to hard work and the countless meetings he held with the staff.

The truth is that, Ogunshola, whose first degree is in Mathematics, brought The Punch back from the brink.

And that is the reason I am paying this tribute to Ogunshola who joined the septuagenarian club.

And also, perhaps, unknowingly, and uncharacteristically, the man had paid me perhaps a glowing tribute: “Anyway, you are an editor, who never allowed the posi-

The truth is that, Ogunshola, whose first degree is in Mathematics, brought The Punch back from the brink

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tion of editor to get to your head.”

As a former Editor of The Punch, indeed, the longest serving editor of the 38-year-old daily newspaper, I worked closely with Ogunshola and so can confidently say a few things about him.

An avid reader of newspapers and a lover of good writing, Ogunshola was a regular reader of my Saturday column in the defunct AM newspaper and so, had asked the Managing Director to invite me.

After listening to Ademola Osinubi’s sales pitch with the opening statement: “Let me sell The punch to you…”

I was sold. But friends and colleagues warned me against joining The Punch. According to them, Ogunshola was a difficult man who fires employees at the flimsiest of excuses.

I followed my heart, joined The Punch as its Features Editor and became editor of the daily paper nine months later.

In the course of my duties as editor and later Deputy Editor-inChief, and because I had to act whenever the MD was on vacation, I interacted with Ogunshola, strictly on an employer-employee basis.

When I was appointed editor and I met Ogunshola, I wanted to know why he had to remove my predecessor. With a wry smile playing around his lips, his response was a curt “business decision”.

That is the quintessential Ajibola Ogunshola. He doesn’t entertain emotion in business.

There were times I wondered why Ogunshola didn’t fire me. I am positive that I came close to the exit door many times.

When I asked a colleague who can second guess Ogunshola, his answer was illuminating: “Africa (that is the name we call Ogunshola behind his back) doesn’t like you, but he likes your job.”

That was comforting for me.

At many of our meetings, Ogunshola and I would disagree and argue about the desirability of still keeping some staff on the payroll. As their editor, I would stress the need for me to determine their usefulness.

At one of our meetings, Ogunshola, always worried about the bottom line and always eager to impress the shareholders by giving them robust dividends, complained bitterly that we were getting late to the market. If the trend continued, he threatened to remove me as editor and appoint a new editor.

As quietly as I could muster, I told him I got home every midnight and so would be glad if he carried out his threat.

After the meeting, the MD, ever calm Osinubi came to calm me down, and as his wont, told me: “Gbemiga, Sa ma wo ntie.” I won’t translate that.

When Ogunshola calls me on phone and addresses me by my first name, that means I could breathe easy. But when I pick the phone and he says “Mr. Editor”,

that was a sign that there was fire on the mountain.

A newspaper administrator par excellence, his colleagues recognized this attribute and elected him President of the NPAN in 2007.

But Ogunshola’s first attempt at leading the body was in 2001.

The unwritten rule of the association was that whichever newspaper was hosting the election of the association would produce the President.

So, naturally, Ogunshola felt a sense of entitlement. But his colleagues in the association who were uncomfortable with his selfconfidence and intimidating intellect, which could easily be mistaken for arrogance conspired and ensured that he lost the election.

Ogunshola was, to put it mildly, devastated. The Punch family was inconsolable. One of my colleagues in management actually wept.

I was indifferent.

While they were gathered at the Chairman’s room in the NICON Hilton hotel mourning the loss, I was in the bar, nursing a cold bottle of beer.

I reasoned: Ogunshola, a silver spoon kid, probably tasted disappointment for the first time in his life. The Invite, inviting guests to the celebration marking his 70th birthday, has these words: “We respectfully request that you send no material or financial gifts.”

That is vintage Ajibola Ogunshola!

He needn’t have bothered. What do you give a man who has everything?

Chairman! Enjoy your day!

•OGUNLEYE can be reached via gbemiga@yahoo.com

ABIA: Local Government Council for Abam velopment to the Abam people.

Idima Abam, for instance, can be said to the institutional headquarters of Abam, in terms of population, social and political activity, yet the community is bereft of any development.

The subsistence farmers still ply their trade the method their forefathers did. No all-season road leads into or from the community.

Three years back, hope was raised by the government of Chief T.A. Orji, to rehabilitate the 5-kilometre road that leads to the community from Bende. An overused caterpillar was mobilised by whoever was the contractor to site. Barely a kilometre of earth excavation, the machinery went kaput. A saddened community waited anxiously hoping the equipment would be repaired or replaced.

They were wrong. One morning the people woke up to discover the equipment had been towed away.

It has not returned. The section of the road the caterpillar worked on remain disused and dangerous even to human traffic. It was even touted that the state government had gazetted the road as completed, a monumental fraud if it were so gazetted. Even the NDDC touted intervention seems an exercise in futility.

Aside the roads, bridges that traverse the community were built

before the Biafra war, including that of Igwu River with its precolonial history. The collapse of the bridge some years back restricts movement of people to farmlands and to neighbouring communities. Pushed to the wall, the Ugbogu and Biakpan Age Grade now contemplate the project to celebrate their Igboto Mma. A challenge to the authorities if it weren’t so weird.

Idima is not alone. At Ndi Ebe Abam, a bridge linking the community caved in under the weight of a truck ferrying gravel for a building construction. As you read this, all vehicles and motorcycles that were in the community are locked in and those outside cannot enter. All traffic terminate at the little stream where the truck and gravel remain buried.

On the other side of Abam, a repair work on a mere 6-kilometre road from Ozu Abam to Ndi Oji Abam which links other Abam villages within the vicinity seems an unending construction project.

Every December, you see construction workers doing something, with dilapidated equipments hanging loosely from abandoned construction sites The Ndi Oji road project seems an unending experimental programme. The dishonest claim by

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TRIBUTE IN BRIEF Celebrating the former Chairman of a notable newspaper

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VIEWPOINT

BY GBEMIGA OGUNLEYE

Page 51

Pushed to the wall, the Ugbogu and Biakpan Age Grade now contemplate the project to celebrate their Igboto Mma. A challenge to the authorities if it weren’t so weird.

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governments in the past that road constructions cannot be undertaken during rainy season has fallen in the face of its proponents.

Today, we know better.

An investigation showed that at the last assessment, no less than an alleged 80% of capital projects for Arochukwu council ended up within the Aro area and Abam contributes less than alleged 12% of the executive workforce in the council. And Abam had not been sitting on their rights, since they earlier provided the basic requirements put forward by the authorities for the creation of their own local government. But both financial and documentary evidence

for the purpose seem buried in some archives in Umuahia.

Politicians will soon come to solicit for votes, and they will engage shameless traditional rulers, some who are experts in organising court cases, who become fronts for charge-and-bail lawyers to further rip off their abused and impoverished people. Town unions seem helpless with these local champions. It is the corruption of the Abam traditional rulership that will kill Abam.

They desecrate the traditional institution.

They cheat, they lie even to constituted authorities, they adjudicate in falsehood and they are never genuinely pursuing developmental projects since this could distance them from the crumbs they steal from their people.

But these are the lands that produced Nigeria’s heroes like the late Chief S.N. Okpi, former politician and chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, and the late Chief Chijioke Agbagwe, the Ojemba of NTA fame. We remember these two today, hoping their memories could touch the hearts of the men in authority in Arochukwu and in Umuahia to help the people.

*Nwankwo writes from Lagos.

PAGE 52—SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

Defying time and space with love

By Yetunde Arebi

M

aintaining an emo tional relationship generally with a loved one is no piecemeal. It comes with it turns and hurdles. The hurdles and turns are peculiar if you are in a long distance relationship and it might not always be the most comforting or convenient romantic relationship. And even though we all know that absence or this time around, distance makes the heart grow fonder, don't forget also that out of sight could be out of mind. However, since the debate on which of the two positions is true remains inconclusive, our best bet would be to hold on to what you have, knowing that no relationship can thrive on auto drive anyway. We need to work at it as well as stay focussed and patient. I have gathered a few tips that might be of help if you are planning on starting a long distance relationship or have found yourself in one without a choice.

Communication Just as with every relationship, communication is very important. It is even more pertinently so in a long distance relationship because of the physical disconnection. It is important to establish and maintain an emotional connection between you and your partner. Though it might not always feel convenient, but try not to let yourselves slack as it is important to keep each other up-todate when you're not involved in the day-to-day of each other's lives.

You must endeavour to communicate in some way every day, more than once if possible. Preferably morning and night. They don't have to be long or in-depth discussions since you both have your personal lives and schedules.

Try to know and work around each other's schedules, especially if one is busier than the other. If you are the busy one, warn your partner that you may have limited time, and try to send at least a

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quick email or text, or a share a brief phone call. When your partner contacts you, reply as promptly as you can. If your partner isn't replying, wait patiently and understand that your partner may be busy at that moment. With such busy lives and so many obligations pulling at you from all different directions, it's easy to neglect communicating in a long distance relationship. So, be careful.

The Internet When you're in a long-distance, lack of communication can prey on insecurities, especially for the woman. Long calls can be quite tasking on the budget especially trunk calls across countries and

umentation and your budget, there is need for you to make the time to see each other. No relationship can thrive on phone calls and text messages alone, you need to see each other in person at every opportunity. So, try to schedule regular visits if possible, otherwise, make plans for the next visit as soon as each one ends, it makes the separation much easier to deal with.

Because time together is scarce, when you do see each other, take as much advantage as possible of your ability to be intimate with each other. Prioritize the time you have together by doing those things you don't have the privi-

When you're in a long-distance, lack of communication can prey on insecurities, especially for the woman continents. Using other modes of communication will keep you and your partner close without you having to break the bank.

Luckily, the world has not only become a global village, it is also reachable at the touch of a button. Take advantage of the internet and various social networking platforms which are accessible at next to no cost at all. Participate in an online community or project. Subscribe to on-line video charts so you can see each other even if you can't be in each other's arms. In addition, you can both learn to do the same things as the same time, such as watch a Television, see a movie, read an e-book, or even play a game together, all on the internet. Flexibility is important if you wish to make a long distance relationship work.

Visiting Depending on the distance, doc-

lege of when you are apart. You may also break the routine by planning to meet outside of your stations by choosing places new to both of you. It's important to make this visits even, to avoid a disgruntled other-half. According to Debra Berndt, author of Let Love In, "Make sure that each person takes a turn visiting the other's city. This way no one feels as though they are doing all the travelling, thus making all the effort in the relationship."

There is no doubt that one partner might be less busier than the other, the busier partner must try not to take things for granted though.

Support Even though you have this huge distance between you and your partner, you still have to be there to support them, especially if they are ever in trouble, hurt or generally distressed. Ensure you

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DISCLAIMER! Dear readers, please note that we neither operate, nor are we an affiliate of any match–making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with any one claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk. Our mission is only to provide a platform for social networking.

Also note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests which may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore request that text must be sent through at least one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to enable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You can send your requests to 33055. For enquiries, text or call 08026651636

are available to them so they can reach you if they need you. Remember, everyone needs a shoulder to lean on and who better than a partner you are in an emotional relationship with. Sometimes, just a word of advice, motivation or encouragement is all the support that's needed to get them moving along. Never forget that the boring parts of life are also a normal part of relationships, so, never feel ashamed, angry or embarrassed when these come up. You will need to support and encourage each other in terms of your goals and aspirations as well. Assist each other in overcoming your doubts, fears and uncertainties as well as explore scary and difficult subjects along with the good ones. As the saying goes, "two thinking heads are better than one". Bear in mind that if your partner ends up dealing with everything alone, they will eventually not need you. So sometimes, it's important that you be present physically.

Forget me not Keep little keepsakes of each other so that you will always feel connected to your partner. A keepsake is anything kept or given to be kept as a token of friendship or affection; in remembrance of a person, place or event. Remember the song, "Something to remember me by",

by Shallamar? When you give your partner a personal object of yours, when they miss you, they will be able to hold on to something that you gave them or once belonged to you. This will indirectly provide comfort, and the thought of being with you. A friend told me she loves to add at least an item given by her lover to her dressing for support, when she goes for important functions. You may also leave something personal to you behind at his place when you go visiting.

Ladies are really fond of this. For many of us, it's a way of placing our stamps or declaring territorial boundaries. If this is too brazen and you wish to be more classy, stick to one good perfume and make it your signature perfume.

With time, the smell of you will be all over his place, especially in his bed, so that you are the last thing on his senses when he falls asleep.

Know what you have Though this might sound a little

bit mercenary, but if you are in a long distance relationship, it might be just appropriate if the two of you are on the same page as early on in the relationship as possible. You need to know and understand what you are doing together to avoid wasting time, energy and emotions. Ask the important questions right away to make sure you are both clear on the nature of the relationship.

Naming your relationship (dating, seeing each other, boyfriendgirlfriend, engaged) as well as defining exclusivity (limited to one person, or both of you are free to date others) can be difficult and awkward questions to ask, but knowing will save you great heartache and misunderstanding down the line. Stating your end goals and expectations will allow you both to work together to build the relationship you want.

Fights Try as much as possible to Keep your anger in check. Long distance relationships are already difficult because you are emotionally attached to a person you cannot touch or comfort. If you have negative thoughts or feelings that are not true, you may begin to doubt your love feelings for your partner. Fights over the phone may also aggravate these doubts further. Going to bed with anger or anxiety is bad enough even when you are sleeping on the same bed, not to now mention when you are thousands of miles apart. Please try to keep off topic such as politics, economy, religion and anything that can spark off an argument. Avoid texts that can be misinterpreted and avoid typo errors and abbreviations that you are not sure your partner understands. Better safe than sorry, they say.

Always remember, every kind of relationship takes hard work and dedication to your loved one or partner, whether it's long distance or proximal. Above all, do have reasonable expectations and avoid listening to haters who will fuel your doubts. Everyone has a unique experience of life and their doubts do not dictate your future. Do have a lovely Sunday!

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SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 53

WORLD CUP ROUND UP

Lahm stuns Germans with resignation G

ERMANY captain Philipp Lahm stunned his homeland when he quit international football at the age of 30, five days after leading his side to World Cup victory in Brazil. Many German fans inclduing Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted with disbelief on Twitter given Lahm’s relatively young age to quit the international scene. Germany’s dominant perfor-mance in Brazil, including a 7-1 thrashing of the hosts in the semi-finals, also suggested an assault on Euro 2016 glory was well within their and Lahm’s reach.

Lahm, who started his Germany career in February 2004, was one of the top players in Brazil as he effortlessly switched between midfield and right back. He barely made a mistake all month and was among the nominees for the player of the tournament award.

The Bayern captain has enjoyed a stellar career having also led his club side to a Champions

League, Bundesliga and German Cup treble in 2013. Another member of the German World Cup-winning team who could hang up his international boots is 36-year-old striker Miroslav Klose.

Niersbach had indicated in Rio de Janeiro that he would be willing to allow Klose to have a farewell appearance on home soil if the Lazio man decided to quit and the same offer is highly likely to be made to Lahm.

“During last season I made a decision to end my international career after the World Cup,” Lahm wrote in an open letter on the German soccer federation website.

“I shared my decision with Germany coach Joachim Loew at breakfast on Monday. I am happy and thankful that the end of my national team career coincided with winning the World Cup in Brazil.

“I have been on holiday for the past three days and here have had the quiet and time to mentally

Lahm of honour... Germany captain Philip Lahm won the world cup and quit when the ovation is loudest. come to terms with the end of my national team career. A heartfelt thank you for a wonderful time.”

Messi remains best player in the world W

HEN Argentina were awarded a free-kick in the final minutes of the World Cup final against Germany, it seemed that the resulting shot would not only decide the destination of the trophy, but the legacy of Lionel Messi.

If he scored, and Argentina went on to win, it would have made it very hard to argue against him as the best player of all time. If he missed, he would have failed to deliver on the biggest stage of all.

Despite being an almighty distance out, and facing the world’s best goalkeeper in Manuel Neuer, that was the narrative – one kick to define an already historic career.

As it was, Messi missed, and the ball soared high into the stands behind Neuer’s goal.

Germany went on to lift the World Cup, but to the surprise of many, the Argentina captain was still named player of the tournament as the winner of the Golden Ball.

The award was voted for by FIFA’s Technical Committee this year, rather than the media, and they chose Messi ahead of the likes of Neuer, James Rodriguez, Thomas Muller, and Arjen Robben.

All of those players had excellent tournaments, as did numerous other members of the German side, but those saying that Messi didn’t deserve it are

•World Cup Hangover... Lionel Messi being somewhat harsh. While no one would argue that we saw Messi at his best in Brazil, or even close to it, Argentina would almost certainly have failed to reach the final without him.

Argentina’s squad featured a number of excellent attacking options other than Messi in Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, and Angel Di Maria. However, Higuain struggled to make an impact on the tournament, Sergio Aguero wasn’t fully fit, and Di Maria missed the semi-final and final with a thigh injury.

Even with all of that, and Argentina’s questionable defence and lack of creativity, Messi still carried his nation to the final.

There were concerns over his fitness as well – he looked sluggish at times in Brazil, and the 27-yearold’s father said that he was “ex-

hausted” ahead of the game against Germany, which makes his displays all the more impressive.

Despite not being at his optimal level, Messi still created more chances throughout the tournament than any other player, completed the most take-ons (at an astonishing rate of 6.57 per game), and played the highest number of successful passes of any forward.

He scored four goals in Argentina’s group games, when his side often struggled to play with rhythm or fluidity. The first against Bosnia-Herzegovina was a brilliant solo goal to secure three points for the South American side.

Lahm’s decision came as a shock to German soccer federation (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach. “Philipp called me this morning and personally told me the news,” Niersbach said.

“Very quickly into the conversation I realized that it was futile to try to change his mind.

“He was not only an outstanding player in his 10 years with the national team but always a perfect role model. I thanked him for all that he has done for the DFB.” Lahm, who picked up the last of his 113 caps in the 1-0 World Cup final victory over Argentina last Sunday, will continue playing for club side Bayern Munich.

“There is hardly a better farewell than to be a world champion at the peak of your career,” Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said of Lahm’s retirement on the club website (www.fcbayern.de).

“But for the national team, it will not be easy to replace Lahm as a player, captain and a man.”

Despite the old adage saying you should always go out on top, Bayern acknowledged on their website that Lahm’s decision had taken them by surprise.

Van Persie’s diving header now work of art

R

OBIN van Persie’s World Cup wondergoal has been immortalised in Brazilian graffiti art.

The image of the flying Dutchman has become one of the most iconic from the whole tournament.

Now it has been recreated for the ages in street art form.

And not only has it turned

Sun Pg 53

18/07/2014

heads it has caught the attention of the man himself.

“I’m very honoured with this art piece in Brazil,” he posted on Twitter. “Proud to be decorating a wall in Rio. Compliments to the artist!!”

RVP is currently away holidaying in Barbados ahead of returning to Manchester United pre-season training in the coming weeks.

Brazil have fallen behind — Neymar

B

RAZIL star Neymar said his country need to wake up, if they want to catch up with the likes Germany and Spain.

Last summer the Selecao defeated Spain 3-0 in the Confederations Cup and were the favourites heading into the World Cup, but they were humiliated in the semi-finals in a 7-1 loss to Germany after failing to hugely impress throughout the tournament.

Neymar, 22, was out injured for the semi-final defeat to Joachim Low’s men, and the subsequent third-place play-off drubbing at the hands of Netherlands, but was one the bright sparks of Brazil’s campaign. And the Barcelona forward has criticised the way that Brazilian clubs approach match practice and says they have a lot of catching up to do if they want to nurture more players on par with teams across the Atlantic Ocean.

“Every training session in Europe is taken seriously,” he told Rede Globo. “In Brazil it’s different. You train more, but sometimes you train with less determination. Brazilians are like that.”

“I think Brazilian football is behind. It’s behind Germany and Spain. We have fallen behind and we have to man up and admit that.”

Neymar remains a major doubt to be fit in time to start the 201415 La Liga season with Barca due to the back injury sustained against Colombia in the World Cup quarter-finals, but he will return to Spain in August.

PAGE 54, SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014

2015 Nations Cup: Qualification battle begins

Gritty... Football action between Adama Tamboura of Mali and Tokelo Rantie of South Africa during the 2013 African Cup of Nations Quarter Final 2 match between South Afica and Mali.

A

FTER the the hos tilities of the Brazil 2014 World Cup, African nations have returned to the turf to battle for qualification ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted by Morocco.

Fourteen teams will play over two-legged ties to fill the remaining seven places in the group stage. Some of the matches decided yesterday include Sierra Leone who went into their second-round match against Seychelles on the heels of a suspension slammed on 15 of their players for match-fixing. Two of the suspened group were in the national team.

Botswana also saw action at home against Guinea-Bissau in Gaborone. Botswana are another team with controversy hanging over them - Fifa has threatened to ban them because of tournaments being held in the country that football’s world governing body believes are not under control of the Botswana football association.

They have been given until 22 September to comply with Fifa’s directives. In Saturday’s other fixture Uganda took on Mauritania , who lost in the previous round but were reinstated after Equatorial Guinea were

disqualified for fielding an ineligible player in the tie. Today, Lesotho

and Kenya meet in the first of the day’s matches. Kenya must do with-

out several first-choice players who have been refused permission to

play because the game falls outside Fifa’s international match calendar.

Among them is Norway-based goalkeeper Arnold Origi and France-based captain Denis Oliech.

But Victor Wanyama has been given permission by English Premier League side Southampton to play in Maseru.

Reserve keeper Jeremy Onyango believes Kenya “only need to believe in ourselves and we will do well in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers”.

Tanzania host Mozambique in Dar-es-Salaam also on Sunday. They hope they can take advantage of new Dutch coach Mart Nooij’s experience of four years in charge of Mozambique from 2007 to 2011.

Nooij told BBC Sport: “I know Mozambique rather well, I built their team myself, practically.

I know the players and I will tell the Tanzania players where we can strike them and how to beat them.

“At the back we can be very safe - that is one of our characteristics. we have four defenders and a goalkeeper that can save us. And up front we have some killers.

“We must get the ball up front so our attackers

Commonwealth Games: Virus wrecking games village traced S

COTTISH govern ment officials have insisted that the source of the suspected norovirus outbreak which has hit the Commonwealth Games’ Village has been traced.

There have been 32 suspected cases of the sickness and diarrhoea bug among workers at the Athletes’ Village in Glasgow although no athletes or team officials have been affected.

Scottish First Minist e r, A l ex S a l m o n d Salmond said they are confident the source of the outbreak has been identified with just five days to go before the Games start.

It has been traced to a temporary facility that was in use during construction work in the security area. “ We ’ r e c o n f i d e n t we’ve identified the cause of the outbreak, a temporary facility which was not as it should be,” said Salmond. We’ve taken

the measures necessary.

We’ve got a ter rific health service and they are on the job. “We are confident that we’re getting to grips with the cause. We will see more cases but it will tail off over the next few days.”

Norovirus is the most common stomach bug in the United Kingdom, affecting between 600,000 and one million people of all ages every year.

The Athletes’ Village is said to be “operating as normal” but infection control measures have been put in place.

The 700-house Dalmarnock facility was officially opened last Sunday and will host 4,500 competitors and another 2,300 support staff during the Games.

Salmond said the Games will be within the budget of 576 million

Bolt to run only relays W ORLD record holder Usain Bolt who is the Jamiacan team to the Commonwealth Games starting Wednesday in Glasgow has indicated that he could run only in the relays. Bolt and Shelly-Ann FraserPryce were included Jamaica’s 68-strong athletics squad even as they missed the Jamaican trials.

Both missed last weekend’s Jamaican championships, the selection

meeting for the Commonwealth Games, after requesting medical exemptions.

Under the rules of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), top ranked athletes who request medical exemption from the trials can be included in the squad, but must prove their fitness before the Games start.

Fraser-Pryce had a string of poor results before submitting her med-

pounds($982.5m), plus 90 million pounds ($153.5m) for security.

He also announced a 3.5million pounds ($5.9m) investment from the special reserve fund to increase transport services. The Games run from July 23 to August 3. Photo saved as Tosin Oke Jumpster... Tosin Oke is in Scotland to defend his 2010 triple jump gold

ical certificate, but Bolt, who had earlier indicated along with training partner Yohan Blake that they were not interested in racing in Glasgow, had a change of heart last week and signalled his readiness to compete at the Games.

However Bolt, the world record holder in the 100m and 200m, had said he didn’t want to take a spot in an individual race from an athlete who earned selection at the trials.

can score.” Tanzania have been boosted by the availability of star front men Mbwana Samata and Thomas Ulimwengu, who were freed by Democratic Republic of Congo outfit TP Mazembe.

Malawi have axed fullback and captain Moses Chavula and must do without injured midfielder Robert Ng’ambi when they meet Benin in Cotonou.

Coach Young Chimodzi has also handed late call-ups to three local players to help ease the absence of defender Limbikani Mzava and striker Gabadihno Mhango, who have not been released by their South African club side Bloemfontein Celtic.

Striker Atusaye Nyondo has also been ruled out because his travel documents are with the South Africa department of Home Affairs pending processing of a work permit.

Benin will again rely heavily on West Bromwich Albion midfielder Stephane Sessegnon scorer of three goals in the second-round triumph over Sao Tome e Principe.

Rwanda, who shocked Libya in the last round, visit Congo-Brazzaville.

Police find missing Cameroon wrestler

O

NE of the two members of the Cameroon Commonwealth Games team who went missing from Aberdeen has been traced - in London.

Police Scotland says that, while one of the wrestlers is known to be “safe and well”, “enquiries are continuing to locate the other athlete.”

The wrestlers, aged 26 and 31, were reported missing from their base near Aberdeen Sports Village on Wednesday.

Cameroon’s 47-strong team started their pregames training there last week.

The Commonwealth Games begin in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Seven members of the Cameroon team for the London Olympics disappeared while in Britain in August 2012, while the nation’s football squad arrived a day late for this summer ’s World Cup in Brazil following a bonus payment dispute.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 20, 2014, PAGE 55

Barker backs Keshi for Bafana Bafana job A

S South Africans await a new coach for the Bafana Bafana, a former player of the national team Steve Barker stated that Africa Nations Cup winning coach, Stephen Keshi fits the bill.

Barker a former midfielder and now coach of University of Pretoria said Keshi’s pedigree makes him stand out amongst those who have been shortlisted for the job. South Africa Football Association is set to name a new coach on Saturday.

“Stephen Keshi is African, he understands African football. He has won the African Cup of Nations. He is familiar with the thinking and the background of African teams,” said Barker.

Keshi confirmed that he has held talks with South Africans. He stated that he was looking for fresher chal-

lenges and only a better offer could make him stay with the Super Eagles.

The front runner for the job, Carlos Queiroz seem to have ruled himself out.

Iranian media suggested that he was on the verge of signing a new contract with the Iranian Football Federation (IFF).

While much of the attention this week was focused on Queiroz and Keshi’s every move, South African under-20 coach Shakes Mashaba publicly expressed his desire to be given the chance to lead the senior side.

“If the nation wants me to go there (to Bafana), I can’t say no,” Mashaba said this week.

“For now I’m not going to say much on this matter.

Let’s wait for the announcement.”

Y

Omeruo gets Mourinho’s nod for Boro extension

C

HELSEA coach, Jose Mourinho has given Kenneth Omeruo the go-ahead to extend his loan spell with Middlesbrough as the Super Eagles fast rising defender is not in his plans for the new season.

This is just as Queen Park Rangers and Hull City offer Omeruo another option of where to play his football in the Premier League.

Mourinho has already told his close friend Aitor Karanka that he would like Omeruo to play for Boro in the Championship.

“My time at Middlesbrough was one of the best experiences I’ve had in football and I enjoyed every moment of my time at the club,” he said.

“The Boro fans are

amazing and I was impressed with the support they showed the team every week.

“I would like to return to Boro on loan but it’s not in my hands.”

QPR’s interest in the defender could cool should they complete a deal for Cardiff defender Steven Caulker.

THAT’S MY COACH... Super Eagles defender, Kenneth Omeruo shares a moment with coach Stephen Keshi. Will he stay with the Eagles or join Bafana Bafana?

Dunga is top choice for Scolari’s replacement

F

ORMER World Cup winning captain Dunga is the favorite on a short list of candidates to coach Brazil’s national soccer team, two sources with direct knowledge of the situation said on Friday.

Dunga, whose real name is Carlos Bledorn Verri, previously coached Brazil from 2006

to 2010, where he won the 2007 Copa America and the 2009 Confederations Cup. He was fired by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) after losing to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup. One source, who declined to be identified since the process is un-

Newcastle fans die in doomed Malaysia airliner WO football fans on at the Westpac Stadium in travelling to the game with T their way to watch the capital. John Alder, another 28-year-old fan, Newcastle United’s pre- known to fans as John ‘The Liam Sweeney.

C M Y K

season tour of New Zealand were on doomed flight MH17.

Dedicated fans Liam Sweeney and John Alder, from Newcastle, were travelling via Malaysia to watch their beloved team abroad, the Newcastle Chronicle reports.

The Magpies are due to take on on Australian ALeague sides Sydney FC in and Wellington Phoenix

Undertaker’, is believed to be in his 60s, and was wellknown among Toon fans as he always wore a suit to the game.

He is said to have only ever missed one game since 1973 and travels to every away match.

He has been to America, Thailand and New Zealand to watch his beloved team.

It is understood John was

Toure vows to honour City contract

Floral tributes to John Alder and Liam Sweeney laid at the Sir Bobby Robson statue St James Park Before the flight John had made his way from Amsterdam before boarding the flight destined for Kuala Lumpur.

Tributes have began to pour in for the former BT worker, who was also known for his mullet-style haircut.

derway, said Dunga has a good relationship with Gilmar Rinaldi, who was named on Thursday as general manager for Brazil’s national teams.

Both players were part of the 1994 World Cup winning team.

The CBF and Dunga, 50, began talks early this week, a second source said.

“He is the front runner in the list and things are moving forward satisfactorily,” a second source told Reuters.

“There were important meetings that took place in São Paulo, and Gilmar is fine-tuning details already.” A new coach to replace Luiz Felipe Scolari is expected to be named next Tuesday.

Scolari, who guided Brazil to their fifth World Cup title in 2002, resigned as coach after the 2014 tournament where the hosts entered as hot favorites but finished fourth.

They were also humiliated by eventual cham-

pions Germany 7-1 in the semi-finals and then lost the third-place playoff 30 to the Netherlands.

Both sources dismissed recent local media reports that Tite, who led Corinthians to the World Club Championship in 2012, and Sao Paulo manager Muricy Ramalho were front runners for the job.

Oh my world... Felipe Scolari bemoaning his fate after Brazil was outclassed at the world cup.

AYA Toure has vowed to remain at Manchester City as he asked for an end to a summer of speculation largely begun by his own agent.

Toureandhisrepresentative Dimitri Seluk spoke to Sky Sports News on Friday to confirm the Ivory Coast international’s intention to honour his contract - which runs until 2017 - at the Etihad Stadium.

“The fans have always been good to me, they’ve always been good to my family,” Toure said. “I want to stay. I will always honour my contract. I don’t think aboutallthisspeculation.It’s a big pleasure to stay and enjoy the next season.”

Toure’s agent Seluk sparked speculation about hisfuturejustdaysafterCity lifted the Barclays Premier Leaguetitle-claimingToure was hurt by the club’s failure to mark his birthday despite a video on the club’s website showing Toure being presented with a birthdaycake.Furtherstoriesfollowed as Seluk claimed his clienthadbeenshownalack of respect by City, and he wasstronglylinkedwithParis St Germain before, in recent days, rivals Manchester United emerged as another possible destination.

But Toure described the speculation as “disappointing” as he said he owed a debt to City fans.

“Everything is fine now,” he said. “There was a lot of speculation, you know. I think sometimes it’s quite disappointing. I need to do something for the fans, it’s important to let them know.

They’ve done a lot for me.

The team is preparing well and we will try to win again next season.”

Real remain world richest club continued from B/P 55 glish giants Manchester United are ranked at three at $2.81 billion despite their miserable season.

The only other football club in the top 10 are German champions Bayern Munich whose current value of $1.85 billion is good enough for seventh spot.

Forbes top 10: 1. Real Madrid $3.44 billion, 2. Barcelona $3.2 billion, 3. Manchester United $2.81 billion, 4. New York Yankees $2.5 billion, 5. Dallas Cowboys $2.3 billion, 6. Los Angeles Dodgers $2.0 billion, 7. Bayern Munich $1.85 billion, 8.

New England Patriots $1.8 billion, 9. Washington Redskins $1.7 billion, 10. New York Giants $1.55 billion.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 20, 2014

Real remain world richest club S PAIN may have been embarrassing ly dethroned as World Cup holders, but Real Madrid and Barcelona are still champions at making money after they were named as the world’s two richest sports franchises. Jose Mourinho’s exclusive World Cup analysis For the second successive year, Forbes business magazine tagged Europe-

an champions Real Madrid, where Cristiano Ronaldo plays, as the number one sports team with a value of $3.44 billion. Barcelona, the home of Lionel Messi, Neymar and now the notorious Luis Suarez, are second in the chart with a current value of $3.2 billion, while En-

continues on page 55

Maigari’s NFF board: ‘Not yet uhuru’

BY BEN EFE

W

ORLD soccer governing body, FIFA might have saved the Aminu Maigari led board from the dustbin of infamy, but the power brokers who wanted to force a change are back to drawing board to reconstruct how to ouster Maigari and his co travelers.

A top sports ministry source disclosed that the forth coming NFF elections could the trump card that will be used by the group who felt that the individuals running Nigeria football presently have outlived their usefulness. Also it was gathered that the Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo is studying the situation, most especially the ‘probe me if you can’ message sent to the government by the NFF board members after their meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

“We can say that it is not yet Uhuru for the Aminu Maigari board. I doubt if key officials of the NFF will get government backing if they so desire to run for re-election.

“The Sports minister has noted their wish to be probed. Most definitely the books of the NFF will be opened and Nigerians will be informed of what has transpired,” said the sports ministry official yesterday.

FIFA lifted the suspension on Nigeria after a Jos court order restraining the NFF board was vacated. But it is now a question of when the elections that will determine the fate of the board will be held. It was previously slated for August 26.

Meanwhile former NSC top shot and FIFA executive committee member, Amos Adamu has unwrapped the scenarios that led to the banning and unbanning of Nigeria by FIFA. He also warned that football officials should learn to abide by the rules to avoid such embarrassing moments in the future.

“I had read about the NFF being dragged to court. And soon after, I got a call from the sports minister inviting me to come over.

“I made the minister understand that FIFA will not tolerate football matters being in court and so, the suit will have to be vacated and he agreed. I immediately called the CAF president (Issa Hayatou), and explained to him and also asked him to plead on Nigeria’s behalf. He agreed but warned that the case must be withdrawn from the court.

“When we learnt that the courts in Nigeria were on strike, I pleaded with the FIFA president to extend the deadline, which he graciously agreed to.”

HOT CONTEST... Super Eagles duo Ogenyi Onazi and Peter Osaze Odemwingie sandwich Marcos Rojo of Argentina during their group game at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Argentina won 3-2. The NFF is ready to face probe for all its world cup financial dealings.

Ideye revels in Brom’s N2.7b deal S

UPER Eagles striker at the Africa Cup of Nations 2013, Brown Ideye cannot contain his joy after fulfilling his dream of moving to main stream football in England with West Brom.

Brom, a club that had featured Nigerian players like Nwankwo Kanu, Peter Osaze Odemwingie and Victor Anichebe presently, signed Ideye on Friday in a record £10m (about N2.7b). He has been handed the No.9 shirt. Ideye who was dropped from the

•Brown Ideye

2014 World Cup in Brazil by coach Stephen Keshi had been playing in war-torn Ukraine where he scored 33 goals in 74 games for Dynamo Kyiv.

Ideye started his career with Ocean Boys of Yenegoa, Bayelsa. He also played in France with Sochaux and Neuchâtel

Xamax of Switzerland.

“West Bromwich Albion! my heart, my body my soul. EPL here I come, thanks to everyone who made this possible.I have been waiting for this moment all my life, to be at this club and play in England,” he said. I think this is a great op-

portunity for me to prove myself and do my best for the team.” Ideye told wba.co.u Technical director Terry Burton added: “When I arrived at Albin the recruitment departmnt flagged Brown up as the man at the top of their wish list.”

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1.Nobel-winning Archbishop (7-4) 5.Sailor (3) 7.Consumed (5) 8.Domesticates (5) 9.Ovum (3) 10.Electricity counting gadgets (6) 13.Highlander (4) 15.Poem (3) 17.One that contests (9) 20.Nigerian tribe (5) 22.Cereal (5) 24.Demoted (9) 27.Pig’s pen (3) 29.No one (4) 30.Sulks (6) 33.Away (3) 35.Presses (5) 36.Till (5) 37. Swine (3) 38. “The Man Who Saw Tomorrow” (11)

DOWN 1.Sleeping vision (5) 2.Possessor (5) 3.Tax (4) 4.Depressing (9) 5.Argentinian dance (5) 6.Wash lightly (5) 11.Greek letter (3) 12.Distress call (1-1-1) 14.English boy’s name (5) 16.Obstacle (3) 17.Bovine animal (3) 18.Mindfulness (9) 19.Alarm (5) 21.Help (3) 23.Village house (3) 25.Gnome (3) 26.Vast age (3) 27.Condescend (5) 28.Youthful (5) 31.Circular (5) 32.Trades (5) 34.Old Russian King (4)

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