Jonathan courts Obasanjo for 2015

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61951

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

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N150

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

14 President orders immediate Bankers action to end ASUU strike commit N18bn P.8

fraud — NDIC

Jonathan courts Obasanjo for 2015

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH & HENRY UMORU

•Reaches out to Ahmadu Ali, Middle Belt •He is wasting his time — Northern elders •PDP NEC meets tomorrow

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BUJA—TROU BLED by the crises his party and the emergence of more political parties, President Goodluck Jonathan has entreated former President Olusegun Obasanjo to throw his weight behind him to surmount the opposition to his re-election in 2015.

Vanguard learnt that Jonathan has also sought

Continues on Page 5

COLUMNISTS:

ROTIMI FASAN •P.19 OGAGA •P.19 IFOWODO DEAR BUNMI •P.34

Mr & Mrs

ECONOMIC TEAM MEETS—From left: Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Chairman StanbicIBTC Bank, Mr Atedo Peterside; Director-General, Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE, Mr Benjamin Dikki; Chairman, Forte Oil, Mr Femi Otedola and President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote at a meeting of the Economic Management Team with President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, in Abuja. STATE HOUSE PHOTO.

Gunmen kill 3 policemen, raid station in Kaduna

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2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 — 3

4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013—5

POCKET CARTOON

COMMISSIONING—Vice President Namadi Sambo, flanked by the Police Affairs Minister, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (right) and the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar (left) as he cuts the tape to commission the Force CID building complex at Area 10, Garki, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Jonathan courts Obasanjo for 2015 Continues from Page 1 the forgiveness of Obasanjo over unbridled attacks unleashed on him by some of his aides in recent times.

This came as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has scheduled a National Executive Committee (NEC)

meeting tomorrow where issues like recent registration of opposition parties, reconciliation efforts, Anambra, South-West crisis and ratification of convention date are expected to top the agenda.

It was gathered that Jonathan met privately

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

There is nothing training cannot do. Nothing is above its reach. It can turn bad morals to good morals; it can destroy bad principles and re-create good ones; it can lift men to angelship. It can turn the tide and turn all things around.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

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F something in your life is making you unhappy, whether it’s the amount of money you earn or a person you work with, set new goals for yourself, not the other person...with creative imagination you can live the wish fulfilled — Harold Klemp There are many choices to happiness; perhaps, the first one is the road of pleasure. When you follow it, you maximize the nice things in your life while minimizing the painful things. Even though every wisdom points out that pain cannot be eliminated from life and that pleasure is always temporary, millions choose this path. In the end, it is actually a source of pain. Even if your fix is a new car or a sugary dessert instead of hard drugs, the brain becomes used to its old fixes, requiring larger and larger doses to get even a fraction of the old high.

Deepak Chopra, surmises in his writings that there is a path to happiness called the path of wisdom, and I like to call it applied common sense in everyday living. In terms of happiness, following the path of wisdom, include choices, values and beliefs that actually succeed in making us happy.

If children can be guided from an early age, they can be taught to make such choices.

From experience and observation, children who are thought to respect the right and property of others become refined in character which leads to an enhanced added value that influences a higher altitude in life.

with Obasanjo and solicited his assistance towards dislodging mounting opposition, particularly from the North, towards his reelection.

Competent presidential sources said that Jonathan initiated the meeting with Obasanjo following the withdrawal of the former president from the administration as a result of some irreconcilable differences.

The meeting was also said to have been necessitated by the complaints of five PDP governors against President Jonathan and the PDP leadership to Obasanjo and their claim that the nation and the party were adrift and needed urgent rescue.

The five governors were said to have given some stringent conditions under which they would back Jonathan, a move that was said to have jolted Jonathan and Obasanjo.

An impeccable source said that Jonathan, who felt slighted by the action of the five governors and worried that they could also sway their support to the opposition, appealed to Obasanjo to use his fatherly disposition to call the ‘rebel’ governors to order so as not to rob him of victory in the next election.

Rebuilding of PDP Jonathan reportedly

begged Obasanjo to ‘come back’ and help rebuild the party so that it would not be disgraced by the rampaging opposition.

The source said that at the meeting, Obasanjo drew the attention of the President to the spate of attacks unleashed by his aides on him despite the fact that he facilitated his emergence as President and asked him to call his aides to order.

The former ruler was said to have, however, accepted Jonathan’s plea to step into the political imbroglio and bail him out.

According to findings

by Vanguard, it was after the meeting with Jonathan that Obasanjo invited the five Northern governors to meet with him at the Presidential Villa to ‘sort out areas of disaffection’ with the President.

Although Jonathan was not directly involved in the meeting that stretched for two days and ended in a deadlock, he nonetheless, provided the platform for his mentor to gauge the feelings of the five governors and their Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi.

Findings also showed that apart from meeting the aggrieved governors of the party at the Villa, Obasanjo also advised President Jonathan to take urgent steps to meet with former leaders of the party, one of them Dr. Ahmadu Ali, who was the chairman of the PDP under Obasanjo.

The former President also asked Jonathan to reach out to influential leaders from the Middle Belt to speak out against the clamour by the North to clinch the Presidency in 2015, a suggestion that the President bought into.

Reaching out to Middle Belt “It is true that the President also met privately with Ahmadu Ali in his house in Abuja a few days ago and pleaded with him not to stand aloof while the party was boiling,” a source close to the meeting of the two men said.

“You can also see that many Middle Belt leaders, who have been tapped by the President to help him secure a second term ticket, have been taking turns in the media to castigate the core North of being hasty in taking another

shot at the Presidency.

“The other day it was Ameh Ebute and today you may have seen the interview by General Lawrence Onoja arguing that it was not time for the North to take over power.”

But the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) said yesterday that it was aware of the recruitment of some Middle Belt leaders to speak against the core North so as to prevent them from clinching the Presidency in 2015.

A waste of time — Northern Elders Secretary General of the NEF, Prof Ango Abdullahi, noted the resort by the Presidency to cheap tactics to divide the North for selfish political gains ahead of the 2015 election.

The former ABU ViceChancellor said, however, that the plot by the Presidency against the North will fail, as the tactics being employed do not add up.

“I can tell you that those Middle Belt voices speaking against the North know their limitation and that what they are doing will not help them in any way.

“In any case, time will tell if the Middle Belt can stop the North from getting the Presidency in 2015,” the NEF leader stated.

PDP holds emergency NEC tomorrow Meanwhile, the PDP will tomorrow hold an emergency NEC meeting at the Wadata Plaza, National Secretariat of the party.

It was gathered that at the meeting which will have President Jonathan, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and other members in attendance, will deliberate

on the crises rocking the party as well as assess the successes recorded so far by the Governor Seriake Dickson-led National Reconciliation Committee.

The PDP NEC will also strategize on the August 24 governorship primary election for Anambra State, the election itself and that of Ekiti.

The meeting which is a follow up to the one held on June 20, will have its members ratify the August 31 date fixed for the Special National Convention.

It will be recalled that NEC at its last meeting approved July 20 for the Special Congress but the Professor Jerry Gana-led Special Convention team changed the date to August 31 and will require NEC to approve it.

As gathered, members of NEC will discuss the crisis currently rocking the South-West zone of the party.

It became imperative for the NEC to discuss the South-West PDP political quagmire against the backdrop of speculations, yesterday, that some stakeholders have obtained a court injunction from an Osogbo high court stopping the special congress scheduled to hold in the zone this weekend.

Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the former National Secretary of PDP had obtained an injunction restraining the PDP from conducting the South West zonal congress on the grounds that he still has a pending matter at the Court of Appeal.

The court ruled that the status quo be maintained, pending the determination of the case.

The sacked National Auditor of the party, Chief Bode Mustapha, it will be recalled, is also challenging his removal from the party’s NWC at the Supreme Court.

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Two fleeing prison inmates rearrested in Delta

How children stage-manage kidnappings to defraud their parents — Delta CP

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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GWASHI-UKU — TWO inmates who escaped from the OgwashiUku prison at different dates have been recaptured after massive manhunt and intelligence gathering by officers and men of the Delta State Command of the Nigerian Prison Service.

The names of the recaptured inmates are Louis Achollo Etomi and Sunday Acholo wo are said to be cousins. They escaped from the Ogwashi-Uku prison on different dates but were recaptured the same week after a massive manhunt which paid off Friday.

Their offences include conspiracy, kidnapping, robbery and stealing.

The former who is an awaiting trial inmate was remanded in prison on December 14, 2011 by an Asaba High Court with charge no A/15c/2012 and the later who is a convict, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment on May 13, 2013 by a Delta Magistrate's court sitting at Ibusa.

SABA — COMMIS SIONER of Police, Delta State, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, has said there was a new trend in kidnapping in the state, in which children conspire with kidnap syndicates to demand and collect ransom from their parents.

Speaking to Vanguard in an interview, he said from the series of kidnap cases investigated by the police, the emerging pattern showed involvement of insiders.

Aduba, who described the development as shocking, said: “Brothers now plot and kidnap brothers in the state to extort money from their parents, while children set up their parents for kidnappers.”

He, however, said “there is no state that it is crime free. It is not where you have one or two crimes, you generalize it that there is crime everywhere.

We have a very strong anticrime mechanism in the state.

Twenty four hours, our men on always on the street.”

According to him, “recently in the state, a kidnapped victim in Warri and all of them who kidnapped him, including an undergraduate, were found to be children of same

parents. They stage-managed the kidnap to defraud their own father.

“When we told their father that there was an insider ’s factor, he did not believe. It involved the entire family. He thought we were joking, but three of his sons were involved. Even the one kid-

napped was part of the game.

The man broke down when the facts unfolded before him.

“There was also a particular case in which a boy wanted to dupe his father of N30 million that he had been kidnapped. At the end of the day, we retrieved the boy in a native doctor ’s place.”

Aduba said police were not magicians and needed information from members of the public.

He said:“We follow up, but when the people chicken out, what do you expect the police to do? The one in Issele-Uku, we were following up, all of sudden, the family chickened out.”

Some of the houses in Shasha community.

Court remands man over fake currency

Court stops Lagos govt from demolishing buildings in Shasha

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USAU— A Zamfara Magistrates’ court, yesterday, ordered 38-yearold Nasiru Lawal of Birnin Ruwa area of Gusau remanded in prison for alleged possession of fake currency.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Daniel Longwal, told the court that on July 21, Saratu Nura and Rukkaya Salisu, both of Ungwar Gwaza area, Gusau, reported the case at Tudun Wada police station, Gusau.

Longwal said on July 7, the accused bought 22 bottles of groundnut oil, worth N4,650 and deceitfully gave the complainants a N1,000 note suspected to be fake.

The prosecutor added that when the police searched the accused, nine other N1,000 notes suspected to be fake were found on him.

He said the offence contravened section 439 of the Penal Code, but the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The magistrate, Malam Musa Usman, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison and adjourned the case to September 2.

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

AGOS — AN Ikeja High Court, yesterday, restrained the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LSBCA, from carrying out planned demolition of some residential and church buildings located in Shasha Ologunfe/Boundary in Akowonjo area of the state.

The ruling of the court presided over by Justice Josephine Oyefeso was sequel to the writ of summons filed by landlords and residents of the area contesting the planned demolitions of their buildings to create space for market stalls.

The government through the LSBCA was said to have marked buildings situated in the area for construction of market stalls, owing to the arguments that the area was earlier earmarked for market by the late Oba of Shasha, an argument that was debunked by the residents.

Joined in the suit was the Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice and LSBCA. The landlords had prayed the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves, agents, servants or privies from demolishing the buildings, structures and from disturbing the claim-

ants possession of the said land.

They also asked the court to declare that the land which “is the subject matter of the suit is the bonafide property of the claimants and free from any government acquisition.”

Arguing the motion, yesterday, the claimants, through their counsel, Chief Adekunle Funmilayo, told the court that

officials of the Building Control Agency had been coming to the area to terrorise the landlords, threatening to demolish the property if they refused to vacate the land despite the fact that the case is pending in court.

But counsel to Lagos State, J. Kasali, a senior state counsel, informed the court that there was a communication break

down between the landlords and the state, adding that the Building Control Agency will not embark on any action that will contravene the laws of the state.

The vacation judge, in her short ruling, ordered both parties to maintain status quo pending the determination of the suit in court.

Final year LASU student charged with exam malpractice

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS — A 43-YEAROLD LASU student and one other were, yesterday, arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate's court over alleged examination malpractice.

The suspects are Bruno Aire Ehidiamen, 43 and David Onuche, 35.

The defendants who were docked before Magistrate Eniola Fabamwo, are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, examination malpractice, forgery and impersonation.

Examination malpractice is punishable with 10 years imprisonment under the crimi-

nal law.

The police prosecutor, ASP Police Barth Nwaokoye, told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offence on August 15, 2013 at about 4 pm at Agidingbi area of Ikeja, in Lagos.

He said the defendants conspired together to cheat and engage in examination malpractice.

Nwaokoye said with intent to cheat at the examination, the defendants forged Lagos State University, LASU, examination docket.

He also said that Onuche unlawfully assisted one Ehidiamen to write the LASU final year Faculty of Law ex-

amination.

The prosecutor claimed that Onuche impersonated by falsely representing himself as Bruno Aire Ehidiamen to write the examination.

According to the prosecutor, the offence committed is contrary to section 409 and punishable under section 378 (2) of the criminal laws of Lagos state of Nigeria 2011. However, when the charges were read to the defendants, they pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate Fabamwo granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two surties in like sum and adjourned the case to October 16, 2013.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013—7

4 siblings nabbed for murder in Abia

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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BA — THE Police in Osisioma, Abia State have arrested four members of the same family over alleged murder of their kinsman, 58-year-old Samuel Nwakoromadugba.

The four suspects from Obiekwensu village, Aro-Ngwa in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government are Izuchukwu Uzoma, Kenneth Uzoma, Chika Uzoma and Edith Uzoma.

They were alleged to have conspired among themselves and killed one Samuel Nwakoromadugba of the same village, with machete at about 11.50 a.m last Sunday.

According to sources, before the incident, the Uzoma and Nwakoromadugba families of Obiekwensu village were said to be having a dispute which was reported at the Osisioma police division.

The source said the dispute between the two families involved a case of alleged threat to life which was said to have been reported by the son of the deceased to the police.

Following the report, the father of the suspects was arrested and

Kidnapped Irrua hospital doctor regains freedom

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN —THE resident doctor of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Dr. Edeawe Osahogie, who was abducted on August 12, 2013 while returning home from the hospital has been released by his abductors.

President of the Association of Resident Doctors, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Dr. Charles Gigi in a statement, yesterday, confirmed that Osahogie was released Sunday night after over a week in captivity.

Gigi who did not say whether any ransom was paid, noted that the release of his colleague followed a protest march by members of the Association of Resident Doctors, MDCAN, private medical practitioners in the area and other doctors with the Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in attendance.

Gigi who was full of praises to God for the release of the abducted physician, expressed the appreciation of the resident doctors in the hospital to those who offered prayers for his release.

detained by the police at the Osisioma Division of the Abia Police Command.

Irked by the action of the Nwakoromadugba family, the suspects were alleged to have ambushed the deceased on his way home and gave him severe

machete cut on the head which led to his death.

The matter was said to have been reported to the police in the area who took the corpse to the mortuary.

The Abia State Police Commissioner, Usman Tilli Abubake,

could not confirm the incident as he was attending the state security council meeting when our reporter called him. Calls also put to the Aba Area Commander and Command’s PPRO were unanswered.

Man, 29, remanded over N15m robbery

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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PROTEST: Residents of Upper Sakponba, Dumez Road, St. Saviour, protesting "no light for six months" at the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, headquarters, Benin City, Monday. Photo: Barnabas Uzosike.

Blackberry phone thief bags 3-month community service

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AGOS — A 20-YEAR-OLD Samuel Emmanuel, who stole a Blackberry mobile phone valued at N21,000, was, yesterday in Lagos sentenced to three months community service.

An Oshodi Magistrates’ court which handed down the judgment said the court had no option than to sentence Emmanuel since he had pleaded guilty to the offence.

The Magistrate, Mr Akeem Fashola, ruled: “You (Emmanuel) are hereby sentenced to three months community service without an option of fine since you have pleaded guilty to the charge.”

Fashola said the accused should serve the punishment within Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused committed the offence on August 9 at Odalume Street, Sogunle.

According to him, the accused stole the phone belonging to Dolapo Audu, where he was charging it.

He said: “Audu was charging his phone at a viewing centre when the accused, who came pretending he wanted to play games, stole it.

“When the accused was arrested the following day, he con-

fessed that he had sold the phone to someone in Ikeja Computer Village for N10,000.”

Olatunde said the offence con-

travened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Section 285 provides three years imprisonment for stealing.

AGOS — AN Ikeja Mag istrates’ court, yesterday, remanded a 29-year-old man in Kirikiri prison over alleged robbery of N15 million.

The magistrate, Mrs Abimbola Komolafe, ordered that the defendant should be remanded in prison custody, pending the legal advice from the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP. The suspect, Izuchukwu Mbadogha, was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy, robbery and unlawful possession of dangerous weapons.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Iranus Nnamonu, told the court that the defendant and others at large conspired among themselves to commit the alleged crime on July 7, 2013, at about 6 a.m, at 71, Cooker Street, Ilupeju area of Lagos.

He said Mbadogha, while armed with dangerous weapons robbed one Arthur Okonloji of his one pair of shoes, two shirts, three belts, four pair of trousers and other valuables, worth N15 million.

The prosecutor said the offence was punishable under section 1 (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act, Cap 398, vol xxii, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990, as amended.

Fracas in Ikorodu as Police allegedly kill Okada rider

BY BOSE ADELAJA & MONSUR OLOWONPEJO

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AGOS — FRACAS broke out, yesterday, in Ikorodu following the death of a motorcyclist after he was allegedly shot by a Policeman attached to Ikorodu Division, Lagos State.

The tragedy struck around 4p.m at Ojubode area leading to a serious gridlock which lasted for hours as the deceased's colleagues trooped out to protest the killing.

This resulted into pandemonium as commuters and residents scampered for safety.

Also, shops and offices were shut for hours by owners for fear of the unknown.

Although information was sketchy as at press time, an eye witnesses said the motorcyclist identified simply as Haruna, met his untimely

death when the Policemen stormed the area to impound his motorcycle but the deceased refused arrest on the ground that the Policemen visited last weekend asking him to part with an undisclosed amount of money.

To his surprise, the same Policemen came back yesterday to impound the motorcycle and out of annoyance, Haruna refused to release the motorcycle and started struggling with one of the Policemen.

According to reports, one of the Policemen fired a shot at him, which led to his death.

Vanguard gathered that the corpse was removed by the Policemen to an unknown destination while scores of motorcyclists were said to have gathered at the palace of the Oba of Ikorodu to protest the killing.

In a telephone chat with

Vanguard, Chairman, Motorcyclists Association of Lagos State, MOALS, Ikorodu zone popularly called 'Jendor‘'described the incident as barbaric and called on government to bring the perpetrators to book.

He said: "As you can see, we are very busy now, you can hear a lot of noise from our members. This is too much for us to bear ’’ Haruna’s death occurred six months after a policeman attached to Ikorodu Division Corporal Goroye Folagbade, was dismissed for stealing an impounded motorcycle from Saheed Owolabi of the same Ojubode park.

Effort to get the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide's comment proved abortive as she could not be reached on phone.

8—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

BY BEN AGANDE, OLASUNKANMI AKONI, LAIDE AKINBOADE

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BUJA—P R E S I D E N T Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, directed the two Federal Government committees negotiating requests by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to take immediate measures towards ending the ongoing strike.

The Chairman of the Universities Needs Implementation Committee, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, made this known after a closed-door meeting of the two committees and other stakeholders with President Jonathan at the State House in Abuja.

Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Chairman of the Earned Allowances Committee and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Pius Anyim, were in attendance at the meeting.

Also in attendance were Ministers of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufa’i; Labour, Emeka Wogu; the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Julius Okogie and Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe.

Suswam told newsmen that the meeting was summoned by the President “to take some decisions that would end the strike.

“The President has instructed us as to what to do, and he has shown commitment to flagging off projects worth about N100 billion in all the universities in the country: about 61 of them.”

FG offers N30bn Suswam said with the progress so far made in negotiation, the strike embarked upon by the university teachers should be called off in no distant future, noting that from its initial position that there was no money to meet the demand of academic staff, government had offered N30 billion and indicated its willingness to meet other demands by ASUU. He said: “I can say that we have made substantial progress and we are hoping that this strike should be called off based on some of the mechanisms that we have put in place to move the sector forward. We met extensively yesterday (Monday).

“You know there are two components to the whole issue: the needs assessment component, which is the one that I’m handling. We have, to a large extent, concluded on that.

“The other is the earned allowances committee, which is being headed by the SGF; that is where there are some contentions.

“But as you must have heard, Federal Government made an offer of N30 billion to assist the various councils of our universities to be able to pay the earned allowances.

Jonathan orders immediate action to end ASUU strike zAgreements are meant to be honoured, says APC

ASUU STRIKE: From left— Chief Emeka Wogu, Minister of Labour and Productivity; Professor Ruqayyatu Rufa'i, Minister of Education; Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance, and Senator Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, at a meeting with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, in Abuja, Monday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

Another N100bn for projects “There is also N100 billion.

That is why I, the Minister of Finance, the SGF, ministers of education and labour, Chief of Staff to the President and the Vice President have just risen from a meeting with the President to take some decisions that would end the strike.

“The President has instructed us on what to do and he has shown commitment and flagging off a project worth about N100 billion in all the universities in the country.

“So we are hoping that we will be able to see the end of the strike very soon if at the end of the day ASUU is satisfied with the measures that have so far been taken.”

Governor Suswam further revealed that the Federal Government will also be meeting with the university councils and vice chancellors of universities within the week to update them on some of the decisions taken so far.

He said: “The President has graciously agreed that in the first week of September he will be able to flag-off the projects.

“You also know that the procurement process will have to be followed and these projects include hostels in our universities, classrooms and theatres, libraries and laboratories, amongst others.

“Some are renovation, some are new and all the 61 universities are going to benefit from one project or another. So it is not going to be selective. All the universities are going to benefit from this infrastructural revitali-

sation of our universities.

“The Federal Government has opted to also meet with the councils and managements of the universities because earned allowance is something that can be certified by the management and councils of the universities.

“I think that the government had demonstrated some substantial faith. If ASUU said that this is the amount of money that the Federal Government is owing them and the Federal Government has shifted ground from its initial posture of there was no money to offering N30 billion, it means we are moving forward.

“With N100 billion available for addressing the physical infrastructure deficit in our universities, I think Federal Government has done quite well to have moved to where we are today.”

APC tasks FG Meanwhile, All Progressives Congress, APC, has called on Federal Government to honour its agreement with ASUU to end the ongoing strike that had paralysed academic activities in the nation’s public universities.

According to a statement by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, ASUU was not making any fresh demand beyond the agreement it reached with the government in 2009, adding “agreements are meant to be honoured, and breaching them comes with some consequences.”

The party said the system

had deteriorated so much that no Nigerian university was listed in the top 100 universities in the world and only a few Nigerian universities have made the top 100 in Africa.

It said: “The 87 billion naira that ASUU is demanding represents earned allowances, hence, cannot be renegotiated.

In any case, this amount pales into insignificance when placed side by side with the one trillion naira that has been spent on federal legislators in the past eight years.

“Or the frivolity involved in a government minister travelling to China to negotiate a $1 billion loan in a chartered jet (with its attendant costs) and with a retinue of staffers, who earned generous estacode in hard currency.

“It is an indication of the kind of priority that this Federal Government attaches to education that while it has refused to meet its own side of an agreement it reached with ASUU since 2009, it could pay out three trillion naira in nonexistent fuel subsidies to fat cats, spend 10 billion naira annually to maintain the jets in the presidential fleet and do little or nothing to prevent the stealing of 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day, which translates to $120 million.”

Niger Gov blames corruption In a related development, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, yesterday, blamed corruption in the public sector for the collapse of educational system in Nigeria.

He stated this in Abuja, while declaring open the 3rd African Regional Centre of expertise meeting in Abuja.

The governor said: “Educating our children is imperative for the development of our country.

“I strongly believe that Nigeria can afford to give free education to its citizens, from primary to secondary and a highly subsidised university education without any lecturer going on strike.

“If we reduce the amount of stealing in this country, we would be able to give quality education to our children.”

Education Minister reacts In her address, Professor Rufa’i said no nation could make sustainable economic progress without quality education that addressed development challenges.

She said: “Our universities must, therefore, see themselves as champions of our desire for progress and position themselves as leaders in addressing problems where they exist.

“Let me use this opportunity to reiterate that it is unacceptable, for example, that a university that prides itself in the presence and acknowledge scholarship of professors of urban planning would have its campus surrounded by sprawling slum.

“I, therefore, call on the NUC to institute means of encouraging universities to live up to their community outreach mandates by engaging in community-centric research.”

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013— 9

FG appoints board chairmen, members for 42 parastatals

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

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BUJA—P R E S I D E N T Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, approved the composition and appointments of chairmen and members of the Governing Boards of 42 Federal Government-owned parastatals and agencies.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Pius Anyim.

Among those who were appointed into the new boards were former governors of Anambra, Kwara and Sokoto states.

They are Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former Governor of Anambra State, who now heads the National Commission for Colleges of Education as Chairman; Alhaji Adamu Atta, former Governor of old Kwara State, who now presides over Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation and former Governor of Sokoto State Alhaji Garba Nadama, who will assume duty as Chairman of National Business and Technical Examination Board, NABTEB. Others appointed as chairmen of boards include Sen.

Abubakar Girei, National Mathematical Centre; A. J. Turner, Universal Basic Education Commission; Elder Bolaji Anani, National Institute for Education Planning and Administration; and Alhaji Yau Abubakar, National Institute for Fresh Water Fisheries Research.

Galadima Others are Alhaji Suleiman Galadima, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria; Alhaji Bello Gusau, Nigeria Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research; Ginger Ibeneme, National Cereals Research Institute; Prof. C. I. P. Anibeze, National Eye Centre; Chief Oluwole Aina, National Root Crops Research Institute; and Juliet Wayoka, National Horticultural Research Institute.

Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, National Inland Waterways Authority; Mr. Emeka Otozi, National Animal Production Research Institute, Zaria; Cairo Ojougbo, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority; Kanayo Kanayo, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Studies; Dr.

Tosin Awolalu, National Institute for Nigerian Languages, Aba; and Dr. Esther Uduehi, National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education.

Bongos Ikwue heads Film Corporation Chief Bongos Ikwue, Nigerian Film Corporation, Jos; Engr. Dele Okeya, Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute; Lt-Col Edoh Obi (rtd.), National Orientation Agency; Senator Nuhu Aliyu, Sheda Science and Technology Complex; Mohammed Shettima, National Commission for Nomadic Education; Chief Emmanuel Edohoeket, Nigerian French Language Village, Badagry, Lagos; and Brimmo Yusuf, Centre for Black and African Arts and Culture.

Tokunbo Kayode, Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre; Innocent Nyirigefa, National Productivity Centre; Major Lancelot Anyanya (rtd.), National Oil Spill & Detection Response Agency; Ishaku Mshelia, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency and Engr. Emmanuel Mbaka, Project Development Institute.

The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission now has Alhaji Ibrahim Bio as Chairman; Nigerian Council for Management Development has Emma Aguariavwodo as Chairman; Lake Chad Research Institute, Yakubu Tsala; Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Felix Chukwu; Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Dr. Abisola Clark; and Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation, Mrs. Chioma Ohakim.

NAN Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria has Prof. Francis Fadahunsi as Chairman; News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, has Alhaji Ibrahim Buba; Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute, ARMTI, Rt. Hon. Goodluck Opia; and National Information Technology Development Agency, Tosin Ajayi.

The statement further indicated that membership of each Governing Board shall include all the statutory ex-officio members in accordance with the Enabling Laws of the Parastatals and Agencies, adding that dates for the formal inauguration of the Governing Boards will be announced in due course by the supervising authorities and ministers.

ECONOMIC MGT TEAM: From left— Mr. Femi Otedola, Chairman, Forte Oil; Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Dangote Group; Mrs. Deziani Alison-Madueke, Minister of Petroleum Resources, and Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power, during National Economic Management Team meeting at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

Health workers begin strike

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE & VICTORIA OJEME

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ARK clouds have gathered over the fortunes of the health sector yet again as workers of all Federal tertiary health institutions nationwide, under Joint Health Sector Unions will embark on an indefinite strike from 12 midnight today.

In a statement issued yesterday, the unions noted that the strike was called at the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum issued to government on the August 1, to accede to the 10-point demand and agreements reached on May 10, 2012.

The statement was signed by National President and Secretary-General, Medical & Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, and Mr. Marcus Omokhuale, respectively; National President, National Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Association Institution, Mr. Adeniji A. and the Ag. General Secretary, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Mr. Yusuf Badmus W. It said members of the unions at the states and local governments health facilities are expected to join the strike as from 12 midnight by August 28.

Recalling the events that led to the current face-off, the unions pointed out that at a meeting called by the Minister of Labour and Productivity on Monday, August 19, neither the Minister of Health nor his representative attended the meeting.

They also recalled an earlier meeting, where it was resolved that items agreed upon required the action of the Ministry of Health on or before May 29, 2012, to allow the Technical Working Group commence its sitting.

BOKO HARAM: Analyst explains how JTF reached conclusion on Shekau

BY UDUMA KALU, with agency report

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security analyst, Captain Umar Ali (rtd.) says the timeline used by the Joint Task Force, JTF, in concluding that the Boko Haram Leader, Abubakar Shekau, was killed could be true.

Ali spoke in a Channels Television programme yesterday,

adding that confirming the possibility of the sect leader's death still leaves “room for doubt” on the part of the people.

JTF in Borno State, Operation Restore Order, reported, Monday, that Abubakar Shekau might have died as a result of injuries sustained during a recent military onslaught on his group.

Though this was yet to be verified, Ali said the verification process was the possible explanation for the time lag before the information was released.

He further explained that information is passed through the “intelligence cycle” before it is released. Besides, he added, the JTF used “social indicators” to confirm their

speculations.

Ali said: “After the Sambisa attack, we saw a kind of withdrawal.

We saw the terrorists’ attacks abating greatly. There was virtually a lull before Kano came up.

“And added to that, based on information and follow up I’ve done, in camps that were raided, things were discovered that gave the impression that these people left here in a hurry.

“A lot of things were abandoned. Those they couldn’t go with, they burnt.

“So it’s possible that the leader was injured and they had to abandon ship. And they crossed over to Amitchide and tried to patch him up but he did not survive.”

Ali also said the Borno mosque attack could have been retaliation for the loss.

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Gani’s widow faults FG on ASUU strike

BY OLAYINKA AJAYI

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IFE of the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehimi, Alhaja Ganiat Fawehimi, has faulted the stance of both Coordinating Minister of the economy and Finance, Dr.Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Minister of Education, Professor Ruqquayat Rufai, on the lingering industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. Prof. Rufai had recently said that ASUU’s demand was too much and could not be addressed by the Federal Government.

Similarly, Dr. OkonjoIweala said the nation’s economy could not accommodate the striking lecturers’ demands.

However, speaking an event organised by the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, in Lagos, Alhaja Ganiat Fawehinmi said both ministers’ positions on the strike were unacceptable.

Nasarawa State Varsity student declared missing

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HE family of a student of Nasarawa State University, Mr. Olu-Francis Olufunso, aged 30, has declared him missing.

A native of Ilutitun in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, he was last seen in 2007, during the governorship election in the state.

A relative, Mr. Babatope Adebisi, who spoke with Vanguard, said Olufunso was active in the election in his home town and he was also attacked during the crisis that marred the election in Okitipupa LGA. The family urged persons with information on his whereabouts to report to the nearest police station.

Mr. Olufunso

FG bans sale of drugs in open market ...declares emergency in drug distribution

BY CHIOMA OBINNA; KOSISO UDEMBA & MODINAT AMUSAT

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AGOS—THE Federal Gov ernment, yesterday, announced that from June 30, 2014, drugs would no longer be sold in the open market in Nigeria, declaring an emergency in drug distribution system in the country to address the chaotic situation.

Consequently, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has introduced State and Mega Drug Distribution Centres, SMDDCs, to tackle challenges posed by the present drug distribution system in the country.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting, ahead of the commissioning of Megacentre pharmaceuticals Limited, Onitsha, the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, said the uncoordinated drug distribution in Nigeria had posed a big challenge to the pharmaceutical sector. He said fake, adulterated and sub-standard drugs in circulation constituted a threat to the healthcare delivery system.

Represented by the Director, National Drug Policy Programme, Mrs. Joyce Ugwu, Chukwu traced the present uncoordinated drug distribution in the country to import

liberalisation in the early 80’s which allowed all manners of people to import drugs into the country.

Lamenting that Nigeria was still faced with challenges of illegal open drug markets, he announced that the present States’ Central Medical Stores, CMSs, could be used as the take-off hubs for the newly introduced State Drug Distribution Centres, SDDCs. He said: “The main attraction of the new National Drug Distribution Guidelines is that drugs will no longer be sold

in open market with effect from June 30, 2014, as manufacturers and importers will channel drugs to only SDDCs, MDDCs and other channels in the provisions of the guidelines, while defaulters will face varying degrees of sanctions. Healthcare facilities at all levels, including private facilities, are guided by the guidelines in their drug procurement activities in order to avoid the current practice that is lacking in professionalism.

Corroborating, the Director-

General, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, said: “We have not really had an effective way of sanitizing drug distribution in Nigeria and that remains a major challenge. While the new guideline provides a distribution channel which would help identify sources of drugs at every level of healthcare and create orderliness in drug distribution system, this move will ameliorate the chaotic nature in the present drug distribution system which encourages sales and distribution of sub standard medicines in open drug market among genuine brands.”

VISIT: From left; Missionary-in-charge, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jammariya in Nigeria, Mauliv Abdulkhalique Nayyar, Alhaji Soliu Akewugberu, Amir Dr. Mashood Fashola Adenrele and Secretary-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, (NSCIA), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, during a visit to NSCIA, in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

11 Nigerian poets shortlisted for CORA/NLNG Literature Prize

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AGOS—ELEVEN Nigerian poets have been shortlisted, out of over 200, to compete for this year’s CORA/ NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The President, Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, Prof.

Remi Raji, told NAN yesterday in Lagos, that the winner would receive a prize of $100,000 (about N16 million).

Some Nigerian poets competing for the prize are: Iquo Eke; Amu Nnadi; Promise Ogochukwu and Remi Raji.

Raji described the competition as very engaging and involving.

He urged young poets to study hard if they must live up to the billing of being a poet.

He said: “Many people pretend to be poets but it does not work that way. If you really want to come up, you must listen to people who teach about what you do, you must read and you must be ready to be influenced. There are many people who appear on Social Media, they will just write one or two lines and say that

they are poets. They think that poetry is just a reality show; it takes a lot of work to be there.”

He said that for those who wanted to come up, some of

them were really hard working and were doing well.

“I know we have many others spread all over the country but I wish them the best,”

he added. He appealed to all tiers of governments and corporate organisations to support and encourage writers in the country.

Lagos task force impounds Police-registered bullion van

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS—LAGOS State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, yesterday, impounded a Police-registered bullion van with cash and arrested the driver for violating the state road traffic law, 2012.

The driver of the van with plate number PF 4582 SPY, Mr. Joseph Edo, 50, has been charged to the Special

Offences court, Alausa.

Edo, in an interview with Vanguard, said: “When I left a commercial bank (name withheld) at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, I drove towards my normal route. But immediately I heard a gunshot, I had no option than to drive against the traffic. This was based on

my experience last year when one of our officers was killed in a gun battle with armed robbers.

“At that time I was apprehended, I didn’t know if I was the only driver who heard the shot and drove against the traffic. The bullion Van was loaded with cash.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013—11

Road transport workers owe Ekiti govt N170m

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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INSPECTION: From left: Managing Director, KAM Industries Ltd, Alhaji Kamaldeen Yusuf; Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed; wife of the MD, KAM Ind., Hajia Mariam Yusuf and Personal Assistant to the Governor on Political Affairs, Alhaji Lekan Alabi, at the KAM Industry in Ilorin, yesterday.

Osogbo ruling houses disown incumbent Ataoja

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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SOGBO—THE royal families of Osogbo in Osun State have disowned the traditional ruler of the town, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, declaring him as an illegal occupant of the Ataoja stool.

The ruling houses also declared that there was no traditional ruler in the town going by the judgment of an Osogbo High Court.

Speaking at a press conference addressed by all the representatives of the ruling houses led by Alhaji Nasiru Oyeniyi, the royal families told Oba Olanipekun to vacate the throne.

Alhaji Oyeniyi, who spoke on behalf of the four ruling houses, Sogbo, Matanmi, LahanmiOyipi and Lajomo (Olude and Aderohunmu), said Oba Olanipekun did not belong to any of the ruling houses and wondered how he got himself to the Ataoja throne.

He said the judgment of the state high court, Osogbo, which declared the stool of Ataoja vacant and nullified the selection and appointment of Oba Olanipekun, was still inforce He enjoined Oba Olanipekun to toe the path of honour and vacate the throne to avoid being disgraced out of the palace.

He said: “We wish to state clearly that Olanipekun is just an interim occupant on the stool of our forefathers. We are only waiting for the Court of Appeal in Akure to determine the appeal of Olanipekun by

upholding the judgment of the Osun State High Court which dethroned Olanipekun as Ataoja of Osogbo.

“Two judges of the Osun State High Court, Justices

Yinka Aderibigbe and Jide Falola, in their separate rulings, had ordered Olanipekun to vacate the throne of Ataoja of Osogbo and declared the throne vacant."

He added that the royal families were in support of the ongoing Osun Osogbo festival but would not participate in any of the rites of the festival to avoid crisis.

Osun declares public holiday for traditional members of their families,” worshippers holiday.

The public holiday was an- Akere said.

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SOGBO —GOVERNMENT offices and business institutions in Osun State were shut yesterday following a public holiday declared for adherents of traditional religions.

Many workers in the public and private sectors were unaware of the public holiday until they got to their offices.

Miss Dupe Oluwadare, a staff of the state House of Assembly, said she was not aware of the holiday up till the close of work on Monday.

Oluwadare, however, said she would spend the day resting and doing household chores.

Mr. Alfred Folayan and Mrs. Doyin Ajayi, both bankers, said they would spend the day at home for private engagements.

Mr. Toyin Alatiba, a businessman, who was at a bank on Old Governor ’s Road to make a deposit, expressed surprise that the holiday could affect financial institutions.

The two local government secretariats in Osogbo, the state capital, Olorunda and Osogbo, also wore a desolate look as workers stayed away to observe the public

nounced, late Monday, on the state broadcasting station by Mr. Sunday Akere, the Commissioner for Information.

Akere said the public holiday was to celebrate the world’s traditional religions on a day known as Isese.

According to the commissioner, Governor Rauf Aregbesola declared the public holiday in the spirit of equality among the various religious groups in the state.

Isese Day, among traditional religion believers, is the celebration of the peak of festivity in Yorubaland known as Odun Nla.’ “Hence, the holiday was given to them to celebrate with

Mr. Sikiru Ayedun, the state Commissioner for Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, said, yesterday, that the holiday was to be observed annually in the state.

He said: “It is a further proof of the fact that Governor Aregbesola respects the freedom of all citizens of the state to practice their beliefs.

“Christians have Christmas, Muslims have Sallah. It is not too much for traditional religion worshippers to have their own holiday in the spirit of equality.

“The traditional religion worshippers had made a presentation for the holiday to the government.”

DO EKITI—EKITI State Government has lamented that some members of the commercial road transport workers operating in the state are indebtedness to the state government to the tune of N170million Ekiti State Government had stood as guarantor for the road transporters who had procured some buses on hire purchase, but majority of them had defaulted, a development that has compelled the government to confiscate some of the buses.

The state Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr. Sola Adebayo, made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, while speaking with the newsmen.

Steer clear of Ijebu-Ode, new police boss warns criminals

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JEBU-ODE—ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police, ACP, Abdullahu Mudassiru, the new Police Area Commander for Igbeba in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, has vowed to make the area uncomfortable for criminals.

Mudassiru gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria yesterday.

The police boss, who noted that the command was doing everything necessary to eradicate crime in the area, said: ‘’I will be consistent and persistent in the fight against crime in IjebuOde and its environs. ‘’This is a terrain I am well familiar with and people can put me to test on this."

Why I’m in Ekiti guber race, by Olubolade

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI DO EKITI—THE Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt Caleb Olubolade, has explained why he decided to run for the governorship election in the state, assuring that he would revive the fortunes of the state for the better.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Taiwo Olatunji, said his move was not aimed at blocking the chances

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of other aspirants.

Olubolade slammed Governor Kayode Fayemi for allegedly committing the state into over N20 billion debt on projects that are not expected to generate revenue.

The minister, who is apparently reacting to agitation from People’s Democratic Party, PDP, aspirants in the South Senatorial District that it is their turn to produce the governor in the

state, said the PDP is now in a disadvantaged position, being in the opposition, saying the party must get itself right if it is committed and determined to take over from the present party in power.

“I am presenting myself for the race because I feel, with all sense of responsibility that I am in the best position, for obvious reasons, to win the election for the PDP," he said.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Rector urges Bayelsa govt to upgrade BYCAS to Poly

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA—THE management of Bayelsa State College of Arts and Science, BYCAS, yesterday, appealed to Governor Seriake Dickson to upgrade the College to a Polytechnic.

The appeal is coming on the heels of the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, call on the state government to change the nomenclature of Bayelsa State College of Arts and Science, BYCAS, to Bayelsa State Polytechnic to enable it benefit from funds given to tertiary institutions in the country.

The Rector of BYCAS, Dr. Jeremiah Yabefa in Yenagoa, when the leadership of the Federated Correspondents Chapel, FCC, of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bayelsa State, visited the college, said NBTE had accredited three major courses in the school since its resuscitation in 2012.

Delta govt threatens to arrest parents of school-age hawkers

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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SABA— HENCEFORTH, any parent or guardian who allows his child and ward of school age to roam the streets during school hours in Delta State will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

This decision was reached at the Executive Council meeting of the Delta State Government, in Asaba.

It is aimed at discouraging those out to frustrate the state government’s determination to achieve its compulsory and free education policy.

State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Professor Patrick Muoboghare, who stated this in Asaba, yesterday at a ministerial press briefing, lamented that it was frustrating to find children of school age roaming the markets and streets while their mates were in the school.

Kaduna: Gunmen kill 3 policemen in station raid

BY LUKA BINNIYAT & MAYEN ETIM

KADUNA — GUNMEN Monday night attacked a police station in Kajuru town, about 35km South of Kaduna town, killing three policemen,

injuring others before setting free all the inmates in the station.

The heavily armed invaders, were said to have launched the attack at the police station at about 11:30p.m.

Two policemen were said to

have died on the spot while the third victim, who was among two others who sustained injuries, died on the way to St. Gerald Hospital Kaduna.

It was learnt that the policemen on duty at the time of the attack were overwhelmed by the

SCHOLARSHIP: From left, Mrs. Iyabo Ayobami-Ojo, Deputy Manager, Public Affairs Division, PAC Production Sharing Contract; Miss Ododo Owodeba-Ashaka, one of the awardees and Mr. Udom Inoyo, Executive Director, Mobil Producing Nigeria, during 2013 Esso International Postgraduate Scholarship Awards, in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

superior fire power of the attackers and had to escape but three of them were felled by the bullets coming from the sophisticated weapons of the hoodlums.

Some of the policemen were said to have disguised as suspects in the cell by pulling off their uniforms while others managed to escape to the nearby bush.

One of the policemen, who survived the attack but chose not to disclose his name, told newsmen that, “the gunmen came in many vehicles and started shooting sporadically as they arrived the police station.

“We were not many and we couldn’t stand their sophisticated weapons. They killed three of our colleagues; an inspector and a sergeant were killed. Three of our colleagues sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the hospital in Kaduna. A female police officer died on the way to the hospital.

“They (gunmen) came around 11:30p.m. and they operated for about one hour. It was the mobile police team from a different location that saved the situation; otherwise they would have started attacking residents of the town.

Ogbe Onokpite: We were slighted, humiliated — Keyamo L AWYER AND activ-ist, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has denied media report that he betrayed the family of slain gubernatorial candidate of Citizens Popular Party, CPP, Chief Ogbe Onokpite, by withdrawing from the case, when he noticed that the family of the late Chief Onokpite

was fighting for compensation.

Kayamo in a statement by his law firm said: “The attention of Festus Keyamo Chambers has been drawn to a certain comment by Mr. Diemo Onokpite that our Head of Chambers abandoned the case relating to the murder of

Ogbe Onokpite. He also betrayed the politics behind such a statement by concluding that the Urhobos should assess properly who they vote for, knowing full well that Keyamo is running for election in the state.

“Our simple response is that our Head of Chambers,

GTBank records N57.36bn in 6 months ...proposes N7.36bn interim dividend

BY PETER EGWUATU

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UARANTY TRUST Bank (GTBank ) Plc, yesterday announced a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of N57.36 billion for the six months financial period ended June 30, 2013. This represents an increase of 6.8 percent from N53.67 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2012.

The Bank is also proposing an interim dividend payment of N7.36 billion to shareholders, translating to N0.25 per ordinary share of 50 kobo each.

A review of the June 2013 result submitted to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) shows

positive performance in major performance indicators .Gross Earnings for the half year period of 2013 stood at N124.20 billion an increase of N10.68 billion from the N113.53 billion reported for the corresponding period in 2012. Profit After Tax stood at N49.01 billion an increase over the N45.55 billion reported in June 2012.

The Bank closed the half year ended June 2013 with Total Assets and Contingents of N2.50trillion, customer deposits of N1.25 trillion and Shareholders’ Funds of N296.95 Billion.

Mr. Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director/CEO of GTBank attributed the Bank’s success

during the half year period to the continued support of its customers, hard work of its dedicated staff and strong corporate governance standards.

According to Agbaje, a major objective for the Bank this year is adding value to its stakeholders through excellent customer service delivery, innovative products and value adding services. It is the Bank’s beliefs that success on these fronts would enable it deepen its share of market across all sectors and improve profitability, despite today’s extremely challenging business environment. He also thanked the customers for their loyalty and staff for their continued hard work and dedication.

Keyamo, out of deep love for the cause of the Urhobo people and sympathy for the Onokpite family, took up that case free of charge.

“Even at a point when Mr. Onokpite called our Head of Chambers and offered to raise some money to pay us, Keyamo turned it down and said that he didn’t want any money.

“Like Keyamo has done for thousands of Nigerians, he took up this case with all zeal and passion, even when all those who directly benefited from Onokpite, ran away out of fear and others, who were elected into various positions, refused to say anything publicly till today.

“The point of departure of our chambers with the family was that on December 24, 2011, whilst we were still at the heat of exchange of correspondence with the Inspector-General of Police as to how and who to conduct investigation in order to bring the culprits to book, we woke up to read in the Vanguard Newspaper of that day that the family had gone to another lawyer to file an action for the enforcement of fundamental right in court.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013—13

‘12 killed pirates were NDLF militants’

Rumpus as PDP disciplinary c’ttee commences work on govs’ cases

BY EMMAAMAIZE

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ARRI — THE 12 suspected pirates killed, weekend, in a gun battle with the Nigerian Navy, have been identified as recalcitrant militants of the defunct Niger Delta Liberation Front, NDLF, formed by exmilitant leader, the late “General” John Togo, who refused to embrace the amnesty.

A top official of the disbanded group, told Vanguard: “If you remember, when we surrendered arms, the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Mr. Ovuozorie Macaulay, noted that security information indicated that the group did not surrender all its arms.

“He is very correct, not all the arms were brought, one of the leaders kept the arms and it was these arms that he handed over to these boys, who refused to embrace amnesty, they were robbing people in the creeks.

“We told them that militancy was over and they cannot hide under it to commit crimes, they refused to listen. You can see where it had landed them, they are all John Togo boys, I regret to disclose this, but that is the truth.

“My advice is that the said leader of the disbanded group, who armed the boys should disarm them and hand over whatever was remaining to the government,” he added.

Over 120 militants of the defunct NDLF surrendered arms to the state government, last December, but some others, who were in possession of a large cache of munitions refused to surrender and went into piracy.

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor

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LAUNCH: From left, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, Secretary to Edo State Government, and Mr. Oma Djebah, Senior Special Adviser (Foreign Relations) to the Governor of Delta State, at the launching of Layola Jesuit University, in Abuja, weekend.

I’m a loyal APC member — Emerhor

BY SONI DANIEL

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BUJA—DELTA Central senatorial aspirant, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has said that he remains a loyal and committed member of All Progressives Congress, APC, and will continue to work for the success of the party in all elections.

Emerhor said that he had no reason whatsoever to back any other party in the country given the lofty programmes and policies, which the newlyregistered APC had outlined for the development of Nigeria and its people.

The aspirant, while reacting to an interview, said his attention was drawn to the said interview and the several mis-

Group faults Amaechi on new Rivers Ag. CJ’s appointment

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

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ORT HARCOURT — A group in Rivers State, Grassroots Development Initiative, GDI, has kicked against the appointment of the President of Riv-

ers State Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Peter Agumagu as acting Chief Judge of the state, saying that Governor Rotimi Amaechi violated the provisions of the 1999 Constitution in the appointment.

Burutu LG embraces Uduaghan’s education programme

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ELTA STATE Commis sioner for Works, Chief Solomon Funkekeme, has assured Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of the readiness of the people of Burutu Local Government Area of the state to embrace the governor ’s ‘Delta State Education Marshal Programme to ensure that every indigene of the area acquired sound education.

Funkekeme during a consultative meeting with community chairmen and prominent leaders across Burutu Council, said as the Commissioner for Works and an indi-

gene of Burutu, it was right for him tell his people government programmes.

He said: “This consultative meeting is the first of its kind in the area, it is a show of paradigm shift. Making communities focal point is the government priority, so that no one will misunderstand its policies.

“The time has come for us to carry our mid-term briefing to the communities that is why as the Commissioner for Works and an indigene of Burutu Council, I deem it right to tell you the programes of government.”

Addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt, yesterday, shortly after Amaechi swore in Agumagu, President General of GDI, Bright Amaewule, noted that where a vacancy occurs in the office of the Chief Judge, Section 271(4) of the 1999 Constitution provides that until a substantive appointment was made, the most Senior Judge of the High Court assumes as acting Chief Judge.

He said, “Now, Amaechi and the Rivers Attorney General in clear violation of the provisions refused to swear in Justice Daisy Okocha, who is the most Senior Judge of the High Court of Rivers State in an acting capacity until the niceties of appointing a substantive Chief Judge are fulfilled.

“Justice Okocha happens to be the same Judge that both the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission and the National Judicial Commission recognised and recommended to Governor Amaechi for appointment as the new substantive Chief Judge.”

representations contained therein and wondered what the reporter wanted to achieve by inserting what he did not discuss with him in the said interview.

He said: “My attention has been drawn to an interview with the caption ‘Delta Central: My plans, my prospects,” with so many misrepresentations purported to have been made by me.

“However, when I confronted the interviewer, he promptly apologised for inserting several statements I never made throughout the interview.”

“The truth of the matter is that the interview I granted was about my desire to represent Delta Central senatorial district, following the vacancy created by the sudden death of Senator Pius Ewhereido.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I am a loyal APC member, totally committed to building the party in Delta State, and ensuring its victory at all elections from the ward to the national level.

“As a matter of fact, the issue of performance of the current Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government in Delta State under Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and support for PDP Presidency in 2015 never came up for discussion throughout the interview.

“These were the opinions of the reporter injected into the interview for inexplicable reasons.

“As an APC member, I owe my unwavering support and loyalty to the party and I am always guided by the party’s positions on its candidates for all elections in Nigeria,” he said.

HE PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, disciplinary committee constituted by the National Working Committee, NWC, has commenced deliberations on cases of alleged indiscipline by senior party members, it was learnt, yesterday.

The commencement of deliberations is despite the fact the committee headed by Alhaji Umaru Dikko was yet to be inaugurated. Dikko is hospitalised and is outside the country.

The informal meetings, authoritative sources told Vanguard, were informed by the need to dispose pressing disciplinary issues currently facing the party.

Other party sources, however, alleged that the rush by the committee was to provide the legal backing for the expulsion of some governors from the party. including Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, who had been suspended.

Governors and other members of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party can only be expelled from the party upon the recommendations of a disciplinary committee.

It was gathered, yesterday, that the activities of some prominent members of the party, notably some governors may have been presented to the committee.

Funeral

S

ERVICE OF Songs will hold tomorrow for late Deaconess Patricia Okeregwu at the National Christian Centre, behind CBN Headquarters, Abuja.

On Friday, there will be lying in state at the family house, Plot 259, Mamman Kontagora Crescent, Katampe Ext. Abuja.

This will be followed by funeral service and interment at the Living Faith Church(Winners Chapel), Durumi.

14—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

N1TRN EXPENDITURE ALLEGATION: NASS 'll soon come up with accurate figure —MACCIDO

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, JOSEPH ERUNKE & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU BUJA—THE Senate said, yesterday, it would soon release to the public accurate figure of its expenditure, saying it has nothing to hide.

This came on a day the House of Representatives spokesman, Zakari Mohammed, refuted claims that lawmakers in the National Assembly were the highest paid lawmakers in the world.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Ahmad Maccido,PDP, Sokoto North, said he would go through the records and come up with authentic figure of amounts released and expended so far.

Maccido,who responded through a short text message to Vanguard, in Abuja, on the latter ’s question seeking his reaction to Monday’s statement by former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili that Nigeria had so far spent more than N1 trillion on the maintenance of National Assembly in the past eight years, said the Senate was not prepared to join issues with her.

He said the upper legislative chamber had nothing to hide, saying it had been transparent in the course of its functions.

Maccido also insisted that appropriate figure on money released to the Senate would in no time be made available.

He said: “It needs some time to go through records and come up with accurate figure and at the moment I am not in Abuja.”

The former Minister of Education had stirred the hornet’s nest with her allegation that a whopping N1 trillion had not only been spent on the maintenance of members of the National Assembly but also N9.08 billion on maintenance of presidential fleet.

Mrs Ezekwesili, who is the immediate past VicePresident of the World Bank (Africa), had equally decried the budgetary allocation system in the country, which gave more to recurrent expenditure than capital projects.

A

Bankers commit N18bn fraud in 2012—NDIC zSays only 10 banks sound in Nigeria

BY EMMA UJAH, ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

A

BUJA—DESPITE claims that the nation’s 24 banks are strong and posting huge profit, fraudulent practises have continued among operators with no fewer than 3, 380 cases involving N17. 97 billion recorded last year.

According to the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, annual report for 2012, this has resulted in a loss of about N4. 52 billion.

The report, released in Abuja yesterday, also said only 10 banks were rated sound in the year under review.

“The DMBs reported 3,380 fraud cases involving the sum of N17.97 billion with expected/contingent loss of about N4.52 billion in 2012.

“The expected/contingent loss had increased by N455 million (10.9 percent) as against N4.072 billion reported in 2011,” NDIC said.

The corporation said, however, that the amount involved in the fraud cases decreased by 36.4 percent from N28.40 billion in 2011 to N18.04 billion in 2012.

It said DMBs posted a combined profit before tax of N525 billion, adding that last year’s performance was an indication that the banks were strong and well capitalised.

“The banking industry was adequately capitalised in the year under review with capital adequacy ratio of 18.07 percent compared to 17.71 percent recorded in 2011. All the DMBs also met the

First Int'l flight arrives Enugu airport

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU—FOUR days to the official commencement of international flights at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, billionaire businessman, Chief Arthur Eze, yesterday, flew into Enugu airport from Senegal.

The aircraft marked No 5MPZE, which landed at the modernised airport at about 3.20pm direct from Senegal, became the first international aircraft to touch down at the airport after it was upgraded.

President Goodluck Jonathan gave approval for the upgrade of the airport to an international status two years ago and laid the foundation for the construction of the international wing early this year.

The Federal Ministry of Aviation has slated the official commencement of international flights from Enugu for Saturday, with Ethiopian airline billed to fly in and out of the coal city.

minimum liquidity threshold of 30 percent. The asset quality significantly improved during the year as the ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans decreased from 4.95 percent in 2011 to 3.51 percent in 2012.

“The improvement in the banking industry’s asset quality was due to the purchase of the non-performing loans of DMBs by AMCON and the enhanced credit risk management by DMBs. The overall effect was an improvement in the industry’s profit before tax which increased from a loss of N6.71 billion in 2011 to a profit of N525.34 billion in 2012,” it said.

The report said in terms of

level of soundness, 10 banks were rated sound, nine satisfactory, while one bank was rated marginal, adding that “the industry could be considered to be relatively stable in 2012.

It insisted that “there was no unsound bank in the banking industry as at December 31, 2012.”

The corporation said it continued to pay depositors of banksin-liquidation during the year with cumulative payment of N6.82 billion to 528,212 insured depositors of closed banks by December 31, 2012 as against N6.68 billion paid to 527,942 insured depositors as at December 31, 2011.

The NDIC said the feat was

achieved in spite of the long closure of the banks and the unwillingness of many depositors to file for their claims.

Similarly, it said a total sum of N2.505 billion was paid to 75,322 verified depositors of 95 of 103 closed MFBs during the year, against the sum of N2.249 billion paid to 72,062 verified depositors in 2011.

“Also, the sum of N73.58 billion had been paid as liquidation dividend to 250,209 depositors of DMBs as at December 31, 2012.

It is pertinent to indicate that a total of 14 out of the 34 banks-in-liquidation prior to 2006 had declared a final dividend of 100 percent of their total deposits, indicating that all depositors of the affected closed banks had fully recovered their deposits,” the corporation said.

MEETING—From left: Sir Nnamdi Obi, CEO, Embassy Pharmaceuticals; Dr Paul Orhii, DG NAFDAC and Mrs Joyce Ugwu, Director, National Drug Policy Programmes, representing Minister of Health at a stakeholders' meeting. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

Only appropriate laws can guarantee free, fair polls in 2015, says NBA

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—THE Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, yesterday, said the country was in dire need of appropriate legal framework that will trigger credible, free and fair election in 2015.

The NBA, which stated this while briefing newsmen about its upcoming annual general conference scheduled to hold in Calabar, Cross River State, next week, maintained that, henceforth, every legal practitioner in the country would be compelled to own an official stamp and seal.

It said the initiative would help to put corrupt lawyers in check and engender professionalism.

Speaking through its National President, Chief Okey Wali, SAN, the NBA, stressed that the theme of its conference, “Law Leadership and Challenges of nationhood in the 21st Century Nigeria”, was carefully chosen, in view of the current state of affairs in the country.

Wali said: “The NBA is the professional association of lawyers with over 70, 000 members in 100 branches spread across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. “It is the biggest professional association in Africa and the South of the Sahara. Every year, the NBA holds its Annual General Conference. It is reputed to be the highest gathering of lawyers in the world.

“The theme of this year ’s conference was carefully chosen in view of the current state of affairs in Nigeria.

“We believe that the challenges facing Nigeria as a nation is the absence of the appropriate legal framework that will trigger credible, free and fair elections and economic development. All this will lead to accountable and exemplary leadership.”

He maintained that President Goodluck Jonathan was expected to declare open the conference which will be chaired by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, S.M.A Belgore, while Secretary of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim Pius, will deliver paper on the topic, “Challenging the Giants: 100 years of Building a Nation.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013—15

Rivers crisis: Court remands 2 PDP chieftains in prison

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—AN Abuja Chief Magistrate Court, yesterday, remanded the chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Omuma local government area of Rivers State, Mr. Charles Amoefule, and Assistant Secretary of the party in the state, Mr Godwin Leo, in prison custody.

The court, which was presided over by Magistrate Babashani Abubakar, ordered that the duo, who are perceived to be loyal to Governor Rotimi Amaechi, should remain in Kuje Prison till tomorrow when their joint bail application will be determined.

Spirited efforts by their lawyer, Ms Regina Okotie-Eboh, to secure their release proved abortive, as police vehemently opposed it, insisting that the accused persons were at risk of being jailed for 17 years should the court find them guilty of the one-count amended charge in the First Information Report, FIR, it entered against them.

Their trial is sequel to a petition sent to the Inspector General of Police, IG, Mohammed Abubakar, on July 15 by one Kelechi Nwogu, who is said to be loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike.

Police alleged that the accused persons conspired with one Onwukwe Anyanwu, said to be at large, and caused an announcement to be made on two radio stations in Abuja that the State Executive Council of PDP in Rivers State had been dissolved and reconstituted.

It told the court that the first accused, Charles, in the said announcement which was made on July 11, 2013, declared himself as the new state chairman of the party, information the prosecution said incited disturbances in Rivers State and resulted in breakdown of law and order.

According to the police, the alleged offence, which bothers on criminal conspiracy, false statement, impersonation, inciting disturbance and criminal intimidation, ran contrary to sections 97, 164, 179, 114 and 397(b) of the Penal Code Law. After the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge, they relied on the decided caselaw in Abiola vs FRN, 1995, 1NWLR and the case of Bamaiyi vs State, 2001, 8-NWLR, and pleaded the court to allow them to go home.

Their lawyer informed the court that the police had on August 7, granted the first accused person administrative bail few hours after he was re-arrested upon his discharge by another Chief

Magistrate Court at Wuse Zone 2, adding that he voluntarily appeared in court yesterday to face trial.

Okotie-Eboh further relied on section 341(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, CPC, and insisted that the offence leveled against them was ordinarily bailable, stressing that they ought to be deemed innocent until proven guilty.

Opposing the oral bail request, the prosecutor, Assistant

Inspector, Usman Jubril, maintained that the accused persons failed to depose to an affidavit indicating their willingness to face trial, contending that whereas the third accused was still at large, “it was war before we could get the first accused person arrested.”

After listening to both parties, Magistrate Abubakar adjourned the case till tomorrow for ruling.

Meanwhile, the court had earlier struck out the initial FIR filed against the second accused person, following an application by the police which expressed its decision to consolidate the charge against the two PDP chieftains and try them together.

Prior to their re-arraignment, a mild drama had ensued after the court struck out the previous FIR and discharged the second accused.

MEETING—From left: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Mac John Nwodo; Governor of Niger State, Dr Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu and representative of Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Mr. Akinbode Agbaoye, during the third African Regional Centre of Expertise, RCE, meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

Gana backs ASUU, says education requires better funding

BY CALEB AYANSINA

A

BUJA—FORMER Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, has stated that for a meaningful transformation to take place in the country, government at all levels must be ready to fund the education system adequately.

Professor Gana, who is also the Pro-Chancellor of University of Lagos, also threw his weight behind the agitation of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, in its ongoing strike.

He noted that ASUU’s demand was not about salary but the need for required infrastructure to function better.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and the Federal Government had been at loggerhead over failure of the latter to fully abide by the 2009 agreement reached with the former.

Gana insisted that government was not doing well with the current funding of education system in Nigeria, adding that education deserved serious attention for the county to move forward.

He said: “We are not funding education properly in Nigeria.

Because education is very

important, we must invest in education if we are really serious about transformation. “ If anybody says education is more expensive, then try ignorance. As a nation, we must resolve to spend our GDP on

the education sector. In the past, Chief Awolowo in the South West used to spend 50 percent on education, the same thing in the north, we must fund education, and any good thing is expensive."

Navy rescues hijacked oil vessels, 9 crew members; arrests 4 suspects

BY EVELYN USMAN

B

ARELY 48 hours after a ship,MT NORTE hijacked by 20 suspected pirates was rescued with the crew members alive, another ship, was again rescued yesterday,

by Naval operatives attached to NNS Beecroft, Apapa, around 10 nautical miles off the coast of Escravos, Delta State.

Arrested at the end of the ensuing gun battle between naval operatives and the pirates, were four suspected pirates while nine crew members were rescued.

The Ship, MT CROW, loaded with 200 metric tonnes of AGO, was reportedly hijacked at Aiyetoro area of Ondo State on

August 14.

Parading the suspects before newsmen at the Defence Jetty, Lagos, the Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Chris Ezekobe, explained that following information received from the Regional Awareness Centre that a ship had been hijacked by unknown gunmen, naval fast track ships were deplored on rescue mission.

According to him, ”the team ran into the hijacked ship around Aiyetoro area of Ondo State. By the time it was sited, it had a speed boat tied behind the vessel. All attempt made at getting the sea robbers to stop, failed. It was at this juncture that the naval operatives that were circling the vessel opened fire.

Jonathan urges police to double efforts on crime fighting

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

A

BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, charged the Nigeria Police Force to be more committed in the discharge of their duty of tackling criminality in the face of increased rate of violent crimes and acts of terrorism.

He stated this while commissioning the renovated Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, complex in Abuja.

The President, who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo, commended the police for the initiative to improve working environment of its officers, adding that government was committed to equipping the force, even as he tasked them on proper maintenance of the structure.

Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (Rtd said the renovation of the FCID had placed the police in a better position to fight crime, adding that this would result in a safer country.

Nigeria signs AVU charter

BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

A

BUJA—MINISTER of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufai, yesterday, said the African Virtual University, AVU, would ensure open and affordable distance learning institution to serve the African continent.

The minister, who stated this at the signing of the AVU Charter in Abuja, said it was imperative for the continent and Nigeria to consider every angle in provision of quality education to its citizens.

AVU is a Pan African International Organisation which aim is to increase access to quality higher education and training through the use of Information and Communication Technologies, ICT. It was established in 1997 and has since trained over 43,000 students and established the largest network of distance and e-Learning institutions in over 30 African countries.

The minister said: “The future of Nigeria and continent of Africa is tied closely to access to quality education. It is, therefore, for this reason that we must consider every angle in our drive to provide quality education to our citizens."

16—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Ahmed tasks Provosts, Rectors on dearth of middle level manpower

Failure of northern elders blamed on neglect of Ahmadu Bello’s legacy

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAM-

MAD

BY DEMOLAAKINYEMI

I

LORIN—GOVER NOR Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, has tasked Provost of colleges of education and Rectors of polytechnics in the country to focus on finding solutions to the problems of middle level manpower deficit in Nigeria.

Governor Ahmed spoke yesterday, while declaring open the 126th regular meeting of Councils of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria, COHEADS, at the Kwara State Polytechnic Ilorin.

The governor said: “I implore you to focus on finding solutions to the critical problems of middle level manpower deficit confronting our nation, especially as it affects the educational system.” ”Today, our labour markets are sadly saturated with unemployable graduates and youths who cannot clearly express themselves, not to talk of possessing the required skills for self-employment.

“As heads of polytechnics and colleges of technology who determine the direction of our technological development, there is the need for you to refocus attention on quality education and business skills to prepare our youths for successful entrepreneurship on graduation.”

K

ANO—ELDER statesman, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, yesterday, attributed the failure of northern leaders in the emerging political order to the neglect of the legacy of late Pre-

mier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello.

The former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nation, told a gathering of youths during one day workshop organised by Arewa Citizen Action for Change, that what helped the north-

Benue dep gov joins 2015 guber race the visit was purposely to elicit

BY PETER DURU

M

A K U R D I — DEPUTY Governor of Benue State, Chief Steven Lawani, yesterday, declared his intention to contest the 2015 gubernatorial election in the state.

Lawani said he had three weeks ago informed the Benue State leadership of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, of his intention to run for the position.

The deputy governor spoke while receiving in audience, members of the Benue State Governor ’s Aides Forum from the Benue South Senatorial district at his Makurdi office.

He said: “About three weeks ago, before I travelled, I had informed the state executives of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, of my intention to put myself forward to run for the office of Governor of Benue State. ”Before today I have had delegations coming to me to urge me to run and I am declaring today before you that I am running and I am counting on your support to actualize the dream.”

Speaking, chairman of the forum, Mr. Clement Okoh, said

the deputy governor ’s position on the forthcoming 2015 general election. ”As leader and father of the governor’s aides from Benue South District, we are here to seek your direction ahead of the forthcoming 2015 general election.”

ern region to be reckoned with in the Nigerian polity was that the northerners whether Muslims or Christians were nurtured by the Sardauna.

He said: “I remember that while Sardauna was leading the activities of the region as Premier he helped in the formations of the Northern Association of Christians of Nigeria, before it was adopted by all and transformed to CAN.” According to him, that was how the north was built regardless of religious or ethnic bigotry, which ensured that nobody called himself with his religion or tribe, saying people were so proud to align themselves with Arewa.

Maitama Sule noted that the assumption of the likes of Sardauna at independence in 1960 was that Nigeria would

be in the rank of developed nations by 1980, but that dream had since evaporated.

He contended that Sardauna died a pauper without a bank account anywhere or share in any company.

He lamented that the story was different from “ what we have today as modern day leaders are ‘treasury looters’, with mansions and houses in Dubai and other places.

“We have leaders today as a result of the oil discovery who buy luxury cars for their girl friends. They imbibe the culture of looting the treasury and shamelessly stuffing them outside, building mansions where there is no road network. That is why today Nigeria yearn for who are generous, kind and patriotic.”

SECURITY AWARENESS FORUM

FORUM: From left: Mr. Umar Manko, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Major Tunde Pannox (rtd), Speacial Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Security Matters, Mrs. Omolara Odebunmi, representing Lagos State Deputy Governor, Ms. Lola Akande, representing Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Mr. Olajide Jimoh, Chairman, Yaba Local Council Development Area, during the security awareness foum, at UNILAG Auditorium, Akoka, Lagos. Photos: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

Kwara electoral body promises fair LG poll

I

L O R I N — M R .

UTHMAN Ajidagba, the Chairman of Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission, KWASIEC, yesterday, reiterated the commission’s commitment towards conducting a free and fair local government election.

He made the pledge at a sensitisation forum in OmuAran and Ilofa, headquarters of Irepodun and Isin Local Government Areas of Kwara respectively.

Ajidagba, who was represented by Hajia Mariam Mustapha, the Commissioner in charge of works and main-

tenance in the commission, said the conduct of peaceful election was a collective responsibility.

He said: “All loopholes and hindrances inimical to a peaceful election have been taken care of.

“I want to assure our people, especially in Kwara South that irrespective of their political affiliation, that we are going to discharge our responsibility to the best of our capabilities.

“We have taken time to study the conduct of the past local government elections since the creation of the state and we have put in place effective strategies to achieve results.”

From left: Mr. Victor Ayara, Mr. Olajide Jimoh, Chairman, Yaba LCDA and Mrs. Aisha Tosan-Agberebi, guest speaker, at the event.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013— —17

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 COLLECTIVE relief swept through the world when Mali’s post war elections passed off peacefully with Soulmania Cisse conceding victory to Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in the second round of ballot.

With tenuous security in the impoverished West African country, the election was a major step towards democratic renewal in Mali where Captain Amadou Sanogo seized power from former President Amadou Toumani Toure in March 2012. Toure had over thrown Gen. Moussa Traore. The military sacked Traore’s government for failing to contain the advancement of the AlQaeda backed insurgents that were pushing to take over the country after they had established a stronghold in the Northern part where they created Republic of Azawad.

The election of Keita, 68, and former Prime Minister from 1994 to 2000, is obviously a welcome development. His party, Rally for Mali, overcame 22 of the 25 candidates that took part in the first round. Keita, whose campaign was “For Mali’s Honour”, needs to embark rebuilding his country. He has to talk with the separatist Tuareg rebels, who

Mali’s Democratic Rene wal enew signed a two month ceasefire agreement for the elections to hold. There are other trouble makers - Ansar Dine, Movement for Unity and Jihad for West Africa, Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb and the Islamic Movement for Azawad - all affiliated to Al-Qaeda.

The ease with which instability in Mali affected West Africa and Europe with transborder movement of criminal groups, drug traffickers and smugglers of small arms indicated the increasing linkages required to sustain global security.

Keita rightly sees “the need to revive dialogue between all sides and gathered Malians around the values that promoted dignity, integrity, courage and hard work.”

Cisse displayed courage in accepting defeat

even before the official result was announced. It is a mark of sportsmanship that he accepted defeat in the interest of the lasting peace in Mali.

Mali needs more than aid money to solve its socio-political and economic problems.

It is land locked, devastated by climate change, and the war ruined its infrastructure.

Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world.

The agitations of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad are festering.

The Islamist militants that occupied Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu to impose strict Islamic law remain active in northern Mali. The withdrawal of over 4,000 French troops that forced the Islamists into disarray, and scaling down of troops from AFISMA, would encourage the Islamists to renew their struggle to establish an Afghan type leadership in Mali and in the Sahel. The world has to help Mali, its stability is key to security in the Sahel, North Africa and even Europe.

Mali may be back to democratic governance, but it remains fragile.

OPINION

BY MURID JARIKRE

T

HE root cause of the Al-Majiri in Nigeria, is due to the fact that the Nigerian Muslim intelligentsia, have failed to adopt the modernist scholars’ interpretation of Holy Koran Chapter 4 verse 3 and in preference chosen to hold on to the old orthodox school’s interpretation of the above-mentioned verse.

There are two interpretations of Holy Koran 4:3 viz: the orthodox scholars’ interpretation and the modernist scholars’ interpretation.

The Holy Koran which is the final authority on all matters concerning the religion of Islam legislates in Holy Koran 4:3 thus: “…..then you may marry other wives who seem good to you, two three or four of them.

But if you feel you cannot maintain equality among them, marry one only…… This will make it easier for you to avoid injustice.”

The orthodox Islamic scholars The orthodox scholars who had held sway in the past one thousand three hundred years of the existence of Islam have always regarded the above verse as an exhortation to believers to piety. Thus in those countries in which the old orthodox school of thought holds sway, the Muslim male is permitted to marry up to four wives without any kind of interference from the State Islamic authorities.

Thus, the orthodox scholars’ interpretation of the relevant verse of the Holy Koran, Holy Koran 4:3, has permitted Nigerian Muslims for example, to marry up to four wives without consideration of the level of income of the men involved. This has led to the creation of very large families by the lower income group of the Nigerian Muslim society which has in turn deposited this problem on society at large as C M Y K

the dissolution of the preceding one, is liable to one year imprisonment and a fine.

The Al-majiri problem the Almajiri.

The modernist Islamic scholars But the modernist Islamic scholars of the 20th and 21st Centuries adopt a different interpretation of Holy Koran 4:3. To them the clause below is fundamental to the interpretation of Holy Koran 4:3: “This will make it easier for you to avoid injustice.”

To them therefore, the above is a positive legal clause of the Sharia which must be taken into consideration by the Islamic State, if a man is to be given permission by the State to marry a second wife.

According to the modernist Islamic school of thought, justice among four wives also means social justice to the off-springs of such a marriage in the form of good education, proper housing and other necessary amenities. This standard concludes the modernist scholar, is well-nigh impossible for many believers to achieve in the socio-economic setting of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Moreover the individual Muslim is unjust to society when he saddles the rest of the society with the problem of children he is incapable of taking care of, as in the case of the Almajiri.

The modernist scholars view themselves as men who through their own interpretation of the Sharia seek equity and social justice for all sections of the society especially women and children including orphans.

The modernist Islamic scholars therefore urged the Islamic State to intervene by legislation to discourage Muslims from marrying more wives than they are

economically capable of maintaining.

Hitherto as noted earlier, the Islamic State did not intervene in such matters. The modernist Islamic scholars have been greatly successful in their efforts. Their influence has stamped itself on the legislation as regards marriage in over 80% of the Islamic world.

The Syrian Law of Personal Status of 1953, Article 17, provides “The judge is empowered to refuse permission to marry another woman if it is established that he the husband is not in a position to support two wives……………..

Defaulters are liable to penalties and the court will not recognize such a marriage. Please see The Sharia by Professor A I Doi Chapter 26.

I

n Iraq, the Law of Personal Status 1959, Article 3, reads: ”It is not permissible to marry more than one woman without an authorization from the judge. The grant of permission is regulated by the condition that the husband’s financial status permits for supporting the wives and it is for a genuine benefit.” Similar legislations are in force in Algeria, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco and Sudan.

Turkey and Tunisia went even further. Both countries prohibited polygamy entirely. In Turkey, the Civil Code of 1926 provides: ”If at all such a marriage is contracted, the court is empowered to declare such marriage invalid.”

And in the case of Tunisia, the Law of Personal Status of 1957 states: ”Polygamy is forbidden.

Any person having entered into a bond of marriage contracts another marriage before

Criticism of the modernist Islamic scholars The scholars of the old orthodox school are up in arms. ”By rejecting the prohibition” writes the much respected scholar, Professor Abdurraham Doi, formerly of Ahmadu Bello and Ife Universities, “the so-called modernist reformers have refused to accept Quranic injunctions and have indirectly rejected the Sunnah (the ways and examples of the Holy Prophet Mohammed, may the peace and blessings of God Most High be with him), declaring such to be unworkable, and have disregarded the opinions of the pious scholars and Imams.”

To the orthodox, the views of the modernist scholars’ position is the result of a subtle brainwashing over the years by European colonialism. Hence also the modernists’ scholars readiness in accepting hybrid legal systems such as Anglo-Mohammedan and Franco-Mohammedan legal systems. Hence also, the modernist scholars’ unacceptable interpretation of the family laws of the Sharia.

The views of the modernist school of thought in interpreting Holy Koran 4:3 is recommended for adoption in Nigeria. This will in consequence lead to an amendment of the Marriage Laws of the Sharia to ensure that Muslim males marry only the number of wives they are economically capable of maintaining.

By so doing, the Almajiri problem will over a period of time disappear from Nigeria. *Mr. Jarikre, a social critic, wrote from Sapele, Delta State.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013— —19

, N

GOZI Okonjo-Iweala has two designations. She is Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy. Without intending to be perverse, I wonder what the differences are between both titles.

What would a Finance Minister of a country such as ours be doing if she is not responsible (call it coordinating, managing, overseeing or whatever) for the entire economy? Could the tautology of these titles be the Jonathan administration’s way of telling would-be adversaries, be it in the Central Bank, the Internal Revenue Service, etc, that the authority of the Minister of Finance on economic matters cannot be questioned? This should be understandable as ours is a strange country in which supremacy battles are quite routine among public office holders. The era of the Super Permanent Secretaries belonged in the 1970s. This might be the epoch of the Super Ministers who must be above the Ministers who are in turn above the Ministers of State. More on this in the third part.

But Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has

told us this past week that government cannot afford the N92 billion (ASUU says its N87 billion) that striking university teachers are demanding as ‘earned allowances’. Her joining the Gabriel Suswan-led Federal Government negotiating team, which Suswan thought was very important as it would give a clear picture of the economy, has truly changed the tempo and tenor of the negotiation between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and Abuja. The change Okonjo-Iweala brings to the discussion is however not so fundamental, for the song she’s singing is an old one that has left Nigerians jaded. It ranked top of the chart of past ASUU/ government negotiations. Like a repeating clock, we shall be back here again soon when the contrived truce that would eventually end the ASUU/Government disagreement again breaks down for nonimplementation. Even if the strike is called off as I write this, the damage to the academic calendar is already done.

It’s obvious Okonjo-Iweala’s message won’t sell in the ears of ASUU. And it can’t and shouldn’t

,

sell when it’s clear that the same economy that we are told cannot sustain the lecturers’ demand somehow takes care of the claims of a grossly bloated government of seat-warming executive and legislative officials; so-called democracy that is by universal assent the most expensive and, one might say, irresponsible in the world. It’s unfair, as the minister has observed, that the country’s revenue should be spent entirely on recurrent expenses of just three per cent of our entire population of 160 million. Nigerians have made a lot of sacrifices, smiling and living in a state of want and squalor amid the nauseously ostentatious and unearned living of public office holders, people who construct two-kilometre roads and drill a few boreholes that are powered by generators in city centres and roll out the drums in celebration.

N

igerians have borne the tragedy of seeing the promised transformation of their country ’s potential at independence remaining just mere potential in nearly 60 years.

They’ve seen their hopes go up in bursts of wind so often they now

Air, air, everywhere, not a place to breathe in Lagos!

I

HAVE taken extreme liberties with the anguished cry of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s narrator in “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” for good reason. Had that traumatised and glittering-eyed character of one of the world’s best-known narrative poems undertaken his doomed voyage in the 21st and not, presumably, the 19th Century, then chanced to be blown ashore in Lagos, he might, I think, have approved of this rendering of his unfathomable terror.

With every of his crewmates dead and he condemned to roam the seas alone as punishment for the unconscionable act (“a hellish thing,” in his own words) of killing a benevolent albatross — in other words, cruelty to nature — his was the supreme irony of dying in the midst of plenty; hence his cry, “water, water every where nor any drop to drink.” But I exaggerate because it is clear to me that we are getting dangerously close to a similar ordeal as the Ancient Mariner’s with regard to air, another vital element.

Lagos, quite literally, is fast becoming an impossible place to breathe.

The dangerous effects of air pollution are indisputable: the scientific view is that it causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Which can cause death through lung cancer, pneumonia, asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including bronchitis and emphysema), while also increasing the risk factor in diabetes and heart patients. As is often the case, infants and the elderly with insufficiently developed or weakened immune systems are the most vulnerable.

Of course, air pollution is not a Lagos problem but Nigeria’s as a whole. In fact, it

is a global problem, given that ultimately all of earth’s inhabitants breathe the same air. Those immediately exposed to bad air may suffer more in the short term, but soon enough what goes round comes round to imperil biological life everywhere. But I focus on Lagos in this essay because it is my favourite city, even though I have visited and even resided in a few of the world’s most storied cities. And, also, partly on the basis of personal experience; of which, more presently.

It is true that many around the world, especially in Europe and America, consider China as a literal pollution nuclear bomb waiting to detonate and cause an environmental Armageddon. But as The Economist of London shows in its cover story of August 10, 2013, China may in fact be well ahead of Europe and America in cleaning up its phenomenally fouled air.

Quite remarkable is the sheer amounts of money ($275 billion over the next five years, twice the size of the annual defence budget) that China is devoting to the urgent task of improving air quality. Its commitment to clean and more efficient alternative energy sources to coal and fossil fuel has already made it the leader in solar panel manufacturing.

Needless to say, Nigeria is not remotely close to the scale of industrial activity that makes China the factory of the world. Still, when it comes to the burning of fossil fuel, the chief source of air pollution in Nigeria, Lagos, I suspect, will top Shanghai.

Unregulated emissions from the diesel and petrol engines of millions upon millions of cars, buses, trucks and generators lead to

turn on one another in hateful ethnic strife and contest of superiority, measuring poverty against poverty in a bid to determine which ethnic group has helped itself most to our fast diminishing resources. Indeed, Nigerians have played the fool when they could very reasonably have demanded more of their leaders. We are all witnesses to the roiling ethnic battles and inanities that are being waged in the media over the deportation/integration and dismissal from service of persons of different ethnic groups in the last couple of weeks. Matters that have stared us all in the face long before now but about which we have done and said nothing until we have become victims of their suppurations. We’ve taken hardened positions of recrimination and counterrecrimination in contest for scarce resources following the mismanagement and looting of the little that is available by persons in authority and their cronies in the private sector.

It’s now a zero-sum game that has turned us all enemies of one another. It’s in the midst of this that the same government is calling for more sacrifices from lecturers who belong in one of the most abused and neglected sectors of the polity.

Of course, university lecturers are not entirely blameless in the rot engulfing the land. But let’s be clear on one thing: If more sacrifices are to be made by Nigerians, they must commence from Abuja down to the states and local governments where public office holders, civil servants, legislators and members of the executive arms continue to squander the resources and wealth of this nation in criminal and inhuman neglect of the vast majority. The mantra of ‘ we cannot afford earned allowances’ of lecturers, as are other services and duties that responsible governments the world over

astronomically high levels of carbon and sulphur oxides and other volatile organic compounds, VOCs, in the air.

With an energy corporation formerly known as NEPA or Never Expect Power Always/At All, but which lately became PHCN or Problem Has

,

ASUU and Abuja: ‘No agreement today; no agreement tomorrow’ (1)

It’s obvious Okonjo-Iweala’s message won’t sell in the ears of ASUU; the same economy that we are told cannot sustain the lecturers’ demand somehow takes care of a bloated government

Lagos, a mega-city under Governor Fashola, can no longer push air quality to the back-burner of its priorities; breathing should be as free of health hazards as good air

,

Changed its Name, Nigeria, and so Lagos, enjoys the dubious distinction of the generator capital of the world.

U

ntil recently, I did not know that it was vehicular and generator emission that made me ever so miserable in Lagos. I am a mildly asthmatic allergy sufferer, and just last month it dawned on me that I tend to have my worst breathing, sneezing, runny and itchy-eyes moments whenever I have been more directly exposed to densely polluted air. Such as when in traffic; particularly, when caught for a while behind vehicles pumping black clouds of

execute on behalf of their citizens, would take nobody anywhere. It can only polarize the country along sectarian and ethnic divides, deepen the fissures of suspicion among the different religions until it blows up in our collective face.

In ‘The ICPC Report on the Nigerian University System’, twopart editions of this column that ran on 10 and 17 April this year, I ex-rayed the report of the outcome of the survey conducted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on Nigerian universities and the problems confronting them. These two-part series had been preceded by a series titled ‘The ICPC/NUC report and sexual harassment in Nigerian universities’ which was published respectively on 20 and 27 March 2013. These March editions of the column had reacted to a statement which turned out to have no basis in the report it supposedly emanated from, credited to Mr. Ekpo Nta, the ICPC chair, to the effect that sexual harassment ranked ‘extremely high’ among corrupt practices in our universities. The statement, reported by the Punch had prompted an editorial in the newspaper.

I had in my submissions in these articles called attention to the more fundamental problem of decayed infrastructure or nonexistent infrastructure including ill-equipped laboratories, libraries filled with outdated books, crowded classrooms, dinghy offices, poorly trained and poorly motivated personnel, teaching and non-teaching alike, etc. These problems, I argued, create the condition that make it possible for mischievous and irresponsible lecturers to perpetrate criminal acts including ‘sexual harassment’ and irresponsible students and their criminally-minded parents to seek to pervert standard academic procedures for their own benefits.

petrochemical poison into the air. Or during prolonged exposure to the fumes of generators. Double wahala then: noise and air pollution!

According to the World Health Organisation, outdoor air pollution causes an estimated 1.3 million deaths worldwide annually, mostly among inhabitants of poor countries. But WHO may have understated the figure. A Cornell University study, led by Professor David Pimentel, finds that as many as 3 million people die from air pollution a year. Even more worrisome, environmental degradation contributes to the malnourishment and susceptibility to diseases of 3.7 billion people.

By reducing particulate matter (in the 10 micron diameter category) from 70 to 20 micrograms per cubic metre, says WHO, deaths related to poor air quality can be reduced by about 15 percent. Yet, the PM10 for Lagos is estimated at 122.3 and the average for Nigeria is 123.6! Given that as individuals we cannot control our exposure to polluted air, government at the local, state and federal levels must begin to take serious and urgent steps to sanitise our air (as well as water and soil). Lagos, a mega-city that has, under Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, begun to take itself seriously, can no longer push air quality to the backburner of its priorities. Breathing should be as free of health hazards as good air.

20— Vanguard ,

WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY,, AUGUST 21 , 2013

Debate of the masses

We have a very long way to go! (1)

BY EBELE ORAKPO

“T

•Benson Bus-stop, Ikorodu

End of the road for motorbike robbers •Nabbed after snatching N450,000 at gun point

T

RAVELLING all the way from Lukosi area of Ogun State to Ikorodu in Lagos on a motorcycle is certainly remarkable.

But more remarkable is that when the three travellers stopped beside a new generation bank last Friday, this did not immediately arouse any curiosity or suspicion, especially as their mission was unknown to those who saw them. That was until an alarm was suddenly raised, prompting some members of the public as well as security operatives to go after these three jolly good friends.

In what looked like a scene in a movie, the three-man gang snatched N450,000 at gun point from a middleaged man who obviously had made some withdrawals from the new generation bank. But following the alarm raised, the police had swooped on the robbers, arrested two of them and recovered N68,000; one of the rob-

bers, however, succeeded in disappearing with the bulk of the loot. The fleeing robber was said to

‘

his name in print, was said to be walking towards where he parked his car across the road

The fleeing robber was said to have thrown N68,000 at his pursuers to enable him make good his escape

have thrown the N68,000 at his pursuers to enable him make good his escape.

The arrested robbers are presently cooling their heels at Panti while the Police have continued investigation into the matter, vowing to flush out the fleeing robber from his hiding place soon.

Eye witnesses account has it that one of the robbers took to his heels and escaped as soon as a distress call was put across to the Police. But the others were not so lucky as one was apprehended at Powerline and the other at Sagamu road.

The victim of the robbery attack, who do not want

‘

BY BOSE ADELAJA

carrying a Ghana-MustGo bag assumed to contain a huge sum of money. On sighting him with the bag, his assailants went after him and dispossessed him of the money in the bag.

A hawker at Ikorodu garage, Victoria Ojeme, told Vanguard Metro the money was meant for a business transaction which seem now on the verge of being aborted as the Police could only recover N68,000 from the suspects.

According to her, the man had raised alarm which attracted passersby who took after the

robbers. After a hot chase, one of robbers escaped on a motorcycle but luck ran out against the rest who were apprehended with the help of the Police at Sagamu road Division.

The two suspects were taken to Sagamu road Division where they confessed they were residents of Lukosi. The case has been transferred to Criminal Investigative Department, Panti, for further investigations.

Since the arrest of the robbers, banks in Ikorodu have beefed up their security as residents called on law enforcement agents to patrol the area day and night. Although happy that two of the robbers were caught, worried residents are calling on the Nigeria Police to intensify efforts in ensuring that the area remain crimefree.’’Robbers want to turn this place into their den, but we are equal to the task. Police were immediately contacted and they launched an attack leading to the arrest of two of the robbers but one escaped and disappeared into thin air,’’ said Mr. Afeez Oladimeji.

RULY speaking, we have a very, very long way to go as a people,” commented Iyke as the commuterbusglidedthroughthesurprisinglylighttrafficalongthe Oshodi – Oworonshoki road, en route to Obalende via ThirdMainlandBridge.“Everything is just wrong! We are specialists in the copy and paste business, yet, we have not been able to copy the western world correctly.”

“We are very good copiers all right but we copy the aspects that suit us and leave the rest,” said Mike.

“If we are really copying everything, by now, we should have known that in the US for instance, if you live in Texas, you are regarded as a Texan and if you move to Alaska tomorrow, you are an Alaskan and you are free to contest election if you knowyouhavewhatittakes,” said Iyke.

American football player “Exactly! I remember an American lady called to ask me if a popular American football player was my relation because we bear the same last name and I said no, but he is from my home town. The way she quickly refuted that, you will think I hadcommittedsacrilege.She said; “No, he is an American, may be his parents are from Nigeria.

“I didn’t know what to say.

This was quite different from what is going on in our country. Here, a child is born in a town, grows up in the place, graduates and starts working, paying tax in that same state, may even buy land and build houses or open his own business and employ people; despite all these, he is still regarded as a settler, a stranger in his country and when the chips are down, he discovers that if he has no ties in his so-called state of origin, he is damned,” said Ada. “Aslongasthisattitudecontinues, we are simply going to be moving round and roundthecirclewithoutmaking any progress,” noted

Mike.

“The Black man is something else. He complains of the white man discriminating against him, and now he does even worse to his fellow Blacks. South Africa is a good example,” said Iyke.

“But the Igbos who are always seeking to move to other regions, buy land, put up structures and establish businesses, what is wrong with their own part of the country? Is it a taboo to establish their businesses there?’ queried Kaycee.

“I like what Hon. Dino Melaye said during a book launch in Abuja recently. The book was on the civil war.

Melaye said the Igbos should forget about the civil warandforgeahead.Hesaid 80 per cent of the hotels in Abuja are owned by Igbos, they are very enterprising so they should get themselves together and go and develop the South-East, make it a strong economic bloc and people will come looking for them,” said Austin.

“True talk! Some will tell you if they move their businesses to the South-East, (SE)people will not patronise them and I tell them it’s a big lie! Look at Onitsha Main market for instance, people comefromallnooksandcrannies of West Africa and beyond to buy things so if today, they decide to move down to the SE, believe you me, people who need what theyhavetoofferwillgolooking for them,” said Iyke.

“Good point my brother. I think the ball is now in the court of the South-East governors to do something. They must create a conducive environment for businesses to thrive. I know that lack of federal government presence in the SE contributed to that movement but we can remedy the situation. It is not too late,” counselled James.

“The SE governors should provide the space and the business people will develop it because if you wait for government,youwillwaitforever. After all, all the places they built up outside the SE were done by the business people themselves and not government,” said Austin.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 — 21

IFC invests N60bn in infrastructure development in Nigeria

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

I

N T E R N AT I O N A L Finance Corporation, IFC said it has invested 25 per cent, about N60 billion of its 2012 total investment in Nigeria on infrastructure.

Vice President, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and The Caribbean, Jean Philippe Prosper stated this in Lagos while interacting with news men during his visit to Nigeria.

He said that IFC has invested a total of $1.5bn in Nigeria within the

organisations’s last fiscal year that ended in June, 2013.

According to him, the infrastructure and natural resources sector got 25 per cent, about N60bn, while manufacturing and agribusiness got 25 per cent.

The financial markets got N120bn about 50 per cent of the total investments.

“We have significantly increased our volume of activities both in terms of investments and advisory services. On the investment front, we have in the past fiscal

year, which is from July 1st 2012 to June 30, 2013, invested about $1.5bn in Nigeria which represents close to 30 per cent of what we have done in Africa this year. That was about 50 per cent in financial markets, 25 per cent on infrastructure and natural resources and the other 25 per cent in manufacturing and agribusinesses,” he said.

He added that, “Over all in Africa, we have significantly increased our activities in infrastructure development particularly in power and

transport, because those are the key areas of need in Africa.

In Nigeria, our major focus is on power and we as a World Bank Group are working with the government and others and we have developed a joint World Bank approach on what we call Energy Business Plan.”

He further noted that Nigeria’s economy is providing veritable opportunities, presenting huge prospects for growth and IFC will continue to do more businesses in Nigeria.

MEETING: From left: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism & Internally Generated Revenue, Mr Ashamu Fadipe; Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Mr. Oladisun Holloway; Senior Special Assistant to Lagos State Government/Secretary, Lagos State Hotel Licensing Authority, Aduke Gomez and Director, Leisure and Hospitality, Mrs. Mosunmola Johnson, at the Hotels & Tourism Establishment stakeholders’ meeting organised by the ministry, in Lagos.

“In terms of doing business in Nigeria, we would have not been able to increase our volume of business if there were no opportunities.

Clearly there are opportunities, it is a vibrant economy as the economy has grown to over 7 per cent in the last three years and it is expected to continue to grow even in a relatively faster pace. Of course there are issues but what is important to us is that we are seeing positive trends in the economy and we are excited about the opportunity for us to continue to do more business,” he said.

On the $1bn bonds that IFC plans to issue in Nigeria and has approved full authorisation to commence the process, Prosper said, it was to boost investors’ confidence in the financial market and also to make long term loan available to local companies in the country.

“The $1bn bond that we want to issue would have two important effects. First, there will be huge confidence. All the international investors will see that IFC is willing to take the risks on Nigeria, because at the end of the day we are issuing it in naira. Also, that investment will help us to issue long term financial instrument to local companies.

This is because once we get that money, we will use it to lend to companies that need naira, we will give more to local companies in long term project of up to fifteen years which commercial banks cannot give because they don’t have such instruments,” he explained.

Nigerians abr oad, bigges abroad, biggestt inves investtor orss in Nigeria — Dabiri

By VERASAMUELANYAGAFU

N

IGERIANS abroad have been identified as the biggest investors into the country’s economy, which is seen as one of the fastest growing in Africa.

The chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa disclosed this at the just concluded Nigerian Diaspora Direct Investment Summit in London where she urged the Nigerian government to ensure that Nigerians abroad are given the necessary support needed to have a smooth inter-business transactions in their various countries of abode.

According to the lawmaker, “Nigerians living abroad may have turned out to be the biggest investors in the country, and I urged the gov-

ernment to provide them with the enabling premise, through engaging and embracing them for a better Nigeria economy.”

Also disclosing that a Diaspora Commission would be established before the end of 2013, to add up to the proposed compilation of a database of Nigerians abroad for appropriate Diaspora vote in the year 2015, the lawmaker urged all responsible Nigeria authorities to join hands in efforts to achieving a prosperous Nigeria, with the best economy in Africa.

In a similar development, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, has lauded the contributions of Nigerians abroad to national development, saying, “ Remittances of over $21 billion in the last one year, appears the highest so far in Africa.

Anyim further stated that, “ Nigerians in Diaspora are excelling in their various fields of human endeavours abroad and have continued to enormously contribute to national development, particularly in the educational and health sectors.

Adding that, “Nigerians abroad have donated educational materials such as books and computers; medical equipment and drugs, in addition to funding many free medical missions to many communities in Nigeria.

These they do, through groups such as ‘Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas’ Anambra State Association (ASA); Women and Calvary Torch International, etc.”

22—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Risks you are exposed to and how you can manage them What is risk?

E have the dictionary meaning of risk as well as the insurance definition of risk. But to the ordinary man out there, risk is the chance of a loss happening.

It is the possibility of an unfortunate thing happening to you. Risk is you and I facing the unexpected that is not desired by anybody. Life is full of risks, that is, uncertainties of life. In our personal and business life we are exposed to various forms of risks. So in all endeavours of life, we are faced with risks. So better put, all human endeavours are associated with one form of risk or the other.

So the question is ‘how do we react to risks since we know that we face risks in all we do every day?

Classification of risks Risks can be classified in a number of ways. We have speculative or pure risks. We have financial and nonfinancial. Then we have fundamental risks. So it is good for one to recognise these classifications because when you understand them, you know how best to treat them.

Financial risks Financial risks are those risks that if they happen or materialise will result in financial losses. And a good example is the risk of your car being stolen. You will suffer to the extent of the cost or the purchase value of that car. In the case of an accidental damage to the car, you will suffer financially to the extent of what it takes you to repair it. In the case of the risk of causing injury or the death of a person by using that car, you will suffer financially to the extent of liability damages that you have to pay either for the death or for treating the person.

Non-financial risks Non-financial risks are risks that will not result in financial losses but somebody will suffer a loss when such risks happen.

However, it can be very difficult to quantify them in financial terms. Examples are sentimental or emotional losses.

For instance emotional losses attached to the disappointment one faces in the event of a failed relationship, marriage etc.

Speculative risk A speculative risk is one that leaves room for gain or loss, e.g gambling, betting.

When you gamble or bet, you

W

By Dr. Wole Adetimehin, Immediate Past President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN

already know the risk you are facing. For a risk to be authentic there must be an element of uncertainty, that is, the chances that this will happen or not. If it happens, you will suffer a loss, if it doesn’t happen, you will be at peace. Speculative risk provide for gain or lose situation, therefore it does not qualify as an insurable risk.

Pure risk Pure risks are the ones that expose you to financial losses in the sence that you will never make any gain from it,

A

re all risks insurable?

From the classifications above, not all risks are insurable. So what are insurable risks and what are the factors that must be present.

From the classification, financial risks are insurable

How do we react to risks since we know that we face risks in all we do every day

,

e.g loss to your car due to theft; accidental damage to your car; fire damage to your house etc.

Any compensation that you get will just bring you back to the position you were occupying before the loss.

Fundamental risks These are risks of nature that goes beyond any scientific management. They are such that when they happen, the magnitude can ruin any national economy, e.g war, earthquake, terrorism. It is not that insurance cannot handle

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS TO insuranceandyou@yahoo.com

C M Y K

them because we now have covers for terrorism, political risks and so on, but by their fundamental nature, losses emanating from them could be so huge that they could lead to total destruction.

,

because you can quantify the losses, that is, you can reduce the losses to financial term.

Sentimental/emotional losses are non-financial because you cannot quantify them. You can’t express it in financial terms so it becomes difficult for you and the insurer to agree on all the other things.

For pure and speculative risks, pure risks are insurable because there is no element of you profiting or gaining from losses coming from pure risks while for speculative risks, you already know what you are going into because certain things are bound to happen and you are either making a gain or a loss. In essence, it will not qualify for insurance or make it insurable. It will be against public policy coupled with the fact that you already know what you are going into. The key element in insurance is probability; therefore, if you are certainly sure of what you are staking, then it is not insurable.

Fundamental risks, which are risks of war, earthquake, terrorism, political risks and so on are insurable. In the early times of insurance, they were not insurable, however, in modern times, they are insurable. Due to their catastrophic nature when they result in losses and because of the effect and magnitude of fundamental risks, it has been difficult for insurance houses or markets to build the required capacity that can provide for such losses. However, by the day people are beginning to look at ways and means of providing cover for such risks.

In our market, people are asking that we provide cover for kidnapping, terrorism, political risks. In some parts of Africa, e.g South Africa, Egypt, and Tunusia, people are already coming together to underwrite such risks.

BRIEF

Marina Securities gets best brokerage award

M

ARINA Securi ties Limited has won the CFI.co 2013 international award for Best Stock Brokerage, Nigeria. Marina Securities is one of Nigeria’s investment and financial advisory services company offering financial advisory, stock broking and investment research services.

The CFI.co annual award programme identifies individuals and organisations that truly add value to their respective business stakeholders and communities.

According to a statement published by CFI.co in its Summer 2013 issue, the winner emerged from a careful consideration of the shortlisted firms by a panel of judges who are pleased to announce Marina Securities as “‘Best Stock Brokerage, Nigeria.”

The publication also stated, “With the increasing levels of interest in the Nigerian financial markets both domestically and internationally, top quality brokerage firms are key to sustainable financial development.”

It went further to state “As the Nigerian Markets continue to grow and opportunities are created, investors looking to take advantage of the situation will be in safe hands with Marina Securities.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 — 23

Stakeholders advocate PPP in health insurance S

TAKEHOLDERS in the health, finance, industrial and oil and gas sectors have called for the adoption of the Public Private Partnership, PPP, model in reaching the grassroots and in sustaining of healthcare initiatives in Nigeria through.

The stakeholders, in a communiqué at the Livewell Initiative, LWI, Strategic Focus Group Meeting on Promotive Healthcare in Lagos, said the PPP model, in addition to a proactive and deliberate strategy, will help facilitate wellness promotion and health status awareness among the p o p u l a c e .

The communiqué signed by Mrs. Bisi Bright, Chief Executive Officer, LWI, emphasised the need for healthcare services to be made available to the general population, especially in view of the burden of diseases which is a multi-disciplinary, multiagency affair.

“The starting point should be advocacy, awareness and thereafter, there should be leadership by government and the private sector, and, lastly, legislation and enforcement.

“Health insurance should be offered to workers through their employers so they can access healthcare. Out of pocket expenditures for healthcare should be minimised with community health insurance for the informal sector and for poorer

populations who pay for health out of pocket.

“Preventive measures should be emphasised in order to avoid loss of health, financial costs of treatment, and loss of ability to work, which can lead to further impoverishment. “A lack of awareness and understanding of current public health resources including the Community Based Health Insurance Scheme (CBHIS) exists, which results in wasted

resources due to underutilised staff. Raising awareness of this, health fairs, screening opportunities, and other healthcare resources must be made a priority,” the communiqué noted.

Participants at the meeting include: Dr. Dr. Olufemi Olugbile, Permanent Secretary Health Lagos State , who acted as the Chairman; Dr. Mona Khanna, Clinical Associate Professor, University of Illinois,

USA, and Fox Chicago News Medical Contributor, who doubled as the Co-Chairman; Dr. Edet Edet, Public Health Adviser, Shell Petroleum Development Company; Mrs. Kemi Ajayi, Chief Operating Officer, Banwo & Ighodalo; Mr. John Edheku, National Sales Manager, May & Baker, Mrs. Bisi Bright and Dr. Adebola O. Hassan, Technical Specialist Health, USAID SHOPS, among others.

LAUNCH: From left: Mrs Folashade Onanuga, Executive Director, Technical, Lagos State Pension Commission; Dr Demola Sogunle, Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited; Mr Paul Awoyemi Ebong, Principal Insurance Officer, National Open University of Nigeria; Mr Steve Elusope, Executive Director, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited and Mrs Bunmi DayoOlagunji, Head Benegist Administration, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited during the launch of Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited mobile office, in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola.

E

XISTING and prospective customers of pension fund administration will enjoy even more convenience as Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, a member of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, deploys an innovative mobile office, the first of its kind in the pension industry in Nigeria.

At the formal unveiling of the Stanbic IBTC Pension mobile office in Lagos on August 19, the Pension Fund Administrator said the move is in line with its commitment to ensure that clients are able to experience excellent and convenient service at all times.

The mobile office, sited on a bus, has been deployed in Lagos and will be subsequently deployed in other cities, and will enhance access to customers. Head of Service, Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Mr. Adesegun Ogunlewe, represented

by Mrs. Folashade Onanuga, Executive Director, Technical, Lagos State Pension Commission, performed the

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By ROSEMARY ONUOHA

unveiling ceremony.

Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, Dr. Demola Sogunle, said the growing visibility will demystify the pensions subject and encourage more Nigerians to subscribe to the contributory pension scheme, thereby enhancing financial inclusion.

“We believe that this initiative which speaks of convenience and accessibility is one of our key steps towards building a legacy of exceptional service delivery where the customer is the focal point of all our activities. This initiative will bring pension service to the doorsteps of our customers and prospective customers alike.”

Sogunle said plans are currently being finalized to deploy more mobile offices in various cities across the country. The new service window will complement the group’s expanding footprint in Nigeria by adding to the almost 200 branches of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers’nine regional offices, as well as selected branches of Zenith Bank where the PFA operates. Other access points include the internet, telephone, email and SMS.

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Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers launches mobile office Sogunle said it was to enhance rapport and uninterrupted interface with its customers that Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers launched its 24hour, multilingual call centre that comes in the three major Nigerian languages namely Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa as well as Pidgin English.

Customers who call into this call centre, he said, have the option of being attended to in their preferred language.

As a member of the 150 year-old Standard Bank Group, Sogunle emphasized that Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers is backed by the requisite expertise and experience, strong and sound financial clout, ensuring efficiency in the management and safety of clients’retirement savings.

“We believe that the support, experience and capabilities of the Standard Bank Group to which we belong, have been instrumental in enhancing our expertise, resource base and general service delivery, thus reinforcing our goal of providing excellent service to all our customers,” he stated.

BRIEF Yuguda, insurance chiefs to brainstorm on economy

By ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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ALLAM Isa Yuguda, Executive Governor of Bauchi State and chief executives of leading insurance firms in the country are set to grace the 5th Anniversary Lecture/ Awards of Business Journal magazine scheduled for Friday, September 6, 2013 at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

A statement by the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Business Journal, Mr. Prince Cookey stated that Yuguda would be the special guest of honour at the event and will also receive an award for ‘Champion of Good Governance & Sustainable Development’ in recognition of his sterling qualities in promoting the tenets of good governance in Nigeria and embarking on sustainable developmental strides in Bauchi State.

In the same vein, leading insurance firms in the country would be honoured with ‘Insurance Industry Leadership Award’ in recognition of their corporate achievements and performance in the insurance industry over the years.

Cookey said the anniversary lecture which has ‘Is Nigeria Growing Forward or Developing Backward’ as theme, is designed to provide a platform for stakeholders in critical sectors of the economy to review the state of the media industry and national economy, and draw a roadmap for sustainable future.

He said the theme is apt given the inability of the economy to create jobs and reduce high level of poverty in the country despite Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of between six and eight per cent per annum, according to latest figures from the government and various international financial institutions.

The Business Journal publisher said the event would be chaired by Engr.

Ernest Ndukwe, immediate past Executive ViceChairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) while the guest speakers include Mr. Chike Mokwunye, Group Managing Director/ CEO, Royal Exchange Plc and Mr. Roberts Orya, Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM).

24—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Wema Bank plans to raise $200m to fund loan stock EMA Bank Plc, which successfuly raised N40 billion ($247.4 million) earlier for expansion of its operations across the country, said it’s seeking an additional $200 million over the next two years to fund its loan book.

“The sum of $100 million is planned to be raised in the first quarter of next year and the balance by 2015, when we would have improved on our return on equity.” Chief Financial Officer Tunde Mabawonku said, “We’re looking at several options including bond, loan and debenture for funds.”

Wema Bank, which operates as a regional bank in western Nigeria and the capital, Abuja, plans to seek regulatory approval for a national banking

licence this year, allowing it to operate in Nigeria’s six regions.

The Central Bank of Nigeria changed licensing rules as part of reforms after a debt crisis in 2009 brought the banking industry to the verge of collapse.

Banks in Nigeria are either licensed as holding companies, operating local and international units, or as national and regional banks.

The bank plans to open an additional 20 branches to increase the number to 149, Mabawonku said.

‘Our loan book is planned to increase by 20 percent this year and 60 percent in 2014,” he said.

AWARD: From left: Executive Director, Human Resources, Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, Mr. Femi Mokikan; recipient of the 2013 Seven-Up HBS Scholarship, Mayowa Kuyoro and Head of Marketing, Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, Mr. Norden Thurston at the unveiling of the third winner of 7Up Harvard Business School scholarship award, in Lagos.

SEC reiterates commitment to investors’ education

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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ORRIED by the level of finan cial illiteracy in the Nigerian capital market, the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, has reiterated its commitment towards improving the level of financial education of micro-investors.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, the SEC Director-General, Ms Arunma Oteh, said that increasing the level of investors’ education was critical to ensuring the protection of their rights.

Though she said that the Commission had done a lot to ensure rules enforcement, Oteh noted that arming investors with knowledge of the market was a veritable tool for protecting their rights, adding that, “An investor, who does not have the knowledge of his right, will not know where to go to make sure that those rights are protected.”

Her words, “We think that enforcement is key, but I think most important for us in investors protection is understanding of their rights and that is why as a team of financial sector regulators – the Central Bank, the Pension Commission, the NAICOM, along with the Stock Exchange and SEC, we have agreed that we must form a group, which we have already

inaugurated, the Financial Literacy Steering Committee.

“Basically, what we want to do is tackle cases of financial illiteracy head on; learn from one another what we do in our various agencies, but also coordinate our efforts, because your best form of protection is your knowledge.”

She noted that over the last three years, the Commission has made a lot of new rules, as well as strengthened the existing rules to ensure an efficient market.

“We have made a lot of rule changes because we believe that rules shape behaviours; they set the boundary and it is a way to communicate to people, this is what you can do and this is what you can’t do. But we feel that we have to do more than just count rules, so what we have done over the last three and half years is a greater focus on enforcement,” she stated.

“We now have a situation where people will say you have a lot of regulation because we have a history of an under-regulated market.

What we have done is tighten enforcement because enforcement was weak, and what we did is partner with other agenciest. We have people seconded from the Attorney General’s office because justice delayed is justice denied.

Should we stop advance payments on contracts?

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ONTRACTS for the construction of roads and other infrastructure as well as for the supply of goods and services usually have provisions for an advance payment to be made by the project owner to the company/person executing the contract. The contracts usually require the contractor to present an advance payment guarantee issued by a bank before the payment is made. The guarantee is usually designed to ensure the performance of the contract up to the value of the payment and the guarantee is valid for a specified period of time.

Ordinarily, with an advance payment guarantee, the contractor should not have cash-flow difficulties on a project provided the project owner makes other payments as and when due. The project owner and the contractor on one project worked out a payment schedule with 20% of the contract sum as advance payment and with the remainder as 16 equal monthly payments although the completion period for the project was 12 months. The project owner and the contractor did not have any advance payment guarantee arrangements but the project was delivered within the scheduled period and with payments made as previously arranged. The significant factor in this was the longstanding business relationship between the project owner and the contractor.

The first factor that could delay progress of works on a construction contract is the financial status of the contractor at the commencement of the contract. There have been situations in which an advance payment to a contractor only served to plug a deficit in the contractor ’s bank account. The contractor would not be able to obtain further funds from the bank and the execution of the project would be delayed.

Another factor is the procedure adopted by banks with respect to advance payment guarantees. The advance payment is usually converted into an interest-earning deposit for the contractor while the contractor is made to take a loan that has to be secured independent of the deposit. The result is that the contractor would not have ready access to the funds while arrangements are made to provide securities for the loan. In the meantime, the validity period of the guarantee is being used up without much work being done on the project.

One finds that by the time the validity period runs out the work done on the project is not commensurate with the advance payment.

There is concern that government infrastructure projects are not being delivered and that a lot of money is being spent with little to show for the expenditure. One factor is the

manner the contracts involving government agencies are set up.

When an advance payment is made, there is usually an arrangement that the advance will be repaid through installmental deductions from the valuations for work done. A typical arrangement would be for an advance payment of 25% of the contract sum with repayment in ten equal installments. Once the contractor has commenced work and he has executed some work he could ask for a valuation of work done. If, for example, the work done at first valuation is 6% of the contract sum, a repayment of 2.5% of the contract sum is deducted from the valuation leaving a net valuation of 3.5% of the contract sum as due to the contractor. If this net valuation is not paid, the contractor may stop work which is often the case on government projects.

We have a situation in which the

,

W

There is concern that government infrastructure projects are not being delivered and that a lot of money is being spent with little to show for the expenditure

,

contractor has been paid 25% of the contract sum with the work done equivalent to 6% of the contract sum but the contractor stops work because he is owed 3.5% of the contract sum in accordance with the terms of the contract. This is one of the reasons why a lot of money has been paid out, the work done is not commensurate with the payment made and the government seems unable to do anything about the failure of the contract. Government also awards for too many contracts than the resources available and the impression is created that all the government wants to do is award new contracts such that advance payments can be made in respect of the new contracts.

A profit-making organisation would not leave its projects uncompleted. For government, the losses from uncompleted projects are reflected in a population that has not been able to improve their basic economic and living conditions. One step government should take is stop the practice of advance payments on contracts. Others steps would be considered while discussing budgets, project execution and budget performance in the weeks ahead.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013—25

DIARY Select ICT events z ITEXPO West 2013. Holds 27-29 Aug 2013 in Las Vegas, USA.

EDITED by Adekunle Adekoya

zDesign & Manufacturing Midwest 2013. Holds 10-12 Sep 2013 in Chicago, USA.

New NCS president unfolds agenda

z Middle East Telco World Summit 2013. Holds 23-24 Sep 2013 in Dubai, UAE.

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

zP & T EXPO COMM CHINA 2013. Holds 24-28 Sep 2013 in Beijing, China.

N

z CRM-expo 2013. Holds 24-26 Sep 2013 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Preview New inventions shaping life and living

Text Anywhere works without service

CATCH THEM YOUNG: Commercial Operations & Marketing Leader, General Electric (Oil & Gas), Tanya Spencer (left); Managing Director, General Electric (Health Care), Pamela Hall (2nd right); Executive Director, Women In Technology Empowerment Centre, Ore Somolu (right); presenting a laptop to a student, Ogbeide Emmanuella at the GE Girls In Technology Day.

How internet marketing can boost businesses

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

T

Text Anywhere uses Iridium satellite technology to send and receive texts even in areas without cellular coverage.

The Text Anywhere does not require a subscription plan, which keeps the costs lower than other satellite beacons. It works via a Web app and taps into the Iridium satellite network to provide global coverage in most areas, and is designed to be paired with WiFi equipped computers. Once the device has been selected as the user’s WiFi network and the browser-based application opened, text messages or text-only emails can be both sent and received.

I N S I D E C M Y K

HE strategies and dynamic approaches needed to succeed in the competitive market world has made internet marketing a kind of lifeline for businesses that may not have to toil anymore to break even in their prospective endeavours.

However, an issue is how proactive the businesses can be in adopting digital marketing, to create that constant innovation required to seal off deals.

These are the realisations that spurred technology expert and CEO WSI-Axon West Africa, Chief Edirin Abamwa to pitch his tent in Lagos Nigeria with the intention to provide innovative internet marketing solutions for clients worldwide.

What publicists, PR firms should know about YouTube

— WSI-AXON boss Abamwa said that having been involved in developing and executing results-oriented digital marketing strategies that are custom-tailored to new technologies, Nigeria was a better destination giving the number of new businesses sprouting up by the day.

Speaking with Vanguard Hi-Tech, he ex-

plained the benefits and leverages a business could derive from engaging digital marketing as a strategy.

Business edge of digital marketing “Engaging in digital marketing gives business edge. For instance when a business signs to

The catch is that the number of yahoo users, which actually is enormous, will get the company’s messages and when that happens, the company is on the march to the top

Gionee's E6 series spices Android market

a digital marketing company like ours which covers Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana, via Google, yahoo and other platforms, what it means is that any online product campaign it runs, would be accessed by internet users in those places.

The catch is that the number of yahoo users, which actually is enormous, will get the company ’s messages and when that happens, the company is on the march to the top. Remember that as many as possible that stumble on the online promos and become interested are automatically the company’s customers, despite distance and regardless that nobody physically talked to

Continues on page 27

Oracle bids to raise quality of Nigerian manpower

EW President of the Nigeria Computer Society, Professor David Adewumi says he will Liaise with Federal ministries to embark on aggressive application of ICT tools in all government agencies. Professor Adewumi made the assertion at the weekend, during his inaugural speech as the 18th President of the association.

He said that his mission as President of the 18th NEC of the NCS is to meet the demands of members and the dynamism of the time. The new NCS boss also promised to expand the membership base of NCS by completing the establishment of NCS chapters in all states of the federation.

He also stated that the main focus of NCS during his tenure with the support of NEC will be to continue to build a society, whose focus would be a robust membership base and ICT driven.

"An articulate and highly proactive NEC and well informed membership, a society which will be able to pay its bills with or without external support.

"With the support of NEC, NCS presence in Abuja will be strengthened just as there will be regular review and improvement of our website,’’ he added.

On the membership benefits, Adewumi said a provision of digital Newsletter to all registered members on happenings in the IT industry in Nigeria and beyond would be introduced and that members will henceforth receive their membership certificates and other documentations through couriers’ services.

Continues on page 27

Tecno sues for dialogue as brand war gets underway at Computer Village

26— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

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What publicists, PR firms should know about YouTube

BY TAIWO KOLA-OGUNLADE

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IKIPEDIA de Here are 3 crucial reafines a celebrity sons why every body withas a person who has a in in Nigeria’s entertainprominent profile and ment space should have commands some degree a strong YouTube presof public fascination and ence: influence in day-to-day Numbers media. While many attain More than 1 billion peocelebrity status as a result ple come to YouTube eveof their great work, in oth- ry month. That’s almost er cases, people become half the people on the Incelebrities due to media ternet. In 2011 alone, attention.

YouTube had more than 1 As we the internet con- trillion views -- that’s altinues to play a more most 140 views for every prominent role in helping person on earth, with 4 to spread information and billion of those views deshape perception, it is im- livered per day. This portant for current and as- present an opportunity piring celebs, and publi- for entertainers who concists to understand online stantly need to share their strategies that can help to work with large numbers build fame and accept- of people. From Psy, to the ance.

Olympics, to the Harlem YouTube Shake, empowers YouTube people on a shapes Traditional global scale matTV operations what to share inters in formation, content are governed knowledge and culby schedules and experiture toences in day. that determine ways that Reach the what viewwere never In addibefore postion to ers see at eves i b l e . helping to ry time of the YouTube is r e a c h a truly 21stl a r g e day, YouTube century numbers content is alplatform for of people, political ent h e ways available gagement, YouTube breaking platform down tradiwill help tional barriers by connect- entertainers connect to ing voters around the more people across differworld with government ent countries. This is parleaders. ticularly useful to counEntertainment is one of tries where a large the biggest spectrums on number of nationals reYouTube since the early side or travel abroad. days of the site. What Take for example YouTube started as a platform for reaches more US adults friends to share their vid- ages 18-34 than any caeos and ideas with other ble network. So if you are friends is now a platform aspiring to be popular in that gets thousands of the US, you might want people famous all over to consider YouTube. the world. Youtube allows On demand a person or group to post Because traditional TV a video of their perform- operations are governed ance for all to see. Youtube by schedules that deteris free to use to view con- mine the what viewers see cerns and any video that at every time of the day, is posted on this site. The YouTube content is always more views a person has available throughout the the more popular they be- day. So even in the case come. where most people miss Creative people are the live broadcast, they some of the first set of can always go back to see people to understand the the video. true power of YouTube.

And if you are still not From musicians like Jus- convinced, hear this, Billtin Bieber, Soulja Boy to board’s Hot 100 now inFred, the power of corporates YouTube views Youtube to help connect in ranking song popularlarge numbers of people ity, meaning that YouTube to a message, thereby views propel songs to the building fame for the top of the chart. speaker has been consistz Ognkolade is with ently proven.

Google Nigeria.

,

C M Y K

UST as the battle for mobile phone market hots up, Chinabased handset maker, Gionee last week in Lagos announced the launch of its latest smartphone, the Gionee Elife E6.

Launched last June in China, the smartphone, which features a unibody design, sports a 5inch One-Glass-Solution amoled display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels and pixel density of 441ppi will be available in the Nigeria market in a matter of weeks.

Extremely thin at just 6.18mm, and weighing 128 grammes, it is powered by a 1.5GHz Mediatek quad-core processor, along with 2GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage.

It also parades a 13megapixel auto focus rear camera, which also includes a second generation BSI sensor, along with an LED flash and a 5-megapixel frontfacing camera with a 28mm lens. Both cameras support 1080p video recording. The phone runs Android 4.2 with its own custom Amigo UI layer. The phone is powered by a 2020mAh battery.

Major features Gionee Elife E6 key specifications includes a 5-inch One-Glass-

Gionee's E6 series spices Android market Solution AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels, 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, 13-megapixel rear camera with auto focus and LED flash, 5megapixel front facing camera, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with Amigo UI, Wi-Fi/GPS/Bluetooth 4.0/FM radio and nonremovable 2020mAh Battery.

Motion sensor Speaking to IT Journalists during the launch in Lagos, The Marketing Manager of the company, Mr. Gabriel Nwabueze disclosed that the phone has a motion sensor that allowis users to answer phones by directly raising it up to their ears; answers calls by waving hands over the screen, flip between pictures by a sweeping motion and automatically play/pause videos when the user looks away from the screen,

among other gestures.

Sophisticated design Nwabueze that "With its intuitive user interface, we have developed the Elife E6 with the customers' interest at heart, supplying what is truly important to them in terms of quality, performance and affordability all in a stylish and sophisticated design."

The company claims that the Gionee Elife E6 features Heartbeat Synchronizing Technology that enables the system to synchronously wake up applications every ten minutes, reducing the number of applications wake ups,

thus improving power consumption. The phone's operating system also automatically sets a white list ensuring essential applications to be waken up at any time. The product is available in Black and White colour variants with matching colour cases.

— Emeka Aginam

ATCON, NCC differ on number portability sanctions

BY EMEKA AGINAM

A

T the just conclud ed second quarter industry forum on Mobile Number Portability, MNP, organized by the ICT Publishers Alliance held in Lagos recently, telcos under the umbrella of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria , (ATCON) disagreed with the regulator, NCC, over options of sanctions for errant mobile service providers under the Mobile Number Portability scheme.

MNP allows subscribers to switch from one network to another in search of better telecoms service, while still retaining their original mobile numbers.

Speaking at the forum , ATCON President, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, told the gathering that saction was not the best for ailing operators under the MNP. He argued that service providers would have used the money placed on them as sanctions to build network capacity in the country.

“Sanctions have not worked for the sector. It is not the way to go because it involved taking the money that should be invested in the networks to give to the regulator. It is the bail out option. Iam not in support of sanctions

GIONEE LAUNCH: From left: Mr Chukie Eze, Gionee Nigerian representative; African Regional Manager, Jack Yung, and Marketing Manager of the company, Mr. Gabriel Nwabueze during the launch of Gionee Elife E6 series in Lagos last week. Photo: Emeka Aginam as an option. The operators could have used the money to build capacity in the country” Ajayi said.

Disagreeing with ATCON boss, the Special Assistant (Technical) to the Executive Vice-Chairman, NCC, Mr. Edoyemi Ogoh told the audience sanction was only a tool used as deterrent to others thereby restoring sanity in the system.

“There is always sanctions in any system. NCC uses sanctions to restore sanity in the system. It is

always the last option after several warnings and reminders. When all avenues have been explored by the NCC to correct the operators and they still do not want to change, then we sanction. This will eventually force them to do what is right,” Ogoh who represented NCC EVC Dr. Eugene Juwah said..

Also speaking at the forum, the Chief Operating Officer, Interconnect Clearing House Limited, Mr. Uche Onwudiwe,

while agreeing that the number of subscribers porting across the networks were on the rise noted that there was need to review the 90-day timeline to 30 days.

Although NCC introduced the porting scheme with much enthusiasm, it appears Nigerians are not so excited about it, as only 22, 000 subscribers have successfully ported their numbers in four months, of the 114 million active subscribers across all networks.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013—27

New NCS president unfolds agenda Continues from page 25

How internet marketing can boost businesses Continues from page 25

them”.

Another platform that digital marketing also facilitates, include the opportunity of holding online meetings and discussions with unit heads and all marketers. Considering that most organizations don’t have the means to converse internally, digital marketing gives that opportunity of closeness and prompt contact between unit heads and marketers by the intranet that comes with the portfolio.

Planning for digital marketing However, digital marketing is not a tea party and Abamwa admitted that to invest in digital marketing takes a lot of preparation. “We try as much as we can to let people understand that to get the edge in digital marketing; one however, has to start planning ahead, between six months and one year at the minimum. Besides this planning, website is another very important aspect of digital marketing. A poor website kills

the prospects of the strategy while a well designed website draws the benefits closer”

Way forward in a cashless society If there is a time to take digital marketing seriously, it is now when every transaction is going cashless. “ Nigerian businesses for instance has no choice in this. Today nobody exchanges cash. It’s a cashless society we are

trying to entrench and people do their purchases online these days. So how can a business that is not online survive? If Nigeria businesses do not move as the world is moving, very soon it will find it impossible to do business with the rest of the world. So it is inevitable.

This is the way the world is moving. However, the argument is not whether the digital media will replace conventional media but we should develop the sense of seeing them as two sides of a coin that complement each other.

On the NCS secretariat, he said that the NCS secretariat will undergo restructuring to meet the growing needs of both members and the best practices, even as he said that members will henceforth receive prompt attention to request/inquires. He equally gave a hint on his plan to overhaul the NCS Records Management System, stressing that he would liaise with Federal ministries to embarking on aggressive application of ICT tools in all government agencies.

"With the support of the NCS National Executive Council, we shall improve

inter and intra-government relationships with NCS. Our focus is to build on the current visibility of NCS in Nigeria in particular and the world in general, create a more productive working relationships with the international community and maintain good working relationship with other professional groups within and outside the country."

SAP, Axel showcase ERP solutions for oil and gas

PORT Harcourt-based Axel Enterprise Systems Limited, in partnership with global business solutions developer SAP, has collaborated to showcase the best enterprise resource planning (ERP) computer systems recently in Port-Harcourt. The company used the avenue to show players in the oil & gas sector how SAP solutions will guarantee advantage for them in a competitive environment.

Mr. Chude Osiegbu, a director at Axel explained that SAP solutions cater for all sectors of the economy, noting that needs in the oil and gas sector are enormous. He went ahead to list some of the unique advantages of using SAP solutions in this critical sector of the Nigerian economy as EHS (Environmental, Health and Safety) Regulatory Documentation On-Demand; Enhanced visibility, insight, and decision making; Increased flexibility for innovation and expansion; Better performance with Asset Analytics; Improved efficiency across mission-critical processes; Extended Enterprise Content Management; and Proven, comprehensive support for a long-term competitive edge using industry specific best practices Osiegbu added that “SAP has developed industryspecific ERP solutions that address the needs of over 28 industrial sectors and is present in more than 120 countries worldwide. SAP has managed to build up a client base of more than 12 million users worldwide.

Those numbers are estimated to grow as more and more enterprises jump on the SAP ERP bandwagon” he concluded. Corroborating this position, SAP Partner Account Manager, Ayokanmi Ayuba, said adopting SAP ERP suite is a step to organizational success.

She said SAP had been tried and trusted and with Axel’s presence in Port-Harcourt Nigeria, provision of SAP business solutions is not far-fetched.

C M Y K

28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Sports funding: am Ambassador Ass to take case to an President Jonath

By ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

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igeria’s Ambassador to Russia and Belarus, Chief Assam E. Assam has said that he would advise President Goodluck Jonathan to approve more funds for sports development, saying that sports not only develops the individual, “it’s a great unifier and image booster which every country craves for.”

Ambassador Assam said this in a reception he held for the Nigeria’s delegation to the 14th edition of the Athletics Championships here in Moscow Saturday night.

He told the athletes that two medals from the championships after a 14- year drought was an achievement that he wanted the team to be proud of.

“Your achievement here might look small to you but it is not. For 14 years we never won anything from the championships. Now we have two medals and with more efforts and funding the next edition would be better,” Ambassador Assam told the athletes who intermittently applauded his remarks.

He said that Nigeria has had problems but was now changing and that there was hope in the future of the country. He urged the athletes to seize any opportunity that comes their way to improve themselves positively and also contribute to the growth of the country.

The Ambassador added the following: “You have done us proud and you must not relent in your efforts to continue to improve and win more laurels for Nigeria. Your generation has a future. You must seize every opportunity to make that future great. And I want to be part of the group that will encourage that great future. We have had bad sports administration for long but things are changing and I’ll tell Our President that we cannot continue to approve little funds for sports and expect huge results. Nigeria can be the best if we put our acts right. Two days ago, I was in the team that welcomed the President of Kenya here and the first issue that I mentioned to him was a congratulatory message on his election and the next was the performance of the Kenyan team here which we all congratulated him.

He did not come for bilateral talks but to watch the Kenyan team and motivate them.

Our own President is also encouraging athletes now and will do more for you. I want you to believe in our country. When you wear these our colours, wear them proudly, put in your best and you will never regret it.”

Team captain Blessing Okagbare, in response, thanked the Ambassador for his words and said that it was a great honour for her and the team to be hosted by the sports loving Ambassador.

The team enjoyed their time at the Nigerian House with Nigerian delicacies. The Ambassador and team doctor and AFN member, Dr. Ken Anugwueje entertained the officials with interesting stories of their days as students at the University of Nigeria.

F E D E R AT I O N C U P :

Wolves, Akwa chase historic final spot W

OLVES and Akwa United will clash in a historic Federation Cup semi-final as both teams seek a place in the final for the first time. Akwa beat Wolves 1-0 in a rescheduled league match to set the tone for a grudge game in Bauchi on Wednesday.

Akwa United captain Ini Akpan said that his side are destined to be in the final so Warri Wolves won’t stop them. ”I am sure we are destined to play in this year’s Federation Cup final. We will do our best and leave the rest to God, I know it won’t be easy but I don’t see Warri Wolves stopping us. We put everything in God’s hand,” Akpan said Akwa created a major upset when they eliminated cup holders Heartland 5-4 on penalties after fulltime scores stood at 1-1. Wolves goalkeeper John Dosu, who featured for Akwa United last season, said that he has the keys to unlock the Uyo-based team. ”It is a big game that we must win. We are ready for the match. The trophy is our target and we will see off Akwa United. We want to write our name in gold,” he said.

“I played for Akwa United before, I know the team inside and out, and that will be used to beat them. We can’t afford to lose to them this time around.”

Bale to accept £50M Real deal T

•Gareth Bale

ottenham ace Gareth Bale is excited about his imminent move to Real Madrid.

The People says the Spanish giants tabled an £86.3million offer for Bale, 24, last month – and will put the Welshman on Galactico wages.

Bale will sign a five-year deal worth a basic £150k per week – putting him on a par with Real’s other superstars Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso.

The Welshman is understood to be in awe of the fact he is rated on a par with the Spanish club’s superstars and that’s a major factor in his desire to join Real.

Chief Assam E Assam, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Russia and Belarus with Blessing Okagbare and Regina George during the reception he held for the Nigerian delegation to the World Championships in Moscow.

Ambassador Assam wants better funding for sports in Nigeria

Man U offer £35m for Fellaini, Baines M

ANCHESTER United plan to make an improved offer for Everton pair Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines in the coming days.

The Daily Mail says United are prepared to go to £35m for the Everton duo.

The Barclays Premier League champions had a joint offer of £28m turned down and described as ‘derisory and insulting’ by Everton yesterday.

With Everton setting a private valuation of £40m on the two players, United look set for a struggle that will in all likelihood last until the end of the transfer window.

Fellaini

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 — 29

Di Matteo tips Eagles for World Cup glory

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:

Emenike, Yobo battle Arsenal A

RSENAL have been handed a number of fitness boosts ahead of the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against Fenerbahce tonight.

Super Eagles duo of Joseph Yobo and Emmanuel Emenike are expected to be in the thick of the action in defence and attack, respectively.

The Gunners slipped to a 3-1 home defeat to Aston Villa on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League season at the weekend, but manager Arsene Wenger would have been delighted to see Bacary Sagna, Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky all train on Tuesday morning.

There had been fears over the fitness of those individuals, especially full-back Sagna who landed awkwardly towards the end of the game on Saturday, but they could all play some part in Tur-

By SOLOMON NWOKE

F

ORMER Chelsea coach, Roberto Di Matteo has predicted that the Super Eagles may be the first African team to win the World Cup going by the increasing level of their tactical skill and competitiveness at international competitions.

Di Matteo who was in Lagos at the weekend to kickoff the Guinness Football Manager campaign said he enjoyed a cordial and fruitful working relationship with most African players as he described Nigeria’s midfielder, Obi John Mikel and Victor Moses as dependable players.

Relishing the attributes of a good football manager, the Italian soccer tactician said, “as a football manager, you need to show good leadership qualities, you need to have the passion , the knowledge, honesty and respect for your players and that’s very important. And as the head of the group, your team believes in you.

key as Arsenal look to seal a place in the lucrative group stages of the Champions League.

England’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is a certainty to miss out after suffering a serious knee injury in the defeat to Villa, with some reports suggesting the 20year-old could be ruled out for up to six months.

Qualification to Europe’s elite club competition is seen as a must for a club like Arsenal, and having as strong a squad as possible for the match at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium on Wednesday night gives Wenger’s side the best chance of getting a positive result ahead of the second leg at the Emirates next Tuesday.

If Arsenal do reach the group stages there will be even more calls for new faces in north London, after a bid for Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye was rejected on Monday.

I knew Eaglets were over-aged — Ghana coach

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TONIGHT’S FIXTURES Dinamo Zagreb v Austria Memphis Magna Steaua Bucuresti v Legia Warsaw Fenerbahce v Arsenal Ludogorets v Basel Schalke v PAOK Salonika

7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm

Mourinho fancies Suarez bid C

helsea boss Jose Mourinho is considering joining the battle for Liverpool striker Luis Suarez.

The People says Manchester United ace Wayne Rooney is Mourinho’s priority, but he is willing to look elsewhere if he can’t settle on a deal with Old Trafford chiefs.

Chelsea have also been given encouragement to bid for Liverpool’s Suarez by his camp.

The Uruguayan is a long-shot option but could yet move up the wish list.

•Emenike

West Brom eye Victor Moses

Wenger bows to Arsenal fans ...says we will spend

A

W

Luis Suarez

est Bromwich Albion boss Steve Clarke is eyeing Chelsea winger Victor Moses.

Clarke wants a wide midfielder signing and with talks stalling over a deal for Manchester City’s Scott Sinclair, he is now considering alternatives. The Express & Star says Moses is on Clarke’s radar this week.

hana U-17 coach Paa Kwesi Fabin feels vindicated following news that many Nigeria U17 players have failed age tests.

Nigeria have been forced to revamp their squad for the FIFA U17 World Cup in UAE this October.

Fabin complained bitterly about the ages of the Golden Eaglets who thumped the Black Starlets 6-1 at the African Championship in Morocco. ”I’m not surprised because I have worked as a youth coach for a very long time and when I saw the Nigerian team at the tournament, they were too old for the U17 age limit,” Fabin has been quoted by Joy FM. ”This shows that CAF has not been truthful to us and the MRI Scan they conducted on the Nigerian team before the tournament in Morocco was a fallacy.

Victor Moses

rsenal boss Arsene Wenger has apologised to fans for defeat to Aston Villa.

The Daily Star says Wenger is finally ready to bow to pressure from supporters furious with his failure to spend this summer.

The Frenchman apologised to fans following the opening-day 3-1 home defeat to Aston Villa - and last night his weekly e-mail to supporters read: “We want our fans to be happy. When you don’t achieve that, you feel sorry and disappointed. People think we do not want to spend. We want to.”

30—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Oracle bids to raise quality of Nigerian manpower

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

A

DONATION: From left, Danjuma Atta, Regional Director, North, Dataflex; Mr M. A Sambo, Director, Estate Department, ABU; Professor Abdullahi Mustapha, Vice Chancellor, ABU Zaria; Cyril Omelu, and Regional Manager North, Dell Nigeria at the presentation of 550 units of Dell Thin Clients computers, supplied by DATAFLEX for Computer Based Tests (CBT) to the Ahmadu Bello University Zaira (ABU).

Tecno sues for dialogue as brand war gets underway at Computer Village

BY EMEKA AGINAM

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HILE the market for mobile phone continues to grow in geometric progression in Nigeria where the demand is so high, there appears to be fresh battle for market supremacy among Original Equipment Manufacturers, (OEMs) .

Just recently, the Mobile Phone Dealers Association of Nigeria had some grey areas in their business relationship with TECNO Mobiles.

However, the phone dealers had alleged that the TECNO brand which is already the toast of many Nigerians was scheming to corner a greater percentage of the market share.

The phone dealers have also alleged that TECNO was behind a recent action by the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), where several substandard and unapproved mobile phones were discovered and confiscated from the market.

The phone dealers it was gathered, had demanded that the Chief Executive Officer of TECNO should come to Nigeria to address them one on one.

This development, it was further gathered had led to the pulling down some banners and bill boards proclaiming the Tecno brand in the Computer Village by the phone dealers who also

alleged that their profit margins from Tecno has dropped.

With this development, TECNO Mobile, has called for dialogue to address the current market misunderstanding between it and phone dealers in the Computer Village Market in Ikeja, Lagos.

Reacting to the development, the Public Relations Manager, Marketing Department, TECNO telecom Limited in an email to Vanguard HiTech said that the allegations were not true.

“Tecno products are good quality products, we don't have any problem with the SON, just with competitors who are launching many rumors on Tecno to break our brand image” he explained.

However, TECNO is suing for peace, calling for a meeting with officials of the association where all the issues would be tabled, discussed and settled amicably. Accordingly, the phone maker has asked officials of the association to bury their hatchet and make themselves available for discussion.

But market watchers have reasoned that the current posture of phone dealers may have been masterminded by a competing brand in the market as a result of current struggle for market supremacy among all kinds of brands which may not

have been type-approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC. “Tecno is a strong brand in the market. I do not see the reason why phone dealers should say that Tecno is trying to control the market. We are in a free market environment. A good brand like Tecno will always sell itself. A new brand who sees Tecno as a threat is behind the current market impasse, I can ell you this” an official of Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria, CAPDAN who pleaded anonymity told Vanguard Hi-Tech in an interaction at the weekend.

According to him, SON may have visited the market based on its statutory function as a regulatory authority and not on the invitation of TECNO. Meanwhile, efforts to contact the president of phone dealers, Mr. Godfrey Iyke Nwosu for comment failed as at press time but he had been quoted in a media report as saying that Tecno was skimming to control a greater percentage of the market share.

But the Deputy General Manager, TECNO Nigeria, Mr. Chidi Okonkwo while reacting to this development in a press conference last week said that the allegations were not true even as it called for dis-

cussion with the phone dealers to address the issue.

“The issue can be addressed peacefully. The phone dealers have not approached us formally for discussion but I have met with the President of the phone dealers who expressed his anger saying TECNO was trying to control the market.

“SON is a regulatory agency in Nigeria. We cannot invite SON to perform its legitimate duties.We make sure that our products conform with SON standard. It is not true that we invited SON to clamp down on the market. We have tried to maintain relationship with our channel partners.

This is something we can handle within ourselves without ordering our Chief Executive Officer to come to Nigeria from China, and we are willing to enter into dialogue with them, in order to address the issues amicably. We also want to know exactly what the real issues are.

“The issue at stake is not clear to us. The grouse of phone dealers association is not clear and their demand for the physical presence of our Chief Executive Officer is not well defined. The President said that they will not discuss with us except the CEO comes to Nigeria. If they come to us formally and clearly, we are ready for discus-

P PA R E N T LY piqued by the low level of skilled manpower in Nigeria, technology solution provider, Oracle, at the weekend, promised to flood the Nigerian market, with skilled manpower. The company said it would do that by training people across different industries, in cutting edge technology devices, solutions and innovations that would make the hitherto unemployable youths employable and help advance businesses for those in business.

The company in flying off this project, partnered with Interdist Alliances, a Platinum level member in Oracle PartnerNetwork and Value Added Distributor, to unveil Oracle Partner HUB in Nigeria.

The Hub located at Interdist Alliances’ offices in Lagos, Nigeria, provides a comprehensive portfolio of services to drive the growth of partner organizations and their business. The concept of an Oracle Partner Hub combines Oracle’s technical knowledge, professional services and marketing support to help ensure the best possible support for partners.

Oracle has been building an extensive partner network and partner support program around the globe. In Nigeria, collaboration with partner organizations is part of Oracle’s success and the newly launched Partner HUB builds on this.

Oracle Partner HUB integrates Oracle Studio, a contemporary and professional meeting place where you can demonstrate business solutions, meet other professionals and hold networking events; Oracle Academy which offers specialist training in Oracle software, hardware and engineered systems at discounted rates; and Oracle ISV Migration Center which provides technical support for migration to Oracle software, in one location.

The Studio is an impressive location to meet with clients to showcase solutions using Oracle technology. It's open to all partners who are members of Oracle PartnerNetwork. The Studio consists of the latest technology for testing and demonstrating business solutions; enables access to sales and marketing support from Oracle, including opportunities to participate in joint marketing campaigns; gives administrative support for businesses to run seminars, client hospitality and participate in networking events It delivers over 5,000 training days every year, educating over 1,500 partner consultants.

The Academy is dedicated to training partners, covering the full Oracle stack: hardware, technology and applications.

Shorter course durations mean that partners can limit the time spent away from the office.

Nigeria denies seeking UK aid for space programme

BY EMMA ELEBEKE

T

HE National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA says Nigeria did not seek or receive any financial grant from the United Kingdom for its space programmes.

Director General of NASRDA, Dr. Seidu Mohammed stated this in Abuja while debunking a claim that the country has approached UK for space grants.

He acknowledged that Nigeria and a UK based satellite company, SSTL, went into partnership in 2002 to build and launch Nigeriasat-1, Nigeriasat2 and Nigeriasat-X, but noted that the partnership never translated into granting Nigeria a grant by the UK. He further describing the claim as false, saying that the relationship between Nigeria and UK with regards to space pro-

grammes has purely been on a commercial basis and never on grant.

“NASRDA has not at any time received financial aid or grant from the UK for space programme, besides the existing cordial relationship established with Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), a UK based company, in our quest for the utilization of space and science technology for the socio-economic development of our nation. Let me say point blank here that the partnership has been purely on a commercial basis”, said Dr. Mohammed.

The NASRDA boss further stated that the country has been reaping bountifully from its satellites, adding that such claims that Nigeria received grant for its space programme was meant to distract the country from its space technology advancement drive.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 —31

32—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

CONFLICTS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA (5):

13 years of civil rule in perspective

Seeds of hope and harvests of despair Bashorun Randle in this first part of the discourse argues that it is wicked and inhuman for anyone who is put in a position of trust to be corrupt

BY BASHORUN J. K. RANDLE

O

XFORD University is in Oxfordshire which Map of Nigeria shares a common border with the Cotswold arguably the most picturesque and scenic part of England. However, we were denied the economy is alleged to be growing but the lives of indulgence of proceeding with our scheduled the majority of our citizens do not convey this excursion to Burford the mini-capital of the testimony. We have more places of worship per Cotswold when His Eminence, Alhaji square metre than most nations on this earth, but Muhammadu Saa’d Abubakar, the Sultan of corruption and violence threaten our very survival Sokoto delivered his address at the Africa Week: as a nation. We have some of the best agricultural “It is the primary responsibility of the Government lands in the world but we import food. We are to safeguard the lives and property of the people the sixth largest producer of crude oil but we regardless of where they choose to live. import fuel.

“Once a government fails in performing this “The National Assembly is already at the obligation, it opens up the nation to chaos and forefront of charting a new course for our country violence. I appeal to all Nigerians to shun bigotry commencing with the huge task of amending the and work together for the national development. 1999 Constitution, in order to entrench economic No nation can develop when the mode of and infrastructural renewal.” Then he exploded communication among its citizens is through in fury. He dropped a bombshell by calling for a violence. Also, it is a matter of serious concern revolution!! “Throughout history, the most that Nigeria has the highest number of out-of- compelling reasons for revolution have been school children. We have no business injustice, crushing poverty, marginalization, accumulating illiterates if our nation’s resources rampant corruption, lawlessness, joblessness and are properly managed.” The Sultan was warmly general disaffection among the ruling elite - all applauded for his candour. Indeed, as if taking a of which are evident in the Nigerian equation. cue from the Sultan, the Anglican Bishop of Successive governments have tried to deal with Kaduna, Most Reverend Josiah Idowu Fearon these issues but to no avail. The legislature has grabbed the bull by the horn and declared: become increasingly concerned about the overEvery facet of Nigeria is corrupt: “Every facet celebration of input-oriented budget that does not of our communal life as a nation including the incorporate feedback mechanism for output and church, government, military and the civil service outcomes.” That was when it hit us that our among others are infested with The law of the land should be revised to corruption. I advocate the deal ruthlessly with corruption and passing of a bill in the National Assembly to fight corruption as a nothing short of execution will stop way of addressing the menace. corruption The insecurity bedeviling the country today is as a result of corruption. I strongly country is in real trouble. Before the applause condemn the manner in which corrupt officers had died down, Chief Ladi Williams SAN an are being celebrated in our country. There can be eminent lawyer whose father the late Chief F.R.A. no meaningful development if corruption is not Williams S.A.N. and grandfather as well as checked. We must all come together whether you brothers and children are lawyers stepped up to are a Christian or a Muslim. We must all go back declare: to our religions and know what our religions have Capital punishment is the solution to to say about corruption. God hates corruption. corruption: “For me, a desperate situation Nigerians who are coming in as politicians, either requires drastic steps to be taken. If you are a as president, judge and you are found to be corrupt; if you governor or any bring shame to the judiciary, if you are a judge other position and have no integrity; or you habitually break should be made the code of conduct of your office, we should apply to declare their the Chinese solution. That is execution. In China assets before if you are corrupt, you will be executed because and after their you are a danger to the larger community. tenure in office.

Once you are convicted of corruption, it is not I n d e e d , enough to say we have retired you. No. If you although it is are corrupt you should be executed, otherwise not in the this nation will not move forward. I think the law Constitution, of the land should be revised to deal ruthlessly b i s h o p s , with corruption and nothing short of execution g e n e r a l will stop corruption. There is no reason why the BASHORUN J.K.RANDLE overseers and children of the poor must remain poor. public office There is no reason why every child of school holders should be made to declare their assets going age should not be enjoying free education, publicly.” The entire hall burst into a frenzy of free health care, and free transportation to and “Good Talk Bishop.” As confirmation that the from school with the millions and billions of naira legislature must have its say, the Speaker of the we are making from oil. It is wicked, inhuman House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, for anybody who is put in a position of trust to be walked briskly to the podium and declared: corrupt. That is why I think the death penalty, if “Nigerians today live in a country of fantastic only for a short while, let it be a short-term therapy contradictions where there are great human and and you will see that there will be change. material resources, yet we are always on the list To be continued of countries with the worst poverty index. Our

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achieve this, agriculture, power supply and good roads must be HE level at which violent given the right attention. Also, conflicts ravage northern our present capitalist model Nigeria today is a manifestation educational system that only of the fact that, all is not well with produce specialists in one area, the country as all the three geo- which in turn fail to make best political zones in the region are use of human potential must be affected. addressed. Our educational Meanwhile, all hope is not lost system must emphasise doing on peaceful co-existence of (skill/practical) to the extent that, northern residents irrespective of every graduates will be an expert social, political and economic in a theoretical field like political status and place of origin as well science, along a practical work as tribe/region as they can forgive such as tailoring. The idea must themselves and put their start from the primary and differences aside as Blacks and secondary schools.

Whites did in South Africa as well •“Almajiris” must be integrated as Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda into the civilised society. This is and Burundi did. Government only when the north will know has to take the lead in this peace. This can be achieved process, if result is to be quickly through aggressive construction achieved. of modern boarding schools in all Recommendations: It is clear parts of the north. The schools from the above that, the must be completely free, free attainment of peace in northern meal must be given and Mallam Nigeria is a project that must be must also be co-opted into the consciously and vigorously system. The practice of “almajiri” pursued. Meanwhile, the recipe must also be outlawed. The for the various conflicts will schools, which will also provide certainly differ since their causes skills for the adult wanderers will vary but certain salient factors are be operated jointly by the federal observable in all the conflicts and state governments and once which will make the following an almajiri comes in, he will be suggestions useful in a bid to well treated and not allowed to ensure peace in the country. The depart the premises for at least suggestions are: four months. This is to make him internalise value for self Restructuring of Nigerian and others. federal arrangement must be T h e establishment given priority of “almajiri” schools by the •Restructuring of Nigerian federal government is a welcome federal arrangement must be development but the schools given priority. The restructuring must be in thousands, the less should entail the power to make than five schools established will laws that best suit the feelings of not make a difference, as there the various states, and state are about ten million “almajiris” police, while the federal at present. government continues to control •The various reports of the armed forces and federal commissions of enquiry into capital territory police. certain conflicts should be We do not share the view of reviewed and implemented with those opposed to the creation of utmost objectivity. state police. It is our strong view •The government and people that, the country is over- of Nigeria must develop governed since she has 774 LGs, inquisitiveness, to the extent that 36 States and one Federal organizations and government of Government but with little impact other countries that issues and high burden on public statement about the state of affairs resources. or predictions about the country We, therefore, recommend the are made to explain the indices dissolution of the present local or premise upon which their government councils and states, conclusions were made. For while the 108 senatorial districts instance, United States of with the exception of the one in America issued a statement in FCT are made states with no 2010 predicting the local government councils. This disintegration of Nigeria before will make government closer to 2015. Rather than ask why such the people and will also make a conclusion was drawn, they better impact on the lives of the were called prophets of doom. people. A comprehensive Also, we can’t completely rule out formula for the working of this their influence in some of these arrangement would be worked conflicts. out. In this sense, most Therefore, our security agents communal or ethnic conflicts must also look in their would be addressed. direction.•The Nigerian •Provision of employment educated elite and press must put opportunities cannot be forgotten the interest of the country first in in a hurry as joblessness provides their conduct while also taking army of experts in violence. To fairness seriously.

BY AKINLADE, M. T.

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FREEDOM OF INFORMATION:

Akinlade in this concluding part notes that the level at which violence is rocking northern Nigeria suggests that all is not well with the country.

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013— —33

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34—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

I'm sleeping with my sister's brother-in-law

Must men ogle women all the time?

Dear Bunmi, When I was a teenager, I noticed that my father would stare at attractive women.

Now he’s in his 70s, he still does it. Some weeks back, my next-door neighbour was hanging out her washing while my dad was getting his newspaper and I saw him fumble for his glasses so that he could get a better look of her.

My father makes my blood boil. I believe he’s a dirty old man.

Last year, my niece invited us to the debut programme of a theatrical show she was glad to be a part of. Some of the actresses were dressed in provocative costumes. I was sitting next to my dad and I thought he was going to pass out with excitement. If my

mum noticed, it didn’t seem to bother her.

I’m currently married with three children and I’m painfully insecure. I constantly accuse my husband of looking at other women. When we go shopping we argue because I think he’s ogling women. I can’t bear the thought that my husband fancies them. If there are attractive women in a film on TV, I shout: ‘I bet you wish I looked like that!’ I need your advice. lyande, by e-mail Dear lyande, I’m sure you know deep down that resenting men’s interest in attractive women is irrational. From the cradle to the grave, men everywhere constantly appraise the opposite sex. A man may love the

How can I last longer Dear Bunmi, My husband of four years and I have plenty of great sex, but it always follows the same pattern. He seems to enjoy it hard and fast - but I would like us to have softer, slower, more romantic lovemaking once in a while.

Do you think men actually enjoy this calmer type of sex which I find really romantic?

Grace, by e-mail Dear Grace, Men often like urgent thrusting- it’s the easiest and quickest way for them to climax. But when there’s more time, and a more emotional mood, many men opt for slower, gentler sex. As for your husband, have you told him you’d like to vary things?

If he’s found something that works, chances are he’s sticking with it because he thinks you like it. Try asking him to calm things down occasion-

ally and show him by your response that it turns you on.

If he knows slow and gentle pleases you, he’ll be far more motivated to do it.

woman in his life with all his heart. He may be incapable of betraying her yet, despite this allegiance to her, he will search for and enjoy the beauty of every female he encounters. Although they’re more discreet, women are similarly vigilant to the sexual attractiveness of men.

The men of your family have a healthy interest in the opposite sex. The cause of your unease, as you suggested, is an uncertain relationship with yourself. The overly sexual behaviour of the men you love seems threatening because you fear that they will abandon you for other women. That’s ok. Every one of us is influenced by agelong fear. Recognise and cope with yours. Allow yourself to laugh at the anger that rises within you when you sense that your dad or your husband is looking at an attractive woman. By refusing to be afraid of anger, we diminish its potency. Count to 10.

Sense your anger wash over you and move on. Refuse to condemn men for liking women.

My mum's ego-boosting ruined my life Dear Bunmi, I am an only child and my mum spent my whole childhood telling me how wonderful I was and how I was better than others. But this seems to have led all sorts of problems for me. I can’t get on with people and I struggle to keep friends. Is it too late to change?

Jessica bye-mail Dear Jessica, It’s never too late to change.

But I wonder why your mum’s support and validation has resulted in your having so

many problems. It’s usually when parents criticise their children that their lives get messed up. Perhaps your problems aren’t down to your mother’s influence at all. Being an only child, she tried all she could to give your ego the boost she thought you desire.

So, don’t try to solve this problem alone. Find a good counsellor or a trusted ally and explore what really happened in your childhood, and what might have led to your current unhappiness. Get to the bottom of that and I’m sure you can win through.

He went back to his wife, now he's back Dear Bunmi, Three years ago, my partner went back to his ex - apparently for the sake of their two children. Before then, he complained bitterly of his wife’s indifference to him. He left her so we could set up home together and we currently have a daughter.

He left without giving a thought to our daughter, but it only lasted six months with her. Eventually he came back to me. I’ve tried to forgive him but I still feel resentful that he

chose her over me and our daughter. Do you think I should walk away in case he hurts me again?

Dolapo by e-mail Dear Dolapo, It’s understandable that you should feel betrayed by your partner. But I think you’re putting all your focus on the fact that he left - and forgetting that he came back to you. It must have been very hard for him to leave his kids behind - he fathered them just

as he fathered your own daughter. The fact that ultimately he chose you over them must mean that, in the end, you mean more to him.

Please be compassionate.

Understand just how hard it must have been for your partner - and how much he must be suffering now because he knows you still can’t forgive him for what he did. For the sake of your child, don’t let your resentment win. Forgive your man and move on.

Dear Bunmi, About two years ago, I came to live with my elder sister when I gained admission into a catering school. My sister’s brother-in-law lives very close to us and visits from time to time. He seems to know when I’m alone in the house and has been forcing me to have sex with him for some time now. He gives me money to shut me up but I don’t want it to go on. His wife is really nice. So is my brother in-law and I don’t want a situation where I would be sent packing in disgrace. How do I make him stop?

Maggie, by e-mail Dear Maggie, If you deliberately set out to

seduce this man, or let him seduce you, you would have done wrong. But that wasn’t what happened. Your sister’s brother-in-law is a reckless opportunist who’s using your being so naive to take advantage of you. This must stop.

For a start, you could get pregnant or he could give you STD. When next he shows up in the house, tell him you’re no longer interested in his advances and follow this up by leaving the house, if he persists, tell him you will let your sister know you are being sexually abused. Whatever happens, you have the power to say no, and short of raping you, he’d have no choice but to leave you alone.

‘

I constantly accuse my husband of looking at other women. When we go shopping we argue because I think he’s ogling women. I can’t bear the thought that my husband fancies them

’

He left because I was too fat Dear Bunmi, After six children, it would be understandable to put on a lot of weight. But my husband of 15 years has recently left me because he says I’m too fat and he doesn’t love or fancy me any more. He said he always felt embarrassed to be seen in public with me and that my weight was even stopping me from being a good mother to the children. Now I’m depressed and desperate.

I need to find a diet that could work for me so I can win him back.

Sinatu, bye-mail

If you’re dangerously overweight, your doctor will give you a healthy diet and support. However, if your husband is using your weight as an excuse to leave, then going on a diet won’t get you anywhere. Instead, you need to focus on how to feel better about yourself, how to recover from your break-up and how to get support to cope with your children.

In the meantime, the wellbeing of you and of the children comes first. Any man who wants to stray would do so - fat wife or not!

Dear Sinatu,

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos. or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013— —35

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36—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Amaechi swears in new Ag CJ for Rivers

Oshiomhole has done well— Omobude zYour contribution to rural devt, education worthy of emulation— Oshiomhole

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, yeaterday, swore in Justice Peter Agumagu as the new Acting Chief Judge, CJ, of the state, following the retirement of the former CJ, Justice Iche Ndu. At a brief ceremony in Government House, Port Harcourt, the governor charged Agumagu to discharge his duties conscientiously.

Amaechi said Agumagu shall hold his office pending when the National Assembly would approve the candidate recommended for appointment as the state Chief Judge by National Judicial Commission, NJC.

Burial

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ENIN—PRESIDENT of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Reverend Felix Omobude has said that Governor Adams Oshiomhole has repositioned Edo State in the forefront after many years of neglect by past administrations.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the governor in Benin,

Reverend Omobude saidthat from the onset it was clear that Oshiomhole had a positive vision for the state.

He said: “You left no one in doubt that you mean well for Edo State. I’m very thankful to God and proud that once again Edo State has come to the forefront.

“While we commend your efforts so far, we know that there are many things to be done;

Delta South youths back Obielum for 2015 Delta guber Y OUTH leaders from Delta South senatorial district, comprising the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Isoko, have thrown their weight behind Chief Godswill Obielum for the 2015 governorship election.

The youth leaders in a state-

ment by Gbaboyokeyerimene Faith (Ijaw), Omaghomi Tietie (Itsekiri) and Emmanuel Ilori (Isoko) affirmed that they were drumming support for Chief Obielum so that he can do in Delta State from 2015, what had been witnessed in Akwa

I'll resist rigging, says Odibo

BY FESTUS AHON

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A Samson Ebule, 82, father of the Editor-inChief of Fresh Angle Newspaper, Mr. Ebule Anthony, and former Secretary of Okere Community in Warri South, is dead.

He will be buried in Ebule compound, Odekporo quarters, Okere, Warri, Delta State, on Saturday, August 24 by 12 noon after traditional rites.

He is survived by eight children, 25 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren and many relations.

many miles to be crossed.

“We want to assure you of our prayers; we stand with you and by you to move our state forward. I thank you for making yourself available for the giant strides your administration is making.”

He noted that Governor Oshiomhole had a respected voice locally and nationally and should, therefore, continue to speak up on ways to

GHELLI—A senatorial aspirant in Delta Central senatorial district on the platform of Democratic People’s Party, DPP, Sir Richard Odido, has vowed to resist any attempt by opposing political parties to rig the forthcoming by-election in the district.

Speaking with journalists in Ovwian, Udu Local Government Area of the state, Odibo said: “No political party should think of rigging the election because they will not find it easy.

“Any attempt by any political party to rig the election will be resisted vehemently. Nobody should think of rigging, let us do it democratically.”

Expressing optimism that he would emerge as the party’s flag bearer, he assured that if elected, he would build a bridge of friendship with other ethnic nationalities.

Ibom State from 2007 under Governor Godswill Akpabio.

According to them, modalities had been put in place to reach out to their brothers in Delta Central and North senatorial districts and house-to-house visits to carry the message of Obielum’s Total Change and Transformation project come 2015.

They said that Obielum was not tribalistic and has the credibility and political wherewithal to pilot the affairs of the state, adding that based on equity, justice and fairness, Delta North should have the governorship slot in 2015.

Governor Oshiomhole's reaction In his remarks, Governor Oshiomhole commended Omobude for his role in pioneering technical education in the rural communities.

He said: “I congratulate you on your well-deserved victory as president of PFN. “I know that the Pentecostal Fellowship won’t have been in a better hand at this time and considering the visibility of the immediate predecessor across the country.

“We appreciate your outstanding contribution to education, especially technical education, as represented by the Lighthouse Polytechnic, where you are investing huge resources in a rural community.

“I emphasise rural community, because the challenge of rebuilding a new Nigeria needs development and to achieve even development and keep our rural people where they are and reverse urban-rural migration, we must bring development to rural areas, not by sermon.

“That is what your pioneering effort in this regard has demonstrated.”

Ibekachukwu begins installation with symposium

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R. Emmanuel Ibekachikwu is to be installed as the 11th Odogwu of Onicha Ugbo. The event is slated for August 24, at the place in Onicha-Ugbo, Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State.

Preliminary activities for the installation ceremony will commence with a Youth Empowerment Symposium in Onicha Ugbo on August 23.

A statement by the Head of

Media and Publicity Committee of the Odogwu title Installation Committee, Mr. Hugo Odiogor, said that the main installation will take place on August 24 at the Eze Chima Palace of the Agbodigi Obi Victor Chukwumalieze I, the Obi of Onicha-Ugbo.

The symposium, which is expected to attract unemployed graduates and youth from Umu-Eze Chime Kingdom and

beyond is the first part of Dr. Kachikwu’s vision to use his new position as the Odogwu, to promote socio-economic transformation of his society, attract resource persons in different fields, notably the academia, military, business, among others, with the goal of exposing the youths to how to tackle their problem of joblessness and the frustration that is associated with it.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

move the country forward.

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On ‘deportation' of Igbo from Lagos

G

OVERNOR Fashola left the real destitute, street urchins and the Alaye boys roaming all over Mushin, Agege, Shomolu-Bariga and Lagos Island. He humiliated genuine petty traders. It is not fair! God is watching.— Miss Osondu Benedicta, Businesswoman.

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EPORTING nationals of the country from Lagos cannot pass any legal or moral wicket. I praise the governors that reacted against it. If Lagosians in other states were treated in such manner, I know that the courts would be busy by now.— Chief Morah Ekwunoh, Lawyer.

I

T is very elementary to appreciate that you cannot “deport” your nationals, neither do you “ rehabilitate” your nationals by dumping them at a bridge head or junction or market square by 4 a.m.

They should say something else.— Mr. Nelson Azubuike, Cleric.

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OME people’s rights have been seriously violated.

Where are smart lawyers?

Can someone please sue Lagos State Government?

In developed world, this case may be worth billions. Well, let's see how it will end. We are all watching.— Miss Judith Ekwu, Student.

I

GBO make up a large part of international travelers from Nigeria.

We need to gradually, but steadily, withdraw from Lagos and sell off our property in Lagos to Hausa/Fulani. Any soothing words or coercion from any quarter is mere deceit.— Mr. Ajiboye Sunday, Music Director.

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HE behaviour of Governor Fashola is contrary to the provisions of our constitution and we shall keep harping on it till he relents. This is a governor that is professionally privileged to know the provisions of the constitution.— Miss Blessing Ubah, Student.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013—37

Warri North crisis: James Manager donates relief materials

Oghara residents express worry over indiscriminate parking of trailers

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—SENATOR representing Delta South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator James Manager, has donated relief materials worth millions of naira to victims of the recent crisis in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State.

Presenting the items, Senator Manager enjoined the transition committee chairman of the council, Mr David Edun to ensure that the materials get to the affected victims.

Describing the crisis as unfortunate, he expressed shock at the level of destruction and appealed to the victims not to take laws into their hands. He said that the government was doing everything possible to ensure that they were resettled.

Manager, who was represented by his Personal Assistant, Otobo Ugbome, condemned the crisis, noting that violence does not solve problems.

Customs seizes 1,200 poultry foods

BY IFEYINWA OBI

A

truck-load of over 1,200 contraband poultry foods concealed in cartons of frozen fish has been seized by the Nigerian Customs Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Lagos.

According to Issa Nuhu, Controller FOU, the truck with number plane PHC 653 XA, was intercepted on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway following a tip off.

He said: “As part of our commitment, my men led by Hinga Philips, intercepted the truck with number plate PHC 653 XA, laden with over 1,200 cartons of imported poultry products.

"The smugglers’ plan was to contravene the laws of the land as the seizure was intended to deceive my officers by concealing the truck load of contraband with cartons of frozen fish.”

Nuhu added that the unit would continue to live up to expectations and acceptable standards in thwarting efforts of smugglers.

Meanwhile, the team arrested one person, while the truck driver, who escaped is now being trailed.

BY GODWIN OGRE

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VALEDICTORY—From left: Minister of State for Education, Mr Nyesom Wike; Minister for Youth Development; Imuwa Abdulkadiri and National President, Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Okey Wali, SAN, at the valedictory thanksgiving service in honour of Justice Iche Ndu, retiring Chief Judge of Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Edo LG vice chairman escapes from kidnappers in Obiaruku

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN CITY—VICECHAIRMAN of Uhumnwonde Local Government Area, Edo State, Mr Walter Aiwekhoe was, yesterday, abducted on his way to the office by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers, but escaped few hours later from where he was kept in the forest.

The incident was said to have happened at 10am on the BeninAuchi Road. An eyewitness said that the suspected kidnappers blocked the Vice-Chairman’s vehicle with a jeep and ordered

him out of his car. They shot sporadically before forcing him into the waiting vehicle.

However, at 1pm, the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of the council, Mr Osaro Idahosa, who earlier confirmed the incident to Vanguard, said the Vice Chairman escaped from his captives in Obiaruku, in Delta State from the forest where he was kept.

He said: “We are celebrating here because he just called from Obiaruku in Delta State that he is presently at the police station. He said he escaped

from where they kept him and ran towards the road, where he met policemen. So, we are going to pick him up from the police station in Obiaruku.”

The news of the escape doused tension at the council, yesterday, as youths and policemen stormed the bush in search of the Vice-Chairman.

Vanguard learnt that after the kidnap operation, the Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr Folunsho Adebanjo went into action with his men with a view to ensure that the suspects were apprehended.

Delta community petitions IG, alleges assault of chairman by oil firm

APELE—RESIDENTS of Oghara, the administrative headquarters of Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, have expressed worries over indiscriminate packing of tankers on the Oghara/ Ajagbodudu dual carriage way, waiting to load petroleum products at Rain Oil Depot in the community.

Some shop owners, who spoke through their leader, Mr Raphel Ukanebevwe to Vanguard said that the tankers packed on the major road were causing accidents on the road.

“It is no longer an easy ride for us, shop owners on the busy Oghara Road to makes sales of our stocks as tankers have blocked the road.”

The residents accused some chiefs of collecting bribes from the tanker drivers, to allow them to block the road.

They called on the state government to intervene and stop the tanker drivers from the indiscriminate packing. They urged the management of Rain Oil Ltd to construct a parking space for the tankers waiting to load products from its depot.

Adeniyi, veteran broadcaster passes on

A E

JEKIMONI Community in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, has sent a petition to the Inspector General of Police, IG, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, over brutalisation of their chairman, Mr. Samson Kekakpor by a surveillance supervisor with Seplat Oil Company based in the council.

The community in the petition, narrated that “when he approached the oil firm worker, simply called Mr. Asesoris as regards information on the contract for the protection of the pipeline which runs through the community, the said worker started beating, brutalising and assaulting him, which left him with bruises in one of his eyes. He was subsequently hospitalised for one week for injuries he sustained.”

The petition by Mr. Francis Ikoyo and Mr. Isaac Onokprayunu, Vice chairman and General Secretary respectively, and also copied the Commissioner of Police, Delta State; Sapele Divisional Police and

Seplat Oil management, read “We which to inform you of how our chairman was brutalised by one Mr. Asesoris, a worker in Seplat oil company based in Sapele.

“The unprovoked assault of our chairman by One Mr. Asesoris, a Surveillance

Supervisor with Seplat Oil, took place on August 5, 2013. The malicious battering of Mr. Kekakpor in the hands of Mr. Asesoris was because he asked him about the true position of the 0.6 km Ovhor-Lima serial flow line that had been shared between, Egbeku and Sapele."

Business school holds training

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IMON Page Business School is to hold a threeday programme that will enable professionals learn new skills on marketing, digital marketing, finance and management.

A statement by the Chief Executive Officer of the school, Mr. Princewill Omorogiuwa, said that the programme focuses on helping professionals develop skills for future

business challenges as well current business needs.

He said, “these capacity building programmes focuses on courses in marketing, digital marketing, finance and management and will run for three days at different intervals through a 12 month-duration in Lagos and Accra. The training sessions will be facilitated by hand-picked experts from within and outside Nigeria."

veteran broadcaster, Mr. Victor Adeniyi, 78, is dead.

He was a pioneer staff of the defunct Western Nigerian Television and Western Nigerian Broadcasting Service, WNTV/WNBS. The late broadcaster had a stint with the Nigerian Broadcasting service now Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, before joining WNTV/WNBS IN 1959.

He is survived by a wife, Mrs. Loretta Adeniyi and several children.

Late Mr Adeniyi

38—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Anambra LP holds guber primaries Aug 28

2015: PDP okays Nsukka zone for Enugu guber seat

BY TONY EDIKE

BY ENYIM ENYIM

O

NITSHA—THE La bour Party in Anambra State will on August 28 hold its governorship primaries to nominate the party flag bearer for the November 16 governorship poll in the state.

Addressing reporters at the party secretariat, Awka, the state chairman, Mr Sam Onyearugbulam, said so far, the party had three aspirants, including Dr Ifeanyi Ubah and two unidentified others.

He said of the three aspirants, only Dr Ifeanyi Ubah had paid the necessary fees and scaled through the party screening to qualify him to contest the primaries, while the unidentified aspirants were yet to concretize their intention to run for the plum position on the platform of the party.

Last week, the party in its congress, elected five delegates each from the 21 local government areas of the state that would join the statutory delegates to nominate the party flag bearer next Wednesday.

Onyearugbulem, who said he was very comfortable with INEC arrangement for the governorship poll, urged the electoral body to give all the political parties a level playing ground by conducting a c r e d i b l e , free and fair election.

Med-View airlines loses GM

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AGOS—THE man agement of MedView Airline yesterday, announced the sudden death of its pioneer General Manager, Mr. David Oni Babatunde, in Lagos.

The late Babatunde died in the early hours of Monday in his Ikeja residence.

Until his death, Mr. Babatunde was incharge of the overall coordination of the airline’s activities, a position that saw him as a Deputy Managing Director.

A graduate of Physics from the University of Lagos, he joined the Nigeria Airways as an operations officer and rose through the ranks to Assistant General Manager (Flight Technical), until the airline was liquidated in 2003 C M Y K

E

Onuigbo.

The SEC further approved September 10 and 14, 2013, for conduct of the ward and local government primaries of the party respectively to elect candidates for the November 2, 2013, local government council elections in the state.

To ensure discipline among members of the party, the SEC meeting, presided over by the state chairman, Engr. Abba,

reconstituted the State Disciplinary Committee with the reappointment of the immediate past chairman of the committee, Chief Charles Egumgbe, to head it.

The chairman had earlier in his address to the SEC members, praised the decision of the party caucus to stick to the zoning arrangement for the governorship seat, describing it as a welcome development

which had the potential to bring about sustainable peace, equity and justice in the state.

He thanked Governor Chime for being in the vanguard of the noble course and emphasized the need for the party to put its house in order, respect the existing agreements and make necessary sacrifices that would ensure the progress of the state and party.

NUGU—ENUGU State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has endorsed the earlier decision by Governor Sullivan Chime’s state caucus to zone the 2015 governorship seat to Enugu North senatorial zone, specifically Nsukka.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its State Executive Committee meeting in Enugu last weekend, the party also passed a vote of confidence on Governor Chime and state chairman of the party, Mr. Vita Abba, for their visionary leadership in piloting the affairs of the state and party.

The party said: “The resolution of the state caucus of the party to zone the governorship position of the state in 2015 to Enugu Nort h senatorial zone with an understanding that after eight years it will move to Enugu East senatorial zone and, thereafter, Enugu West.”

The communiqué signed by the state Publicity Secretary, Dr. Okey Eze, said the SEC also approved the appointment of Mr. Ogbonna Henry Ugonna as the organizing secretary of the party in the state.

His appointment was sequel to the existing vacancy in the State Working Committee, ANNIVERSARY: CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor (2nd left), Minister of Niger Delta SWC, brought about by the Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe (2nd right) and others, at the third-year anniversary of unfortunate death of the former Glory Sanctuary Christian Centre, Ogbogbagbene, Burutu LGA of Delta State. organizing secretary, Mr. John

Mbakwe’s wife wants help for family of deceased govs

called the “weeping governor” because of his insistence that Igboland should be developed.

BY BENJAMIN NJOKU The recognition given to WERRI—WIFE of former Mbakwe and others, which was governor of old Imo State, part of this year ’s Ezumezu Mrs. Victoria Mbakwe, has called on governors of the South East, especially, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi, which made

BY ANAYO OKOLI up old Imo State, to initiate a MUAHIA—GOVERNOR policy that would cater for the Theodore Orji of Abia family of deceased governors State yesterday inaugurated in the region.

She lamented her abandon- the reconstituted boards of the ment by past governments in state-owned institutions, with the South East zone since the on warning to the members to death of her husband, Chief display honesty and diligence in their assignment.

Sam Mbakwe.

They include the boards of Mrs. Mbakwe, who told her story of lamentation when Gov- the Polytechnic, Aba; College ernor Rochas Okorocha of Imo of Education Technical, State and Obowo Development Arochukwu; and Aba Glass Association, ODA, honoured Industry.

The governor charged the her late husband, however, acknowledged receiving some members to revive the institutoken from a past governor and tions and make them better present administration in the than they met it.

According to him, the estabstate.

Remarking that her husband lishments are dear to the govdid not loot Imo treasury, un- ernment, hence the need for the like today’s governors, Mrs. board members to work hard to them better.

Mbakwe asked the new crop make of leaders in the zone to emu- Orji told the members that they late her husband who was were chosen based on their

O

Obowu, an intellectual and New Yam celebration of the community, organised by Obowu Development Association, ODA,, the umbrella

socio cultural organisation of the entire Obwou people, also witnessed the conferment of traditional titles on some other eminent Nigerians.

Abia inaugurates reconstituted boards

U

antecedents, adding that the essence of their appointments was to re-engineer the institutions, not to kill them.

He recalled that the govern-

ment had had teething problems with the educational institutions which had complained of inadequate subvention to pay salaries.

‘Nigeria, highest exporter of human eggs, embryos’ without the consent of the

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS—CHAIRMAN of African Anti-abortion Coalition, Dr Philip Njemanze, has said Nigeria remained the highest exporter of human eggs and embryos.

Njemanze, who is also the chairman, Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria in Imo State, added that a study had shown that Nigeria had been trafficking in eggs in the international market since 2006

women or anybody.

He spoke at the annual Catholic Marriage, Family and Human Life Unit and Marriage Instructors Conference, which took place at Yaba, Lagos.

Njemanze, who spoke on the imminent danger facing the family in Nigeria, said if Nigeria allowed such a thing, about a 100 million eggs would be needed per year to supply laboratories to do their stem cell embryonic research.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013—39

UNVELING: From left, Dr. Lawrence Nwosu, Chief Sales Officer, Sproxil Nigeria Limited; Mr. Ashkay Kumar, MD/CEO, Grand Oak Limited, and Aare Fatai Odesile, Commercial Director, during the unveling of Lords Dry Gin, in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola.

SIGNING: From left, Lazarus Angbazo, President/CEO, GE Nigeria; Darryl Wilson, Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Distributed Power, GE Africa, and Akeem Agbaje, Chairman/CEO, Entec Power and Utilities Company Ltd, Nigeria, during the signing of a Letter of Intent, in Nairobi, Kenya

VISIT: From left, Mr. Rotimi Omotoso, Registrar/Chief Executive; Chief Ajomale, Council member; Mrs. Onome Olaolu, Council member; Alhaji Mohammed, President, all of Institute of Chartered Accountants, ICAN; Tajudeen Akande, Senior Resident Partner, PKF; Mrs. Comfort Eyitayo, Council member, ICAN, and Najeeb Abdul-Salaam, Partner, PKF, during a courtesy visit by ICAN to PKF, in Lagos.

CONFERMENT: From left, Otunba Olu Onasanya, presenting a gift on behalf of the church to Sir Emmanuel Onabanjo and his wife, Simi, during a thanksgiving service for Sir Emmanuel Onabanjo, who was conferred with the Knighthood of John Wesley, at the Methodist Church, Ipara Remo, Ogun State. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

SCREENING: From l eft, Supervisor for Health and Medical Services, Bisi Thomas; MD of The Bridge Clinic, Dr. Richard Ajayi; the Chairman of Yaba LCDA, Mr. Jide Jimoh; MD of PathCare, Dr. Pamela Ajayi, and Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Alli-Balogun, during PathCare's free medical screening exercise, in conjunction with other partners, through 'Doctors on Air Medical Mission,' for the public at the Yaba LCDA, in Lagos.

BRIEFING: From left, Miss Izegbuwa Izevbaye, Assistant Brand Manager, Dairy, Promasidor; Mr. Gboyega Akosile, MD; Miss Shola Bankole, PRO, both of Bridgeworld Communication, and Mr. Goddie Ofose, President, Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria, during a press briefing on the forthcoming Nigeria Brand Expo/Brands TV Awards, in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

LAUNCH: From left, President of Association of Reproductive and Family Health, Prof. Oladapo Ladipo; President of Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecology of Nigeria, SOGON, Prof . Fred Achem, and the Executive Secretary of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Ado Muhammad, at the launching of agenda for voluntary obstetricians, in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan

Miss Adetutu Obateru graduated recently with a first class in Economics from Covenant University, Ota. Vanguard's Correspondent, Taye Obateru (left) joined his twin brother, Kennie Obateru (the father) to rejoice with her, at the convocation.

PRESENTATION: From left, Commercial Operations & Marketing Leader, General Electric (Oil & Gas), Tanya Spencer; Adepiti Oyinlola, receiving a laptop; MD, General Electric (Health Care), Pamela Hall, and Executive Director, Women In Technology Empowerment Centre, Ore Somolu, during presentation of the laptop, at the GE Girls In Technology Day, in Lagos

40—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Youth group embarks on unity project

Security expert lauds JTF over killing of Bama

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By EVELYN USMAN

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A G O S — R E NOWNED security expert, Dr. Ona Ekhomu, yesterday, commended the Joint Task Force, JTF, on the elimination of Momodu Bama, the second in command to Boko Haram leader, Imam Abubakar Shekau.

The decimation of the top leadership of the terrorist organization, according to Ekhomu, would lead to early victory in the war on terror and safety of Nigeria lives. He urged leaders of the sect to embrace peace and stop further attack on innocent citizens.

Describing JTF operation in the North-East as a success, Ekhomu in a statement, urged the Military to develop new security master plan aimed at containing isolated terrorists attacks on the civil populace in the region.

He called for the implementation of a security initiative which he tagged “Community Vigilance Defence Shield” CVDS, asserting that the Civilian JTF in Borno State was essential in winning the anti-terror war.

Islamic cleric charges muslims to embrace peace

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ANGO—THE chief Imam of Sango Central Mosque, Alhaji Tajudeen Shafi has advised muslims in Sango area to embrace peace and shun religious and political rancor. He said this while addressing Muslim faithful in the area. The Imam charged them to follow tenets of Islam, tolerate each other and eschew violence.

The cleric tasked Ogun State people to cooperate with Senator Ibikunle Amosun so that more dividends of democracy would spread to other areas of the State.

COST OF GOVERNANCE— From left, Mr Ademola Agbejo of Civil Society Organization; former Minister of Education, Prof. Oby Ezekwesili with Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center, Auwal Ibrahim Rafsanjani at one day discussion on the cost of Governance in Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

APC has nothing to offer Nigerians — Abba Moro

BY PETER DURU

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AKURDI —MINISTER of Interior, Abba Moro, has described the newly registered All Progressives Congress, APC, as an amalgamation of diverse interests that have nothing to offer Nigerians and lacks the capacity to dethrone the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Moro who spoke, yesterday, in Ugbokolo, Benue State, said: “There is nothing new in the APC. The only thing you can say is that it is an amalgam of separate interests pretending to have the capacity to wrestle power from the PDP, and to effect any change. If you look at the characters or the persons that are in the ship, you’ll want to ask yourself some fundamental questions. Are they new persons, are they angels from somewhere that have not participated in the ruins that Nigeria is today; who are they?

"There is no single person that is there that has not been an active participant in the political process of Nigeria. A few of them that are the henchmen of the APC have been men who at one time or the other assumed the highest positions in this country. I continue to insist that we are where we are today because those yesteryears leaders of the country failed to do those things they should have done to take us to the next level.

"Why are we having issues with roads today? Because somebody that was in power yesterday failed to fix the roads. Why are we having issues with electricity today? It’s because the per-

son who was in charge of government yesterday was unable to fix power. Why is our education going down the drain, because somebody did not have the proper road map for education in Nigeria, that is where we are today.

"So, when you now pretend to have assumed a new life to be able to effect changes in this country, it is barely a desire to change leadership, nothing more. What is the vision of the APC? Apart from them saying that the PDP is not performing and that the

APC wants to come and change so that they can perform, what programme have they brought out for Nigerians to see. What is their programme, what is their vision for Nigeria? What is their mission? They don’t have.

And so when people gallivant around and profess a new name, APC, yes we have seen it before, we had ANPP, we had ACN, APP and the rest of them before; same characters. And they are here again hoodwinking Nigerians to believe that they have the magic wand, it is too bad."

AGOS—AHEAD of next year’s centenary celebration, Will and Wiser Nigeria, a youth re-orientation and development group, plans to collate over 100 different Nigerian languages with a word that connotes unity to be written on the country’s green-whitegreen flag.

Head of Operations & Projects, Mr. Yomi Soniyi, at a briefing in Lagos, said the aim was to use the country’s national flag as a symbol to strengthen her unity.

Soniyi explained that the initiative tagged ‘Unity Flag’, is intended to send a strong message of unity within and outside Nigeria that “irrespective of our challenges and our diversity, we will remain and thrive as one country.”

Rotary Club Amuwo installs new president

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AGOS—ROTARY Club Amuwo, has installed a new president, Rotarian Ifeoma Mba, to lead the club between 2013-2014.

Speaking after the installation ceremony, Mba, said she hoped to enhance literacy, water and sanitation, economic and community development in her coverage communities.

According to her, the theme of this rotary year is “Engage Rotary, Change Lives.

"By this, we are enjoined

by RI President Ron D Burton to develop rotary’s projects to bring about sustainable developments in our communities and make rotary more relevant to them.”

Okada riders return to Kano streets

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD

K

ANO—COMERCIAL Motor Cycle Operators, otherwise known as Okada riders, have fully returned to Kano streets despite government ban on their activities in eight local Government areas of the state.

Investigation revealed that a sizable number of Okada riders popularly known as Achaba in local parlance are seen offering quick services to customers early morning and late night in some major streets and in the neighbourhood.

The Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso administration had at the wake of attack on

the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero by unknown gunmen January 19, restricted Okada riders’ activities and directed them to vacate Kano streets by 6pm and must not carry passengers within the metropolitan councils.

Sequel to the development, residents that witnessed several killings allegedly masterminded by gunmen on motor bike had expressed concerns.

Malam Bala Dan’azumi told Vanguard that “ we are worried by the gradual return of Achaba riders in Kano streets most especially within the neighbourhood where it has become a past time for them to carry out their nefarious activities."

Dan’azumi who lives in

Kurna Asabe noted that “there is laxity on the part of enforcing authorities who at the moment appear not ready to enforce the law for reasons best known to them. I know Kano too well, if others are doing it and getting away with it, be rest assured that multitude would join them in the next few days, and it would be difficult to control them” But the Police Public Relations Officer, Magaji Musa Majia, in a reaction declared that “the ban prohibiting their activities between 6am-6pm is still in force, stressing that “the order restricting cyclist from carrying passenger is also in full force. It was occasioned by the relaxation of enforcement during the Holy month of Ramadan.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 — 41

42—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

India maintains stable visa policy with Nigeria — Malick

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU & PRISCA SAMDURU

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HE Head, Indian High Commission, Lagos office, Rani Malick, has described India visa policy with Nigeria as stable, stressing that from the outset of both countries’ bi-national commission agreement, the duo have enjoyed a mutual understanding in diverse sectors.

Malick who spoke at the event to mark India’s 67th independence anniversary

noted that both countries’ binational agreement in key sectors of their economies have enormously contributed to the cordial relationship they both enjoy.

According to the consular general, “Our visa policy with Nigeria for the past two decades is stable and successful and the number of Nigerian immigrants to India are increasing by the day. We have more Nigerians coming into India for various intended reasons, just as more Indians come into Nigeria.”

She added, “Presently, the population of Indians in Nigeria is over 40,000, an indication that both countries are deep rooted in their binational commission, and I do not foresee a situation that would present any visa problems between Nigeria and India.”

Also disclosing India’s relationship with Nigeria as traditionally consistent, and growing from strength to strength, Malick said, “I am optimistic that India would not engage Nigeria in any policy

5th L: Head, India High Commission, Lagos office, Rani Malick; Vice President, Indian Professions Forum, Mr. Grover and other dignitaries at the event.

that could mar the consistent relationship we have maintained over the years. I encourage both Indian and Nigerian nationals to often engage in practices that would only reflect a penchant for onward growth of both countries’ economies.”

She said both countries nationals should pay heed to

important ingredients that would enable them work towards building a sustainable India-Nigeria bi-national relation, taking into cognizance the ideals of patriotism, self restraint, discipline and honesty, which are instrumental to achieving productive paths.

Doing business in Nigeria

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LTHOUGH the development, the Vice issue of President, Indian inconsistent power Professionals Forum in generation is seemingly Nigeria Mr. Anil Grover, f r u s t r a t i n g encouraged Indians industrialization in resident in Nigeria to Nigeria, majority of keep up the good work Indian industrialists in of standing forthright the country have with the government and declared their people of Nigeria in businesses productive efforts to address issues and prosperous. of great concern for a Reacting to the issue of better and cordial bipoor power generation national relationship. in Nigeria, which is He said, “We are noted as a scourge that delighted doing business undermines virtually in Nigeria and with everything that could Nigerians, because we move Nigeria towards a both have successfully b r i g h t e r economy, Malick posited that this has for a long time crippled major industries in Nigeria.

Malick said, “ I n d i a n government feels committed to strategies that are capable of regulating p o w e r generation in N i g e r i a .

Nigeria is Indian PM Manmohan Singh accommodating a number of Indian businessmen and established a high this to an extent degree of friendship and expresses the level of cooperation. relationship between “We must endeavour to Nigeria and India. rediscover the virtues of There are not many our heritage, while countries with which moving towards greater India shares such deep social harmony, peace relationship and and prosperity. standing on this existing Although, we both have fact, India government diverse cultures, we are will not relent in doing well in terms of supporting the efforts to identify government of Nigeria to additional areas where ensure that the on-going we can contribute to power sector reform immensely grow our process in Nigeria economies.” becomes a success.”

In a similar

consularadvisory@vanguardngr.com

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 —43

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

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T had long been predicted that the two big fishes in the APC, Senators Chris Ngige and his predecessor in the Senate, Senator Annie Okonkwo who are the driving forces in the new party would sooner than later clash over their individual governorship ambitions.

Last week, the pair of Okonkwo and another governorship aspirant in the APC, Mr Goddy Ezemo had announced the appointment of the chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP in the state, Mr. Pat Orijiakor, as the interim chairman of the APC in the state.

The appointment of Orijakor without Ngige’s endorsement was immediately rebuffed by the Ngige camp.

The state publicity secretary of the defunct ACN in the state, Mr.

War in APC

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R Chike Obidigbo who was disqualified from the APGA nomination process by the party’s screening panel has urged supporters to keep calm pending what he claimed as ongoing consultations with strategic stakeholders.

The decision of the screening panel was also upheld by the appeal panel.

While addressing supporters in Awka, Ogidigbo said he made wide and extensive consultations before declaring his intention to seek the mandate of the people for the governorship and that he was still sure of the support he got to enter the contest.

He said that it would be too early to announce his decision

BY TONY EDIKE

C

•Ngige

•Okonkwo

Okelo Madukaife in a statement made available to Vanguard, yesterday, dismissed the

announcement saying that the combined executive of the three legacy parties in the APC has

on the contest following the disqualification by APGA as he said that would still consult with all relevant stakeholders, who gave him their strategic endorsement before announcing his next move.

The gubernatorial aspirant restated that his desire to seek election into the office of governor of Anambra state was borne out of the fact that he possesses the needed capacity to fast track the economic development of the State.

“As a renowned industrialist, administrator, academic and philanthropist, my life and pursuits have always revolved around uplifting people.”

Several PDP aspirants who relocated to Abuja after the annulled ward congress

•Obidigbo penultimate Monday were yesterday spread across the state monitoring the rescheduled congresses ordered by the party.

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laid practically comatose.

Mrs. Ulasi who recently returned to Nigeria has now revived the party and is presently only aspirant on the platform of the party and the PPA’s presumptive nominee.

Speaking to party members at an outing yesterday, the returnee lawyer said she is determined to wrest control of government from APGA at the November election.

She told members of the party: “PPA may not be making noise like other political parties, but we know what we are doing, Governorship election is not a matter of making so much noise but planning properly for the race.

“My assurance is that we will

HIEF Onwuka Ukwa, a member of the party ’s Governorship Screening Committee, which disqualified Professor Charles Soludo and five others from the contest, has urged all those his committee ruled out to support the nominee of the party.

While affirming that the committee was not programmed to disqualify any of the aspirants, he said the same parameters were used in screening all the aspirants.

His claim follows insinuations that the APGA hierarchy was coerced by forces in the presidency to screen out Soludo from the contest on the assumption that Soludo could be antagonistic to the PDP’s presidential candidate in 2015.

Governor Peter Obi had earlier washed himself from culpability in the conspiracy theory.

Explaining that APGA was adopting a new attitude to politics, he advised the disqualified aspirants to accept the result, remain focused and support the party.

“It’s not the end of the world; it’s not a do-or-die affair,” Ukwa said as he reminded them of their vow to support whoever emerged the candidate of the

enter the Government House in March next year and I want to urge our members to be patient because so much ground work is currently going on about the November 16 election.”

State chairman of PPA, Mr. Matthias Ameke said the party has solid structure in all the 326 political wards of the state, adding that all the ward officials are prepared to move the party forward.

He explained that the problem they had in the past was that the candidates of the party came through the back door which discouraged most members from working for PPA during the last election.

•Soludo party.

Chief Ukwa emphasized that the committee conducted the screening based on the party's guidelines and constitution.

“The intention is to make sure that those going into politics are doing so strictly for service.

When some of us go to America, France and Britain, we see that the important thing there is service; the motivating factor is rendering service to the nation and the people. But when some of us come back to Nigeria, we begin to do things in the wrong way,” he said.

He was also quick to distance the party’s National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh from the fate of the six disqualified aspirants.

PDP'll be unstoppable — Anosike

BY GBENGA OKE

Ulasi picks PPA ticket RS. Blessing Ulasi, the Nnewi-born lawyer, who had until recently been based in the United Kingdom is giving fresh life to the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, the party founded by former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu.

It will be recalled that briefly before the 2010 gubernatorial election that the party made some sparkles when it presented Mrs. Uche Ekwunife as its candidate in that election.

But following that election, Mrs. Ekwunife decamped to APGA, the platform on which she is now presently seeking another quest to occupy the Government House.

Since her exit, the party had

effect that the party appointed one Mr. Pat Orjiakor as APC interim state chairman. By its constitution and through logic, party officials are not appointed by aspirants,” Mr. Madukaife said.

APGA screening panel member wants Soludo, others to support party

Disqualified Obidigbo urges supporters to remain calm

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

been combined and is still cochaired pending the state congress due on August 31.

"The general public is hereby invited to ignore any other information purported to emanate from the APC to the

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NE of the governorship aspirants on the cards of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Emma Anosike, has said that the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) could not stop PDP at the polls in spite of the performance of Governor Peter Obi. Noting that party indiscipline cost PDP the seat in 2010, he said the party would get it right this time around.

He also made a case for Anambra North producing the next governor. However, he said the zone should produce a sellable candidate.

“I am a good candidate and I can go for the battle and win the battle. Also, everything work to my advantage because the governorship position has been

zoned to Anambra North where I hail from, both the current Governor and the masses in the state have been clamouring that it is the turn of Anambra North.

PDP which is my party was formed on the platform of equity and justice, even, it is enshrined in the Constitution that equity is the key to what we are doing.

Therefore, I come from Anambra North, I am a good candidate and I have been to the House of Representatives, I am a Senator and I have contested governorship before and I was a running mate to Charles Soludo and I have all it takes to govern Anambra State On the chances of PDP at the upcoming elections, he said: “What happened in 2010 was crazy because it has to do with party discipline. "

44—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

South west PDP:

Bode George is a drowning man, I won't go down with him — Filani CHIEF Ishola Filani is the South West caretaker committee chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. In this interview with Vanguard, Chief Filani lampooned former Deputy National Chairman, South, of the PDP, Chief Olabode George, describing him as the major problem of the party who has singularly impeded the party’s chances of election victory in Lagos State. Excerpts:

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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OW far has the PDP gone in settling differences within the party in the Southwest?

We actually set up a sixmember committee per state and I must confess that I am very impressed with the outcome of their exercise.

When their report was submitted to us, we also set up a review committee under the chairmanship of Professor Femi Okubanjo.

They have come up with their report, but one thing that is interesting is that even without the report, the kind of appeal and discussions that members of that committee had with stakeholders in each state, you will discover that there has been a lot of improvement in all the states particularly in Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ogun.

I am also happy that the National Working Committee and the new reconciliation committee under Governor Seriake Dickson adopted our position. The matter in Ekiti has been settled and everybody is now living in peace.

In addition, the Ekiti State chapter was made to understand that their executive has no right to set up a reconciliation committee because it is only the NWC that has the power to do it and at the appropriate time. They will

Prophet of doom

•Filani: PDP lost Lagos under the same leadership

state chapter had no issues with the congress I am not aware of that but what we are aware of is that

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I have better cause now to sympathise with him and what Bode requires not to drown completely is prayer and I will continue to pray for him

set that in motion if it is the best thing to do in the circumstance.

In Lagos State, we had reports that their congresses were not the best and we do not know what the status of the delegates from Lagos State is now until we hear a pronouncement from the NWC. But the state chairman recently addressed a press conference where he said the

You talked about the absence of leadership in Lagos PDP, but Chief George has always been seen as the leader, how do you reconcile that?

You see it is a system that is wrong, it is system that is autocratic and that is why we are having problems.

What is responsible for the rift between you and Chief Bode George?

Bode is a drowning man and he is just looking for anybody either to save him from getting drowned or drown with him.

That is why he is mentioning all kinds of names, in one form or the other. Bode’s grouse against us is he is saying that because we are caretaker committee, we cannot contest.

Let him supply to us the context of the law or rule of law or any instrument whatsoever that says we cannot contest.

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there are nine states and Lagos is one of the nine states (with issues).

I am not concluding on anything but all I am saying is that it is because of those nine states that we are now repeating the convention to correct the anomaly. So, I do not see where one state will be singled out. The only problem we have in Lagos is leadership problem.

What do you mean?

A situation where the leadership in Lagos State has not been responding to the hopes and aspirations of the members of the party. We held elections in 1999 PDP lost, we held in 2003, the PDP lost, we held in 2007, the PDP lost, we held in 2011, still the PDP lost under the same leadership.

That is why we have all these problems and everybody in Lagos is complaining.

Everybody is saying please come and assist us.

We could win elections in Lagos State because it could have been the easiest state for us to win because of the fact that it is a state that comprises of every ethnic group in Nigeria but we have not been able to win because of bad leadership. That is as far as Lagos State is concerned.

How can that be corrected?

The only way you can correct that is to sensitize the people, review their leadership strategy and structure.

Strategize it by reviewing the structure of the leadership which can only be done by the Lagos State PDP. We hope and pray that the scale on their eyes will be removed in the name of God so that they can come together and get a leadership that will be acceptable to all of them. All other states are in order.

There cannot but be one problem or the other in a party like the PDP that is democratic in nature. We are not the kind of party that has somebody commanding us from the top; everything you have to do in the PDP has to be discussed and accepted before it is implemented.

I have better cause now to sympathise with him and what Bode requires not to drown completely is prayer and I will continue to pray for him.

Do you think the PDP stands a chance to win elections in Osun and Ekiti states in 2014 with the coming on board of the All Progressives Congress?

The APC is not a party even though they have now been registered as one political party.

They are a conglomeration of distinct political parties with distinct ideologies and principles, they will continue to exist within that party as individual parties and I am not a prophet of doom but one thing I want you to understand is that by the time they want to start their nominations in Ekiti and Osun states, it is then you will see that they are all kinds of people who just want to oppose the PDP which has 23 states.

You can see that it is only 10 governors that came together to form the APC. At the end of the day, alignment has never worked in Nigeria.

The time has come to reveal the lies and get our people out of oppression. All these statements will be justified because the APC is not a threat to us.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 — 45

46 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 — 47

48 — Vanguard,

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Confession of suspected pipeline vandal

I needed money to save my wife’s life • Suspects: Power Segmefe (1st right)

BY EVELYN USMAN

way. I have five children but lost one recently because of lack of fund to provide medicare. And now, my wife is on danger list.

If she dies, tell me, who will take care of the children? She was initially taken to the hospi-

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OWOYE Ebiwe, 20, from Ondo state, was among the ten suspected pipeline vandals paraded Monday by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on AntiPipeline vandalism Unit. The suspects were reportedly arrested at the verge of siphoning petroleum product from a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, located in Elekete area of Ogun state.

While all the suspects freely opened up confessing their alleged involvement in the crime, Ebiwe was unusually calm.

While that lasted, he bent down, scribbling what did not make sense on the wet ground.

When approached, he raised his head and behold, he was shedding tears. Asked why he was crying, he lamented the woes he claimed had befallen him and eventually led him into the unpalatable situation he found himself.

My story: According to him, “ As I speak with you, my wife is dying in the hospital back in Ondo state. She needs money for treatment. You see, I ventured into this all in a bid to save my wife. I am an orphan. I have been struggling to make ends meet without making any head-

Without asking what type of business, I borrowed some money and left Ondo on Sunday, for Lagos. When I met him, he just said I should follow him to the place and like an obedient servant, I did, until I found myself in the creeks.

That was when he informed me that some people would soon come with boats and jerrycans; that all I needed to do was to

I overheard a man saying the job was a lucrative one if carried out successfully. He told me he was with some jerrycans and would sell 50 litres to me at the rate of N1500 per jerrycan

tal but because there was no money to pay for the drugs, we had to bring her home to administer local herbs on her.

“In trying to suggest a possible solution, one of my relatives, asked me to come down to Lagos; that there was a business that would fetch me money to take care of my wife and family.

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wait by the shore and bring the jerrycans out of the boats. The place was like a market place because I saw other people waiting for their members too.

“That was when it dawned on me that it was vandal business.

Honestly, I did not know it was a big offense. All I was told was that I would be given a reason-

•Suspect Ibiwe

able amount at the end of the day. That my relative told me he had money to buy the products; that all I needed to do was to bring the jerrycans out of the canoes and also help to sell to ready buyers at the end of which payment would be determined on the quantity sold.

I was there with him and Luke, waiting for the arrival of the boats when we were rounded up by the police. You can now see why I have been crying,” he stated.

Location of markets: While the trio were arrested at about 9pm, along side another threeman gang identified as Isaac Abejae,Towei Terryprecious

Osuwo, four others said to have stormed the area the previous day, where they succeeded in siphoning petroleum product into sixty-two jerrycans were also arrested on their way out of the creeks.

One of them, Power Segmefe, 26, disclosed that they were on their way to sell the products to ready buyers in Majidun area of Lagos when luck ran against them. Like Ebiwe, he stated that he was tempted to join some vandals he met , following an urgent need of help his ailing father.

Hear him, “My father had an eye problem and had since stopped going for his timber work. I took over from him. On that fateful day (Saturday), we had gone for timber at about 6pm . When we got to the water area, I overheard a man saying the job was a lucrative one if carried out successfully. He told me he was with some jerrycans and would sell 50 litres to me at the rate of N1500 per jerrycan. I told him I was interested and stayed with him all night.

He told me I could sell them at Majidun and Ikorodu; that buyers usually throng there in the morning. I was tempted by the profit I would make and concluded that at least it would help get my father the prescribed medication for his eye problem.”

“So , next day at about 8am, as I was moving the filled jerrycans to Majidun to sell at N300,000 per 50 litres jerrycan, I was arrested. It is even better I was arrested because I do not know how I would have faced my father to tell him that the money that was borrowed was gone just like that,” The suspects, according to the Unit’s Commander, Friday Ibadin, would be charged to court soon.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

—49

140 anti-bomb technicians and investigators graduate from Police bomb unit put in place, lasting mechanism to rectify them by providing for personnel comprehensive training programme conducive for qualitative policing in Nigeria.”

He equally advised graduands to maintain high sense of dignity in all their

• Passing out parade of Police Anti Bomb Squard

actions, while on and off duty.

The well attended event witnessed the presence of top ranking officials of the Nigeria Police Force, and dignitaries from all over the country.

High points was the presentation of awards to outstanding students during the training.

3 docked for alleged rape of 14-yr-old girl •deceived victim with fake spiritual olive oil

By UJU MBANUSI

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HE Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Dahiru Abubakar, has assured that the Nigerian police is well equipped to tackle terrorism head on in the country.

The police boss spoke through the Assistant Inspector- General of Police in-charge of Zone 11, Lagos, Mamman Tsafe, at the graduation ceremony of Explosive Ordinance

Department, EOD, (Anti Bomb) Technicians and Investigators Training Course, at the Police College Ikeja, Lagos, recently.

In his welcome address, the Commissioner of Police, EOD Command, Abdulmajid Ali, extolled the leadership qualities of the IGP Abubakar, saying the passing out parade which witnessed a large number of trainees since inception in 1976, was a vivid testimony to the IG’s leadership prowess. “The training exercise

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE & MICHAEL NWOPOKE

•CP Abdulmajid Ali, Commissioner of Police EOD (Anti-Bomb) Command which is part of the IG’s agenda towards improving the personnel strength of the command has repositioned the Command to combat the challenges of terrorism and insurgency in the country. We evaluated the grey areas of EOD (Anti-Bomb) Command and operational challenges and

Royal father hails relationship between police and rulers in Enugu

BY LINDA AMALU

police, Adamu Abub akar Mohammed thanked the monarch for all his security HE traditional ruler of Ibagwa Nike in support which has helpe d the Enugu East Local Gove rnment Area of im me ns ely an d so lic ite command En ug u sta te, Hi s Ro d fo r mo re ya l M aje sty, Ig we cooperation between the traditional rulers Em ma nu el Ug wu , ha s and the state comman d in order to make relationship between the de sc rib ed th e state command of the entire domain safe and secure. the Nigeria police force and traditional rulers Earlier, the police boss in the state as cordial. visited Ezeagu Police division with his entourage and Igwe Emmanuel Ugwu who is also the Trans Ekulu Division where state chairman, Comm he addressed ittee on security for stake holders including the traditional rulers in members of the the state stated this police community rel ation committee as when the state comm issioner of police, well as his officers an d Ab ub ak ar Ad am u M oh am me d an d hi s ch ar ge d to be pr ofe men whom he ss ion al in th eir entourage paid him a courtesy visit in his approach to duty wh ile also sensitizing palace at Okwe kingd om palace before th em on th e ne ed to ke y in to th e proceeding to address his officers and other programmes of Foka s loan and mortgage stake holders at Abakpa Nike Police station. bank which he descr ibed as a laudable According to the mona rch, there was need programme and bene ficial to personnel. for police and the tradit ional rulers to further He further used the occ asion to distribute sy ne rg ize in or de r to se nd cri me an d distress call numbers and his numbers for criminality into the abyss since perpetrators easy contact. The CP wa s accompanied by don’t drop from the sky but live in the neigh- the Acp Johnson Woke, Area commander Oji borhood.

River,Csp Mamman Gi wa, Commander In his response, the Commissioner of Mopol3, Enugu.

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HREE persons have been arraigned by the Police from Orile Division before an Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for allegedly having canal knowledge of a 14 -year-old girl.

A self-acclaimed pharmacist, Ijezie Chidiebere, 24, was charged along with Chikezie Ejesi, 25, and Okechukwu Ezea, 25.

They were accused to have given the victim a ‘spiritual olive oil’ for her to drink under the pretense of cleaning her of demonic spirit to enable them have unlawful canal knowledge of her.

The police in a charge sheet number FCL/46/ 2013, said the three accused had committed the offense on August 3, 2013, at 8, Kekere-Ekun Street, Orile-Iganmu, at about, 9pm.

Victim’s hymen According to the charge, the accused had conspired together to have canal knowledge of the victim who was sent to buy some drugs without her consent and in the process, destroyed the victim’s hymen. The accused were also alleged to have conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by falsely calling themselves pastors and gathered people inside the Chemist’s shop; and ordered

them to call the victim all sorts of derogatory names, such as witch, wizard and demon possessed girl, all under the pretense of cleansing her spiritually.

Sergeant Quasim Adams, who held brief for the prosecutor, Corporal Anthonia Osayande (Mrs.), told the court the offenses contravened sections 409, 137 and 166 (1) (d) of criminal laws of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2011, and section 247 (b) of the criminal code cap ‘C38, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.

However, when the pleas of the accused were taken, they pleaded not guilty to the charges; and their counsel, Mr. Peter Omoludun, Ikechukwu Onodi and Ike Okafor, informed the court that the parties in the case were at the verge of settling the matter.

The presiding magistrate, Mr. K. O. Ogundare, who was not satisfied with the submission of the defense counsel, asked the victim if she was molested by the accused and she answered in affirmative. Ogundare admitted the accused persons bail in the sum of N100, 000, with two sureties each. He ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed not self-employed and show to court evidence of three years tax payment to Lagos state government.

The magistrate also told the police to transfer the case to Family Court at Surulere, for proper adjudication while the matter was adjourned till September 24, for mention.

50— Vanguard,

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

6 ‘superfoods’ you may not be eating O

FTEN times it’s not that healthful eating isn’t tasty, but rather it’s the lack of variety. Adding variety of super nutrient dense foods to diet ensures the body gets the whole list of vitamins and minerals to thrive.

You know fruits and vegetables are healthy,processed foods are not. You are aware too much meat and fried foods are also not healthy. There are, however, those foods you should be eating but for one reason or another you tend to overlook. Here are superfoods that you haven’t yet added to your diet.

nutrients and contain some of the highest levels of protein and lowest levels of fat of any variety of beans. They also contain high levels of potassium, fibre, B vitamins, iron, zinc, and manganese. Adzuki beans promote regular bowel movements, are a good source of energy, and help lower cholesterol. Try them out Twig tea It’s called twig tea and it’s been

especially known for its ability to balance acidity in the body, which can lead to disease and ill health down the line.

Ghee This is clarified butter often used in Indian cooking. Ghee is made by simmering unsalted butter in a pot until all water has boiled off, the milk solids have settled to the bottom. Traditionally, ghee has been used to promote memory,

Spirulina Spirulina is a blue green algae that’s a wonderful food especially for those that avoid meat products. Though this is certainly true of everyone, a deficiency in B12 is more common in vegans and some vegetarians because B12 is found in animal products. There is no whole food source of B12 for vegans, except for spirulina. What’s more, spirulina has iron. Add spirulina to shakes and smoothies by the spoonful.

Hemp Seeds Hemp seeds are a great source of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 is made up of three acids EPA, DHA, and ALA. ALA can be found in hemp seeds, flax seeds, and chia seeds. Hemp seeds also have more protein than milk or eggs and they’re easier to digest than both of them.

Adzuki Beans They’re smaller than black beans and reddish brown in color but loaded with

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HE growing incidences of breast and cervical cancers have become a public health cancer in Nigeria. The situation is not helped by the high level of ignorance and cultural/religious beliefs surrounding the disease.

In recognition of these and more, concerned organizations such as Women of Global Impact, WGI, through the Providing Early Attention for Cervical Cancer Everywhere, PEACE Campaign embarking on massive awareness creation on early intervention as panacea to check the progression as well as prevention in the remotest part of the country.

Speaking during the 12th Medical Fair organised recently, Convener of the PEACE Campaign and Resident Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, TREM, Bishop Peace Okonkwo, vision and the objective of the PEACE Campaign is to ensure that no woman dies of breast or cervical cancer since both can be treated and prevented if detected early.

During the event held at the TREM Headquarters in Lagos, Okonkwo, who stated the programme was established to mark her 60th birthday, said it also

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REAKFAST is a great kick-start to the day. True to its name,''breakfast'' breaks the ''fast'' of the night and offers a healthy and nutritious way to start the day. Eating breakfast provides energy for the brain, and improves alertness – which is important for learning. Breakfast restores the body’s glucose levels – the brain’s energy source.

Eating a nutritious breakfast gives the energy and nutrients to get through the morning. Those who skip breakfast often don’t make up for the missed nutrients later on in the day. So eat breakfast. Just do it!

HIV: US spends $697m in Nigeria — HAWKINS

BY VERA SAMUEL-ANYAGAFU

A • Twig tea around for centuries. It’s made with the stems, stalks, and twigs of the tea plant.

Initially, farmers sipped on the tea because it was what was leftover from the harvesting of the more expensive leaves. It’s known as a peasant’s drink in Japan but in the West we’ve started to praise the health benefits of the tea for its ability to promote longevity. It’s

TREM wages war against cancer through PEACE campaign

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

Make your morning better, eat breakfast

targeted widows. At least 4,500 women have been screened for breast and cervical cancer since its flag off in 2012 while effort is on to reach 10,000 women.

“This is an initiative to prevent our women from dying. I have a burden in my heart to help women that are dying especially widows. Women don’t have to die because of cervical cancer that is treatable at early stage,” she argued.

Okonkwo affirmed that knowing your status does not mean death. “The ‘prevention is better than cure’ adage is true. People should go to places where they can be screened and it should be every year. If they detect anything bad, they get it treated; you’d live your life to the fullest and eat the fruit of your labour. Don’t just die for other people to take your place,” she said.

Okonkwo said further that it is ignorance that still prevents many Nigerians, especially believers, from taking charge of their health, adding that it is God that gives doctors the wisdom to treat. “When you know what is wrong with you, then you will know where to direct your prayers,” she said.

Coordinator, PEACE Campaign, Dr. Oluwayomi Uteh, said several lives have been saved through the programme.

• Adzuki beans intelligence, digestion and bolsters the immune system as well.

Grapefruits Ok, you may still be eating these, but probably not enough. Grapefruits contain monoterpenes which sweep the body of carcinogens.They also contain vitamin C and folic acid. Try mixed citrus salad.

TOTAL of $697 has been committed to HIV/AIDS and related disorders in Nigeria by the US government.US Consul General, Jeffery Hawkins, who disclosed this recently said the sum is o ensure those affected receive proper medications, and to further strengthen our bi-national relationship with Nigeria, in its health sector.

Hawkins spoke at the U.S bi-national commission meeting in Lagos, where he noted that combating HIV/AIDS and other health issues in Nigeria was primal to ensure Nigeria and other African countries are supported to fight HIV/AIDS. “ Since 2004, the American people have invested over $3 billion into combating HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. We support ARV treatment for over 400,000 Nigerians, as well as over 250,000 OVCs impacted

by HIV/AIDS in addition to making testing and counseling possible for over two million other Nigerians.”

Much of the financial assistance provided through several US nongovernmental entities is expected to be used wisely to improve life for the average Nigerians, he noted.

• Cross section shot of drugs being administered to participants during the 2013 PEACE Campaign free Medical programme in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation at TREM Headquarters, Obanikoro, Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 — 51

Egypt crisis: El Baradei gets September trial date •Brotherhood condemns Mohammad Badie arrest

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Cairo court has set a September trial date for Mohamed ElBaradei, the recentlyresigned interim vice president for foreign affairs, on charges of “breaching national trust.”

The charges against him were filed by a law professor at Cairo’s Helwan University, according to a report in the state-run Al-Ahram.

He stands accused of “betraying” the public by resigning on August 14, a misdemeanour charge that could carry an $1,430 fine if he is convicted.

Khaled Dawoud, a former spokesman of the National Salvation Front of which ElBaradei was one of the founders, told Al Jazeera that the prosecutor general’s decision to refer the case to court was probably a consequence of the current atmosphere of polarisation in the country.

“This is a reflection of the atmosphere in Egypt right now. You cannot take your independent stand or otherwise you will be considered breaching national trust” Dawoud said.

“The complaint against ElBaradei is ridiculous. I just even could not believe this kind of case will be filed.”

The longtime diplomat stepped down hours after security forces

W

ElBaradei lamented the violent crackdown, warning of a “state of polarisation and grave division... the social fabric is threatened as violence breeds violence.”

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has condemned the arrest of its leader Mohammad Badie over allegations of incitement to violence and murder.

A Brotherhood spokesman said the arrest

was part of a plot against the 2011 revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak.

Mr Badie was detained near the site of a Cairo protest camp cleared by police last week with heavy loss of life.

Court indicts Musharraf for Bhutto’s murder

Heavy security is still in place on the streets of Cairo

Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s former military ruler, has been charged with murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who died in a gun and bomb attack in December 2007, court officials say.

The case of Bhutto’s murder is one of several that Musharraf is facing since his return from selfimposed exile earlier this year.

“He was charged with

Zimbabwe’s opposition leader faces contempt charges

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IMBABWE’s opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai may face contempt of court charges for “disparaging remarks” he made about the judiciary.

High Court judge Chinembiri Bhunu said prosecutors would be

French Islamist brothers call for jihad in Syria HAT makes a young middleclass man turn to Islam and want to risk “martyrdom” in Syria? A French father, who has just been bereaved, tells the BBC’s Christian Fraser what happened to his sons.

The jihadist video is familiar in both style and content. In front of the black flag proclaiming allegiance to Allah, is a man who calls himself Abu Abd Al-Rahman.

“I am French,” he says. “My parents are atheists; they do not subscribe to any religion.”

In fact his parents were baptised Catholic as was he - and they know him as Nicolas. He is a 30-year-old convert.

brutally dispersed two protests in support of deposed President Mohamed Morsi, killing at least 830 people, according to official figures.

In his resignation letter,

He comes from a middleclass background in Toulouse. His mother works for the army.

In the second half of the video, Nicolas appears in military fatigues, a Kalashnikov rifle across his legs.

informed.

His comments came as Mr Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party lost two court cases relating to the disputed 31 July election.

The Constitutional Court said President Robert Mugabe’s re-election was “free, fair and credible”.

Mr Mugabe won with 61% of the presidential vote against 34% for Mr Tsvangirai.

The two had been part of power-sharing government formed in 2009 under pressure from regional leaders following elections the year before marred by violence and allegations of rigging.

Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since 1980, is set to be sworn in as president as early as this week.

Merkel to visit Dachau camp

A

NGELA Merkel yes terday visited the former Nazi concentra-

UK defends Snowden-linked detention

T

HE British govern ment has defended the detention of a journalist’s partner for nine hours at Heathrow Airport, saying authorities “have a duty to protect the public and our national security”.

Police used an anti-terrorism law to detain David Miranda, the partner of Guardian newspaper journalist Glenn Greenwald, at London’s main

airport for nine hours on Sunday.

Miranda’s electronic equipment was also confiscated, and he was questioned about both his links to the Guardian and his private life.

Greenwald has published stories about US and British surveillance programmes based on documents leaked by former National Security Agency contractor Ed-

murder, criminal conspiracy for murder and facilitation for murder,” public prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar said at the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi hearing the case on Tuesday.

Musharraf, 69, who attended court proceedings amid high security, denied the charges and the case was adjourned until August 27.

Six other people, including two senior police officers, are also facing charges in the case.

Bringing charges against a former army chief is an unprecedented move in a country ruled for more than half of its history by the military.

The decision by a court in Rawalpindi marks the first time Musharraf, or any former army chief in Pakistan, has been charged with a crime.

Musharraf seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, and was forced out by a democratically elected government in 2008.

ward Snowden.

The Home Office said on Tuesday that police were right to stop people suspected of possessing “highly sensitive stolen information that would help terrorism”.

Britain’s opposition Labour Party is demanding to know whether the government knew in advance of the police decision to detain Miranda.

tion camp of Dachau , in the first such visit to the site by a German chancellor. She made a speech warning of the continuing threat from the far right before touring the camp, where tens of thousands were murdered.

The visit was part of Mrs Merkel’s election campaign and will be followed by a rally in a beer tent nearby.

Political opponents have called the combination “tasteless”.

After making a short speech, Mrs Merkel is to lay a wreath of flowers and tour the rem-

nants of the camp.

Max Mannheimer, the 93-year-old president of the Dachau camp committee, has long lobbied for Mrs Merkel to go to the camp, near Munich in southern Germany.

He hailed her decision as “historic” and a “signal of respect for the former detainees”.

But a leader of the opposition Greens party, Renate Kuenast, described Mrs Merkel’s programme of the camp visit followed by an election rally as a “tasteless and outrageous combination”.

52 —

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

Arsenal plot Casillas raid A

RSENAL are considering a dramatic move for Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas as they step up their pursuit of a replacement for errorprone Wojciech Szczesny.

The Spain captain is known to be unsettled at the Bernabeu after losing his automatic place in the first team under Jose Mourinho and the Gunners are keeping a close eye on his situation.

Arsenal - shocked by their Barclays Premier League opening-day defeat by Aston Villa are desperate to land a world-class goalkeeper and the World Cup winner and European champion would certainly fit the bill.

The north London club discussed moving for Chelsea No 1 Petr Cech before the transfer window opened, believing that Thibaut Courtois would return from his loan spell at

Technical Committee recommends Okon as Falcons’ caretaker coach

Atletico Madrid and replace Cech in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

Although Arsene Wenger is keen on Casilllas, the stumbling block could be his price.

Casillas is 32 and everprudent Arsenal do not want to pay big money for a move knowing full well they cannot sell him on.

They would consider a fee of around £8million but fear Madrid would not listen to offers below the £15m mark.

R

around by media with reports suggesting around •120 million would get the player away from Tottenham Hotspur.

Raul, who currently plays for Al Sadd SC in Qatar, reckons that Bale is not worth that amount of money.

“[Bale] is a wonderful player,” he told the AlSadd official website.

“I understand the Real Madrid board is working hard to assemble the best team possible.

“But the price is way too high,” he added

ISING from its meeting at the NFF Secretariat, Abuja on Tuesday, the Technical and Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation announced that it has recommended the constitution of a caretaker coaching crew for the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons.

Acting General Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme stated that the committee made the

Raul: Bale too expensive

Casillas

Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez says Gareth Bale is too expensive and suggests his former team drop their interest.

There has been various cash figures thrown

•Raul

recommendation, pending the ratification of the NFF Executive Committee, in view of the two international friendly matches against the Senior Women’s Team of Japan, coming up in two Japanese cities on 22nd September and 26th September respectively.

Edwin Okon, who led the U-20 Women’s Team, Falconets, to the semi finals of last year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, incidentally hosted

by Japan, will be assisted on this caretaker basis by Christopher Danjuma, with Bala Mohammed as goalkeeper coach.

Ikpeme said: “The duo will have charge of the team for only the friendly games, as substantive coaching crews for the Super Falcons, Falconets (U20) and Flamingos (U17) will be constituted in due course.”

The committee also recommended that the NFF Executive Committee approve for four-time African Woman Player of the Year, Perpetua Nkwocha to proceed on a coaching course.

We’re tired of playing second fiddle — Bakare have never won in the president, Tijjani Umar that the present bunch of

BY PATRICK MORODION, Abidjan

C

HIEF coach of Nigeria’s senior national male basketball team, Ayo Bakare has sounded it clear to his squad at the 2013 Afrobasket holding in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire that the country was no longer willing to play second fiddle to any team in Africa.

He gave this charge to the players captained by both Olumide Oyedeji and Ike Diogu at the Westpoint hotel in Abuja on the team’s arrival from the United States shortly before they departed Abuja for Abidjan Sunday.

Bakare, who qualified the team for their first ever Olympics in 2012, charged the players to put in their best as they begin the campaign for the title they

competition’s history against Mali Wednesday.

The coach assured the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF,

•Olumide Oyedeji (l)

players are the best the country has ever assembled and are in a good position to come out tops in the competition.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 — 53

Keshi invites 24 home boys, 18 pros for Pistorius to stand trial Malawi O

S

UPER Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi has invited 24 h o m e - b a s e d professionals and 18 overseas-based players to camp ahead of next month’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying game against Malawi in Calabar.

Only five of the 24 home boys will eventually join the 18 overseasbased stars for the big game, as well as for the international friendly against the Etalons of Burkina Faso in Kaduna on Tuesday, 10th September.

Usual suspects, goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim, defenders Azubuike Egwuekwe, Solomon Kwambe and Benjamin Francis, as well as midfielders Sunday Mba and forward Muhammad Gambo headline the home boys’ contingent. Defensive pillar Godfrey Oboabona has been called, but will come in as an overseasbased professional if he is able to conclude his transfer to Rizespor of Turkey in a few days.

All 24 home boys are expected at the Bolton White Apartments, Abuja on Sunday, 24th August, while the 18 Europebased stars are expected to arrive unfailingly in Calabar on Monday, 2nd September.

“We are calling up 24 home boys in order to be able to identify new players for the 2014 African Nations Championship, for which we have already qualified,” said Keshi.

Goalkeepers Vincent Enyeama and Austin Ejide, defenders Efe Ambrose and Elderson Echiejile, midfielders John Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi and Victor Moses and forwards Emmanuel Emenike, Ahmed Musa and Brown Ideye top the list of the Europe-based.

Two-goal hero against South Africa in last week’s Nelson Mandela Challenge, Uche Nwofor retains his slot while Spain-based midfielder Nosa Igiebor returns for the first time since the Africa Cup of

Brown Ideye (r) evades a Namibian defender during Windhoek Nations finals. Esuene Stadium on 7th England-based Shola September, to reach the Ameobi and Lokomotiv 10-team final elimination Moscow’s Obinna Nsofor round of the African qualifying race for next also return.

Nigeria, on nine points, year ’s showpiece in need only to avoid defeat Brazil.

The friendly against the against seven-pointer Etalons at the Ahmadu Malawi at the U. J.

a World Cup qualifier in Bello Stadium three days later brings together the two teams that battled for the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in Soccercity, Johannesburg on February 10.

Nigeria won 1-0 that day.

SCAR Pistorius, the 26-year-old doubleamputee Olympian, is to face trial in March next year after being indicted on charge of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius, 26, was handed a copy of the indictment and the court adjourned on Monday in Pretoria.

“Mr Pistorius, the matter is then transferred to the High Court and is scheduled to start on the 3rd of March 2014 and will run until the 20th of March 2014,” Desmond Nair, the magistrate, said.

The sprint star walked into the court on Monday wearing a black suit and light blue shirt, and started praying with his sister

Aimee and brother Carl, holding hands with them and crying.

The indictment papers are expected to include a list of witnesses to be called by the prosecution and detail some of the evidence police investigators have gathered in the six months since Pistorius shot Steenkamp in a bathroom in his home on Valentine’s Day. The statement, from the office of South Africa’s national police commissioner, said detectives, forensic experts, ballistics experts, psychologists and technology experts all worked on the case and are confident that they have the evidence to convict Pistorius.

Sharapova changes surname M

ARIA Sharapova is intending to change her surname to Sugarpova for the US Open, a move designed to plug her line of sweets.

The 26-year-old Russian has asked about a name change through the supreme court of Florida with a view to reverting back to Sharapova after the tournament, according to the Times. There is a suggestion that the Sugarpova candy logo, a pair of red lips, will appear on her clothing during the final grand slam of the year.

Sharapova may need the permission of the grand slam committee to go through with the name change which, if granted, could see her introduced and addressed as Miss Sugarpova during matches. The former world No1 is likely to be the No3 seed for the event.

The issue is in danger of proving a distraction for the player, who last week split with her coach, Jimmy Connors, after only one match, a defeat to Sloane Stephens in Cincinnati.

Sugarpova, according

to its website, “is a premium candy line that reflects the fun, fashionable, sweet side of international tennis sensation Maria Sharapova”. Its 12

different flavours include Flirty, Smitten Sour, Splashy and Sassy. A portion of all proceeds go towards the Maria Sharapova Foundation.

Enyeama’s return not a problem, says Ejide

N

IGERIA goalkeeper Austin Ejide, who won the Nelson Mandela Challenge match against South Africa last Wednesday, is not concerned about the return of number one goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama to the side.

Despite Ejide not being fully tested by Bafana strikers, one thing that stood out for him was his positioning as he was

always on the right spot in their 2-0 win.

With the return of number one goalkeeper Enyeama, Ejide said he is just happy to be part of the squad and not concerned about other things.

“There are many players that make up a squad and I am glad that I am one of them. I am not really concerned about the return of Enyeama,” Ejide said.

•Ejide

Oscar Pistorius with late girlfriend.

LIST OF INVITED PLAYERS

Foreign based Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Nnamdi Oduamadi (AC Milan, Italy); Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis, Spain) Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine); Shola Ameobi (Newcastle United, England); Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Obinna Nsofor (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia); Uche Nwofor (VVV Venlo, Netherlands)

Home based

(Kwara United)

Midfielders: Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers); Solomon Jabason (Akwa United); Olufemi Oladapo (Shooting Stars); Etebo Oghene (Warri Wolves); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Moses Orkuma (Lobi Stars) Forwards: Muhammad Gambo (Kano Pillars); Ifeanyi Edeh (Enyimba FC); Mbah Ezekiel (Akwa United); Barnabas Imenger (Lobi Stars); Izu Azuka (Sunshine Stars); Dimgba Stanley (Kwara United); Osadaiye Joseph (Warri Wolves)

54 —

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013

•BLESSING — Okagbare was the sole medallist for Nigeria at the Moscow 2013 Athletics Championship .

Our sports Minister must bite and not only bark — AFN official

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE Sports in Nigeria may not grow the way the National Sports Commission is staffed, structured and run,” Jide Josiah, an athletics official said in Moscow with authority.

Josiah is growing white hairs over the frustrations sports associations face in their attempts to grow their sports. Josiah bared his mind in a chat in Moscow during 14 th edition of the World Championships which ended on Sunday. Said he: “Officials of the sports ministry have a way of tampering with funds meant for the associations. Some secretaries of the associations connive with some senior staff of the ministry and what is due to the associations never gets to them. It’s a cabal. They are in the world of their own. Even kits supplied to associations end up in the markets. They sell them. They appropriate the big and small things to themselves and leave

out the athletes.

That’s how petty they are. They make claims on behalf of the associations and when the funds are released they never get to the associations. This sports minister has shown that he wants to change things. He needs the support of Nigerians especially the Presidency. He cannot perform well with many of the people in the sports ministry.

They cage all ministers sent to sports. They know how they do it. At the end of the day it is our sports that suffers and these people remain there. Bolaji has been

Minister — Abdullahi

barking. He needs to start biting. He has already done a few things and the people are grumbling. He must not look back. He must cleans the system of bad eggs but he needs the support of the Presidency to carry out the kind of sweeping changes that will help our sports.

He must do things the way he feels will help and not the approach that has failed us for a long time. We all know that sports is not being funded adequately. But what use do they put the little that comes? How do the staff of the ministry plan and execute sports programmes?

Something must be done to the NSC. Bolaji has started but he needs to do a lot more about sports development. He cannot succeed with some people in that ministry.

That’s why he should be allowed to hire people on contract basis to work for sports. They must not be civil servants. That’s why I say that he needs the support of the Presidency to change some things. The good thing is that the man now appears to know where the real problems are and he wants to address so many issues.

He should bark and bite.

I hope he does so.”

AFN president — Ogba

Lagos Int’l T/Tennis Classics:

Nigeria will shine – Toriola

•Toriola

BY JACOB AJOM

S

IX times Olympian, Segun Toriola has assured that the Nigerian team for the Lagos International Table Table Tennis Classics will be good enough to win honours for the country at the end of the championship.

Speaking in Lagos yesterday, the France based Nigerian international told Sports Vanguard that “Nigeria is a great table tennis playing nation that is respected all over the world. We have a great reputation among table tennis playing countries. We are good and I can assure you, we won’t disappoint.”

He said he was aware of players coming from countries like Chinese Taipei. Egypt, Italy, Congo DR, among others but remained certain of a good outing for Team Nigeria. He was particularly happy over the positive effect the tournament will bring to bear on local players. “The tournament will expose our players and the experience they stand to gain from the event will go a long way their careers,” Toriola said.

On her part, former African champion, Funke Oshonaike, the event couldn’t have come at a better time than now. “I feel so wonderful and overjoyed. I will just enjoy myself and have a good time while it lasts,” she said. A former national champion, Offiong Edem also spoke on the coming championships. “It is one of the best things to happen to our game locally. It is not going to be easy but we will give it our best shot,” she said,

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 — 55

C M Y K

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21 , 2013

Keshi invites 24 home boys, 18 pros for Malawi

•Pistorius

Pistorius to stand trial — P.53

Story on page 53

LIST OF INVITED PLAYERS

Foreign based Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille FC, France); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel)

Home based Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC)

Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England); Fegor Ogude (Valerenga FC, Norway); John Ogu (Academica de Coimbra, Portugal);

Defenders: Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves); Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Umar Zango (Kano Pillars); Benjamin Francis (Heartland FC); Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars); Chibuzor Okonkwo (Enugu Rangers); Yinka Adedeji (Sharks FC); Ganiyu Ogungbe

Continues on Page 53

Continues on Page 53

Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (Sporting Braga, Portugal); Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland); James Okwuosa (Chippa United, South Africa)

•Sugarpova

Sharapova changes surname to Sugarpova — Page 53

Raul: Bale too expensive — Page 52 Arsenal plot Casillas raid — Page 52

•Emenike

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Aspersion (4) 4 Cushion (3) 6 Cease (4) 9 Chop (3) 10 Practice (8) 11 Attack (4) 14 Lettuce (3) 16 Proverb (5) 19 Captive (8) 21 Hammer (5) 23 Legitimise (8) 24 Elbow (5) 27 Free (3) 31 Moist (4) 33 Outside (8) 34 Fuel (3) 35 Repudiate (4) 36 Spoil (3) 37 Neat (4)

DOWN 2 Fibbed (4) 3 Shoal (4) 4 Private (8) 5 Action (4) 6 Scrap (5) 7 Beverage (3) 8 Due (5) 12 Scorn (5) 13 Inflexible (5) 14 Tooth (3) 15 Cut (5) 17 Confess (5) 18 Surpass (5) 20 List (8) 22 Youth (3) 25 Custom (5) 26 Romany (5) 28 Side (4) 29 Summons (4) 30 Brave (4) 32 Male (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Maniac 5, Circle 8, Obsolete 9, Risk 10, Pep 12, Stunt 15, Rod 17, Rut 18, Hue 19, Ado 20, Amuse 21, Ire 22, Off 23, Mug 24, Elf 26, False 29, Net 33, Hard 34, Precious 35, Rebate 36, Rotten.

How to Play Sudoku

DOWN: 2, Amble 3, Idol 4, Cleft 5, Clean 6, Rare 7, Lasso 10, Place 11, Proof 12, Staff 13, Usual 14, Theme 15, Reign 16, Dwelt 25, Leave 27, Ample 28, Swear 30, Elude 31, Idea 32, Gift.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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