MINIMUM WAGE: Oshiomole disowns govs, backs workers

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MINIMUM WAGE: Oshiomhole disowns govs, backs workers •You must pay, he tells his colleagues •Says democracy can’t be run at govs’ comfort •Wabba, Ajaero factions unite to fight workers’ course •Reduce your pay by 50%, Ango Abdullahi tells govs

By SONI DANIEL& JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, disagreed with other governors of the country on the ability of the states to pay the N18,000 minimum wage, saying they must pay.

Recalling that the minimum wage was agreed between the Federal Government and the organised labour by the previous administration, Oshiomhole told the governors and other elected political office holders that democracy cannot be run at their comfort and convenience.

Oshiomhole spoke as the leader of the Northern Elders’ Forum, Prof Ango Abdullahi, blasted governors for claiming that they were broke and could no longer pay workers the minimum wage. This happened in a meeting in Abuja yesterday. Factional presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrades Ayuba Wabba and Joe Ajaero, attended the first Central Working Committee ,CWC, meeting organised by labour veterans and stakeholders to resolve the crisis that brought division among labour leaders after its election about six months ago.

Democracy can’t be run at govs, others’ comfort Speaking at the meeting held at the Labour House, Abuja, Governor Oshiomhole said nobody would question the wisdom behind the payment of minimum wage to workers in the country as it was not imposed on the government, rather it was a product of agreement between government and labour.

His words: “I am a labour man, I have been clear with my colleagues in seeking to find solution to the problem we face. We have to be holistic, we cannot question the wisdom behind the national minimum wage. I joined the NLC to protest to the National Assembly when they were going to amend the

constitution to make the minimum wage a concurrent issue.

“I said workers have a stake in this democracy.

They are the ones who could afford to march the streets and they march the streets for democracy. Democracy doesn’t have to run at the comfort or convenience of governors, ministers, and presidents.

“I believe that the issue in the economy hasn’t got to do with minimum wage. I have always also reminded my colleagues that the minimum wage was not imposed, it was negotiated and state governments agreed to it, the president signed it and it was not under duress, there was no strike to compel the then president to sign it, he signed it voluntarily.

“I believe when you look at the minimum wage, as it is today at N18,000, it is less than 100 dollars. I think it is now about eighty dollars.

Now, divide eighty dollars by 31 days, you will be getting about two point something dollars.

“Now we cannot argue that workers in Nigeria formal sector should not earn more than two dollars a day, I cannot subscribe to that because the heart of governance is the welfare of the people.”

Economic challenges not enough to reduce workers’ pay Noting that there were some economic challenges confronting the country, he said it was not enough for governors to start to tamper with an agreement the organised labour entered with government.

“Let me also say that I acknowledge that there are huge issues with the economy, there are huge issues about management capacity and I have been loud about the massive abuse and the looting of our common patrimony. My only complaint is that the NLC voice was not loud when it mattered. When the looting was going on, there was what I can call criminal silence by the NLC. When the CBN governor raised the alarm, the NLC would

have risen as a partner and I have always warned that the consequences of what the big people would do, will always fall on the small people.

“It is NLC business to interrogate every policy that will have immediate or long time consequences. What we have now is the medium term consequences of the massive looting and the gross mismanagement of our economy at the time when the oil peaked at $108. Now, at under $50, we are suffering a huge drop of 50 percent of national revenue and with a huge debt profile.

“So, on the one hand, you are looking for huge resources to settle debts incurred even in the midst of plenty and and one the other, having to grapple with basic needs at the moment when oil prices have crashed. For me even if you abolish wages, it will not automatically translate to solutions.”

Wabba, Ajaero speak, vow to ask for pay raise Also speaking after the CWC meeting, Comrade Wabba rejected the governors position, saying: ‘’We reject it entirely.

Nigerian workers will not take it lightly. We are not the problem, rather we are the solution. The problem is that they have not been able to reduce

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, (2nd left); Alhaja Abibat Sobanbi, (2nd right); Mallam Adamu Abdullahi DCP NCAA,(left) and Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, Towulade of Akinale (organizer) during a 3-Day Training workshop for contact staff of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) held at the Green Legacy, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, yesterday. Photo: WUNMI AKINOLA. the cost of governance.

They should go and reduce their security votes.

Let them also cut down on the number of their entourages. They must also be accountable to the citizens that voted them into power. We are going to resist any attempt to tamper with the payment under any guise. Let them also note that the N18,000 was not allocated, it was negotiated through a tripartite process and it is a product of law that is even due for review. We are going to champion the review.

“Let us also put them on notice, if attempt is made to reduce, review or do anything outside the legal minimum of N18,000, which cannot even take us home, we are going to resist it.

Nigerian workers will be mobilise to resist.”

On his part, Ajaero, who also said that efforts had gone far to resolve the crisis in the union, also noted that the organised labour would not

allow the governors to toil with the welfare of workers. He said that NLC would ensure that the governors comply with the agreement entered into with government even as he acknowledged that with more efforts in the process of resolving the crisis in NLC, they will be able to consummate their discussion.

Apologise to workers, reduce your pay by 50%, Ango Abdullahi tells govs Backing the workers, Prof Ango Abdullahi asked any of the governors who cannot pay the minimum wage to resign and pave the way for those who can do so in the interest of Nigerian workers.

In a chat with Saturday Vanguard, yesterday, Prof Abdullahi described the governors’ claim as irresponsible, insensitive, embarrassing and unacceptable to Nigerians given the huge amount they and their retinue of aides pocket monthly.

The former Ahmadu Bello University Vice Chancellor noted with displeasure that governors, who were taking billions of Naira monthly under the guise of security votes, which they don’t account for, could wickedly refuse to pay their workers a worthless minimum wage of N18,000 monthly.

He said any governor who does not resign but continues to stay in office while claiming inability to pay the minimum wage should not be taken seriously by the Nigerian workers.

“If certain political appointees of the governors take home at N1 million monthly, how can the same governors not be able to pay as little as N18,000 to each worker who works daily for the state?” he asked.

Abdullahi, who was Obasanjo’s Special Adviser on Food Security, asked the 36 governors to reduce their earnings by 50 percent so as to leave more money available for their states.

True federalism: Igbo groups plan 5m-man march

By Emeka Mamah (Enugu), Vincent Ujumadu &Francis Igata (Awka)

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BOUT 42 Igbo orga nizations have planned to organize a five million-man march for what they describe as true federalism in the five south eastern states in December.

They say the protest march will hold simultaneously in Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states at a date before Christmas. The Founder of Igbo Youth Movement, IYM, Evangelist Elliot Uko, made this known after a marathon meeting with Igbo traders organizations and some Niger Delta groups.

The Niger Delta groups which attended the meeting yesterday at the IYM

secretariat in Enugu included, Union of Niger Delta and South-South Youth Congress, among others.

According to Uko, 13 different marches for the restructuring of Nigeria will hold in Afikpo, Abakaliki, Nsukka, Enugu, Aba, Umuahia, Ohafia, Okigwe, Owerri, Orlu, Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka.

He said that, “these peaceful marches will be led by the clergy and students groups in each of the cities and towns in the South East.

“Only the truth can save the situation and the truth is that Nigeria must be urgently restructured in order to give all sections a sense of belonging thereby enthroning true federalism without delay. Only an early return to true federalism

will heal Nigeria.

“I do not think any Igbo leader will be stupid enough to commit political suicide by trying to deny the truth.

“Any attempt to impose scripted agenda on the people will only drive those leaders to irrelevance and self-destruction.”

Buhari leaves for Iran tomorrow

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RESIDENT Mu ham-madu Buhari would leave Abuja tomorrow for Tehran, Iranian capital to participate in the 3rd Gas Exporting Countries’ Forum, GECF, which opens on Monday.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina yesterday stated that the president is expected to join in the review of strategies to boost production with other world leaders.

Apart from participating

in other important meetings, President Buhari would also meet with members of the Nigerian community in Iran. The statement read thus: “President Buhari and the leaders of Iran, Russia, Qatar, the Netherlands, Venezuela, Oman, Algeria, the United Arab Emirates, Bolivia and other member-countries of the GECF are expected to review the current market outlook on gas and discuss strategies for boosting gas production during their meeting in Tehran.”

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

INVASION OF NIGERIAN COMMUNITIES: Soldiers storm Kwara •We will explore diplomatic means – Defence Hdqrs •Emir wrote letters to govt but got no response

By Kingsley Omonobi & Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

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ULLY armed soldiers, yesterdayafternoon, visited Okuta in Baruten Local CouncilofKwaraStatetoconfirm alleged annexation of 16 villages in the area by the neighbouring Benin Republic.

This came on a day that the Kwara State government denied that any of the villages was annexed as the Defence Headquarters raised a panel to investigate the matter and said it would explore diplomatic means to resolve the issue.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the soldiers, who arrived Okuta at about 3pm had a brief meeting with the Emir of Okuta and his traditional chiefs and went to visit the affected areas.

Area remains calm Residents of Okuta and the villages went about their normal businesses as there was no violence or threat to peace from any quarters.

Efforts to speak with the Emir of Okuta, Alhaji Idris Serio Abubakar, yesterday, were not successful as he was said to have been ordered from the above to keep sealed lips on the matter.

Before the latest development, the monarch was said havewrittenletterstotheState Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, over the encroachment of their lands by the neighbouring Benin Republic but no action was taken.

According to a recent letter to the governor titled:”EncroachmentofNigerianTerritorybyBeninRepublicatOkutaDistrictofBaruten Local Government area of

Kwara state, “the traditional ruler alerted that,”recently somepillarswerereconstructed and mounted at the back of the doors of Boriya village (at river Moshi) and Benin Republic...

“The colonial pillars of Imamue to Boriya Moshi rivers are about 25km.The present land in question has the following Nigeria villages Ogamue, Munta, Bwin, Gandogbeba, Saka Yeruman Kparu, Ajuba, Simen. Kparu, Sosi Kparu, Dotin. Nkparu and Tende with not less than 22,.000 people as inhabitants, wishing to be claimed by BeninRepublic.Itisaterribletrespassandnotacceptabletoour communities.

“Unless the Beninoise are restricted and made to vacate the area being encroached by them,theywillcontinuetherebyillegallyextendingtheirterritory beyond what legally belongs to them. We are not ready and will never be ready to concede this land to Benin Republic. We don’t have any place where these villages couldberesettled,itistheonly viableeconomicandfarmland of the whole district.’’

NoKwaracommunitywas invaded – State govt However, the Kwara State Government has denied reports that 16 villages in the state have been invaded and occupiedbyRepublicRepublic.

The state government, in a statement issued by the CommissionerforInformationand Communication,AlhajiMahmud Ajeigbe, yesterday, said the affected villages of Okuta District of Baruten Local GovernmentAreaofthestatewere calm and still under the control of the Federal Govern-

ment.

The statement further stressed that although no foreign government has erected anystructurenorhoistedtheir national flag in any of the villages as erroneously reported in the media, the state government has alerted the securityagenciesonthereports.

AlhajiAjeigbesaidtheEmir of Okuta, Alhaji Idris Abubakar, Chairman of Baruten Local Government Councilandsecurityagencies in the area have all confirmed that residents of the 16 villages are going about their normalactivitieswithoutfearand that there is no sign of foreign security agencies or their structures in the area.

The government therefore urged everyone to remain calm and go about their normal businesses as the Nigerian security agencies are up to the task of securing Nigeria’s borders and her people.

Lending support to the claimofthestategovernment.

Affected villages belong to Benin Republic – Council boss Interestingly,theViceChairman of Baruten Local Council, Abdulrasheed Lafia, who is also the chairman of the LocalGovernmentBoundary Commission also said yesterday that the so called 16 villages actually belonged to Benin Republic based on an earlier agreement.

He said that the issue surrounding the disputed Ogomue land had been resolved since 2005.

Lafia claimed that the NationalBoundaryCommission after it visited the site in 2004 along with officials of the state andlocalgovernmentboundary committees had resolved

thatthelandactuallybelonged to Benin Republic.

According to him, the news report was a sponsored one as no such invasion or attack happened anywhere in the local council adding that the sponsors of the report were individuals,who were dissatisfied with the position of the commission.

No Nigerian territory will be lost – Defence hdqrs Commenting on the development, the Defence headquarters,yesterday, said that no single Nigerian territory will be allowed into the hands of intruders or any foreign nation.

Consequently, the Defence headquarters disclosed that a high powered investigative panel has been initiated to probe the reported Benin Republic invasion of Nigeria’s territory.

Acting Director of Defence Information, Colonel Rabe Abubakar in a telephone conversation with Saturday Vanguard, noted that “though the military was aware of the allegation, Nigeria being a member of various international organs of the United Nations and African Union as well as ECOWAS, will explore diplomatic means if the investigation into the alleged invasion is completed.

Emphasizing that the outcome of the investigation into the allegation will be made public when completed, the Acting DDI reiterated that the military’s resolve towards ensuring that ‘no Nigerian territory would be lost to either terrorists or any foreign nation saying a cardinal policy of the federal government would be implemented to the letter.

“But firstly, the government wants to know why, how and what happened, if the allegation is true in the first place,’’ he said.

Airtel unveils mobile platform for learning

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IRTEL Nigeria, has launched a mobile educa tion platform, which is aimed at enhancing the learning experience of children in the age bracket of five to sixteen across Nigeria.

The learning tool which is branded Airtel SmartTrybe Junior,integrates three of the major aspects of education: audio visual, textbooks and test, to deliver more than 120 courses to pupils and students in Primary 1 to Senior Secondary School 3.

The tool offers a 3D interactive multimedia based learning environment designed to help students achieve deeper understanding and higher retention.

It also features highly engaging animations of laboratory experiments and lecture notes, classroom approved textbooks and an in-depth compilation of key points and definitions presented as quick study Flash Cards.

In addition, Airtel Smart Trybe Junior enables users access to pre-loaded eBooks, which are exclusively developed for Airtel by the renowned Evans publishers and all the courses are based on the current academic curriculum in Nigerian schools.The study materials are developed in compliance with the Federal Ministry of Education and adapted for pupils and students in the West African sub-region, especially Nigeria.

Lagos pledges to lift less privileged homes

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HE Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Princess Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf has assured inmates of less privileged homes of the resolve of the present administration to address infrastructural inadequacies and boost facilities at the homes.

The commissioner gave the assurances during a tour of some rehabilitation homes recently.

Officials of the ministry led by Akinbile-Yusuf visited the homes including Special Correction Centre for Boys, Oregun; Rehabilitation and Training Centre for destitute and mentally challenged, Owutu, Ikorodu; Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Centre, Isheri; Correctional Centre for Senior Boys in Isheri; Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre for Persons with Disabilities in Owutu, Ikorodu and Olubukola Fowowe Memorial Children Centre, Ogba.

The commissioner also pledged the readiness of the Ambode-led government to help in exhibiting some items produced by inmates of the centres for their economic uplift.

“I have come here to see things for myself and look at how our administration can enhance the operations of the centres as well as boost the lives of inmates.

“We shall give some of the centres and home currently grappling with infrastructure decay face lift as well as engender condusive environment that would assist the inmates to live good life.

At the Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre for Persons with Disabilities in Ikorodu, Akinbile-Yusuf, who was also accompanied on the trip by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola urged inmates to be of good conduct.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 — 7

Terr or attack error

Rebranding PDP, waste of time — Gulak •Explains Why he dragged PDP NWC to court •Says Impunity costs PDP 2015 elections

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•Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode (3rd right); Head of Service, Mrs. Olabowale Ademola (3rd left); Permanent Secretaries, Special Duties, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibironke Sodeinde (2nd left); Public Service Office, Mr. Adesina Odeyemi (right); Ministry of Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Dr. (Mrs.) Olanike Oduwole (2nd right) and the Director, Service Matters, Mrs. Toyin Awoseyi (left), during a courtesy visit to the Wife of the Governor by the Head of Service, at the Lagos House, Marina, yesterday. have been excluded and ignoredbytheUcheSecondus ledcommittee.

“Weasazonewillnotaccept that we are not part of PDP,we as a zone cannot be ignored

by Uche Secondus and his members. We as a zone like all other zones must be part of mechanismandoperationsof the PDP.The North-east zone aftertheelectionshastwoPDP states, South-west has two PDP states, South-south all PDP, the South-east all PDP except Imo state, North-west has no PDP and it is part and parcel of PDP because it has the National Treasurer and National Organising

Secretary.

“TheentireNorth-eastzone has nobody in the NWC and as such the Constitution does not envisage that. We should not be shortchanged, we should not be excluded.”

Gulak who frowned at the continued vacant position of the National Chairman, said that North-east zone ought to produce the National Chairman of the party following the resignation of Adamu Muazu as the party chairmanonMay29,2015has been marginalised by the UcheSecondusledleadership of the party.

GulakstressedthatPDPmay

Mimiko promises law against ‘demonic’ suppression of widows

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NDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has said that his administration will soon enact a law that will abolish “demonic” suppression of widows in the State.

The Governor disclosed this at the State Cultural Centre in Akure, venue of a Public Service Lecture, to commemorate the 2015 Public Service Day Celebration, with the theme: “The Role of Public Service in Women Empowerment, Innovation and Accessible Service Delivery”.

Dr Mimiko condemned the high rate of abuse and molestation of widows by their late husbands’ families, thereby depriving them of all the properties of their husbands.

Governor Mimiko, who stressed the need for positive empowerment of women to the advantage of their families, however detested empowerment that will lead to the breakdown of family

values. While advocating the emplacement of policy that will make the role of women in the society easier, Dr Mimiko noted that the Abiye Safe Motherhood programme of his administration has been mainstreamed to enhance women empowerment for sustainable growth and development.

The Governor, who submitted that every impediment against the empowerment of women such as religious and cultural factors must be well addressed to pave way for women survival, said that his government has recorded more than 70% reduction in maternal mortality.

Dr Mimiko also threw his weight behind the setting up of crèches in every establishment in line with the 21st century component to enable women give adequate care to their infant. In her lecture titled “Public Service and Women Empowerment”, the guest

speaker, Dr (Mrs) Modupe Ajayi called on government at all levels to develop comprehensive, robust and meaningful legislation and policies that will strengthen the participation of women in public service in decision making and service delivery.

Modupe Ajayi, who is the registrar of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) also stressed the need to make employment policies more women- friendly, promote programmes and projects that will further develop the potentials of women and provide technical support and mentoring of women in skill acquisition and improvement among others.

Earlier in his welcome speech, the State’s Head of Service, Mr Toyin Akinkuotu described the Public Day Celebration as a unique annual event that provides avenue to appraise the relevance of the public service as a tool for socio-economic development of the nation.

•Military forces free hostages, rescue hotel

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BY HENRY UMORU ORMER political Adviser to past PresidentGoodluckJonathan, Ahmed Gulak, yesterday lampooned the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on its rebranding move, saying the action was a waste of time.

Gulak who expressed pessimismovertherebranding of the party ahead of 2019 following its defeat at the Presidential election after sixteenyears,stressedthatlack of internal democracy and impunity on the part of the leadership of PDP led to the defeat by the All Progressives Congress, APC. Addressing Journalists yesterdayinAbuja,theformer Political Adviser said that for therebrandingtosucceed,the present National Working Committee, NWC must be properly constituted.

Gulak who explained that he dragged the PDP NWC to court as part of moves to right the wrong, said, “I’m from the North-east,havingexhausted all internal mechanism to ensure that the constitutional provisions are adhered to and compliedwithandhavingalso neglected, failed and refused to comply with the provision of the constitution, I decided tofileanactionincourt.Thisis challenging the continued existence of NWC without being properly constituted.

That is my case in court and it is on behalf of myself and the entire North-east zone consisting of six states that

27 killed as gunmen seize hotel in Mali

not make any impact in the next general elections if the right things are not done in time, adding, “Despite the constitutional provision of the partywhichzonestheposition of National Chairman to the North-east, the acting Chairman of the party has deliberately kept the post vacantsixmonthsaftertheexit of Muazu.”

He alleged that Secondus and his committee members were working to extend their stay till next year against the party’s Constitution, warning that such impunity which led to the colossal loss the party experiencedinthelastelection is still reigning in the party.

His words: “You are aware that on the 29th of May, 2015 the former chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu resigned his position as the partychairmanandavacancy wascreatedbyhisresignation.

Bytheconstitutionoftheparty, somebody from North-east is supposed to replace Muazu.

“I have individually and collectively with the people of North-east gone to the NWC undertheactingchairmanship of Uche Secondus to present the demand of the North-east geo-political zone and all our demands and claims fell on deaf ears.

“Youcanalsorememberthat Senator Ken Nnamani led a grouptoNWCtotellthemthat the party organ especially the NWC and BOT must be properly constituted since therearevacanciescreatedby the resignation of their former chairman. That also fell on deaf ears.

“Ihavetousealltheinternal mechanisms of the party to address the issue because as it is today by the Constitution of the party the NWC is not properly constituted because there’s no national chairman andtheresignationofMuazu created a vacancy in that organ and replacement from the constitution of our party must, come from the Northeast.”

T least 27 people were reported dead on Friday after Malian commandos stormed a luxury hotel in the capital Bamako with at least 170 people inside, many of them foreigners, that had been seized by Islamist gunmen.

The former French colony has been battling Islamist rebels for several years, and the jihadist group Al Mourabitoun, allied to al Qaeda and based in the deserts of northern Mali, claimed responsibility for the attack in a tweet.

By late afternoon, ministerial adviser Amadou Sangho told the French television station BFMTV that no more hostages were being held.

But a U.N. official said U.N. peacekeepers on the scene had seen 27 bodies in a preliminary count, and that a search of hotel was continuing. It was not clear whether any of the gunmen, who were said to have dug in on the seventh floor of the hotel as special forces advanced on them, were still active.

State television showed footage of troops in camouflage fatigues wielding AK47s in the lobby of the Radisson Blu, one of Bamako’s smartest hotels and beloved of foreigners.

In the background, a body lay under a brown blanket at the bottom of a flight of stairs.

The peacekeepers saw 12 dead bodies in the basement of the hotel and another 15 on the second floor, the U.N. official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. He added that the U.N. troops were still helping Malian authorities search the hotel.

A man working for a Belgian regional parliament was among the dead, the assembly said.

Minister of Internal Security Colonel Salif Traoré said the gunmen had burst through a security barrier at 7 a.m.

(0200 ET), spraying the area with gunfire and shouting “Allahu Akbar”, or “God is great” in Arabic.

Bursts of gunfire Occasional bursts of gunfire were heard as the assailants went through the seven-floor building, room-by-room and floor-by-floor, one senior security source and a witness told Reuters.

Some people were freed by the attackers after showing they could recite verses from the Koran, while others were brought out by security forces or managed to escape under their own steam.

One of the rescued hostages, celebrated Guinean singer Sékouba ‘Bambino’ Diabate, said he had overheard two of the assailants speaking in English as they searched the room next to his.

“We heard shots coming from the reception area. I didn’t dare go out of my room because it felt like this wasn’t just simple pistols - these were shots from military weapons,” Diabate told Reuters by phone.

“The attackers went into the room next to mine. I stayed still, hidden under the bed, not making a noise,” he said.

“I heard them say in English ‘Did you load it?’, ‘Let’s go’.”

The raid on the hotel, which lies just west of the city center near government ministries and diplomatic offices, came a week after Islamic State militants killed 129 people in Paris, raising fears that French nationals were being specifically targeted.

Twelve Air France (AIRF.PA) flight crew were in the building but all were extracted safely, the French national carrier said.

A Turkish official said five of seven Turkish Airlines staff had also managed to flee. The Chinese state news agency Xinhua said three of 10 Chinese tourists caught inside had been rescued.

Kogi: Presidency, APC detailing Military to rig poll – PDP

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BY HENRY UMORU

S Kogi State gubernatorial election holds today, National leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP yesterday raised alarm that the APC government has pulled in partisan military operatives to assist in rigging the election in favour of the ruling party.

According to PDP, if President Buhari actually wants to put into practice what he says, he should allow for transparent election and allow the military play their statutory role of providing peripheral security during elections.

In a statement by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party noted that intelligence information available to it shows that some compromised military personnel led by a senior officer of the rank of a Colonel have been detailed by the Presidency to carry out specific assignments in support of APC candidate in the election.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 OPINION

Return home, MASSOB tells Igbo

•Biafra died in 1970 — Ohanaeze •Says: Agitation is madness

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By Vincent Ujumadu, Awka & Francis Igata

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HE Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has directed all Igbo living outside Igbo land to start returning home and re-establish their businesses and investments in the SouthEast Decrying what he described as the nonchalant attitude and insensitivity of many Igbo people residing in northern and western parts of the country the MASSOB National Director of Information, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said that, “we have decided and promised to provide adequate security for lives and property in Igbo land.

“MASSOB has vowed to stop kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal tendencies in Igbo land because there is no place in Nigeria like Igbo land.

“Nigeria is a state where others are first class citizens but treat the Igbo as second class citizen, a state where others are born to rule but treat the Igbo as perpetual outcasts, a state where state policies deliberately deny Igbo land critical developmental infrastructure.

“Nigeria has vowed to continue to be a state where prejudice, tribalism, exclusion and hate are elevated while nation

•Akwa Ibom State Governor Mr Udom Emmanuel and Wife Martha, Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong, State PDP Chairman Obong Paul Ekpo, Commissioner for Special Duties, Engr. Etido Inyang and Commissioner for Works, Mr Ephraim Inyang, during the commissioning of Ibom Int’l Specialist Hospital Residential Apartments at Shelter Afrique Estate, Uyo.

building is ignored, a state where it seems the only logic for unity is to share oil resources and not on the basis of consent, mutual respect, fraternity and brotherhood.’’

But reacting to the spate of protests by pro-Biafra groups, the Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, dissociated itself from the activities of the agitators who have been protesting in many cities in the South East and South –South.

Ohaneze said that, “Biafra died in 1970 with the surrender by General Philip Effiong, to the Nigerian troops.”

Addressing reporters in Awka yesterday, Chairman,

Forum of State Presidents of Ohanaeze in the seven Igbo-speaking states, Dr. Chris Eluomunoh, said that no right thinking person would support what he called the madness by some youths, who were being deceived to engage in something they cannot finish.

He said, “you will notice that Ohaneze has been silent on the issue of Biafra insurgency though the youth wing of Ohaneze has been speaking on it.

Ohanaeze, as the Igbo cultural group, cannot support Biafra and we dissociate ourselves from it totally.

“Igbo people have contributed so much in the

2 vigilance members in police net over alleged attempted murder

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WO members of a vigilance group in Anambra State have been arrested by the police command over their alleged attempt to kill five farmers working at Igbariam Farm Settlement in Anambra East local government area of the state.

Policemen attached to the Otuocha Divisional Police station arrested the suspects as they allegedly dragged their victims to the dreaded Nengo Akpakwu Ifite Nteje Shrine for the purpose of sacrificing them to the deity.

According to the report, a gang of nine persons allegedly invaded the house of one Paul Obiefuna in the farm, where he was working with his two sons and two labourers.

They later dragged them to the shrine and tried to kill and use them for sacrifice before the police stormed the area and rescued them.

At the time of their rescue, the victims had been inflicted with matchet cuts on their bodies.

Narrating their ordeal to reporters, one of the victims, Paul Obiefuna, said he was

The re-emergence of Dr. Olajide Idris, as Lagos State Commissioner for Health

•7 on the run

working in his farm with his two sons and the two labourers when the armed gang numbering nine, rounded them up, bound and took them to the shrine where they humiliated them and were about to kill them before police arrived and rescued them.

Obiefuna said: ‘The nineman gang came with various kinds of weapons, including

guns, matchets and sticks.

They stripped us of our belongings, including N250,000 cash, phones, cloths and other items.

I thank God for using one of my sons, who escaped during the operation to contact the relevant authorities who worked hard to save our lives as we were almost laid to be used for sacrifice.”

development of Nigeria and we cannot allow some people to jeopardize the lives and efforts of millions of Igbo people residing in all parts of Nigeria.

“We believe that anybody who has any issue to settle with the federal government should use dialogue and that is why we participated in the last National Conference.

“No sane Igbo person would want to witness a repeat of the kind of thing that happened during the Nigeria civil war.

“Ojukwu, who led the Biafra war, returned to Nigeria from exile and contested elections in Nigeria which shows that he was fully integrated in Nigeria and was a fullfledged Nigerian before he died.”

Eluemunor denied insinuations that politicians of Igbo extraction support the Biafra agitation noting that support for pro-Biafra groups comes mainly from outside the country.

He admitted however that the agitations may not be unconnected with the dearth of infrastructure in Igbo land and pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to address the infrastructural decay in the area.

Anambra par tner orld on $5.2 partner tnerss ABX W World billion A gr oAllied e xpor Agr groo-Allied expor xportt

By Lawani Mikairu

revenue, are now interested NAMBRA State in the agro-allied exports, Government has but Anambra State is entered into agreement leading the way through with ABX World, Nigerian her commitment to based courier/cargo construct cargo warehouse company for agro-allied facility in the State.

Capt. Okakpu said, “A lot export worth over $5.2 billion dollars annually in of state governments are an effort to diversify the interested but one state is already in it. Anambra State state economy.

Speaking to journalists in is far ahead of these states in Lagos, Managing Director Nigeria. We are already in and Chief Executive Officer agreement with them. We of ABX World, Captain havegoneveryfar.Theyhave John Okakpu, confirmed about 1400 cooperative that various State societies and they have gone Governments in the country to the extent of setting up a upon realisation of the training programme for most impact of dwindling oil of the farmers and also the

A

certification ofthecooperative societies and also looking at the geo-mapping of the area for easy identification of the farmlands. This is a sure step to curb the incessant rejection of agro-allied produce from Nigeria at the European markets.

He expressed confidence on the efficacy of the project to create millions of jobs in the country, while lamenting, “Nigeria is one dimension economy; mono-economy, crude oil and import. Our banking sector cannot compete with the rest of the world. But God wants to redirect Nigeria.’’

By Roy Gregory

furore of a frightening dimension made way over a year ago into the Subconscious of the nation health care landscape, as a result of a deadly .

Epidemic virus called Ebola, which made its way into the state through the first reported index case of one Amos Sawyer, who was to be the first victim.

And also infected and claimed the lives of an unsuspecting medical personnel of a private hospital in Lagos, led by the irreplaceable Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, who attended to him in the first instance.

The entire episode and experience, remains fresh and still resides in the psyche of the residents in the state.

Dr. Olajide Idris, then commissioner for health of the state, rose up to the deadly challenge and mobilized and remained an example to the end, encouraged a deft and robust advocacy management drive for a troubled sttate, and by extension the nation, as the Ebola epidemic raged, leaping onto the front pages and headlines, since the deadly virus was unknown in our clime and history.

In his unflinching resolve to bring to an end the menacing scourge of the Ebola virus, he was able to inspire hope, where panic was evident in all the nooks and crannies of the state, since Lagos State stood out in all ramifications as the epicentre of the first reported case of the Ebola saga.

He made the State Ministry of Health support staff, stay proactive and showed direction right from the outbreak of the virus, which was key among other factors for the overall success and routing of the scourge from becoming a crisis in the state. We owe Dr. Olajide Idris a debt of gratitude for the very able way he and his colleagues shut the door against the Ebola virus from the state. We salute the various CMDs of the state hospitals, LASUTH etc who showed true professionalism during the aforementioned state of anomaly.

I did not make a dance or sound of it, but watching Dr. Jide Idris from the sidelines,I was encouraged to see him display a rare pedigree of an unassuming but faithfully commitied public servant that means well for the state he serves. Finally, I salute the wisdom and courage that assailed the direction of mind of His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, for bringing back a good brand into his administration.

Stanbic IBTC unveils new commercial banking value proposition

By Nkiruka Nnorom

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TANBIC IBTC Bank has reiterated its pledge to help sustain individual and business growth with the launch of a new commercial banking customer value proposition.

The bank unveiled the new proposition in Lagos at a function it organized to appreciate its customers. In his address, CEO, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Yinka Sanni, thanked the customers for their patronage and assured them that the bank, drawing on the Stanbic IBTC Group’s local expertise and global reach, is better positioned to move their businesses forward.

“We are delighted to unveil today our new value proposition to our commercial banking customers.

The new proposition highlights how we can serve you better through innovative solutions designed to meet your business needs,” Sanni said.

The bank said the new proposition will be anchored on a three-point strategy which includes having a deeper understanding of the client’s business, having in place an excellent relationship management team with local knowledge and expertise to support the customer’s business in a way that will help it achieve sustainable growth.

Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Obinnia Abajue, said the Stanbic IBTC Group, backed by the rich heritage and know-how of the Standard Bank Group, is committed to building strong and sustainable businesses through financial and advisory support services.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 — 9

B-R-I-E-F-S

Buhari alone can’t change Nigeria a country with national Nigeria – Tomori ...Says culture of corruption

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

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ORMER Vice Chancellor of Redeemers University, Professor Oyewale Tomori has said that the enormous task of rebuilding Nigeria cannot be left for President Muhammadu Buhari alone.

He stated this while delivering a keynote address at the public presentation of a book titled: ‘Our Fathers’ Land, including the reminiscences on the Nigerian Civil War ’ written by Dr. Titus Okereke, in Lagos.

Represented by Dr. Oladoye Odubanjo, he said: “Buhari alone cannot turn this country around. Buhari alone cannot change this nation. For Nigeria to change for the better, we must individually change for the better.

We must be willing to obey and obedient to then laws of the land, if we must enjoy the good of the land. We must get the true diagnosis of our problems and stop deluding ourselves that we are a great nation. We must face the reality that we rather bend, destroy and manipulate the law than obey it.

We must realize that we lack the moral courage to enforce rules, especially when the culprit belongs to our family or is from our tribe, club or political group. We must provide answers to the question: what did we do to end up in a country that remains unbound in freedom, peace and unity? We must face the fact that cutting corners, avoiding compliance with accepted norms of behaviour, settling for the second best, and living only for today and not planning adequately for the future are the “talents” that have brought our nation to the brink of “failed statehood.”

Tomori who went down memory lane on how Nigeria got leadership wrong, decried the deepening decadence and increasing general poor state of affairs in the country.

According to him, “Since 1960, we have taken a holiday from positive advancement and a vacation from progress.

In the process, we arrested our development. For 55 years, we condemned our future to serve time in the maximum Kirikiri

prison of underdevelopment. During that period, we came to the brink

of disintegration; we worked at shredding our tribes apart employing

our twisted and forked tongues.

Ijaw laud Clark’s passion for education

BY TARE YOUDEOWEI

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HE Ijaws of Niger Delta have described the establishment of Edwin Clark University by its National Leader Chief E.K. Clark as the dawn of a new era in the history of Niger Delta.

In a congratulatory message signed by Comrade Joseph Evah, on behalf of Ijaw Monitoring Group, IMG, the Ijaws thanked God for “keeping Chief Clark alive to establish the best legacy for generations yet unborn.”

According to the Niger Delta activist, Chief E.K. Clark’s footprints from the days of General Sam Ogbemudia’s administration in the then Mid-west Region were very clear in the Vanguard of qualitative education. “He founded the concept of education without borders after the missionaries left the scene for government’s involvement in the sector. This landmark achievement with a first class university. for this generation and future generations will keep reminding mankind of his love for education and development”, Evah said.

The former publicity secretary of Ijaw National Congress, INC, said: “We are not surprised that hundreds of students were offered scholarship to study at Edwin Clark University.’’

Navy impound trailer with 93 drums of illegally refined diesel •From Left: Engr. Mike Okwera [RTD], Prof John Pepper Clark, and Chief Joseph Akpieyi, former President General, Government College Ughelli Old Boys Association [GCUOBA], during public presentation of the book, entitled: ''Our Fathers’ Land'' and reminiscences of the Nigerian Civil War’’ held yesterday, at Nigerian Institute of International Affairs NIIA, Victoria, Island Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

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HE Nigerian Navy has arrested two suspects and a trailer loaded with 93 drums of illegally refined diesel at Otokutu Community, Ughelli South Local government Area, Delta State.

Commodore Raimi Mohammed, Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, disclosed this while handing them over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at the Warri Naval Base, Delta state.

The suspects, 22- years- old Muhammad Mutari and Bashiro Ibrahim, 24, both from Katsina State were caught on Monday loading the trailer number plate Delta AKU-15XA, at an uncompleted building opposite Otokutu Junction.

Mohammed said, “We’re still making investigations to know those who are actually involved. We have done our bit so we’re handing them over to NSCDC to continue from there while we will also help in further investigations.’’

Onuesoke calls for 25% cut in salaries, allowances of Delta politcal appointees •From Left: Prof Pat Utomi, Mr Goke Adeniji, and Ambassador Patrick Delecole, Reviewer of the book, during public presentation of the book, entitled: ''Our Fathers' Land'' and reminiscences of the Nigerian Civil War, held yesterday at Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island Lagos.

Stop sentiments, defend yourself, APC tells Igbinedion

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has called on a Benin Chief, Gabriel Igbinedion, to defend himself on the allegations levelled at him by Governor Adams Oshiomhole in his address at the ceremony to mark his 7th anniversary in office and stop stoking unnecessary sentiments.

In a statement signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Comrade Godwin Erhahon, the party said the Benin Chief has continued to dish out falsehood to distort the facts of the Governor’s address in order to score cheap points.

He said: “we have watched with amusement, the desperate attempts by Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and

his sympathizers to portray the Comrade Governor, Adams Oshiomhole as the villain.

“It would be recalled that Chief Igbinedion had, since 2012, deployed his radio and television stations to conduct incessant and undeserved campaign of calumny and falsehood against the person and office of the Comrade Governor until early this year.

“The Independent Radio and TV (ITV) had at a time publicly apologized, recanted their stories and the virulent attacksabated.Fromwhatwe now know, the renewed onslaught against the Governor is directly attributable to the fact that he exposed the scandalous transfer of state land to the Chief in questionable circumstances during the tenure of his son Chief Lucky Igbinedion as Governor.

“There is also the issue of using Government facilities to train students in private institutions owned by Chief Gabriel Igbinedion at the expense of Edo tax payers while the chief smiles to the bank with hundreds of millions of naira. The Governor equally exposed how his son, former Governor Lucky Igbinedion awarded the contract for the construction of IguobazuwaOkada road to his younger brother, Bright Igbinedion who diverted the contract sum to construct roads within Igbinedion University, leaving the people of Okada and the neighbourhood to continue to suffer and risk their lives on the bad road.’’

“We believe that the Comrade Governor has exhibited a very rare quality of courage in reversing what obviously constitutes abuse.

D

ELTA State Peo-ples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has called for a 25 per cent cut in the salaries and allowances of elected and appointed politicians in Delta State and Nigeria in general as part of their sacrifice to grow the country and the state.

Onuesoke who made the call while speaking to journalists at Asaba Airport on his way to Abuja, observed that there was need for cut in the salaries and allowances of political appointees because there was no way government could continue to shoulder heavy wages and allowances with the present economic predicament in the country.

According to him, “The fall in oil prices has affected the economy of the state, necessitating such a measure, and the state government is finding it very difficult to meet its financial obligations. It will therefore be better the salaries and allowances of politicians made of members of state and federal houses of assembly, commissioners and aides among others be slashed by 25 per cent to reduce the bills of the state and federal governments.”

Urhobo College old boys to hold dinner/lecture

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RHOBO College Old Boys Association , UCOSA, Lagos branch will hold its annual dinner night at the Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi on the 29th 0f November, 2015. There will also be a dinner lecture by the National Vice President of UCOSA and Professor of Law University of Lagos, Prof. Joe Abugu, titled “State of Primary and Secondary Education in Delta State.”

The Chairman organising committee of the event, Kingsley Abekware, disclosed that there will also be a fund rising for provision of desks for classes in the school.

10 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

Why Buhari’s anti-corruption war may fail —Civil Servants

By Favour Nnabugwu

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CROSS section of senior civil servants in the country say President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade may not yield any meaningful results unless the Federal Government addresses what they describe as the huge disparity in the salaries of civil servants.

The civil servants were particular about the gap in the salaries of permanent secretaries and directors in the Federal Civil Service. They said the disparity does not encourage sincerity and transparency in the service, saying that it equally creates room for corruption.

Investigations by Saturday Vanguard show that a Federal Permanent Secretary earns over N1 monthly including allowances while a Director on Grade Level 17, a step before the Permanent Secretary, receives less than N300,000 a month. A Deputy Director earns less that N250,000 while an Assistant Director earns not more than N220,000, under the consolidated salary structure.

Some of the aggrieved

directors who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that most of the new breed permanent secretaries were junior to them in the service while a number of others were brought from the states and promoted to higher offices. Government’s action, they said, was capable of promoting apathy in the service.

According to one Director, “ you think that if l have the chance to make money, l won’t do it, with the meager salary l receive as a Director?” Another director put it this way: “This type of thing promotes corruption. Everybody will be exploring all avenues to make additional money.”

“The same permanent secretaries who receive such huge salaries are also the chief accounting officers in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs),” lamented yet another director. One assistant director said this of the permanent secretaries: “They control the votes of the ministries and that is an added advantage to them as they also enjoy some hidden status privileges.

“They determine or in-

fluence what projects are approved and if any project is not in their favour, they find it difficult to approve it.”

Successive administrations have made efforts to evolve “appropriate and enduring” pay structure for Nigeria’s public service sector with the setting up of commissions and committees at various times in the past.

Some of the reports recommended “substantial upward review of wages and salaries; re-

alistic minimum wage and an adequate reward system that can sustain an average worker and which will not be eroded by inflation at any time.”

This is apart from the recommended review of salaries and allowances every two years in addition to recommendations for the payment of generous housing allowances to enable civil servants rent adequate accommodation and reduce their incessant de-

mand to live in government quarters.

The vision 2010 report equally recommended the provision of assistance in the education of workers’ children, by paying education allowances on a maximum of four children per family until they graduate from secondary school.

A financial analyst told our correspondent that though the current wages may not be realistic considering the economic situation in the coun-

try, “it will not be wise to increase wages when the debt profile of the country is still high.”

However, according to him, “we cannot be fighting corruption when corruption itself is staring us in the face everywhere including in the ministries. How can you dissuade a public servant from stealing or falling prey to the entreaties of corruption when his take home pay hurts him?”

Let Obiano be, Emecheta tells Obi

By Vincent Ujumadu

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HE Chief Executive Officer of Anambra Signage and Advertising Agency, ANSAA, Chief Jude Emecheta has lashed out at the former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi warning him not to use his political ambition to create confusion in the state.

Emecheta stated this while fielding questions from Saturday Vanguard on the unhealthy relationship between the former governor and Governor Willie Obiano.

“There has been media

war between Governor Obiano and his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi over the N75 billion allegedly left for Obiano on March 17, 2014.

“I see it beyond the political angle. As a PR person, I see the whole thing as propaganda for Peter Obi. As a politician, I see political ambition of Mr. Peter Obi as what is propelling what is happening today. Obi is a politician and a business man who has so much money in his pocket.

When you have so much money, the next thing you want is power.

“Obi joined PDP not

because he loved Jonathan so much. He joined PDP so that Jonathan could make him vice president when an anointed PDP president comes from the North after Jonathan’s second tenure. Unfortunately, Jonathan lost his presidential bid in 2015, but that ambition of Obi is still there. To achieve that ambition, Obi needs to present himself as a saint so that he can easily be seen as the most credible Igbo man. He planned his journey so well. He positions himself to be the person to be presented when it is

our turn. He stated that if Obiano was not good, Peter Obi would not have picked him, adding that there must be something good the former governor saw in him.

He continued: “Peter Obi was preaching to us

during the APGA primaries that brought Obiano to power how good Obiano is. So what has gone wrong? Could it be that Obiano refused to play ball? Nobody is a saint and we can dig deep how some people made their money. They are attacking the governor now because he wants to borrow money for the developments of the state.

SATURDAY

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—11

TERROR ATTACKS:

How terrorists Y recruit, radicalise youth

BY ISHOLA BALOGUN

•Internet is a market place where the supply of suicide warriors are in abundance •Muslim youth who have lost their identities and lost control of their minds fall victims

oung Ahmadu John had a mission. It was as simple as touching two wires together. He had been promised heaven on earth.

As he was told, there would be a blast, meant to obliterate the infidels, but God would spare him. He would be saved from hell fire and would be admitted into eternal bliss, he would become a martyr while his parents would be free from their abject poverty.

With all these promises, he was dressed and rigged with explosives beneath his shirt, the young boy, who was plucked from the streets of Borno, North East Nigeria a few months earlier was driven to his target area.

Minutes before he was due to execute the attack, Ahmadu called his father and intimated him of all the promises including the meager money supposedly to lift his parent out of the overwhelming poverty.

His father, declined, cried “No’ come back home!’, but it was too late. That was the last interaction between him and his father before he was turned into a human bomb killing himself and several other innocent people.

Ahmadu’s story is not unusual.

In Nigeria and of course all over the world, terrorists have used a wave of young men and women as bombers basically because they are vulnerable and can easily be indoctrinated and brainwashed.

Remember the young Nigerian Umar Faruk AdulMutallab, who confessed to and was convicted of attempting to detonate plastic explosives hidden in his underwear while on board Northwest Airlines Flight 253, en route Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan, on Christmas Day, 2009.

But how are they recruited and indoctrinated? Why do they succumb to various fables and misrepresentations to kill and maim innocent people all over the world? If it is true that poverty leads to ignorance and a possible factor what with those well-to-do who join terrorists in their dastard acts? In view of the recent Paris attacks by ISIS and their undying Boko Harram collaborators in Nigeria, Saturday Vanguard spoke with experts on the issue.

Brainwashing of weak minds Sheikh AbdulWaheed Ajagbe, an Islamic and Arabic teacher said: “You know that religion was Continues on page 12

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

Quest for personal notoriety Continues from page 11 created to control the minds of the people. Today, with the help of technology, those who are educated twist the Quran to get and control the weak minded people. When you have a few educated people and a mass of the uneducated people in a given society, then there is trouble because the educated ones will use the power of what they know to exploit and control the uneducated and weak minded people.

“These weak minded and uneducated people are fed with one-sided propaganda or better still a wrong and misconceived notion by their leaders and the people they look up to. They will not question what they are being taught, neither will they use critical thinking.

This leads to brainwashing.

This is what the terrorists do irrespective of where they operate.

Internet as a tool Religious extremists are increasingly turning to the internet to indoctrinate and radicalise young Muslims.

One cannot underrate the power of the internet in corroding the minds of vulnerable youth. An Islamic scholar, disciplined and well behaved cleric told his story of how his only son absconded from home and a few weeks later, he sent a message home that he had gone to Syria and that his parents should not bother about him anymore. The cleric lamented that a few weeks before he absconded, he was found very busy with his computers so much that he had no time for his friends in the community.

Many other young chaps through the internet have been indoctrinated and turned to the battlefield. So, without a doubt, the Internet is the single most important venue for the radicalization of Islamic youth. Internet is a market place where the supply of suicide warriors are in abundance.

A security expert who craved anonymity said: “There are thousands of terrorism sites on the internet. You know them by their symbols. Some even hide their main objects, you get a link and with a single click, it will first take you to motivational sites to spur you. Another click and you’re at a site where you can download scripted

talking points that could make one believe he has a justification for mass murder,” he explains.

Recently, it was reported that the Boko Harram recruited no fewer than 200 Cameroonians youths in Kolofata, a small border town in the Far North of the country as as base.

Not about religion “These misfits do not actually have a religion.

Terrorists think about power, they use the power to create fear in people. They want people to fear them, nothing more. So, it is not about religion, it is about self acclamation in the pursuit of personal aggrandisement.

You will see children from age 10 carrying weapons already trained to torture prisoners, wearing suicide belts and chanting antiWestern songs.

For the same reason there are terrorists and bad people of every other faith. It is their choice and not a prescription of any religion.

No religion permits suicide or killing of people unjustly.

The body of any being is not even his property. It was given to him as a trust and it must be kept as such. He has no right to destroy it.

Islam forbids all sorts of suicides, whether by bombing or silently killing oneself. “…take not life, which God hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.”

Muslim youth who have lost their identities and lost control of their minds fall victims

further says: “…if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.” (Qur’an 5:32)

Quest for personal notoriety (Qur’an 6:151).

Islam considers the life of every being as sacred and it does not matter which religion one belongs in upholding the sanctity of life as ordered by Allah.

However, the sanctity of human life is accorded a special place. The first and the foremost basic right of a human being is the right to live. The Glorious Qur’an

In their quest for personal notoriety, some people become deviants furthering their delusions of being martyrs in the community.

Others as we gathered, react negatively though, to abuses and injustice by the state.

When Abu Musab al Zarqawi, a street thug, beheaded an American businessman, he became a rock star over night.

Ustaz Ajagbe described

this notion as tripe and rubbish. “The ultimate success of their mentor is to manipulate them and get them to do what he wants.

Killing yourself and other innocent people is not in any way near the kind of martyr the Prophet described.

Like I said earlier, they are being brainwashed.”

People become misguided and act in such a way because they are lost in their belief. Some Muslim youth who have lost their identities and lost control of their minds fall victims. They become tools in the hands of these extremists and fundamentalists. They are taught a very radical and misrepresentation of the Qur’an and Hadith and most often than not, they are sent on mission of no return killing other innocent people.

SATURDAY

BY AGAJU MADUGBA

T

he French translation of Chinua Achebe’s epic novel, “Things Fall Apart,” may well be the most appropriate depiction of the current state of world affairs.

The world does not only seem to be falling apart, the world has begun to melt, under the fire power of terrorist shells and bombs.

The overall implications may be even more devastating as, according to Akintola Ishaq, a Professor of Islamic Studies at the Lagos State University, the possibility of a third world war may not be ruled out. According to him, “there are so many conflicting interests plaguing the Middle East, Europe and America and, just how long is it going to take to reconcile these interests in order to have global peace? A third world war is not impossible. The West is divided between Communism and Capitalism. There is no love lost today between Russia and American or France. The cold rivalry is there.There is half-hearted reconciliation between Cuba and America. France has started bombing Syria and ISIS strongholds but Russia is equally in Syria defending Bashar Assad.

America wants Assad killed or removed.

People are talking about peace but nobody is talking about justice.

You cannot be unjust and enjoy peace. Those who want peace must be prepared to be just and handle the issue of human rights delicately.”

Whatever the case may be, the threat appears to be real as terrorism has taken the centre stage in many cities across the world. In Nigeria, in spite a certain level of international collaboration, government has not been able to effectively tackle the murderous activities of insurgents in parts of the country. It may no longer be possible to keep track of the number of their indiscriminate bombing campaigns and attacks just as it may also be virtually impossible to know the actual figure of the deaths arising from these attacks.

And, as in previous attacks in other parts of the world, the coordinated terrorist assault on Paris on November 13, 2015 was as devastating as they were apparently designed to be. A total of about 129 persons were reported killed and about 380 others injured after gunmen attacked seven isolated locations in the French capital. An Islamic group, the Islamic State (ISIS) based in Syria and Iraq claimed responsibility for the act which has continued to receive world-wide condemnation. Over the past few months the acronym has become synonymous with violence, terror and bloodshed as the group continues to advance its cause in the Middle East and even beyond.

Earlier in January, ISIS praised two gunmen who reportedly killed 12 persons at the Paris offices of a newspaper, Charlie Hebdo.

And, on October 31, a Russian passenger Metrojet Flight 9268 departed the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh and later crashed over the Sinai, killing all the 224 persons on board. ISIS has since equally claimed responsibility for the downing of the aircraft with reports indicating that terrorists planted explosives in it before takeoff.

Way back on September 11, 2001, there were four coordinated attacks across the United States of America as suicide bombers hijacked four passenger aircraft and crashed them into high rise buildings including the twin towers of the 110-floor

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—13

Third world war looms as global terrorism spreads

World Trade Centre in New York City. The attacks claimed the lives of 2,296 persons. Then there was the attack in London. The list is endless.

Attacks un-Islamic At the wake of the attacks in Paris, a Nigerian non-governmental organization, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), also joined various other groups and individuals from across the world in condemning the incident which it regretted may fuel universal chaos.

According to the group in a statement, “the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) strongly condemns these attacks. They are despicable, vicious and barbaric.

They take humanity back to the Stone Age, grant unfettered licence to lawlessness and fuel universal chaos.

“It is becoming more glaring that the main preoccupation of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is the shedding of innocent blood and the precipitation of religious war, particularly between Christians of the West and Muslims of the Middle East.

“We dissociate ourselves from the violent propensity of ISIS and its blood-thirsty associates in AlQaedah and Boko Haram whose stock-in-trade is the misinterpretation of the peaceful message of Islam. We reject the hate messages of messengers of death who ask Muslims to kill Westerners.

We affirm clearly and unequivocally that Islam neither teaches racism nor does it endorse terrorism.

“MURIC calls on Muslim youths all over the world to save Islam from an implosion induced by extremism. This they can do by distancing themselves from radical and violent groups.”

Motivation for terrorism

In virtually all the attacks, persons considered to belong to extremist Muslim groups have always claimed responsibility, justifying their actions by citing certain religious ideologies. But according to Ishaq, “we do not believe they are Muslims. These people are bastardizing the religion of Islam.

They are masquerading under the guise of a divine religion to perpetuate their diabolical agenda.

Islam is a religion of peace. It does not allow you to attack people. The

Koran says in Chapter 5 verse 32 that if you kill a single person, it will be as if you have killed the whole humanity. And, if you save the life of a single person, it will be as if you have saved the whole of humanity.

Koran chapter 1 verse 51, forbids the killing of innocent lives, it pronounces the sanctity of human life and refers to those who take the lives of other people, without due process (by government), as criminals. The excuse they give, that they want to kill non-Muslims so that they can go to Paradise is an illusion. It is an empty excuse to satisfy their homicidal tendencies.

“The Prophet of Islam said that a Muslim is one who does not hurt anyone with his hand or with his tongue. So, how can these people be killing people, destroying churches, attacking people who have gone to worship God their way, and saying that they are doing it on behalf of Almighty Allah? You cannot fight for Allah and you cannot fight for religion. The attacks are acts of aggression and an infringement on the verses of the Koran. These people are further justifying certain view of some people who regard Muslims as extremists especially in the West where some people do not want to see Muslims at all. There are extremist Muslims and there are extremist Christians.

“But in some of these happenings, some things may be responsible because, as they say, there is no smoke without fire. When people are provoked or pushed to the wall,

So, one can say that what is happening is attributable to ignorance of the religion by some people who claim to be Muslims

then they react. In these acts of terrorism, we are saying that, some of them may be due to provocation of Muslims and acts of injustice against Muslims to which the terrorists react. But that does not mean we support terrorism. Islam does not support killing of people. If you are provoked, there are ways and measures you can take including dialogue and you can speak out against those who terrorize you. The press should speak out against the injustice in the world, otherwise, the reactions of extremists will continue unabated. Look at the way Muslim women are being embarrassed all over the world. In France, the authorities there enacted a law banning Muslim women from wearing hijab. I think dressing is a matter of culture and it should be a matter of freedom. The world believes in freedom of religion, freedom of movement and these are recognized by the United Nations. If Muslims say they want to dress in a particular way, why must they be forced to dress in another way or in the European way?

“We believe our women are being molested and embarrassed.

Unfortunately, Muslim extremists react in a different way. Britain also enacted a similar law but not as harsh as that of France. Obama described Islam as part of America and that there is no way anybody can marginalize Muslims and enact laws against them. We are happy with what is happening in America but unfortunately Muslim extremists attacked America. The Bin Laden group of Al-Qaida issued a statement asking Muslims to attack Americans and Westerners and we regard such statements as hate speeches, they are inconsistent with the message of love from the Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad. They contradict the peaceful teachings of Islam enshrined in the glorious Koran.

“We reject the messages of AlQaida because Islam is not a native religion as there are Muslims in America, in Great Britain. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the West today. So, we reject such messages and we call on Muslims all over the world to continue to live in peace with their neighbours, regardless of where they come from.

The motivation for terrorism comes from provocation. Muslims are being provoked and the provocation has been building up over several decades. Injustice against Muslims tends to recruit fanatical Muslims as terrorists. The world must unite against unfair treatment of Muslims.

If Muslims are maltreated anywhere, the world should speak out against it.

“These extremist groups have their hidden agenda, they want to rule the world with iron fist but the good people of the world must come together, from all the continents, and reject this intimidation from terrorists.”

The role of ignorance Another Muslim cleric, Sheikh Haliru Maraya, a former Special Adviser (Religious Matters) to the Kaduna state governor, believes that those he describes as being ignorant of the true teachings of Islam are responsible for the current global terrorism initiatives. According to him, “absolute ignorance is responsible for the attacks by some people claiming to be Muslims.

Islam cherishes the sanctity of

human life. The Prophet said that we should have the same love for mankind as you have love for yourself and by so doing, you become a true Muslim. The people currently perpetuating these devilish acts are not true Muslims.

Retaliation is also a transgression against the Almighty Allah. Islam does not permit an individual to take the laws into his hands.

That is why the Koran says that it is an excellent virtue to use good to pay back somebody who may have wronged you. You cannot begin to kill people because some Muslims are being killed elsewhere in the world as form of retaliation which is also a transgression in Islam. Islam does not permit you to take the laws into your hands. If you are aggrieved, you are expected to take your case to a court of competent jurisdiction. This is what Islam says.

If your brothers are killed in destination A, then you begin to kill people in destination B, it is wrong and it is anti-Islam.

“Allah says that somebody who worships Allah ignorantly is a disadvantage to the religion. Such people may have love for Islam but they do not know the tenets of the religion. They do not know Islam’s view on how to live peacefully with other people in the society.

Relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims in society as far as Islam is concerned is always expected to be cordial. The right to life, the right to own property, the right to live anywhere one wishes to live, the right to practice any religion one chooses to practice are sacrosanct as far as Islam is concerned. You are not expected to kill or antagonize anyone for the simple reason that the person does not practice your religion. Allah says in the Koran that there is no compulsion in Islam and this verse was revealed to the Prophet when he established the Muslim community in Medina. He lived cordially with the Jews in Medina and Christians in suburbs of Medina. “A true Muslim is not expected to act at variance with how the Prophet acted or behaved. What is currently happening is very unfortunate. It is not Islam and those people doing it do not represent Islam because the Koran does not say so and the Prophet who established the religion of Islam did not say so. There was never a time that the Prophet attacked a non-Muslim community or a church or a synagogue. In fact there was a time somebody in Medina killed somebody and ran away and the relations went to the Prophet to complain and that they wanted to kill the son of the runaway murderer. The Prophet told them that they should not kill the son because he did not commit the crime. You cannot punish somebody else for an offence he did not commit and this is the position of Islam.

“I have never subscribed to the opinion that poverty pushes the youth to become extremists. During the time of the Prophet, some of his companions were not rich but they did not embark on such devilish acts, killing innocent people. And, there is nowhere in Islam where it says that if you are poor, you should go on rampage. In Nigeria here, if you go to the South-West, there are a lot of Muslims there and some of them are also poor but we have never heard of something like Boko Haram over there. I have always attributed this to the fact that a majority of the Muslim community in the South-West are enlightened as far as Islam is concerned. They know the religion and they also have Western style education.

So, one can say that what is happening is attributable to ignorance of the religion by some of people who claim to be Muslims.”

14—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

AISHA ALHASSAN:

An inspiration to women in politics T

BY AGAJU MADUGBA

HE recent proclamation of Aisha Alhassan as the winner of the 2015 governorship election in Taraba State has attracted varied reactions from across the country more so as she gets the enviable position of the first woman to be elected governor in the history of Nigeria. Although President Muhammadu Buhari last Wednesday also inaugurated her as Minister of Women Affairs, Alhassan, fondly called Mama Taraba, is most likely to resume duties at the Government House, Jalingo, seat of the Taraba State government if the Appeal Court upholds the judgment of the Taraba State Elections Petitions Tribunal.

The Tribunal sitting in Abuja had nullified the election of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the April 11, 2015 election and declared Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor in the state.

Aisha Alhassan, the Minister, Governor in waiting Born on September 16, 1959 at Jalingo local government area, Aisha Alhassan has had a series of other “firsts” attached to her career having been the first female to contest a leadership position in the Students’ Union Government at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1978 as a student in that institution’s School of Basic Studies and later became the first female acting

President of the union.

After her studies, qualifying as a lawyer, Alhassan was admitted to the Fijian Bar and enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Fiji in 1991and later, having returned to Nigeria, she rose through the ranks to become the first female Deputy Chief Registrar and Director Litigation, High Court of the FCT Abuja in 1997. She was consequently appointed the first female Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Taraba State and later appointed the first female Secretary of the FCT Judicial Service Committee in November, 2002 and then, the first female Chief Registrar of the High Court of the FCT in December 2003.

Joining the PDP in 2005, Alhassan contested and won her senatorial seat election in 2011 and was subsequently sworn-in as member of the Seventh Senate.

The challenges of girl-child education in the north

Alhassan’s rise to power and fame may be considered phenomenal given her northern background as the area has been considered over several years as not only lagging behind the other parts of the country in educational development but virtually all other indices of socioeconomic development seem skewed against the north.

Alhassan joins the ranks of the revered Queen Amina of Zaria and late politician and women’s rights activist, Hajiya

•Aisha Alhassan Gambo Sawaba, as well as the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Alooma Muktar, who braced what is regarded as the hostile northern environment against the girlchild, to attain their full potentials.

Although a number of women from southern and northern Nigeria have attained high level positions in their various fields of endeavour, achievements recorded by their female counterparts from the north appear to dwarf privileged efforts of the celebrated late Mrs. Margret Ekpo, Mrs. Janet Mokelu (both of the defunct Eastern House of Assembly), Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (mother of the late Afro Beat King, Fela Anikulapo). Mrs. RansomeKuti, was a foremost woman

Alhassan’s rise to power and fame may be considered phenomenal given her northern background as the area has been considered over several years as not only lagging behind the other parts of the country in educational development

leader from the defunct western region and among the few highly educated women in Africa of her generation and reportedly, the first African woman to drive a car.

But unlike their counterparts from the other parts of the country, girls and women from the north have had to contend with certain socio-cultural inhibitions in their efforts to make any meaningful impact on their immediate environment and the Nigerian society at large. At the time of her birth in 1933, education for the girl-child in northern Nigeria was virtually nonexistent even though Usman Dan Fodio who conquered the

Continues on pg 15

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—15

Aisha Alhassan: An inspiration to women in politics Continues from pg 14 north encouraged girl-child education, to the extent that one of his daughters, Asmau, was considered highly educated writer and a poet during that period.

And, earlier around the 15th century, Queen Amina of Zazzau (Zaria) was known as a great military strategist, the cavalry-trained Queen Amina fought many wars that expanded this southern-most Hausa kingdom. According to the Sankore Institute of Islamic–African Studies International, “Amina of Zaria commonly known as the warrior Queen expanded the territory of the Hausa people of north Africa to the largest borders in history.”

It is debatable if any female from northern Nigeria of today may have the opportunity to attain such a feat in an environment that tends to restrict activities of the girl-child who is often married off at a tender age.

According to a report by the Africa Health, Human and Social Development Information Service, although the problem also affects a number of states in southern Nigeria, eight states in northern Nigeria have the country’s worst girl-child and health and identified the states as Kebbi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Jigawa, Yobe, Zamfara, Katsina, and Gombe states also with equally the country’s worst girlchild education, highest female illiteracy, highest adolescent girl marriage, highest under 15 child bearing, and highest risk of maternal death and injury.

The same states, along with Kano state, have the highest percentage of females aged between 15 and 24 years who cannot read or write. The states also account for the highest cases of adolescent marriage

and adolescent child bearing (15 to 19 years old). The highest number of women who gave birth before age of 18 years was found there. “The scale of the problem is self-evident, and these are the kind of problems that the Northern States Governors’ Forum should be giving their most urgent attention to – especially from those eight northern states where it is obvious that the educational, health and overall human development of girls is key to their development,” said Rotimi Sankore, the Lead Advocate in the report.

In another recent report, the Research Associate, Education Policy and Data Center described school participation as a challenge across Nigeria while the obstacles are particularly severe in northern states. In addition to issues of school access, family and school resources and attitudes towards education, “school attendance in northern Nigeria is impeded by the increasingly brazen extremism of Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group, and its target of girls’ education. The group opposes the Western-style education associated with formal schooling in Nigeria and seeks to relegate women exclusively to the household. As a result, risks associated with school-going are compounded for girls and young women in a context where female educational attainment is persistently low. Indeed, in many northern states more than 50 per cent of young women ages 15-24 have no experience with formal education.”

And, according to the Federal Ministry of Education, out of 6,468 secondary schools with a total enrolment of 4,448,869 students nationwide, only 2,419 (37 per cent) of the schools with an enrolment of 1, 4117,645 are from the north.

Equally frightening are admission figures showing the number of students admitted into universities in the country, from JAMB. In 2012, according to JAMB, a total of about 13,974 candidates from Anambra state gained admission to study various courses in the universities through the Joint Matriculation Examination (JME). Ogun state had 13,339, Abia state had 8,874.

But for the same year, only 747 candidates from Borno state secured admission through the JME while Yobe state had 999 candidates, Kebbi state had 1,702 and Jigawa state had 1,305 candidates.

So, for Aloma Mariam Mukhtar from Kano who was born in 1944, and rising to become the Chief Justice of Nigeria between 2012 and 2014, may not have come on a platter of gold, given her northern background and the obstacles to the acquisition of Western Education especially for the girl-child.

Alhassan, the last hurdle

Reacting on her decision to protest the result of the governorship election at the tribunal, Alhassan had explained that, “I am challenging the process of the election and the result.

We are challenging both the process and the result because the process was wrong and that is why INEC arrived at a wrong result,” even as she vowed to reclaim what she described as her mandate.

The Tribunal Judge, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar, in his judgment ruled that Ishaku was not properly

It is debatable if any female from northern Nigeria of today may have the opportunity to attain such a feat in an environment that tends to restrict activities of the girl-child who is often married off at a tender age

elected as PDP’s governorship candidate, pointing out that he was not adequately nominated

by PDP due to its inability to conduct primaries in Jalingo, the state capital.

The tribunal upheld testimonies of INEC head of election monitoring that the Commission was not aware of any primaries conducted by the party in line with the provision of the electoral act which produced Ishaku as the party’s flag bearer.

According to the Tribunal, the defence by the PDP that the primaries were shifted to Abuja because of security challenges in the state as untenable and adopted the the evidence of the INEC official that there was no primaries election in the state and the emergence of Ishaku through the purported election in Abuja was after the statutory stipulated time for party primaries had elapsed.

The Tribunal therefore held that since Ishaku was not duly sponsored by the PDP, the party had no candidate in the governorship election in the eyes of the law. The tribunal therefore voided the votes of the PDP and Ishaku in the election arguing that, “it is a waste,” as it declared the APC candidate who came second, as the valid winner of the April 11 election.

If the appeal court upholds the victory of Aisha Alhassan it will never be the same for women in politics in Nigeria. It will be some springboard for other women to aspire to win more elective positions in the country.

And they will always be taken seriously. Alhassan is on the threshold of history that would be told and retold to generations in Nigeria. Time will tell.

16—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

BY KINGSLEY FANWO

T

oday’s governorship election in Kogi State promises to be a historic event, the culmination of months of political intrigues for the control of the Confluence State.

Arguably the most strategically positioned state in the country providing channel of entry and exit to the North and South, Kogi State with Lokoja, the nation’s former federal capital city as capital, provides a connecting point for most Nigerian travellers connecting the northern and southern parts of the country.

The state could also, from today, provide a direction on how the nation’s political landscape could go after the historic 2015 general elections.

KOGI 2015: It’s head-to-head showdown today

The 1999 Governorship Election In 1999, the governorship election was a two-horse race between the then All Peoples Party, APP and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. Prince Abubakar Audu was the candidate of the APP while late Arc. Stephen Olorunfemi was the candidate of the PDP. The election which was keenly contested was characterized by ethnic play. Audu exploited his Kogi East roots to secure victory at the poll. He, however, had to contend with a balanced House of Assembly, with the APP and the PDP winning 13 and 12 seats respectively in the 25-member House.

2003 Governorship Poll The 2003 governorship election presented a more intriguing scenario. Both the intra and inter-party manoeuvring reached a feverish pitch.

Prince Abubakar Audu expectedly clinched the ticket of his party, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP as it was then known, while a dark horse in the person of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris emerged as the candidate of the PDP. The emergence of Idris had not been expected as most eyes had at that time been fixated on the late strongman of Ebira politics, Senator A.T. Ahmed.

Idris defeated Prince Audu in a keenly contested election, setting the tone for the dominance of the party in the confluence politics for 12 straight years till now.

The 2007 Governorship Election The 2007 governorship election presented a rematch between Prince Audu of the defunct ANPP and Alhaji Ibrahim Idris of the PDP, who was the incumbent.

The 2007 electioneering was dotted with violence and bitter politicking between the main contending camps. Idris

•Capt Idris Wada

won the election. Unsatisfied with the outcome of the election, Audu headed to court to challenge the eligibility of Idris. He lost the case. But another candidate whose party’s logo was omitted from the ballot won at the tribunal and re-election was ordered. Ibrahim Idris won the re-run, becoming the only politician in the history of Kogi State to win the governorship election thrice while Audu turned out the first to lose three straight times on the ticket of a major party.

The 2011 Governorship Election The 2011 governorship election was almost hampered by constitutional crisis on account of the annulment of the 2007 poll.

There were conflicting

•Alh. Idris Wada

It is the first time PDP will be contesting the election without having control of the centre. Also, Audu would probably be contesting the position for the last time. Despite the unfolding two-horse race scenario, other political parties are also making a bold political statement

20 15 GENERAL ELECTION 201 APC

PDP

SENATE

3

0

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

6

3

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

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14

judgments on the tenure of Idris.

Prince Audu emerged the candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN while Alh. Idris Wada was the candidate of the PDP. The third force was Pastor Obollo Okpanachi of the ANPP. Capt Idris Wada of the PDP won the election by a margin of over 140,000 votes.

The 2015 Tango and the Gladiators The 2015 governorship election is tipped to be one of the most keenly contested in the political history of the state.

It is the first time PDP will be contesting the election without having control of the centre. Also, Audu would probably be contesting the position for the last time.

Despite the unfolding twohorse race scenario, other political parties are also making a bold political statement.

Other contenders in the race are: Emmanuel Enesi Ozigi of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, Philip Salawu of Labour Party, Isah Yakubu Kamaldeen of Action Alliance, Dickson Fred of the Accord Party, Ukwenya Musa of the Action Congress of Democrats, Michael

Abdullahi of the Alliance for Democracy, Usman Zainab of the ADC, Odufu Cosmos Friday of the APA, Akwu Umar Goodman of APGA, Yinka Cherry Oloruntoba of CPP, Philip Ezekiel Koleola of DPC and Abubakar Ibrahim of DPP. The rest are Ibrahim Adejoh of ID, Raji Ogrima of KOWA, Mohammed Ibrahim Dangana of NCP, Mallam Abdul Hussein of NNPP, Emmanuel Daikwo of PDC, Dr. Oju Godwin Hussein of PPN, Enema Paul of SDP and Saadu Mukailu of UDP. The 22 candidates are poised to be favoured by the political gods of November 21.

The number of eligible voters in Kogi is 1,397,786 including newly registered 47,389 voters.

According to the 2006 population census, Kogi State is inhabited by 3, 314, 043 people, making it the 24th most populous state in the country.

Prior to the 2006 census, the population of Kogi East which is predominated by the Igala speaking people was higher than the addition of the two other districts of Kogi West and Kogi Central. Kogi

West is the Okun Yoruba people, the Oworo and the Nupe among others in Kogi and Lokoja Local Government Areas.

But the 2006 census has given the West and central a combined edge over the East in the population distribution. While Kogi East boasts of a population of 1, 479, 144 representing 45% of the total population; Kogi West has a population of 906, 244 which represents 27% of the population of the state while Kogi Central is populated by 928, 655 people, representing 28% of the total population.

Okene Local Government Area in Kogi Central is the most populous Local Government Area in the state with a population of 325, 623.

PDP and APC HEAD-TOHEAD IN THE 2015 ELECTIONS In the presidential and National Assembly elections, APC had the upper hand.

President Buhari won in virtually all the Local Government Areas in the state.

In the Senatorial poll, APC won the three seats in Kogi.

APC won six House of Representatives seats while the PDP won three. PDP won in Yagba Federal Constituency, Kabba/Bunu / Ijumu and Idah/Igalamela / Ibaji while APC won in Lokoja/Kogi, Ajaokuta, Adavi/Okehi, Okene/Ogori Magongo, Ankpa/Omala/ Olamaboro and Dekina/ Bassa. The House of Assembly polls saw the PDP spring back to life. PDP won 14 seats against APC’s 11.

The House of Assembly election was said to have been the true test of the two parties outside the Buhari influence.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—17

Governor Badaru, Jigawa people and matters arising •Governor Badaru

BY ADAMU MUHD USMAN “Even though a ruler may be wise as a sage, he must humble himself and yield to others.

Then the intelligent will offer him their counsel and the brave will exert themselves to the fullest for him.”

Sima Guang (1019 - 1086) Chinese writer.

I

want to use this medium to congratulate His Excellency Alhaji Muhammadu Badaru Talamis, as the 4th civilian governor of Jigawa state. I appreciate the numerous challenges he will encounter while attempting to continue with Sule Lamido’s numerous achievements especially the developmental projects that cut across all sectors and areas of the state.

People voted him for change and some people are of the opinion or expectation that his position as a governor and experience as a business tycoon will enable him to continue to move Jigawa and its people to the greater heights.

But I may not be certain that governor Badaru knows and understands the problems of our modern state Jigawa, the system of governance with relation to all necessary reforms. He should be reminded that he will lead the state up to 2019. It is our sincere hope that the confidence reposed

in him by the people and our expectations in terms of selfless services should inspire great work in the state. Five months of governor Badaru in office was characterized by chains of criticism. Some of his actions have called for this.

How can the governor at this critical and crucial time engage in distribution of pillows, stoves and goats to widows as an empowerment agenda and poverty eradication? I thought governor Badaru would follow the way of his predecessor Lamido in the establishment, renovation, upgrading and equipping of Jigawa state Skills acquisition centres in Kazaure, Hadejia, Gumel, Ringim, Dutse and Birnin Kudu. These centres trained over 10, 000 youths in various skills such as Carpentry, Paint Making, Tailoring, GSM Repairs, Satellite Installations, Chalk and Shoe Making and many more. These earned Jigawa State credit as the most valuable and active state on youth and women empowerment programmes. Also the establishment of Kila Cassava processing plant by the Lamido administration in Gwaram L G was meant to empower youths and adults of both sexes.

The reduction of ministries, MDAs and government agencies is improper. It seems the governor wants to add to unemployment crisis in the state. This will also lead to work overload and there will be no efficiency and commitment among the staff and the leadership of all sectors.

It is shocking that Alhaji Muhammadu Badaru is discrediting and condemning the first class airport built by Sule Lamido’s administration in Dutse, the Jigawa state capital. He has used the airport in these few months more than Lamido who built it.

Governor Badaru is said to be a business colossal and he should appreciate the importance of this airport and give credit to Lamido. Lamido built this airport to facilitate the easy movement of goods and services and to facilitate the coming of investors who are set to cash in on Jigawa State’s rich potentials. The governor forgot that, the Airport was also used to Airlift Jigawa pilgrims this 2015 Hajj exercise and the airport was as well used to airlift the pilgrims of Jigawa, Yobe and Maiduguri to the Holy land during the last year’s (2014) Hajj exercise.

During the tenure of Sule Lamido, he provided the 27 Local government Headquarters in the state with street light which made the towns look like big cities.

This also helped security of lives and properties in the towns.

It seems the Jigawa state governor is living in another planet. If not so, how on earth can he sabotage the progress of educational sector in the state? Recruitment of teachers without good and enough provision of food to boarding students, teaching materials, prompt payment of salaries and lack of putting sound and qualified leadership in the sector is a great failure. The appointment of Education Secretaries (E.S) across the state was not done on merit because it has been politicized by appointing even grade 11 teachers to head those with vast experience in the sector who hold Masters degree certificates. What a change?. Please let governor Badaru borrow a leaf from his Kaduna state counterpart, Malam Nasir ElRufa’i the criteria he put in place for anyone to occupy that post as E.S. I appeal to Alhaji Badaru to give more priority to education.

No society can truly develop without sound education. And Sule Lamido has led a strong foundation in that area.

As he promises and preaches agricultural

production in the state, let us hope that, farmers in the state will continue to enjoy the maximum support in crop production, mechanized farming system in order to encourage and support livestock farming which will go a long way to reduce clashes between the farmers and the Fulani cattle breeders as Lamido did.

We still hope governor Badaru will continue to look at health sector which is very important as he promises more clinics/ hospitals would be built and existing ones renovated.

You should as well bear with any criticisms, opposition and problems that may come your way. It is good to continue to be honest, faithful and accountable and transparent.

I still appeal to governor Badaru to be on the look, because there are certain groups of people who want to sabotage his effort.

I want to remind His Excellency, Governor Badaru to know that, one of the major factors that made the previous administration successful was the good working relationship governor Lamido had with the state legislatures, the advice from the traditional institutions, the elders and Ulamas etc.

To be candid Sule Lamido has been praying, hoping and calling on all indigenes to pull ourselves together and avoid rancour. We must form a collective will to move our state forward believing in God Almighty. Lamido insist that governor Badaru needs our prayers and support. So, we must support him in order to succeed, because if he fails, all of us will be in trouble Lamido re-affirmed. May God help us and guide our leaders aright, bless Jigawa and Nigeria as a whole. Amen.

•Adamu is a former Aide to Sule Lamido

I come from a home where it was difficult to eat rice at Christmas —Imasuangbon, aka Rice Man

•Kenneth Imasuangbon

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY

B

arr. Kenneth Imasuangbon is a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead the 2016 governorship election in Edo state.

He is popularly known as the ‘Rice Man’ in the state due to his annual rice sharing ritual to the poor across the three senatorial districts of the state. Saturday Vanguard met with this accomplished Nigerian and he disclosed the secret for his yearly rice sharing, his relationship with women and vision for Edo State.

Excerpts: Can we know a little about your background?

My background was very interesting because we had freedom, we had love, and we were taught strong values - love your neighbor as you love, a strong

teaching from the Bible. I had a Christian upbringing. We were very good Christians and I was from a poor home, we are from a home where it was even difficult to eat rice at Christmas. I prayed to God Almighty that if he blessed me and made me great that I would share rice to the less privileged and that is the story behind the rice I share every Christmas to Edo people and my staff in Abuja.

That also explains why I give scholarship. I don’t have personal savings. Whatever I have I give back to the society because God has shown me immeasurable love and promotion. My background was very loving; we were a strongly united family, where Christian values were prominent, the ten commandments were very sacrosanct. We all knew them by the heart and of course we went round to neighbour’s houses to share whatever we have and I think we should go back to those values of loving your neighbour as you love yourself. We should help

one another; we should feel for one another, we should be kind and loving. That is the purpose of life. Life is not really what you have in your bank account; it is not the number of cars but the impact you have made in the lives of people. How many lives have you touched, when we were growing up, that was what life was all about, that you can walk to your neighbour’s house and eat pounded yam and eat rice if they had. There was no segregation between your neighbour’s child and your child.

Growing up in a humble background, how were you trained as a lawyer?

I lost my father early but God blessed my mum who stood with us. She was able to train me and my siblings. So my father had wished that if he had gone to school, he would have been a magistrate or a judge. He was the first person to promote the law profession to me. He talked about magistrates in those days and he

told us to be magistrates and that eventually caught my interest.

So I said I was going to live my father’s dream; the dream of my father was for me to be a lawyer and I read law in Ife. My mother worked so hard to train me in Ife, she was very awesome, and she would go to market, sell everything she could sell to pay my school fees. While at Ife I took my studies very seriously because I knew the consequences of failing out of school. The law faculty in Ife was not for unserious people.

Our professors in the University made us work and we worked hard to earn our degree and today I am a lawyer and I am grateful to God, my mum and also neighbours who assisted me while growing up.

I started as a practicing lawyer when I finished from Ife. I came to Abuja. While I was in school my nick name was Abuja. I came to Abuja because it was a land of promise. I had a dream where God told me, ‘my son go to Abuja’.

When I got to Abuja it was a fertile

land. I started as a legal practitioner and God gave me a legal and Godly wife with kids.

She is wonderful, prayerful, very supportive, and I am grateful to God my mum is still alive. With a prayerful woman by my side and my mum who also prays fervently, of course whatever I do God blesses it. I was a founding member of the ACD which later became ACN. When we founded the party people called us jokers but before you knew it Oshiomhole won in Edo. When I went back to the PDP, the party was dead but I revived it and brought life back to it. I am back to APC now. We won the federal election, Buhari is president and I am now in APC, What is your vision for Edo state after Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s tenure?

To improve on what governor Oshiomhole has done. Governor Oshiomhole has done very well; let’s not make mistakes about it.

One thing you can’t take away from the governor are his achievements. My prayer for governor Oshiomhole is that he should support free and fair primaries. I pray he should have a good successor, a man who will improve on what he has done so that his effort will not go down. So my vision for the state is not only to have strong school system but to have a strong economy, a strong security system.

18—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

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fter enjoying rapturous receptions from his supporters during his recent campaign tour, Gov Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, and the PDP flagbearer in the December 5 gubernatorial election, took a break to speak to reporters. Excerpts: Having gone round the state in which areas would you your government has benefited the people?

It was touching to see school children wearing uniforms that my government supplied, carrying banners in appreciation of their Governor and praying for me for the investments I am making for their future. That is a lasting dividend of democracy: the investment in the future of the state, in the hearts and minds, not of a few Yenagoa-based critics and Abuja-based politicians. I saw hope and appreciation on the faces of our people; we got gifts from every community and political leaders. Our people do not know any other political party contesting for this election other than me as the candidate of the PDP. I saw the massive outpouring of genuine love and support from the chiefs, elders, youths, women groups.

Part of what I am doing and have been doing is to quietly in my own way change the way politics is played in this state. The level of maturity and tolerance I have brought to bear on the politics is such that you see the opposition campaigning against me as vigorously as I am also campaigning. That is happening for the first time.

I do not see anybody seriously contesting against me, not even my good friend and brother Sylva and his APC. They are only holding meetings in Abuja and threatening their own fathers and mothers and brothers that they will use federal forces to come and overrun their own people for their own purpose not for the development of our state.

It is not in every area that you satisfied your people. Which areas would you attend to if reelected?

By the grace of God and by the support of the people, we have started a lot of mega

I needed boats to transport

plantain, fish, snail given to me by Bayelsa people

•Dickson goes emotional about his campaigns •Says Yenagoa Airport will soon be operational life-changing projects. I came in here to make maximum impact with the available resources and time.

Unfortunately our finances dropped precipitously. Last month, we got N4.2b and after paying Sylva’s bond which we will keep paying every month till 2017, we managed to pay salaries, pensions. We cannot even pay allowances of people working with us, and we are not alone, as all the states and even the Federal Government are affected. Therefore, the second term is to be dedicated to completion of most of these lifechanging projects that are almost at completion stage because every project has a gestation period. People like to see magic because of the energy we started with and because we had resources we were putting everything in and now people think I am distracted. I am not; it is a question of finances. Look at the airport, and ask Sylva why he did not do the airport. He played politics with everything; he cleared a site and put a signboard before the first block was

laid. Since I took over, I have not fought Sylva; I just drew a line and did things differently. I know what happened to the airport, not to talk of the Nembe/Brass Road that so much money went into. If you drive to Amassoma Road now, you will see the airport. I have awarded the contract for the installation of the navigational instrument. FAAN (Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria) has come to do the certification. In the next couple of months, we will be landing there.

Will the peace accord you signed with the other parties work?

I signed because that was the right thing to do. My campaign is about peace, development and prosperity. You hear me ask people to accord Sylva the respect that is due to him. I am not a man of violence unlike those who are merchants of violence and cultism. I believe that a political leader and anyone aspiring to lead people must show example and our society can only develop when you have peace. We have been able to achieve so much because of the prevailing peace and we want it to get better. That is why our PDP campaign is not about promises of what we will do. I am talking about peace. I educate Bayelsans and tell them their rights to go and vote not with cloned PVCs. The

police will arrest those with cloned PVCs. We do not need violence in the PDP to win any polling unit; the supporters are there. They will vote, they will stay there and protect their votes. The votes will be counted and results will be declared. Luckily INEC has spoken up; law enforcement will be at every polling unit. I have sensitized community leaders in every community, so nobody will come to any community to intimidate the overall community.

Besides, this is one single election where the entire country will be watching. They do not know the dynamics of this election and my advice to Sylva is that he should withdraw from the race because he is not campaigning or talking about issues and our people have rejected him.

On a final note, what message do you want to send out to all the communities?

My message is one of gratitude and appreciation to the communities, chiefs and leaders and the good people. Women groups also were very receptive. I needed boats to transport the plantains, fish, snails and other things they gave to me. I cannot thank them enough. I am really humbled and grateful that I have this opportunity to serve them. I have told them that after the election, having voted me in as they have promised to do, I intend to go round and thank them.

For the communities that I am yet to visit, Countryman is coming your way so get ready to engage me. I am coming to see your problems and hear from you to know how to serve you better.

I do not see anybody seriously contesting against me, not even my good friend and brother Sylva and his APC

SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—19

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younger friend’s ‘factory’ was closed down last month by officers of the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service. It took him over two weeks to get it reopened.

What the service demanded from him would wipe out his entire profit for the year plus some. During those two hectic weeks, he lost a few kilos and a lot of sleep trying to see anybody and everybody that he thought could help. He lost new jobs and failed to deliver on old ones. At the end, not a penny was removed by the revenue authority. He had to borrow heavily to meet the initial payment and issued post-dated cheques for the balance. Everywhere he went, the refrain was ‘the government needs money ’ or ‘ we have been asked to increase our IGR’.

My friend is in the paint business which is saturated at the moment and the margin for good paints is very low.

He learnt his trade from the leading international paints manufacturer in the country and is professionally disinclined to make anything but good quality paint which means he has to make his margin by cutting administrative costs. He does not have an accountant, he does not have a secretary. He is all of the above. He is also the head of operations. His ‘factory’ is like a large sitting room with an open roof; or a small hall. It does not have any air conditioning; not even a fan. It is shorn of any form of luxury. He does not have space for storage and cannot afford one. So he manufactures mainly to order. His source of water is a deep well in front of his factory which he shares with other tenants. His main source of electricity is from a generator at the side of the building the maintenance of which he shares with another business concern. This is where he ekes out his living. This is where he gets the income to pay for his children’s school fees, hospital bills and general welfare. This is what makes him the ‘de facto’ head of his family. This is what makes him a man.

This man attended one of the best secondary schools in the country in his time and graduated in

Govt should sow more to reap more engineering at the University of Ife over 30 years ago. Had he taken a different route and gone to Civil Service, he would perhaps have become a Perm Sec or a Director by now and he would have been on the easy street for the rest of his life. Instead he chose to go to the private sector where he rose to become a senior manager in a multinational and recently retired to set up shop with his gratuities. His plan was to start small and grow.

Unfortunately, his growth is threatened by the plethora of demands he gets from different authorities every month.

At the last count, he had at least ten different authorities demanding one form of levy or the other.

None is concerned about his welfare or survival.

None has bothered to find out if he needed financial help to make him grow.

He is just a cash cow that must be milked to keep the bosses happy. The road to his ‘factory ’ in Oregun which is just about a five minute drive from the Lagos State seat of government, has not been tarred since Jakande

different demands has ever reported the state of the road to the relevant department. All they want is money, money, money.

This is the cr ux of the matter.

Governments need money in form of taxes in order to improve the lives of their people. But ours are riddled with mismanagement and misplaced priorities. The most mutually beneficial initiative for any community is road construction. It is a large employer of labour and good roads benefit everyone; the rich, the poor, the farmer and the white collar workers. So why haven’t we used tax payer ’s money to link communities, villages, towns and cities with good roads?

Most importantly, how much have these governments sown from where they are planning to reap? How would my friend and people like him feel the presence of government except in the negative sense?

A close friend’s wife has spent all her working life in education and has been the Principal to three top private secondary schools in the country. Now, close

The illegal trade is booming and the road is worsening

left government. Illegal diesel dealers who pack on both sides of the road have narrowed the once wide road to a single lane. Officials, including the police, visit these illegal traders to extort not to sanction. The illegal trade is booming and the road is worsening.

There is no evidence that any of the officials who daily visit the area for

to 60, she decided to leave a legacy and set up a first class secondary school in her home State in Ogun. She and her husband sold almost everything they had to buy a large piece of land and clear it. Now the government that had been co-operative with different permits suddenly sat on the big one.

The result is that the project has been stalled for almost a year now. Think of

T

he newspaper and electronic media headlines that followed the announcement of the Minster of Youth and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalong, were oddly and uncomfortably familiar: “Buhari Appoints ‘unknown’ Dalong for Sports.”

“New Sports Minister unknown.” “Minister of sports, another square peg in a round hole.”

“Youth” has become the Esau of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. “Sports” has usurped its preeminent position. “Youth” is an orphan, nobody to pursue its case. But hawks and doves are hovering all over, “protecting” the interest of sports. Some are sincere; others are just there for selfish reasons. Unless the minister is purpose-driven, they will confuse him. He will never be able to carry everybody along because various food items. If properly there are various contending cliques. organized, farming can take millions That is why some well-known sports of interested and willing youths off the personalities keep away from the street. The youths can play a major role politics around the “sports minister.” in our drive to be self-sufficient in the For as long as I can remember, production of rice, wheat, palm oil and successive ministers of youth and other food crops. Dalong should sports have paid all the attention to collaborate with Audu Ogbeh, the “sports” and little to “ youth.” This Minister of Agriculture in this regard.

Another ministry Dalong needs to might partly be responsible for situation we find ourselves today. The collaborate with is the Niger Delta Nigerian youth faces very clear and Ministry. Currently, armed robbery, present dangers, which need urgent cultism and kidnapping reign in the Niger Delta, perpetrated mainly by solutions.

Dalong has his work cut out for him. youths. Human development must His ministry must become the engine precede physical development; Dalong room for youth development should liaise with Pastor Usani Uguru, programmes to get us out of this his counterpart in the Niger Delta quagmire. But to succeed he must Ministry, to positively engage youths interface with state governments, local in the Niger Delta. Experience has governments, which I believe should shown that it is possible.

That our educational institutions are be the hub of youth re-engineering, and other federal ministries. For in a sorry state is common knowledge. graduates have no instance, many youths are Many unemployed and need jobs. The corresponding knowledge and skills to Buhari government promised to justify their certificates. I have seen create millions of jobs per annum. graduates who cannot write a job Dalong needs to collaborate with the application letter. Some cannot write a Ministry of Labour and Employment simple and correct sentence. I even to corner a chunk of these jobs for heard, although I refused to believe, that a university graduate could not youths.

Nigeria has more than enough write his name correctly. There are arable land to feed the whole of West many small and big businesses in Africa, but we are a major importer of search of fresh blood, but they cannot

He is also minister of youth

C M Y K

get the quality they want. Some employ and retrain to meet their requirements.

Dalong has got plenty of work here.

He needs to work with the minister of education to improve the quality of our graduates.

Thank God Dalong is a former prison officer. Many of the criminals today are ex-convicts. Some go back to crime less than a month after being released. Our prisons do not reform prisoners, many come back worse. The bulk of convicts and persons awaiting trial are youths, from my prison visitation experience.

Dalong should use his knowledge of prisons to work with the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazzau, to make our prisons institutions for correction and reformation, especially of the youths.

Many youths are misguided, their value orientation is defective. They need reorientation. Dalong needs to work with the Minister of Information and Orientation, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in this regard. He also needs to work with the ministry of Women Affairs to ensure that issues concerning the girl child are in the front burner of the ministry. The girl child still lags behind her male counterparts on many fronts. He should also engage people in the culture and entertainment sector. This sector is very critical for youth development.

what a good school would do to a community; think of the cottage industries that would spin off it; think of the investments that would flow in and the revenues it would generate; think of how it would put the community on a national map. As an example, Ede was just a rural community until Queens College was established there by government and the community was transformed and its economic life boomed. Besides, given the critical state of education in the country, one would expect waivers from government not obstacles.

Four years ago, a regional investment company decided to concession a defunct newspaper title.

A colleague and childhood friend pulled all the stops to acquire it. Then the management of the investment company changed and the new management decided to investigate the concession. That was over two years ago. Meanwhile, investment climate has changed, the economy has slowed and newspaper business has become a very unfriendly venture. Yet this ‘investment company ’ thinks it is doing someone a favour. It is unfortunately, doing a disservice to its name and the region it represents. A newspaper business is a major investment that gives employment to hundreds of people directly or indirectly. When successful, it pulsates with life and vigour. But it is a business the wise go into with caution. This company should actually thank the man who is trying to give life to a dead title because as a professional, I don’t see a major advantage in the title.

Finally, this business of government and parastatal officials believing that every investor and entrepreneur is a prospective millionaire who must ‘drop something’ for them before they can be allowed to start a venture must stop. Those on the inside should encourage new ventures and not hinder them. As it is, Nigeria is one of the most difficult countries to do business and its all born out of shortsightedness caused by greed.

Governments at all levels must do something about this. They must sow more into the lives of their people if they want to reap more.

While all these are going on, he should also keep his eyes on sports, the second leg of his portfolio. Sport is a youth activity. Older people, who engage in sporting activities, only do it as a matter of life and death, i.e., to stay healthy. I see sports as one avenue to keep youths busy, reduce crime and get them off the street. For many years now, sport has been the ticket of many youths to better, fulfilling lives and escape from poverty. More youths with different talents should be discovered.

Under Dalong, sports should be one of the vehicles to solve the various problems Nigerian youths are going through. If in the process, we win laurels, enhance our international reputation and achieve other goals, fine.

The minister has been a local government chairman, so he is familiar with youths and the grass root. At 51, he is not far from the youths age-wise, so he can easily empathise with them.

His prison work would also have brought him in close contact with the youths; he should know their yearnings, aspirations and frustrations. I do not see any reason why he should not succeed if he does his job with utmost vigour and surrounds himself with the right people.

These sports “stakeholders” always want to create the impression that managing sports is rocket science. In modern day management and administration, administrators move across fields; what is most important is the ability to manage human, material and financial resources.

Cognate experience will always come on the job. One of the previous managing directors of Airtel Nigeria left a food and confectionary company headship for the Airtel job.

NB: Please, we shall resume the purposeful living series next week. I just wanted to get this off my mind.

Thanks

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

TRAVAILS OF

HID AWOLOWO

BY FEMI KEYINDE

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eter, not Peter the Apostle, but Peter, the Hero of High Walpole’s Novel entitled ‘FORTITUDE’, said “It is not life that matters, but the courage you bring to it”. It was part of Chief Obafemi Awolowo memorable speech and allocutus upon his conviction for treasonable felony, by Judge Sodeinde Sowemimo on the 23rd

of September 1963.

In the lives of Obafemi and his beloved wife-Dideolu, since December 26 1937, the most interesting potent linkage, was courage in their earthly conduct and affairs and equanimity to confront adversity with equal grace and candour.

Aside from courage, their hope in their unalterable destinies and God’s providence permeated their lives in their earthly sojourn.

Obafemi, after the death of his father- David Sopolu, in April 1920, life almost came to an abrupt halt, but with candour, grace, resilience and strong hope, he weathered the storm of life’s early troubled water.

Within a short span, after elementary education, he became a pupil teacher, class teacher, stenographer, school clerk, money lender, typist, public letter writer, transporter,

cocoa produce merchant, labour unionist, journalist, etc., before he eventually became a Lawyer in November 1946.

Alongside this troubled journey, was no other person, than his beloved wife-Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, (Nee Adelana), whom he married on the 26th of December 1937.

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SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—21

Continues from page 20 EARLY CHALLENGES Shortly after marriage and specifically on the 8th of May 1939, the economic slump of the 1930s, caught up with Obafemi’s investments in the produce buying and due to this business misadventure, which resulted to the near total collapse of his business venture, his properties had to be auctioned. His house in Ikenne fell on the auctioneer ’s hammer for 40 Pounds and his Chevrolet Car fell for 25 Pounds. His wearing apparels, did not also escape the auctioneer ’s hammer.

Surprisingly, Obafemi was at this auction sale and this, took buyers, some of whom were his friends, off guards and they had to hurriedly leave the auction venue.

When fortune smiled back at him, he was able to repossess some of these properties at added prices.

This initial misfortune, was enough to throw off a young marriage of about two years, but Hannah, like Obafemi, was also made of sterner stuff. Between this period, they started to raise their children and Segun came in on the 21st of January 1939.

Having realized this early challenge, Hannah quickly took to business enterprise, following her motherMadam Elizabeth Oyeshile and her grand-motherChief Adebowale Oyegunle, who were successful female traders in Ikenne and she made instant success.

Obafemi and Dideolu’s initial difficulty was how to raise a sum of 1400 Pounds, to enable him, proceed to the United Kingdom, for a Law degree, having earlier obtained the B.Comm London Certificate, by Correspondence in February 1945.

Their initial resolve, to borrow money from a very notable business man, a sum of 1400 Pounds, free of interest for 12 years did not elicit a response or acknowledgment. It is however interesting to note that the condition attached to the loan, could naturally not excite a shrewd business man to warrant positive response.

However, mother luck smiled on Obafemi, when he was awarded a contract, towards the end of 1943, to supply the Army Unit base in Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta and Kaduna, with Yam and Yam Flour. The profit from this enterprise, together with little assistance from close friends, was sufficient to sustain Obafemi in the United Kingdom for two years and it was now the lots of Hannah, to shoulder the financial responsibility at the home front, during Obafemi’s studies in the UK, between 1944-1946. This prompted Obafemi, to say that “ with my wife on my side, it has been possible for us to weather all financial

Awo with his family

OBAFEMI TURNS CELEBATE FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH storms”. She adequately took care of the home front, with five children, the oldest of whom was five and the youngest of whom arrived four months, after Obafemi’s departure to the UK. As a crowning glory, Awolowo was called to the Bar on the 18th of November 1946, as a member of the Honourary Society of the Inner Temple and thus marked the end of a dark period and the beginning of another crowning light.

Obafemi had a lucrative practice, between 1947-1951, with annual income of about 4300 Pounds. He was in the course of his advocacy career described as a “terrible cross-examiner ” in the popular case of Memudu Lagunju v Olubadan-in- Council & Ors. It is equally interesting to note, that Ayodele and Tokunbo Awolowo, attended a Demonstration school, near their home in Ibadan, whilst Segun had been earlier sent to Agbeni Methodist School, the same school, attended by Awolowo’s house boyJoseph.

Despite being the wife of the Premier, Dideolu, carried on her business as a prominent textile merchant, from her popular Awolowo corner in Gbagi Ibadan. She was the first trader to import lace materials in 1956, when she also became a major distributor of Nigerian Tobacco Company.

She was also a major

distributor for Coca-Cola products. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, as Premier of Western Region, carried on business of Government from his Oke-bola residence and did not live in official quarters and he also shunned the use of official car and the use of siren to his office.

Despite her serious business commitments, she made sure that Awolowo’s dinner and dining table, remained another veritable avenue, for political and intellectual discourse.

As Obafemi’s loyal, amiable consult, wife, friend and soul mate, she was equally close to Obafemi’s trusted aides and friends, like- Dr Akinola Maja, Adebayo Doherty, Samuel Shonibare, Alfred Rewani, Chief S.O Gbadamosi, FRA Williams, S.O Awokoya, Olanihun Ajayi, Adekunle Ajasin and Ayo Adebanjo. Obafemi could not suffer fools gladly and was always in the midst of intellectuals, because according to him, “only the deep can call the deep”.

OBAFEMI TURNS CELEBATE FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH Obafemi, for the last 39 years of his life kept a celibate life (no womanizing, no alcohol, etc., purely for spiritual edification and growth).

However, another dark eclipse came,

Awolowo

Despite her serious business commitments, she made sure that Awolowo’s dinner and dining table, remained another veritable avenue, for political and intellectual discourse

when Obafemi Awolowo left office, as Premier of the Western Region in 1959, after an uninterrupted governance for 8 years and became leader for the opposition in the Federal Parliament in 1960. HID’S CLASH WITH FADERERA AKINTOLA The first major clash, easily referred to as the “Coca-Cola Crisis”, came up between, Hannah, as wife of the outgoing Premier and Faderera, as wife of the incoming Premier- Samuel Ladoke Akintola. Dideolu, as wife of the Premier and also a family friend of the AG Leventis, the owner of Coca-Cola, enjoyed the patronage of the Coca-Cola bottling company as its major distributor, since 1956.

Faderera, wife of the new Premier, insisted that Mama should relinquish the distributorship to her and Dideolu felt insulted by this request. It is a striking coincidence, that the two women, Hannah and Faderera, were equally strong and had very strong influence on their husbands. Faderera Akintola, Nee Awomolo, from Igbajo in the Ijesha speaking town of Yoruba land, trained as a Nurse at the Baptist Mission Hospital Ogbomosho, when Ladoke was at the Baptist College Ogbomosho, from where they started a

Continues on page 22

•Chief S L Akintola

22—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

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HID’S RUNS DURING AWO’S RESTRICTION

blossoming relationship, which led to marriage in 1935. Faderera, like her policeman father, was a woman with strong views.

Whilst the Awolowos, had lived the better part of their life in Ibadan, the Akintolas lived in Lagos since 1930, when Ladoke was a school teacher at the Baptist Academy in Lagos , between 1930-1942, from where he moved to the Railway as Clerk and later became Editor of the National Service Newspaper, Lagos, owned by Akinola Maja, who also established National Bank in 1933. From the editorship of this newspaper, Akintola also proceeded to the UK, where he also qualified as a lawyer in 1949. When Akintola became Premier of Western Region in 1960, there was no Premier ’s lodge, because Awolowo never lived in one. A dingy and rusty colonial house, was located at Iyaganku and refurbished as Premier ’s lodge, where Akintola lived as Premier Western Region, until he was killed in the same Premiers Lodge on the 15th of January 1966, during a military coup.

Faderera too, was also a strong business woman and there was a mutual antagonism and recrimination between her and HID. They were of varied background and idiosyncrasies.

Initially, they tried to tolerate this relationship and they were sufficiently close. Shortly after becoming Premier, Samuel Ladoke Akintola sent his daughter-Abimbola, to the UK, to study Medicine. As evidence of initial amity, the young lady was seen off by both Faderera and Mama HID, who generously gave the girl 50 Pounds Sterling and also arranged that she should be met jointly at Liverpool, by Yomi,-Akintola’s son and Segun,Awolowo’s son. However, as a result of the political travails that started in 1960 and traverses 1966, the centre could no longer hold between the Awolowos and Akintolas family.

The period between 1960-1966 were period of great political dispersers, intrigues, power play, wicked imaginations, subterfuge, innuendos and hatred. In the heat of this, Obafemi and his wife were great targets.

Obafemi regarded the period between 1962-1966, as a period of “fears and howling storms” and that apart from the innumerable mental agony in silence, it was also according to Obafemi, a “four year long journey through the dark and dreary tunnel”.

AWOLOWO’S SPARTAN LIFE Obafemi, lived a Spartan disciplined life. In a Press Clip on Awolowo’s 45th Birthday, in the Daily Service of 3rd March 1954, editor and columnist, Bisi Onabanjo, alias Ayekoto wrote: “Mr Awolowo, leader of the AG Government in the west will be 45 on Saturday, March 6. I understand he does not normally celebrate his birthday elaborately. It is usually limited to his immediate family, and as a rule, he always like to have the day to himself and rarely receives visitors. But on Saturday, there may be a break with the normal practice. He is bound to receive visitors and if there will be no celebration, it is likely that iced water

Ahmadu Bello, all of whom were great pioneers and pathfinders of Nigeria’s Independence, should be properly accorded their rights of place in the Independence Anniversary.

Sir Abubakar apologised for this indiscretion, but despite this apology, Awolowo was equally shabbily treated, when he was dumped alongside his wife-Mama Dideolu, to an obscure corner of the independence anniversary ceremony ’s venue in Lagos and was seated amongst ExService men, including Sir John Rankine and his wife.

Sir John Rankine was immediate predecessor in office of Sir Adesoji Aderemi, as Governor of the Western Region. He came all the way from the UK, on the invitation of the Federal Government.

Sir Abubakar, who noticed this breach, apologised again to Awolowo and his wife and left him, but nevertheless, the official usher also sat Awolowo and his wife among Ambassadors from African countries. They actually ,sat near the Ghanian High Commissioner. It was a brewing storm.

•AWO's MAUSOLEUM where Chief Mrs. HID Awolowo will be buried beside her husband. PHOTO BY WUNMI AKINOLA

Awolowo’s first taste of the emergency rule, was the restriction order placed on him by the Administrator of the Western RegionDr. Majekodunmi, restricting him to a mosquito infested Government Rest houseLekki Pennisula

and orange squash will be served. Mr. Awolowo himself is a teetotaler ”.

Since 1951, when Obafemi contested election to the House of Assembly in Ikenne, and all through the first and second Republics, in rain and or sunshine, they were always together and Mama at the soap box, in the Second Republic, will always, lead the Party orchestra with Late Hurbert Ogunde, to sing the UPN’s Anthem, composed by Awolowo- “it is a duty that we owe, to our great dear motherland, to enhance her and to boost her in the eyes of all the world. Egalitarianism, is our natiomal watch word, equality of good fortune and to all each sure reward. Up, Up Nigeria and take thy rightful place, it is thy birth right and thy destiny, Africa’s leading light to be”.

THE BREWING STORM On the 30th of September 1960, the eve of Nigeria’s Independence, the Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa invited Awolowo, leader

•Tafawa Balewa

of the opposition, for a meeting for 7’O clock, in his official residence in Lagos.

He left Ibadan for Lagos the same afternoon and was in the Prime Minister ’s residence at 6.45pm prompt.

Mr Odukale, the Prime Minister ’s Private Secretary, told the visiting Awolowo, that he could not see the Prime Minister, despite the invitation. Awolowo left for the Ikeja VIP Rest House and at about 9pm, the Prime Minister rang him to express his apology and offered to come over to Ikeja to see the former Premier.

Awolowo seized the opportunity of the visit, to express his dismay, that he was being relegated in the scheme of things relating to Nigeria’s Independence, of which he was one of its architects and that the likes of Ernest Ikoli, Oba Akinsanya (Odeme of Ishera), H.O Davis, himself, Dr Nnamdi Azikwe and

•Nnamdi Azikwe

•Ahmadu Bello

FG PROBES AWOLOWO On the 16th of June 1962, the Federal Government, set up the Coker Commission of Enquiry to probe the Awolowo Government, headed by Justice G.B.A Coker, to probe six statutory boards in the Western Region. This was sequence to the (Emergency powers, statutory corporation, regulation Act), hurriedly passed by the parliament.

On the 29th May 1962, the Parliament also passed Emergency Rule Act, for Western Region with Dr. M.A Majekodunmi, as the Administrator of the Western Region.

HID’S RUNS DURING AWO’S RESTRICTION Awolowo’s first taste of the emergency rule, was the restriction order placed on him by the Administrator of the Western Region-Dr. Majekodunmi, restricting him to a mosquito infested Government Rest houseLekki Pennisula. The condition in Lekki was so abysmal and appalling. The accommodation was enough to break Awolowo and his wife’s spirit. Biodun FaladeAwolowo’s indefatigable private secretary, a very resourceful person, ran errands for Awolowo between Epe and Lekki. Awolowo had no choice. Mama Dideolu suffered this travail in Lekki without qualms. To ease communication and movement of people between Epe and Lekki, Awolowo had to buy a speed boat on the of 21st June 1962, to run errands between Lekki and Epe every morning and every other time to assist

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SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—23

Buhari with HID

Jonathan with HID

Obasanjo with HID

Osibanjo with HID

Continues from page 22 Mama in replenishing supply of foods and provisions. It was a gruesome experience to Obafemi and his wife.

Mr Lynn, an Irish, was an unusual police officer. He was the Chief Police Detective, specifically deployed to humiliate, harass and embarrass Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his wife and perhaps cow them to submission.

Lynn was the officer who placed Awolwo and his wife on house arrest at his No 7 Bell Avenue, the official residence of the Leader of the Opposition.

HID ALERTS AWO ON HIS ARREST As an harbinger of bad news, he came again to arrest Awolowo for treasonable felony.

When he came, Mama had quickly alerted Awolowo“Baba segun, okunrin o ni jan gbon ye tun ti de o” (Baba Segun, the troublesome man is here again).

Awolowo was formally arraigned before Justice Sowemimo and as already scripted, refused bail and sent him to Broad Street Prison.

Mama asked Awolowo “ why are they doing all these things to us”? Mama followed Awolowo to the prison gate, with a head unbowed. She came back to the prison much later in the day to bring Awolowo’s four requested books. Throughout Awo’s stay in Broad street

prison, Mama Dideolu never missed a day visit to the prison yard.

AWO GOES TO JAIL AWO’S ROCK OF GIBRATA Mama was solid as the rock of Gibralta, in times of triumphs and tribulations.

During Awolowo’s treasonable trial, Segun Awolowo, his eldest son was killed in a tragic motor accident on the 10th of July 1963 on his way to Lagos from Ibadan, to defend his father, as one of the counsels in the

treasonable felony case.

Awolowo had earlier, heard about this ugly news on his transistor radio.

Awolowo was later relocated to the Calabar Prison, from where he was eventually released in August 1966 by General Yakubu Gowon, who made him the Minister of Finance and the Vicechairman of the Federal Executive Council.

For the period Awolowo was in prison, both at Broad Street and Calabar, it was a soul that was split-one in prison and the other outside of prison weathering the storm and tide, to preserve Awolowo’s enduring legacies.

On the 21st of September 1962, Mr. Lynn, the Irish police officer came again, for the umpteenth time, to search the Awolowo’s official residence Ikoyi, Lagos. He found on the table, the sum of

Awolowo was formally arraigned before Justice Sowemimo and as already scripted, refused bail and sent him to Broad Street Prison

in Ijebu Ode, he saw Bisi Onabanjo, then, Governor of Ogun state, as an easy prey, dipped his hand into Onabanjos pocket, but could not find anything, but rather, Onabanjo caught his hand and retorted –”it is not easy to pick money from an Ijebu man”.

Despite Awolowo’s conviction, Mr. Lynn came again to Awolowo’s residence in Oke-bola Ibadan, on the 30th June 1964 to search the house for the 21st time. Lynn had said “Mrs. Awolowo, we have come to search your house once again”. It was a traumatic experience.

about 2,000Pounds and a letter addressed to Pandit Nehru, who was to come to Nigeria on the 23rd of September 1962 on an official visit. He found them as subversive . Awolowo resented this misuse of power, to regard Nigerian currency notes and a letter to Pandit Nehru as subversive documents. After much protests and resistance, Mr. Lynn, returned back the money and letter.

Obafemi was a thorough bred Ijebu man. In parenthesis, a pick pocket, at an event, during the Second Republic, at a public function,

AWO GOES TO JAIL Awolowo, popularly called (Baba Layinka) by the Yorubas and who could be ranked with the likes of Mustafa Kemal Attarturk of Turkey, who laid the foundations for modern Turkey in the 1920s, Mahatma Ghandithe pathfinder of India and his able son in law and Prime Minister of India-Pandit Nehru, was hurled to jail in Black Maria- a lorry used for common criminals to complete his demystification, public ridicule and humiliation, upon his conviction.

Mama begat five childrenOlusegun (1939), Omotola (1940), Oluwole (1942), Ayodele (1944), Tokunbo (1948), but in later life, lost Ayodele (Mrs. Shoyede) a barrister at law and

later Oluwole (the unbreakable).

Chief Awolowo attributes three factors for his success in life namely: the grace of God, his spartan self-discipline and his good wife. Awolowo died on the 9th May, 1987 and but for his exit, this unique marriage would have celebrated 50 years of marital bliss on the 26th of December 1987. After all, the immortal sage, was not wrong, when he described Mama Dideolu, as “a jewel of inestimable value”.

Mama, despite high and low moments, in the vicissitudes and journey of life, travails, labyrinths of unexplored mines, detractors and traducers, still kept her faith, joyful and unbroken spirit, fortitude, forbearance and endurance,

until she joined the saints triumphant on the 19th of September 2015; and what a joyful passage, at almost 100years! Mama will be laid to rest this week. Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, may your clan continue to increase!

Hon (Barr) Femi Kehinde Former Member, House of Representatives National Assembly Abuja, representing Ayedire/Iwo/ Ola-Oluwa Federal Constituency of Osun State, (1999-2003) & Principal Partner Femi Kehinde & Co (Solicitors) 84, Iwo Road, Ibadan.

24 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

By KEHINDE AJOSE 08054680266

Top Nigerian artistes stay away from AFRIMA 2015 •See their likely reasons

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he All African Music Awards,AFRIMA, which held last Sunday, at the prestigious Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, is living up to its billing as a continental musical event.

Many of the continent’s most-respected hit-makers were on hand to be celebrated for their crafts, and also to network with one another at the event. A lot of media personalities, show promoters, actors and comedians were in attendance. It was indeed a convivial atmosphere.

However, despite the impressive turn-out of music stars, many nominees from the host-country, Nigeria were conspicuously absent at the event. Of course, their action set tongues wagging. But ironically, most of the nominees that stayed away from the event did not win awards in their respective

categories.

Some of the absentees were Wande Coal, Nneka, Timaya, Patoranking, Davido, Wizkid, P-Square, Seyi Shay, among others. Though Flavour and Yemi Alade won awards, they were also absent at the event.

Meanwhile, Praiz who picked the award for Best RnB and Soul told Showtime before the commencement of the show that he was at the event to pick up his award.

According to him, the only thing he was looking forward to, was climbing the stage to receive his pricless award. The expression in his face, left one wondering whether he knew before-hand that he was going to win the award.

Clarence Peters storms out in anger?

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n what is gradually becoming a trend among Nigerian entertainers, where they have to walk out of awards ceremonies unannounced after it becomes clear that they would not smile home with any award. This ugly trend played out at this year’s AFRIMA. Talented video director, Clarence Peters, was obviously not pleased that he did not pick the laurel for the Video of the Year in Africa even though he was nominated twice in the same category. He breezed out of the hall shortly after the winner of the category, Wiyaala of Ghana was announced. He was spotted close to the entrance of the expansive Eko Convention Centre venue of the show, wearing a tall look and feeling somewhat disappointed.

He kept on walking ahead with a straight face, and it would have been evident even to Stevie Wonder that he wasn’t in a cheerful mood at that point. It should be recalled that Wizkid too stormed out of the same venue last year at the Headies awards when he did not win any prize.

Olamide gives lucky female fan gold wristwatch

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BNL honcho and ‘Awon Goons Mi’ rapper, Olamide has come a long way from the slim (even hungrylooking) Bariga boy that we met in the ‘Eni Duro’ video of 2010. He has sold millions of records and performed before millions of adulating fans Indeed, he has had a good career, and he is the favourite of

many.

At his concerts, many fans sing along with him and they’re always so excited to see him. The lyricist who clinched AFRIMA’s Album of the Year award in 2014 was also at this year’s edition of the ceremony. He picked up the award for Best Male Artiste in Western Africa, and he also closed the show with his performance.

Dressed in a brown native attire, he took the

mesmerised audience through a medley of his hitsongs, and at the end of his performance, he slipped off his gold wristwatch and threw it into the crowd. A light-skinned girl was the lucky recipient as the watch fell right beside her seat even though hundreds of people scrambled with her for it.

‘I love you Olamide.

Thanks for this; I would cherish it,’ the excited girl screamed.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 — 25

By TOFARATI IGE 08068792241

Azonto, Alanta, skelewu time on Top 1155 trending music Glo's Dance with Peter and videos of the week

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he excitement on Glosponsored Dance with Peter reality T.V show will continue today with a focus on 'Afrobeat Street Challenge'.“It promises to be an exciting episode at 7 p.m. tonight on Africa Magic Urban (Channel 153) as trending African street dance steps such as Azonto, Alanta, Skelewu, Galala, Sekem, Shakiti and many others will be on display. The housemates will be required to perform these dance steps choosing any African music.“ The 15 dancers in the academy were tutored by the three judges comprising dance choreographer Don Flexx, dance queen Kaffy and Peter Okoye of PSquare. Team Flexx is made up of MX, Yemi, Kevin, T-Rubber, Nekky and G-Extreme; Team Kaffy has Paulette, Messiah, Julius Faktah and Amazing Amy, while Team Peter comprises CFly, Miracle, T-Jay, Da Octopus

1. Cynthia Morgan -Asampo German Juice crooner, Cynthia Morgan returns with new tune titled Asampo.The song is produced by E-Kelly 2. Simi- Open and Close Talented singer, Simi unveils her new song titled Open and Close. The song is a blend of pop and Fuji. The video for the song is directed by Mex. 3. Yemi Sax- What do you mean?

*Miracle and Bobby Blankson.“Afro hip hop artiste and Glo ambassador, Burna Boy, is expected to feature as Guest Judge.“Viewers and members of the audience who have won prizes in the voting and Trivia games will be announced and presented with their prizes.

The prizes include iPhones, Glo Mifi, Modems, recharge cards

and cash.“Globacom in a statement released from its headquarters in Lagos, urged viewers to tune in to the show on Africa Magic Urban on Saturday night and African Independent Television (AIT) on Sunday at 5pm to watch the show.

Omawunmi, Ruby and Praiz catch the ‘Hello’ fever

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evered music icon Adele, reintroduced herself into the music scene with her new song “Hello” on the 23rd of October. Without batting an eyelid, the song became an instant hit, reaching number one status in various countries especially in the United Kingdom where it became her number one song after, Someone like you.

At the home front, Nigerian artistes are catching the Hello fever doing their own unique versions of the song. Self proclaimed wonder woman, Omawunmi was the first to jump on this train.

She decides to take a totally different route by doing a reggae version of the song. In her typical style, she starts the song on a soulful note and then switches to reggae. She doesn’t fail to serenade in the song with her vocal dexterity and voice texture.

Sean Tizzle in his tweet said that Omawunmi’s cover of the song is better than that of Adele.

Chocolate City ’s songtress Ruby Gyang also recently unveiled her own version of the song. Her version has a lot of similarities with the original version- striking, persuasive

and soulful. Ruby clearly shows that she isn’t here to joke, as she puts the whole of her heart in this cover. Her version elicits goosebumps when you listen to it, travelling from one pitch to another ultimately convincing the listener that music is where she reigns. After listening to Ruby ’s version, a fan wrote this:”Omo see vocals! Where have you been Ruby?”

Rich and F a m o u s sensation, Praiz also tries his vocals on Hello.

H i s adaptation starts with a piano and then a violin follows thereafter. He shows off his vocal control and also attempts to sing in falsetto. One of his fans puts it this way: “This did nothing for me.

Absolutely nothing. He has a good voice but this *Omawunmi was not it. He could have done better.”

Yemi Sax, Nigeria’s smooth jazz crooner returns with a new album and a new song. He unveils the jazz version of Justin Bieber’s What do you mean and also Adele’s cover of Hello.

4. DJ Ruud featuring Sean Tizzle and Blaq Jerzey- Hold up DJ Ruud presents this groovy sound titled Hold up. The song features Sean Tizzle and Blaq Jerzey.Its also produced by Blaq Jerzey 5. Wande Coal- Iyawo mi Wande Coal unveils this love song off his album titled Iyawo mi. The song is produced by J-Fem 6. AKA featuring Fifi Cooper, Moozlie, Gigi Lamayne and Rouge- Baddest AKA releases the long anticipated female version of the song Baddest.He collaborates with hip-hop artistes like Fifi, Moozlie, Gigi and Rouge.

7. Belynda - Regga Juju Reggae Juju is a highlife song by Belynda.The song is a reply to Harry Song’s Reggae Blues. This might just be Belynda’s attempt to join the league of music heavy weights in Nigeria 8. Blink featuring Yung L- Day One Grip Muzik artiste, Blink unveils his new song titled Day One. He collaborates with Yung L in this tune. The song is produced

by Leriq 9. Oga Silachi - Leona Oga Silachi releases the video of his new song titled Leona.The video is directed by Roarin Lion and tells the love story we can all relate to. Love can be discovered when we least expect it and Silachi shows that with Leona 10. Small Doctor featuring Olamide - You Know Afro pop artiste, Small Doctor collaborates with Olamide on this groovy song titled You Know. The song is produced by Jay Pizzle 11. Terry G - Totori Gingah your swagger sensation, Terry G unveils the video of his song titled Totori.The visuals is directed by Walexy Pictures.

12 Magnito featuring Phyno - Hoha Magnito releases the video of his song Hoha.He collaborates with Phyno in the song. The video is directed by Mattmaxx 13. Brymo - In the city Brymo unveils the video for the song titled In the city. The song is a soundtrack for the movie No good turn. The movie is a story about a gruesome Boko Haram attack that destroyed a police station and market in a small town in the Northern Nigeria.

The movie features Nobert Young, Waje and more.

14. Olumix – Gbagbe Oshi Olumix releases the video of his Afropop song Gbagbe Oshi.The video is directed by Salaski.

15. VVIP featuring Samini -Dogo Yaro Ghanaian pop stars VVIP drops the video of their song titled Dogo Yaro joint titled .They collaborate with Samini on this song.

The video is directed by Pascal Aka

26 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

Night of stars as AFRIFF ends in grand style

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fter a week-long line up of activities, this year’s edition of the prestigious Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF, ended last Saturday with a call on the practitioners in the film sector in Africa to use their crafts to sell Africa to the rest of the world. The closing ceremony for the festival started on Friday evening with the screening of the film, Road to Yesterday, starring Genevieve Nnaji and actor Oris Erhuero among others. Genevieve Nnaji, who stars as the conflicted wife, Victoria Udoka, called the closing night gala “an honour” as she graced the red carpet at Genesis Deluxe Cinema alongside co-stars Oris Erhuero, Chioma ‘Chigul’ Omeruah, and Ebele Okaro as well as the film’s director and co-writer Ishaya Bako.

Bako, whose series of highly acclaimed festival favourites, including the award winning “Braids on a Bald Head” said it is “amazing” to be given the honour to close the festival.

He said: “AFRIFF is a very important part of our industry.

Nigerians are great producers of film so I’m thrilled that our movie was given such an honour.” The festival heightened activities at Eko Hotels and Suites, Silverbird Galleria, Genesis Deluxe, and City Mall, all in Victoria Island had screened 180 movies, staged several industry sessions and provided workshops of all kinds for filmmakers from 35 African countries and 25 non-African countries who converged on Lagos. The curtain was brought down on Saturday with a starstudded awards night which held at the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The awards ceremony started with a presentation to notable Nigerian music video director,

*Hon. Desond Elliot C M Y K

*Genevieve Nnaji with other celebrities at the event

*Clarence Peters receiving his award at the event Clarence Peters, who the Special jury prize for his first short film, Hex. But the Short film award was clinched by Cameroonian filmmaker, Christa Eka Assam, for her latest work entitled Alma.

Assam who said she has been attending the festival in the last three years was full of praise for the jury and organizers of the festival for providing a platform to prove herself. Clarence too, felt good that the jury recognized his effort as a first-time filmmaker to have earned the Special Recognition award. While thanking his cast and crew, he dedicated the award to his mum, Clarion Chukwura, saying, “I want to dedicate this award to my mum because without her I won’t be here today.” Following Peters’ Special Recognition Award by the jury was a Nigerian filmmaker, Tolu Ajayi who also got a Special Mention by the jury for his film, “The Encounter.”The ovation was loudest when Fevers by Moroccan filmmaker, Hicham Ayouch won the overall Best Film.

Other films that won awards were "Silent Tears" by Ishaya Bako (Audience Choice Awards), "Legacy of Rubies" by Ebele Okoye(Best Animation),

*Cobhams Asuquo

*Chioma Ude, CEO, AFRIFF with Wangi Mba Uzoukwu, Regional Director, MNet Africa Magic.

"Joy" by Solomon Onita Jr. (Best Student Short Film), "E18hteam"

by Juan Rodriguez-Briso (Best Documentary), Reflections by Desmond Elliot (Oronto Douglas Award for Best Nigerian Film) and The Price of

Love (Best Screenplay) In the individual categories, Raja Amari won Best Director, while South African actors; Charlie Vundla and Fulu Makhovami won Best Actor and Best Actress for their roles in Cuckold Ayanda respectively. The night was also spiced with music performances by Cobhams Asuquo and Timi Dakolo.

While Cobhams performed ‘Cock Crow At Dawn’ originally sang by Bongos Ikwe, Timi Dakolo started off with Cry, in memory of the late patron of AFRIFF and Special Adviser on Research and Documentation to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Oronto Douglas, before performing Wish Me Well to the delight of audience.

The jurors who also got a loud ovation from the crowd include Pedro Pimenta, Soheir Abdel Kader, Prof Hyginus Ekwuazi, Teddy Mattera, Dr

Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, Dapo Oshiyemi, SergeArmand Kouami Noukoue and th Asha Lovelace. AFRIFF’s 5 edition kicked off last Sunday with the premiere of Mediterranea by Jonas Carpignano. There were also industry sessions where practitioners jaw-jawed on the way forward as well as training sessions for student filmmakers. The awards night was graced by the who is who in Nollywood. Leading the stars on the night was Genevieve Nnaji and Hilda Dokubo. Others were Dakore Egbuson Akande, Ini Edo, Ugeze.U.Ugeze, Kunle Afolayan, Tope Tedela, Toke Makinwa, Toni Tones, Rita Dominic, Mildred Okwo, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Grace Oboba Edwin-Okon, O. C. Ukeje, Ramsey Nuoah, Igwe Gabosky, Charles Novia, and Kemi Lala Akindoju among others.

Asiegbu, Duru drum support for premature babies N

OLLYWOOD stars Ejike Asiegbu and Francis Duru on Tuesday, celebrated this year’s World Prematurity Day, in Abuja.

The renowned actors, Ambassadors of LittleBigSouls International Charitable Foundation, took time out to present gifts to locals as well as celebrate the foundation’s partnership with Natus.

LittleBigSouls International Charitable Foundation, with its Jaundice Program raising an audible voice in South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Globally to honour the million babies that die each year.

Asiegbu in a statement said, Mrs. Yvonne Igweh. CEO/ Founder of LittleBigSouls was proud to announce its partnership with Natus, the •Emem Isong of medical leading provider

devices, software and services for newborn babies.

“This vital impact in the survival and care of babies affected by jaundice is evident in the charitable donation by LittleBigSouls and Natus of the Non-invasive Jaundice/Bilirubin meter(Bilicare) and a Phototherapy light (NeoBlue) to Dora Nginza Hospital in Port Elizabeth on Friday 6th of November 2015 by Mr. Dale Isacks, Natus International Regional Director Middle East and Africa and Mrs Anna Smith, LittleBigSouls International South Africa Co-ordinator and Representative,” Asiegbu said, adding that “jaundice occurs in over 60 per cent of newborn babies and especially affects pre-term babies who may have immature livers and other existing underlying problems, and may

•Duru not be easily visible on a baby’s skin until levels are exceedingly high. Thus early detection and treatment is vital to prevent complications such as brain damage. The need to be vigilant for jaundice has to be incredibly high immediately from birth.”

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 — 27

I have kissed over 200 actresses on set— Jim Iyke •Why I started ‘Jim Iyke Unscripted’

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•Jimi Iyke

ollywood bad boy, Jimi Iyke can’t stop being controversial.

During the week, the actor openly kissed actress Joselyn Dumas on a live show,and went ahead to confess that he has kissed not less than 200 actresses while on various movie sets.

He was a Special Guest on AfricaMagic programme which was anchored by Joselyn Dumas. Responding to a question on why he had to kiss Nadia Buari, upon the latter’s arriving Dubai during the last season of his reality TV show, Jim Iyke Unscripted, the controversial actor said, he has a habit of

kissing women openly, including his sisters. He narrated a situation where he had to kiss three European ladies who accompanied his girl friend to the airport to welcome him, during one of his foreign trips, adding that he doesn’t see anything wrong with it.

As if that is not enough, Jim Iyke painted another scenario, where he had to kiss four actresses in the presence of their boy friends. “I have once kissed them on set, and so, when walked into the room where two of them were with their boy friends, I kissed them

Iyke Odife set to wed star of his Igbo movie P

roducer of the wave-making Igbo movie, Primitive, which recounts the horrible story of how the early Christians faced prosecution in the hands of the primitive Igbo natives back in the days, Iyke Odife has finalized plans to walk down the aisle with the actress that played the lead character in that movie called, Anita Amaka Okere.

Amaka played the role of Eluma, the evil girl that brought nightmares, woes and grief to her people in the movie which was set in 1912 or thereabout in a primitive community of Abame.

In chat with HVP, Iyke revealed that their traditional and white wedding ceremonies will hold the same day on the 5th of December, in Asaba and his bride-to-be home town, Amaobia, in Awka, Anambra State respectively.

Iyke described the love of his life, as “a sensible woman” adding that “ I am complete as a man with her. “ He said, Amaka was there for him, when every other person abandoned him. Narrating how he met her, Iyke said, about 6 years ago, she came to Asaba to pursue a career in acting. When I saw her I advised to go back to

school because she was too young then. She heed to my advice and went back to school. After that period, I didn’t set my eyes on her until about four years ago, when I ran into her again.

So, when I lost my father two years ago, she was there for me. Even when every other person abandoned me but she didn’t. She stood by me and comforted me. That’s why I have decided to spent the rest of my life with her.”

•Iyke and Wife

one after the other and their boy friends were mad at me.

I have also kissed over 200 actresses on set and nobody is talking about it,” he enthused.

He, however, declined to comment on his relationship with Nadia Buari. But there are indications that the two unconfirmed love-birds may be hitting your TV screens again for the second season of Jim Iyke Unscripted. Jim disclosed that the reality show will soon hit the screens again.

Explaining the idea behind the show, Jim Iyke said, he needed to present a true picture of who he is, to the world. “I have to be introspective. Many times, a lot of negative things have been said about me in the media. It is not basically about what they say about you, it is about you believing in yourself. The first thing is, what I believe in, and what people say about me is secondary. I have always been particular about paparazzi. I was very sceptical to allow cameras into my life, into my home and family. The argument was superior ; it was like all these years everybody has different opinions about you.

Why don’t you give them a clear picture of who you are.

So I decided to start the TV reality show,”Jim Iyke explained.

Jim Iyke Unscripted debuted in 2013, on Dstv showcasing the uncut life style of the actor .The series which ran for 13 weeks presented the other side of the controversial actor.

Wale Ojo, Uru Eke set for Voiceless Scream

By ANOZIE EGOLE

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Uru Eke C M Y K

eteran Nollywood actor, Wale Ojo, and actress Uru Eke are set to feature in a new blockbuster movie titled “Voiceless Scream”.

The movie which is produced Yinka Adewale, and directed by Dotun Taylor, reflects everyday encounter of child abuse, homosexual, kidnapping and diseases.

The movie resolves around Eva Ketiku who was kidnapped at the age of six and she eventually regained freedom from her abductors after three years in the black house of torture, pain, rape etc. At twenty five, she was in a psychiatric hospital as a schizophrenia patient. The psychologist,

Dr Lorine Ovie, knew Eva’s case was caused by her father and she had every reason to suspect her father.

Speaking on the yet-to-be shot movie, the director, Dotun Taylor, said he wants people to see the world from the standpoint of an abused child. “ I want people to see the world from the mind of an abused person.

We are going to do what nobody has ever done before in the Nigerian movie industry as we are planning to shoot the movie in a psychiatric hospital. We are expecting much creativity in this movie, different peiople from different areas who are going to play the mind of sick people. We need people to know that domestic violence and child abuse is real and it happens almost on daily

basis” “We are advising that mothers should pay attention to their kids and kids also should learn how to say their mind. The government also has a role to play in this case. Thye should try as much as possible to give the kids an opportunity to speak out. The victim and the abuser need to be counselled because you find out that at the end of the day, if care is not taken, the victim grows up to be an abuser,”. He said Other acts that are featuring in the blockbuster include, singer turned actress, Shaffy Bello, Niyi Johnson, Micheal Bassey, Yemi Sholade, Yinka Adewale, Titilope Oludipe(script writer) among others.

28 — SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

By TOFARATI IGE

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escribing Bolanle Ninalowo as a hunk of a man is tantamount to belabuoring the obvious. With bulging biceps, a handsome face and the kind of smile that can make a lady go weak on her knees, it isn’t surprising that Nino B, as he is sometimes called, is now seen as Nollywood’s newest Sex Symbol. In this interesting chat with Showtime Celebrity, he speaks on his career, his relationship with Yvonne Jegede, and sundry issues. Excerpts…

Why did you decide to pursue a career in showbiz?

I have a Bachelor ’s Degree in Accounting from Denver University in Chicago. I also have a Master ’s Degree in Marketing and Branding from Keller Graduate School of Management, also in Chicago. Right from when I was a child, I’ve always been into entertainment. I remember I used to love dancing as a child and I was always attending parties with my mom and siblings. I used to partake in dancing competitions, and most of the time, I smiled home with the prize.

I spent 20 years of my life in America and I was always fascinated with the lifestyles of entertainers. So, I did a lot of studies on their success stories.

I’ve always wanted to ascertain what moves me as a person. But it was indisputable that entertainment moves me. I can’t do without interacting with people. So, entertainment for me, is a channel to connect with the whole world.

Why did you decide to come back to Nigeria?

I’ve always believed in the African dream. You know, I was living in America and seeing how the blacks over there achieve the American dream. I was motivated by their success stories. However, it was more important for me to be successful in my own country as a Nigerian rather than as an African in diaspora.

Are you an American citizen?

Yes, I’m a citizen of America.

So what actually inspired your decision to return home when most people are longing to travel to Europe and America in search of greener pastures?

I must say I was influenced by a lot of successful people. I wouldn’t be where I am today without being motivated by the success of other people who inspired me. Though, people may have different opinions, I believe there are opportunities here for one to make it in life than we have in America. Certainly, by the grace of God, I’m succeeding in Nigeria. Just like Banky W, Tiwa Savage, D’banj, among others who returned home to live their dreams.

Were you working in the US before you decided to return home, and how did your folks react to your decision?

I’d been working in America since I was 15 years. The last work I did in C M Y K

I relax with Y — Bo

the US was as an Accountant. I stopped all these because I realized that discovering myself was more important than anything else. On how my folks reacted to my decision; the biggest mistake of my life was allowing other people’s judgment about my life to affect me. It would never happen to me again. I’m the type of person that will never go for the easy way out because I believe that there is always a reward for the hard way. So for me, nobody else matters when I make my decisions.

What would you consider as your biggest challenge in the industry?

My big challenge was when I lost everything. The moment everything winded down naturally; I knew that was my biggest challenge.

We learnt that actress Rukky Sanda is your cousin and she played a major role in your breaking into the industry.Is it true?

Yes, Rukky is a movie director. I went to her and she gave me a role, not even the lead role or supporting role, but I was still glad because it was an opportunity from God for me to make it bigger back home.

Which do you regard as the most challenging movie you’ve ever featured in?

Wow! I would rather say the most interesting; it is the one in which I played the role of a Messiah and I had to quote the Bible.

It was the biggest moment for me because I had the chance to play someone I’ve always wanted to be like.

How do you get into character?

I am a very disciplined person, and my schedules are very hectic. Most times, I read the script; understand it and talk to myself before going on set. God has made everything easy for me.

Which actor would you say you’ve had the most chemistry with on set?

That will be Yvonne Jegede. She is my very good friend and we have a great chemistry.

I have always been about the physical appearance, but now I have learnt that it goes beyond that

Is there any actor or actress that you would like to work with?

Odunlade Adekola.

I’m a big fan of his, and he is my best actor.

How about women?

I would have mentioned Genevieve Nnaji, but I have worked with her some time ago. So, it will be Omotola Jalade.

How was the experience like, working with Genevieve?

Genevieve is a bundle of greatness.

She has a lot of good qualities and she is blessed; working with her was really fantastic.

What challenges have you faced in

•Bolanle Ninolowo

the industry?

I haven’t seen challenges; only processes. What others see as a challenge is a process to me.

Looking at your photos, one gets the impression that you’re a ‘bad guy,’ but talking to you, and hearing you mention God so often cuts another picture…what are the common misconceptions you’ve had to deal with over time?

People’s opinion of me is a reflection of themselves; they paint whatever

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 — 29

x by spending time Yvonne Jegede olanle Ninalowo

they want to paint. Your opinion of me is not my problem; it only becomes my problem if it’s going to affect what I want to do. I didn’t start to live until I appreciated everything about myself.

There is a lingering problem in Nollywood whereby actors are stereotyped to play certain roles; how do you deal with that?

Nobody dictates what will happen to Bolanle. If stereotyping is what God has blessed me with then, I don’t have a problem. The only thing that drives me is success.

Are you saying there is no role you cannot play?

Yes, there is no role I can’t play; I just told you I acted as the messiah in a film. I have played every role there is; I can only turn down a role if I don’t look the part for it.

You’ve been romantically involved with a couple of actresses in movies, have you dated any of them in real life?

No, I’ve not.

But do you plan to?

No. What kind of woman catches your fancy?

There is a beautiful woman I love so much, though we’re not together, but I still love her and pray for her because she means a lot to me.

Is her name Yvonne Jegede?

Lol. There were stories that I was dating Yvonne, but I’m not. She is like a baby sister to me and I love her dearly.

But she is beautiful?

Yes, she is beautiful.

So why can’t you date her since you like beautiful women?

Can you date your sister?

No, but Yvonne is not your sister?

Well, that’s your belief. To me, she is my sister and also my best friend. She

I see Yvonne almost every day if we’re not working, one of the best things that will happen in your life is finding true friendship

is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in terms of friendship.

How often do you hang out with her?

I see Yvonne almost every day if we’re not working. One of the best things that will happen in your life is finding true friendship.

Do you have any worries that the press could disrupt the friendship between both of you by constantly monitoring you?

If the press does that, then shame on us because we’ve been friends before the media. So the press should wait for that to happen.

What are the qualities you like in a woman?

I have always been about the physical appearance, but now I have learnt that it goes beyond that.

You’re perceived as some sort of sex symbol in the industry, do you see yourself that way?

Yes (Laughs). It’s because of how I carry myself. To me, image is everything.

You control everything that you have to be; I don’t pay attention to what people say because I own my life.

Have you ever had a crush on anyone in the industry?

No. For me, it is only success that moves me. That’s what Bolanle is about.

style mean to you?

Style to me is not giving a damn. It is about looking at yourself and being proud of what you see in the mirror. As long as I feel good, then I’m cool.

What is your favorite piece of fashion?

I love jewelry ’ like neck-chains, watches, and bracelets. But my body is my favourite piece of fashion actually.

What part of your body do you favour most?

Err…it’s my arms and chest.

What can you never be caught not wearing?

Oh! My sunglasses...I love shades.

You can’t catch me without wearing one.

How do you relax?

Honestly, it’s with Yvonne Jegede…she fills a lot of spaces in my life as I don’t club or party.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on three films at the moment, so my schedule is tight.

What’s the craziest encounter you’ve had with a female fan?

I’ve had lots of them, but the one that readily comes to mind now is when I was chatting with a female fan on Blackberry, and she told me she paid N20,000 for my pin; she even swore that it was true. However, I’m in control of what will happen and what won’t.

Let’s talk about fashion, what does C M Y K

30—SA TURD AY Vanguard, NO VEMBER 21, 2015 30—SATURD TURDA NOVEMBER

All the contestants in evening gowns

MBGN contestants and winners inpictures

I

Thewinner, Miss Anambra, Anyadike Unoaku surrounded by other contestants

Entertainment galore

Contestant in traditional attire

Contestant in traditional attire

t was pomp and pageantry spruced with entertainment when Silverbird Group stormed Calabar for the 2015 edition of Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN). Miss Anambra, , Anyadike Unoaku ultimately won the contest, beating First Runner-Up is Miss Ebonyi, Second RunnerUp, Miss Abuja, Third Runner-Up Miss Bauchi, Fourth Runner -Up Miss Edo and 32 others. Here in pictures are the moments

Thewinner, Miss Anambra, Anyadike Unoaku

contestants thrilling the audience

Contestant in traditional attire

Contestant in traditional attire

Guy Murray-Bruce, Vice President, Silverbird Group, fielding questions from a journalist

SA TURD AY SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, NO VEMBER 21, 2015 — 31 NOVEMBER

(Text Only)

Sideways foreward bend Benefits: The Sideways forward bend tones the hip, side and shoulder muscles. It instills flexibility in the hamstrings. It also tones the pervic floor muscles in women making it a beneficial exercise during pregnancy and after child birth.

In the menfolk, it improves mainly staying power.

•Sideways foreward bend

Sideways foreward bend

Save our souls and bodies too!

The Plough

Technique: Lie flat on your back, take a deep breath and swing both legs backwards such that the toes touch the floor with the chin pressing against the chest. If you can't manage that it will do to let the legs hang some distance to the floor. In fact, you may even use a chair, resting the feet on it.

Once you assume the plough posture, your breathing should be normal. You may retain the pose for 10 seconds. Then bend the knees and gently roll down flat onto the floor.

stimulated and better blood circulation is effected to the abdominal orgains, the spinal column, the back and the back of the neck.

It relieves tension from the cervical (upper back) and shoulder regions. Excess fat from the abdomen, thighs and nips are also reduced.

On the mental front, it

relieves insomnia and restless sleep. It enchances physical and mental relaxation.

Yoga Classes STARTED @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos.

9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

Benefits: This posture relieves and removes various diseases and complications off the back, spine and shoulders as well as pains in the stomach and elbows. The spinal nerves are

The Lotus

•The Lotus

Sitting with the feet stretched out in front of you, draw the right leg placing the foot on the left thigh and next draw up the left leg and place the foot on the right thigh.

Cross the hands behind you and hold the corresponding big toes with the chest pushed out to the full.

Breathe deeply into the abdominal region without raising the chest. Remain inthe posture for 10 seconds to a minute.

Benefits: The Lotus helps to

expand the chest for more air intake. The leg muscles are toughened and the knee and ankle joins lubricated against siftness.

•The Plough

32—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

08 1 1 6759 759 081 6759759

Watch 3 women pose for a boudoir photoshoot for the first time

"It’s just so important to get to know your nude body."

Three brave women just tried boudoir photography for the first time.

In a new Bustle video published earlier this month Bustle editors Kelsea Stahler, Anna Parsons and Marie Southard Ospina each posed for their own boudoir photoshoot for the first time And they were (understandably) a bit nervous.

“Most women are nervous and everyone says to me, ‘I’ve never done this before.’ But once we start shooting they actually realize it’s something fun," boudoir photographer Michelle Wild said in the video above.

Armed with lingerie, bow ties, sailor hats and a few over-sized lollipops -the women slowly found their comfort

zones.

"I think [being nervous] comes from bodies being very marginalized," Ospina said in the video. "And not just fat bodies, but just women’s bodies in general. Being told to nitpick at our bodies is something we’re taught."

She said that women are often taught to be afraid of their bodies, whether it's something as small as a stretch mark or a little bit of cellulite. "It’s just so important to get to know your nude body and just hang out with it," said Ospina.

Looking good, ladies!

'Leggins ain't pants!'

I

t's now a fact that leggings are nipping at the heels of jeans for the most popular outerwear for women, but not everyone thinks that they are a true replacement for a proper pair of pants.

Jamie Higdon Randolph from Cleveland, Tennessee, has gained hundreds of thousands of fans after posting a sassy video message on Facebook directed at women who like to wear 'leggins' - as she labels them in her Southern drawl - as pants, entitled simply Leggings Ain't Pants?. 'Ladies, it's pretty much leggin' weather,' she says at the beginning of her video. 'I love leggin' weather. I don't care if you don't like leggins, don't judge me, they are comfortable.

They don't cut into you, they're always the right length. You can dress them up, dress them down, you can look like a frat girl or you can look pretty classy in them depending on what you choose to pair with them.'

Jamie, wearing a red gingham shirt and her blonde hair pulled back with a headband, goes on to explain how she had misplaced her own leggings that morning and went to borrow her daughter MaKenzie's pair, but found they weren't quite the right fit. She went off to buy herself a new pair from the store and while on her way was inspired to put her

thoughts to video.

'Some of you people like to use? leggins' as britches, as pants, pants,' she says. 'That's not how they're supposed to be worn.

'If you can't wear a shirt that covers your tail so that I can't tell that you got some Aztec-print thongs on, you don't need to be wearing 'em, [sic]' she adds.

That's rule number one, Jamie explains, adding that if a pair of leggings are so tight that others can see tattoos through them, then they 'shouldn't be worn, period. That's called pantyhose, honey.'

Next Jamie takes aim at white leggings, which she called 'a big old no-no,' adding in an emphatic 'lord Jesus!' to her statement.

'Most of the time it doesn't matter how big you are,' she says. 'As long as you keep your tail end covered. You can be a big ole' girl. I'm a big girl, I'm a thick girl! I've got thick legs, I've got thick calves, I've got a big old butt, and I've got a big old gut!'

She recommends to her viewers that they should wear a tunic or at least a

little dress to cover their 'tails'.

'Nobody wants to see what kind of underwear you've got on,' she says.

'Nobody wants to see anything up in any body part that you have, I assure you. I mean, that stuff's best left for the bedroom!'

Jamie finishes her two-minute-15second video with a final simple statement: 'Don't do it. You're welcome.'

The mom then posted the clip to Facebook, where she has previously posted other rants against bad drivers and short shorts, on October 15. The video quickly began to gain shares in the thousands and views into the millions. It has currently been seen well over 12 million times.

And on top of that, strangers have come out in droves to support the Tennessean's views.

'I say this all the time! Thank you!

Some [people] really need to know this!' wrote one woman.

'Please, please, please do these on the regular,' wrote another one of Jamie's new online fans. 'You will be internet famous and get paid, girl! You are so funny! LOVE some good Southern advice!!! I hope to see more Jamie. [sic]'

Want to live for 150 years? All you have to do is give up SEX, claims scientist rofessor Alex living 150 years, marriage is on dying at all. You only need P Zhavoronkov has a big decision. You're in for the to have lived through the past branded sex a 'distraction' that long term!' He recommends 30 years to realise anything is stops humans living to their full potential What's the secret to a longer life ? According to one scientist, it's giving up the horizontal shuffle .

Professor Alex Zhavoronkov, director of a UK think-tank called the Biogerontology Research Foundation, says humans could reach 150 if they gave up sex . In a new book, the Ageless Generation, he states that a life without intercourse will enable us to live "far, far longer."

"I have sex occasionally, but not on a permanent basis and usually with fellow scientists," said the 36-year-old professor.

"Because otherwise, and I'm very sorry for saying it, postcoital interactions can be quite boring." Zhavoronkov warns of the "energy-sapping distractions" that come in the form of marriage, kids and material possessions.

"Delaying marriage and reproduction is a by-product of shifting your life expectancy horizons," he told Mail Online.

"It would slow me up and distract me from my research.

When you're planning on

instead that we exercise regularly, including sit-ups and press-ups and concentrate on eating less.

Zhavoronkov himself says he only consumes between 1,600 and 1,700 calories a day - mostly from fruit, yoghurt and protein bars.

The World Health Organisation proclaimed last week that we could soon be living in a world where living to 100 is normal.

Roughly a hundred years ago, life expectancy in the UK was 48 for men and 56 for women.

"Living to over 150 isn't unrealistic. I'm not planning

possible," Zhavoronkov.

concludes

SATURDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 — 33

El CLASICO

Neymar, Suarez invade Real Madrid T

•Iniesta

•Modric

d champs rl o w 7 -1 U r fo s rd a w NFF assures on re the players he said monetary rewards to

some s to invest in st important thing wa ers. “The mo e th at re th s on pi play ch am , being Under 17 O RL D U nd er 17 un ce rta in their future future and we es m eir th ho r in ei th ted es to tu rn ed ration is inter de Fe . be d e fo r th em , ul m wo m s ra ward pr og about what their re n N20,000 but the ar e m ap pi ng ou t a more than any ve that will pay them g in They were each gi eth t m so gh ni t las not saying that they deration said y rewards but that is tar Nigeria Football Fe ne g in mo be s wa e largess given something.” that their supposed sa id th at th e will not be ed that the federation was still to n tio ra de fe e Th aw ai te d. p We gather for the championshi player was just their N20,000 given each to their homes and receive money approved borrowed to play the o rn transport fare to retu esident would host in Chile and that they als st Swaziland in PortPr ain e th ag r en fie come back wh World Cup quali urt on Tuesday. them. ile was nothing ad u Bu ha ri, th e Haco m am oh M t en re of the players in Ch on was said id lfa we Pr es e Th am te e th ul d ho st the federati Pr es id en cy sa id , wo sketball champions to write home about as d dget, having travelle Ba bu a’s ht ric tig Af e together with be running a ar to ts or ts. sp r llis he da Ot me y. s me proved mone ap e th t ou and the All Africa Ga ts th or ile wi sp Ch e th were gallant in the cash crunch in “The Under 17 team them,” also affected by mment on es co iat to ec d pr se ap fu re try ly un nt Pinnick blu y. str and the whole co ni g mi din ad id, sa Pinnick ce.

NFF President Amaju was mere transport their poor state of finan em th to ve ga “what we eir ll be rewarded for th fare and they will sti be uld co e mitting ther gallantry.” While ad

W

he most eagerly anticipated fixture in club football, the El Clasico involving Real Madrid and Barcelona holds tonight at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium This is the first El Clásico fixture this season and fans are in for a treat as Spain’s top two sides, Real Madrid, with 24 points and Barcelona, on 27 points meet in an epic clash of the titans in the 2015-2016 La Liga season.

This confrontation is time and again considered as the greatest match-up in football and it remains to be seen whether Lionel Messi will be available against Cristiano Ronaldo’s team in this highly-anticipated event. The last time these two sides met was in March of this year in a battle won by Luis Enrique’s side, 2-1, as Uruguayan striker, Luis Suárez scored the winner at the 56th minute after Ronaldo equalized it at the half hour mark.

However, Barça had Messi that time and it seems like they are going to miss the three-time FIFA Ballon d’Or winner in today’s episode as team doctors advised him to not hurry in returning from a knee injury.

As always, the match is projected to be another historic event as Barcelona seek to hand Rafa Benitez his first losing streak in La Liga. Real Madrid possible starting line-up for the game features Navas; Danilo, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo; Modric, Rodríguez, Kroos; Isco, Bale and Ronaldo.

Barcelona possible starting line-up comprises Bravo; Alves, Pique, Mathieu, Alba; Roberto, Busquets, Iniesta; Munir, Suárez and Neymar. Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale is eagerly anticipating the encounter with Barcelona and has insisted he is ready for battle after shaking off his muscle problems.

“I’m feeling strong and fit for this match. I’m ready for battle. I think I can provide the team with my speed and my strength.

Those attributes always act as a bonus for us. We’re the two biggest sides in Spain. There is an enormous rivalry, which has been around for years, and we’re always competing with each other for La Liga, Champions League and other championship titles.

“As such we have an incredible rivalry and all of that together means there is a greater sense of pressure out on the pitch, which makes these games so unique and exciting.”

Lobi, Akwa set for Federation Cup final

Eunisell sticks with relegated Sharks

By John Egbokhan

By John Egbokhan

D

espite the relegation of Sharks to the Nigeria National League, official shirt sponsors and oil and gas service firm, Eunisell Limited says the development will not end its commitment towards helping the league achieve its full potentials.

In statement signed by the Group Managing Director of Eunisell, Chika Ikenga said “ we will not abandon the league; neither will we abandon Sharks because of their relegation. Though they will be playing in the second tier league, we won’t terminate our contract with them. We will rather encourage them to improve on their game and hopefully come back to play in the NPFL. “We know our league can create jobs and reach its highest potential if well supported. That is why we got involved in the first place and we won’t withdraw our support in a bid to help the county achieve its full potential in this regard” he said.

C M Y K

to e t a r e esp erpool d o r e Agu down Liv shoot

G

oal-hungry Sergio Aguero is des perate to return to action against Liverpool on Saturday.

The Argentine hitman has missed the Blues’ last seven games after picking up a hamstring injury while playing for Argentina last month.

Aguero has been working hard to be involved and said: “I do hope I can play in this game.

I’m doing everything in my power to get to the match in top condition. It’s been a frustrating time.”

I

t promises to be an intriguing affair when Lobi Stars battle Akwa United in the final of the Federation Cup tomorrow at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

Akwa United football club have been given an executive order by the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom, to do everything possible to win the cup. Speaking over breakfast in Uyo, Governor Udom told the players to go to Lagos and beat Lobi Stars “I am coming for the game against Lobi Stars in Lagos. I want you to go and bring back the trophy. The state is waiting patiently for the trophy. I know you have a good team that can make all of us in Akwa Ibom smile. This is the first time, a club from the state will qualify for the final of the Federation Cup and I want you to make it count this time” Meantime, Lobi Stars skipper, Terna Ikpeen is confident his side will beat Akwa United.

“We have a good team. We are ready for this match.

We have prepared for the game, and we are going to triumph. The motivation is there for us and everything is set for us to become champions”

34 — SATURDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

VERA OKOLO: My father disowned My father disowned me for playing football

•Recalls Nigeria’s shame of 2004 in SA •We drank Garri before matches •Points the way out for female football

F

ormer Super Falcons star, Vera Okolo, in this interview with JOHN EGBOKHAN, shares her pathetic experience representing Nigeria at the 2004 African Women’s Championship in South Africa and how her passion for the round leather game got her disinherited by her father,

Ques: What have you been doing since you retired from the Super Falcons.

Ans: Life has been fine with me. I have been in the National Institute of Sports for a one year programme.

What was the programme about?

It’s an advanced coaching programme.

How was it?

It was fine What’s the next thing for you now?

It’s to look for a club to do my attachment with. I am looking forward to working under an experienced coach to learn practical things about coaching. I am planing to be a very good coach because I learnt a lot in NIS. What were the other things you learnt in NIS? I learnt a lot. Being a player and a coach are two different things.

Playing the game is one thing but coaching the game is a different C M Y K

matter entirely. I now appreciate what coaches go through.

Before coming to the National Institute of Sports, I had my mindset, thinking it was going to be all about football. But after going through the school, I now know better that there is more to this place than just football or sports. I was thinking it was all about just playing football. But when I got here, it was a different ball game. We had the practical aspect, done on the pitch and the theoretical side, done in the class. We took courses like Psychology, Mathematics, Anatomy and others, which if not academically inclined you would find them difficult to cope with.

There was an aspect of management too.

From what you have learnt, what are the challenges that aspiring and young coaches like you must navigate in your quest to succeed?

I think the challenges we have in Nigeria are organisation-based. One of the things I learnt from my lecturers was that organisation can make or mar a team’s success.

We have good players in Nigeria but selection remains our major undoing.

What is your view on the age-long poor treatment that the Falcons face when they travel to represent Nigeria in competitions. You were in the squad to the 2004 Africa Women’s Championship in South Africa, where the players refused to come back home after winning the cup. Even your coach then, Godwin Izilien is still crying over unpaid salaries?

This issue continues to worry me because we never learn from the past and they continue to blame the players. In fact, most people will even do worse if they were in our situation. At that time, they were just trying to intimidate us. I cannot

imagine a team representing a country as popular and blessed as Nigeria , to go for a tournament like that and be treated shabbily. If I open up on the terrible things that happened in South Africa, you will pity the players and heap praises on us.

We played that tournament with two pairs of white jerseys and one pair of green jerseys. Those were what we played with for over two-week long tournament with. And a lot of things happened in that tournament that shocked me. I was part of it and was very much involved in the events that unfolded to our bewilderment. I played all the matches. In fact, I played two matches with groin injury, all in the name of wanting to win for Nigeria.

Normally, when you go for such tournaments, as long as you win, you get your match bonus after a game. But it was a different ball game in South Africa. After winning our first match, we got to the hotel, expecting our bonus. It started from the kits. After giving us three jerseys, we asked why, they said they were bringing kits from Nigeria, that we should make do with what we have. We said, no problem as we were focused on retaining the cup.

For some of us, who just came back from the Olympics, the thing did not really affect us much as we had spare kits to wear. But the new players were being demoralised with the treatment but we told them to cheer up that it was not normal and they should stay focused.

It was strange but we told them

•Vera Okolo

that it was not really the jersey that plays the game but the players. On match days we avoided exchanging jerseys. It became a crime to do so. We told them that we were not going back to Nigeria without the cup. And when the bonuses were not being paid after wining our matches, they became deeply worried and we rose to tell them not to allow that to weigh them down.

We told them that they should give the NFF officials the benefit of the doubt, that since they said they were coming with the jerseys and money from Nigeria that we would wait for their arrival. It was cold in South Africa and with three jerseys, the weather was affecting the players. No thick wears. They did not kit us with winter wears. The likes of Peterside Idah encouraged us a lot. Each time I called to

complain that the players said they were not going to play, he would tell me that “if they didn’t play, Nigerians would forget them but if you play and win, Nigerians would back you up”.

He said we should keep playing and hope to win the cup. I said, it’s true and remembered in 2013 at the World Cup. I was in the team, captained by Florence Omagbemi, who took me like a sister and always encouraged me. There was a time that we had similar issues in the USA. We did not win but she made me understand that in case we went for any tournament and were not paid, that we should not shun our matches. Her argument was that if you were not being paid and you did not play, you would not get anything.

I relayed this message to my teammates, who agreed that we must stay focused. We also wanted to play for one of our teammates, who got injured during our match against Cameroon and was hospitalised but on the final day, we asked for her to be brought to the stadium to watch us win the cup for her against Cameroon. At the end of the game, we defeated Cameroon 5-0 and that was how she fully recovered from the injury. We played that tournament without a single match bonus. Even the food we ate, did not come regularly.

Cameroon were fed sumptuous meals daily by their Embassy officials. It was not like that for us. We drank garri before playing two matches for Nigeria in South Africa. We couldn’t feed well. It was even after the tournament that many Nigerians in South Africa heard what was happening to us. They were shocked and started bringing food to us. We had food then than during the tournament. Nigeria could not take care of us. They could not even feed us but good Samaritans did.

This discrimination against female players has been on for long?

Yes. Even in Algiers 2007, it happened. Before most of our matches, we drank garri. But we felt good even with it. After the tournament in South Africa, Kikelomo Ajayi who was our captain, was mandated by us to go and meet the officials to pay us the bonuses but we were shocked when she returned to tell us that they said we should go back to Nigeria to collect the money. That was when we said no, that if we got to Nigeria, they would not pay. Experiences have shown that our officials don’t stand by their words, so we refused to go back home until the money was paid.

That was how we made up our mind that we were not going back when it happened again in South Africa. Even when the embassy officials said that we were on our own and they would only provide for our breakfast, we were not moved. It was at that time that Nigerians in South Africa knew of our plight and said that as long as they were alive that we would not lack anything good in South Africa.

They were bringing us food, in fact, we had so much that we were even giving out to visitors and friends. We had more than we had during the tournament.

They said we should have told them all this while but we were not supposed to wash our dirty linens outside. But it just got to that extent that we could not hide it any more. There was a time that the former Governor of Rivers State, Dr. peter Odili had to intervene. He called Idah, when he heard of our travails, to feed the players and send the bill

to him. It was like that until the money was now given to us and immediately, they said we should pack to go to Nigeria.

But they said you held the country to ransom?

It was not our fault that it got to that level. I have no regrets because we have always tried our best to represent the country well but it would not be good for us to give our country the best and be treated shabbily. We give God the glory that when we came back , the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo gave us N1m each, after hearing what happened.

The players were paid, but the coaches like Izilien have not been paid till today I don’t know if they hid the truth from President Obasanjo, because when they were asking us questions, we were afraid because all the NFF officials were there. The President noticed and after someone whispered to his ear, he told us the players to follow him to a room where we narrated how we played the tournament with only three jerseys, he felt bad. And something happened in South Africa that was somehow

My father disowned me for playing football embarrassing to us. Each time we finished playing a match, we were approached by our opponents, who wanted to exchange jerseys with us.

I had to lie to them that we were warned not to change jerseys because of the fear of witchcraft and until the final match. I had to do so because if I exchanged that jersey, which would I use in the next match then there would be nothing to use. That was just the strategy we were using. But the truth was that we only had two pairs of white jerseys and one pair of green jersey for the tournament.

If I change my green jersey now and we are to wear green jersey in our next match, what will I put on? And the normal things is that you are given another jersey at half time so that you are not soaked in your sweat especially when it is cold. But it was never so for Nigeria.

And something else happened when we were coming back as they seized our passports and we had to start fighting our secretary to give us our passports. It was a terrible experience.

What roles should the likes of Omagbemi and Mercy Akhide be playing in female football in Nigeria?

If they are interested, they should be coaching the national team. In the western world,

SATURDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 — 35

former players are now heading their respective teams. We should extend such to ours.

But the experiment with Uche Eucharia did not work Yes but that is not enough reason why others have not been given their chance to show their performance.

Why are we no longer a strong force to reckon with in female football in Africa, looking at the fact that we would not be playing at the next Olympics in Rio? It baffles me a lot. Before I joined the team, we were a winning team and we won during my time. I thank God for Coach Isamaila Mabo for giving me the opportunity to play for Nigeria. Even when I was injured, he told the doctor to work on me and I was injected and played the final match of Algiers 2007, where I scored the winning goal with that same leg that was hurting.

I don’t know who to blame for what is going on now. I saw a good players at the World Cup in Canada. I was disappointed that

a coach will play 90 minutes without substitutions. He may have his reasons but I don’t think there are any reasons because he had 22 players to use but he was okay to play only 11. Why were the rest on the bench? He should have introduced new players. Somebody can make a difference. Most matches are won from the bench.

But in the last game against USA, I was expecting Perpetual Nwokocha to play as an old and experienced player. When it comes to female football, experience matters. When I saw the likes of Amy Wanbach in the American team, I was shocked because I met her in the 2004 team and she was hot then. That was why I expected Nwokocha to be fielded in that team. Her presence would have motivated the young ones. She should have been the pillar of the team, but I was surprised that she was on the bench during our last match and it was Wanbach, who scored the only goal against us.

Playing Precious Dede in goal was okay but Nwokocha should have played, if not as a top striker but maybe as a supporting forward. She had everything to inspire our players. The stage was good for her but she was not given the chance to perform.

Have you ever heard of male coaches demanding for sex from players to get into the team?

I have actually been hearing such stories but I haven’t experienced such. If I experienced such, I would speak out against it. I don’t think it’s an ideal thing for male coaches to use their positions to get undue advantage over their players And what about lesbianism?

I have also heard about it but never experienced it. I speak about things I see, now what I hear.

And your next aspirations?

This is another career that I am embarking on. I want to do my attachment with my former team, Delta Queens. I am through with playing football.

Even when I was playing herein the NIS, people used to tell me to return to active football but I tell them no. I went through a lot of injuries and last year, I had a major surgery to remove fibroid.

•Vera Okolo

Are you going to try for baby now that the fibroid is out?

Not really. I have a daughter, who was born 20 years ago. She is now an undergraduate at the Obafemi Awolowo University, studying Soil Science. She wants to play football but I would not allow her because I could not further my education because of football. My father disowned me for playing soccer.

Although he is late now, he said if I played football that he would disown me.

And what did you do?

I didn’t listen to him. I followed my heart by playing football and he disowned me. It did not bother me because I believed that I was going to be a good player if I put in my best. And when fame came along the way, he became proud of me and started telling people that he was my father.

36—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

From left, Abisola Salawu, Esther Chukwujekwu and Elma Mbadiwe

Esther Chukwujekwu is first Miss Kanekalon T

•Abisola Salawu with Esther Chukwujekwu

HE search for the first Miss Kanekalon, ended last weekend in Lagos, with 20 year old Esther Chiamaka Chukwujekwu from Anambra state emerging winner.

The annual show, this time around, underwent a transformation, going beyond just a hair show to becoming a full fledged beauty pageant.

This maiden edition, which took place at the Landmark event centre, Lekki, saw 20 beautiful contestants strut the

From left, Seko, Amachi, Esther Chukwujekwu, Koto and Owudunni C M Y K

runway, for a chance to win the coveted crown at a show aimed at appreciating “true African beauties”.

Themed, “bringing out the beauty and elegance of the African woman”, the first outing saw each contestant file out, handin-hand with their stylist, clad in branded t shirt and a pair of dark jeans. It was a well choreographed session that was fun packed as contestants gyrated to good music while also trying to get the attention of the esteemed judges.

Elimination process began after the second outing that saw contestants dressed in colourful traditional attires of the different states they represented, all accessorized with coral beads. While the judges worked on the figures, Song bird, Sheyi Shay kept guests entertained as they sang along to some of her popular tunes.

By the time the contestants made the third appearance in their evening dresses, it was becoming clearer who would stay and who would be eliminated. With amazing evening gowns

and well crafted hair pieces made from the various hair pieces in the Kanekalon stable, Judges, Frank Osodi Richards, Bayo Adegbe (Modela), Gbemisola Adebayo, Patience Abla Nogbemalo and Cool FM’s Kayla pruned down the number first to 10 and later to five.

And from the top five, the winners emerged. Esther Chiamaka Chukwujekwu stood head and shoulder taller in grace, poise and intelligence over her rivals; carting away a brand new Toyota Yaris and a cash prize of N2million. She was closely followed by Abisola Salawu who went home with N1.5million and Elma Mbadiwe who got N1million.

The high point of the event spiced with hair parades by the different partners, Darling, Nina, Sublime Togo, Expression, was the performance by musical act of the moment, Olamide. The crème of guests which include expatriates from Japan and India rose to their feet as they followed the young star on a musical journey. It was a journey from one hit song to another and gave a good finishing to an evening of fun and glamour.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—37

interests and capabilities. It wants the ocean for access, power and defense. The United States is hoping to keep the South China Sea free of any restraints so it can continue to operate in the area and contain China’s expanding presence.

•Malian special forces at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Bamako

South China Sea controversy:

Freedom of navigation versus China’s claims of sovereignty A s United States ships sailed through part of the sea that China claims as its own, Chinese authorities increased its naval aircraft training amid heightening tensions over land claims of which the US recognizes as international waters.

According to report, both the defense ministry and foreign ministry have said China would have answers when its sea rights were breached, saying that the controversy centers around a swath of territory in the South China Sea that contains the Spratly Islands and sits in the middle of several lucrative trade routes, which are virtually unexplored and could contain valuable oil or minerals.

Reportedly, several countries in the region have made claims of sovereignty over parts of the territory, including Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei, but China has made the largest claim and has looked to reinforce that claim by covertly building artificial islands in the region.

News of China’s latest activity in the South China Sea came as China, South Korea and Japan attended an economic conference in Seoul to discuss increased cooperation among the three regional allies.

And they have agreed to expand economic and social cooperation for the mutual prosperity of Northeast Asia, and also to strengthen cooperation among the three countries to create new growth momentum USS Lassen sails within 12 nautical miles of Island Amid the controversy, the USS Lassen conducted a transit within 12 nautical miles in the South China Sea, perhaps, a potential challenge to Beijing’s territorial claims in the contested waters.

The operation put the ship within an area that would be considered Chinese sovereign territory if the US recognized the man-made islands as being Chinese territory.

Observatories affirmed that the transit had the approval of President Barack Obama,, saying that the US after all, had not breached the 12-mile limit since China began massive dredging operations to turn three reefs into artificial islands in 2014.

In little more than 18 months, China has reclaimed more than 2000 acres at three main locations in the Spratly Islands.

The South China Sea is the subject of numerous rival and often messy territorial claims, with China, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam disputing sovereignty of several island chains and nearby waters.

When confirmed that the US warship had breached the 12-mile zone, China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, was quick to advise the US side to think twice before action, not to conduct any rash action, and not to create

trouble out of nothing, while also urging them to refrain from saying or doing anything provocative and act responsibly in maintaining regional peace and stability, The US however stated that the operation was in accordance with international law, stressing they will fly, sail and operate anywhere in the world that international law allows, although China repeatedly maintains its activity in the South China Sea does not target any other country or affect freedom of navigation by sea or air.

Observation on the South China Sea conflict Strategic location Analysis of reports disclosed that the geographic location of the South China Sea is strategically important. It links the Indian Ocean to the Pacific and is a critical shipping channel, about half the world’s merchant ships pass through it. Keeping the South China Sea open for commercial navigation is a top priority for both the United States and China.

But stakeholders have differing views when it comes to military navigation. If China controlled the sea, it would likely limit the military navigation of foreign countries.

China is looking to expand its maritime

Rich in energy reserves Experts believe there are valuable fossil fuels in the South China Sea, but estimates vary depending on which country’s analysts you ask.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, hydrocarbon reserves in the South China Sea amount to 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Until sovereignty claims are resolved, the region will remain a hot bed of conflict where any wrong move could be interpreted as an aggressive one.

Fishing Fishing in the South China Sea is a big business. Some estimates indicate up to 10 percent of the world’s ocean-caught fish come from the region. The industry also employs millions across the region.

But fishing vessels are also a source of conflict. A prime example is the current situation in the Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground less than 130 miles off the Philippine coast. In 2012 the Philippine Navy discovered a Chinese vessel engaged in illegal fishing in the area. Before the Philippines could take any action, two Chinese surveillance ships came to the aid of the vessel and blocked access to the shoal.

The Chinese have fiercely guarded the area and have prohibited access to non-Chinese boats ever since.

Military conflict is unlikely Despite the abundance of sovereignty claims in the waters, war over this portion of the Pacific Ocean is unlikely, but a more likely scenario might be an accident that triggers a military reaction.

China’s signal China has claimed the majority of the South China Sea for centuries and will not relinquish what the country says is its sovereign right to protect and defend Chinese territory.

“The determination of the Chinese side to safeguard our own sovereignty and territorial integrity is as firm as a rock, and it is unshakable,” said China’s Foreign Minister.

U.S. Government and ECOWAS renew partnership for security and development in West Africa he United States Government and the Economic Community for West African T States (ECOWAS) has expanded their partner-

ship to promote peace and security, improve the health status of vulnerable populations, address energy challenges, and support trade activities in the region. Under this agreement signed by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Kadré Desiré Ouedraogo, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) West Africa Regional Mission Director, Alex Deprez, the U.S. Government will provide up to U.S. $221 million over the next four years in support of activities promoting ECOWAS priorities, including: ·countering violent extremism in the region, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin, by empowering youth and fostering moderate, non-extremist voices; ·preventing child and maternal death; ·achieving an AIDS-free generation; ·increasing electric power generation; ·expanding cross-border trade; and ·promoting the commercial viability of business investment in West Africa.

U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Maria

Brewer witnessed the signing of the agreement at the ECOWAS headquarters, where the parties also announced new activities supported by the U.S. Government, under the Early Warning and Response Partnership (EWARP), a U.S. Presidential initiative resulting from the 2014 U.S.-African Leaders Summit, to strengthen the West African early warning and response capacity which will enable ECOWAS and its member states to identify and respond more proactively and effectively in stemming conflicts and violence in the region. These activities will include: · strengthening the capacity of the ECOWAS Early Warning Directorate including reinforcing its staffing needs and improving the quality of its data analysis and response mechanisms; ·bolstering the capacity of the ECOWAS Early Warning and Response Network (ECOWARN), particularly by assisting the establishment of National Early Warning and Response Centers in ECOWAS member states;

MALI HOTEL ATTACK:

80 hostages freed, three reported dead

Malian special forces stormed a luxury hotel in Bamako yesterday after Islamist gunmen took 170 people including many foreigners hostage in the capital of the former French colony, which has been battling rebels allied to al Qaeda for several years.

‘80 hostages had been freed but sources say at least three people had been killed in the initial attack. A witness outside the hotel said gunfire could be heard from time to time.

Former Premier League player Al Bangura was ‘tr af or sex’ ‘traf afff ic ickk ed ffor

Former Watford midfielder Al Bangura has revealed that he was trafficked for sex after arriving in the United Kingdom as a child.

The 27-year-old left his home in Sierra Leone at the age of 14 and travelled to neighbouring Guinea, where he met a French man who promised to help him fulfil his dream of playing football professionally. “All of a sudden I saw two or three guys come around me, trying to rape me and make me do stuff,”

Convicted Israel spy Jonathan Pollard released af ear aftt er 30 yyear earss Jonathan Pollard was released yesterday in North Carolina after 30 years in a prison, a U.S. court official said. Pollard will be required to wear an ankle monitor while he completes five years of parole in the United States. Now at 61, early half of Pollard’s life was spend in prison. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed his release on his verified Twitter account.

“The people of Israel welcome the release of Jonathan Pollard,” Netanyahu said. “May this Sabbath bring Jonathan Pollard much joy and peace that will continue in the years and decades ahead.”

·mitigating electoral violence in partnership with the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), a project that will assist community organizations in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, and Sierra Leone to identify potential election-related violence risks; and ·providing grants to local civil society organizations to implement early warning recommendations before the identified issues escalate into violence.

“We firmly believe that this mutual support to ECOWAS will help to increase regional stability and reduce the potential for future conflicts,” said Mr. Deprez at the signing.

Welcoming President Obama’s strong commitment to support West African Early Warning and response capacity, H.E Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, expressed ECOWAS gratitude to the US Government and to USAID for the growing partnership towards poverty reduction in West Africa.

38—SATURDAY

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

Lifeline

Family planning critical to Nigeria’s development T

wo months ago, world leaders met at the United Nations and adopted a set of ambitious goals that have the potential to advance health and human progress faster than at any time in history. Now, we must begin the hard work of translating these Sustainable Development Goals into action. Women and girls will be a driving force behind this global push, and their rights and well-being must be our top priority.

Ensuring that every woman has the information and services she needs to decide when and how many children to have is a critical first step.

We have seen first-hand the huge gains for women, families and communities when there is equitable access to voluntary family planning and contraceptive services, and the devastating effects when there is not.

The benefits of family planning extend far beyond the individual. Access to a full range of contraceptive options will significantly reduce maternal and infant deaths and improve the overall health of families. Allowing young women to plan whether and when they want to start their families gives them the option to stay in school, join the workforce or pursue other dreams. This virtuous cycle that begins with empowering one woman can lift entire communities out of poverty.

There is compelling evidence that increasing the number of healthy, educated and productive women will shift the economic well-being of countries like Nigeria. This shift will only occur if countries pair their economic and social policies with strong voluntary family planning programmes.

To support efforts already underway to bring these benefits to all communities, the global community pledged at the 2012 London Summit on Family Planning to ensure120 million additional women and

•Dr. Chris Elias girls in the world’s poorest countries get access to voluntary family planning by the year 2020.Family Planning 2020, or FP2020, is a global partnership that was launched at the London Summit to carry this momentum forward.

Earlier this month, FP2020 partners released a report on the progress we have made against the 2020 goal. The report shows that, worldwide, family planning programmes are reaching millions more women than ever before.

Since 2012, 24.4 million additional women have been using modern contraceptives—more than 1 million in Nigeria alone. In the past year, access to modern contraceptives has prevented 6,000 maternal deaths in Nigeria.

While successes like these should be applauded, it is no time to be complacent. The data show that we are falling behind and that millions of women are not yet being reached. Three years have passed since we set our ambitious goals in London.

With only five years left until our 2020 deadline, we must act with greater urgency to speed up progress.

Thankfully, we know what works. We have a wealth of high-quality data and evidence on effective interventions, such as investing in youth, particularly adolescent girls, expanding access in both rural and urban settings, and

•Prof. Osotimehin improving the quality of services and number of contraceptive options that women have available to them. These solutions provide a strong base to inform our efforts moving forward. In order to reach more women and girls, we can look to innovative

Allowing young women to plan whether and when they want to start their families gives them the option to stay in school, join the workforce or pursue other dreams

programmes like those in Nigeria.

Nigeria held its third national family planning conference last November where the Federal Ministry of Health unveiled a five-year blueprint to reach its FP2020 commitments. Since then, the Government and civil society partners have been working together to develop costed implementation plans at the state level to support the national strategy. At the community level, Nigeria is using social marketing for contraceptives to mitigate social and cultural barriers to family planning.

Nigeria has also accelerated efforts to ensure that facilities are stocked so that when women come to them they are able to receive their preferred contraceptive method that day. This focus on last-mile distribution has greatly increased availability of contraceptives and improved data on what’s actually in the health facility, so that there are fewer

stock-outs. These are the types of successful, locally owned programmes that are the cornerstone of family planning progress.

The launch of the third annual FP2020 progress report provides an opportunity for advocates, partners and government leaders to celebrate progress made, identify areas where we are falling behind and collectively recommit to the FP2020 goal. However, this is only the start of the conversation. Countries such as Nigeria must continue to share their successes and learn from each other’s experiences. We must also search for new solutions—using the evidence available to drive decision-making.

This will require identifying innovative sources of financing and building on effective in-country programmes so that we don’t leave women and girls behind.

Now is the time to reevaluate where we stand, ask hard questions and chart a path forward. The stakes are high. If we fail to meet our family planning goals, we will be putting the broader development agenda at risk. The global goals adopted at the United Nations in September represent a vision of a better world. Ensuring access to voluntary family planning so that every woman and girl has the means to invest in her future is the best way to make good on that promise.

—Contributed by Prof.

Babatunde Osotimehin, UN Under-SecretaryGeneral/Executive Director, UNFPA, and Dr. Chris Elias, President of Global Development Programmes at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Both are Co-Chairs of the FP2020 Reference Group

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 — 39

DIET DOCTOR

Don’t leave home without eating a healthy breakfast T

HERE is no argument that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Unfortunately, breakfast is also quite often the most neglected meal of the day. The reason why breakfast is important is quite obvious.

Breakfast is important because it breaks the overnight fast and supplies the energy to kick start the metabolism for the day. It also provides people with the energy to keep going throughout the day.

This encourages them to stay active rather than be sedentary which, in turn, helps to burn off unwanted fat. Also, breakfast provides energy for the activities during the morning and helps to prevent that mid-morning slump.

Breakfast supplies many beneficial nutrients and refuels glycogen stores.

Regularly eating breakfast has been shown to improve performance (memory recall, attention span and creativity) in school children and children who eat breakfast are known to be more physically fit and active.

As the most important meal of the day, nutritionists, recommend that people take breakfast within an hour of waking up and not later than 8am to get its full benefits.

In the view of the Vice President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Dr. Batholomew Brai, breakfast is the first meal of the day after a night’s fast. Brai, a lecturer at the Department of Biochemistry, Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, says a nutrient-dense breakfast is best. Speaking the goal of breakfast is to replenish the liver

•Healthy breakfast glycogen.

Regularly eating breakfast may help to maintain a healthy body weight and cardiac health, says Brai, noting that skipping breakfast could predispose some people to obesity and low levels of physical activity.

This is because skipping breakfast leads to overeating later in the day and encourages nibbling on high calorie snacks during the day.

Speaking in Lagos during the re-launch of the new Milo with Activ-Go , Brai said regular breakfast eaters on the other hand, have higher dietary quality as they are usually found to have increased intake of fibre, calcium, vitamins A & C, riboflavin, zinc and iron as well as decreased intake of fat, cholesterol and calories.

While breakfast foods vary from place to place, culture to culture, household to household and from individual to individual; breakfast foods should include:

carbohydrates (e.g. grains or cereals, bread); protein (e.g. beans, eggs, fish, meat); beverages (e. g. Milo, tea, coffee, milk, yoghurt) and fruits and vegetables (e. g. apple, orange, banana, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, cucumber).

Recommending addition of the re-formulated and fortified Milo with Activo-Go to a healthy breakfast formula, Brai said it is made from Protomalt extract and a specifically designed combination of nine micronutrients including six vitamins and three minerals. ‘’The Milo Activo –Go relaunched is another momentous achievement of Nestle Milo. I really commend the innovation that went into the new Milo with Activo-Go which is a unique blend of vitamins and minerals that help the individual to achieve the Milo promise’’ He opined that the specific size and type of breakfast is not too important as the goal at breakfast is to replenish liver glycogen.

Hunger sets in long before it’s time for lunch, but because it’s not convenient to eat properly, many people who have not eaten breakfast snack on foods that

are high in fat and sugar.

People who skip breakfast are unlikely to make up their daily requirement for some vitamins and minerals that a simple breakfast would have provided.

Tips for a quick and healthy breakfast Pick two or three foods, including at least one from each the three food groups: Bread and grain (i.e.cereal, toast, muffin), milk and milk product (i.e. low-fat yogurt, low-fat milk); fruit or vegetable group (i.e bananas, apples, carrots). Pick up portable breakfast items when shopping. Replace or accompany that morning cup of coffee with a cup of beverage, glass of orange juice or milk. Make an omelette. You can shorten preparation time by chopping up your vegetables ahead of time.

Get up 15 minutes earlier.

You can fix and consume a healthy breakfast in 15 minutes or less.

Plan ahead to eat breakfast.

This means you should decide what you are going to eat for breakfast before the next morning. You can save time by putting out the box of cereal or cutting up some fruit the night before.

Burial ceremony of the late Olu of Warri, HRM, Ogiame Atuwatse II Pix by Akpokona Omafuaire

•L-R: Mr. Robinson Ariyo and Hon. & Mrs. Joseph Sisanmi Otumara.

•Artefacts &Ceramics depicting the old age and boldness of Itsekirfi Nation.

•Chief (Mrs.) Rita Lori Ogbebor (right) and Engr.

Victor Wood.

•A cross section of Ugbuwangue Descendants. L-R: Mr. David Ighomieyetan, Mr. N.Y. Eda, Chief Pullen Asimimajemite, Mr. Awala Gabriel, Mr. J.E. Amoma and Mr. Gbubemi Esimaje.

•Delta State Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Vincent Uduaghan( clad in blue) and his entourage arriving at Ode-Itsekiri for the burial ceremony of the late Olu of Warri, HRM. Ogiame Atuwatse II.

•Chief Heymann. E. Toritseju (right) and Chief.S.S. Rone.

40—SA TURD AY Vanguard , NOVEMBER 21—2015 40—SATURD TURDA e are at the mercy of the politicians who rule us as masters rule slaves. They do not have any consideration for our needs and desires. They do not care to honour even their word to us. They care less still for the pride of the nation, or her progress.

They hold us in utter contempt.

But should they not hold us in some kind of esteem, no matter how little—some respect, some regard at least? After all, we put them there, didn’t we? It was our votes that helped to elect them into the Houses of Assembly, the House of Representatives, or the Senate. We were even responsible for the occupant of Aso Rock himself being there. We are important. We should enjoy a modicum of honour as citizens, at least. I mean, we are worthy, or are we? Or why are we not respected by people whom we boast of choosing to represent us, and who should return to us the dividend of the investment we made in them by choosing them?

But let us examine our relationship with them more closely—did we really choose them ourselves in a “free and fair ” manner? Think back on the conduct of elections even in the recent past. As if “free and fair” would not suffice, we appended the additional merit of “transparent” in our categorization of them.

How far did that take us? We went through a spate of elections in which Chief Executives elected in no less than four states were disqualified in the law courts. Of course, we cannot then absolutely claim that we really “voted” the final victor into office by ourselves.

Even then, both the winners and the losers would be hard put to claim that their dealings with us, the electorate, were strictly kosher. And neither were ours totally above board with them either; for we were ready to sell our votes during the election time, and so many of us did. That is definitely not a respectable action, and definitely not one that would have elevated us in the esteem of other people, even those on behalf, and for the benefit, of whom we clearly cheated.

We might have even committed those inappropriate actions at the behest of the socalled “godfathers” who would have •Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor CAN President furnished the grimy rewards we may have received for selling ourselves so cheap, daily. There is nothing having played a dicy game with our destiny. very much wrong with the That in itself would have land. We, the people are also put us a step backward our own problem. We, the from the line of people must solve it for uprightness. It would have ourselves. We have only made several of us to fade one power—the power of into the crowd of thugs and the people, the power of hired ruffians who snatch There is nothing the vote. ballot boxes, and disrupt law and order in polling very much wrong booths—hoodlums that do with the land. We, Almost overwhelmed with not in any way qualify for the profusion of political any regard. All the same, a the people are our confusion spilling over all number of so-called voters own problem manner of discussion and go further to settle for their even ordinary conversation own “dividends of rejection of our woeful estate. these days, religion offered democracy” by retaining the We go out on strike—for a itself these past weeks as a role of perennial thugs and short while—and then crawl relief in the choice of bring the members of the back into our shell like a boring subjects of National Assembly, or frightened snail, because no “officially” stolen loot, in House of Assembly, or even one else but those very an interaction among the State Governor after the legislators at all levels to friends….or even enemies. choice has been made, as whom we sold votes, are now The incident which had their principals. the only people who could somewhat brought the So here we find help us. But no one is issue to the fore, as they ourselves—we who claim listening. say, was the edict not to have been part of the They cannot hear us. Their published by His free-for-all looting. We wail ears are stuffed with the Highness, the late that no more than six swift, sweet, ingress of the Atuwatse II, the Olu of nations in the whole world lucre proceeding from the Warri, proscribing his title produce petroleum products jam pot our stolen votes had of Ogiame, reputed to be more than our country, yet handed them. They will not more than 500 years old, we cannot establish the hear us because they can and the Warri national facilities to refine them but now really have no regard for anthem. The Olu’s reason have to ship them out and ballot thieves; vote abutted on his aversion to then bring them back at purloiners, disreputable fetishism with which he exorbitant costs; we cannot elements (which we really alleged both the title and generate an adequate are) that foul the stream from anthem were connected. As supply of electricity for our which we would have been a Born Again Christian, he own use, and yet other refreshed. Why should the did not wish to have any countries depend on what man or woman who knows part of them. we are able to grant them you to be a despicable rascal Those who disagreed for their sufficiency; we respect you? No one is with His Highness were cannot produce our own listening to you, my friend. quick to point out that he food in a sufficient quantity No one is listening to me, had embraced Christianity and must buy from other either. to that intensity for many lands whereas we are We may accuse the years before now. They are generously blessed with politicians of all sorts of miffed about the timing, fertile soil; we are unable to inadequacies and apart from the connotation. provide proper educational insufficiencies headed by our Not one Itsekiri man of development for our usual hobby-horse, note had come out to children within our own corruption. But we cannot support him. Not even the country but we are really “come to equity” as we well-known President of constrained to scatter them are with our hands soiled. the Christian Association of into good quality schools There is no crime for which Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo around the world. we could accuse them of Oritsejafor, who is of And so we cry out in which we have not first been Itsekiri stock, had said a protest against our sorry lot. guilty ourselves. Devoid of a word one way or the other.

We who have never taken— firm moral ground on which But one hardly need (or given?) a bribe in our to stand, we lack the will to surmise on what side of the lives. We come out to confront the evil that still road he would firmly plant demonstrate against the surrounds and confounds us his feet in the matter. It

W

*we, the people *born again was probably not to confound the confusion of the Olu that he had kept mute about the issue. However, faced with the massive protest, the traditional ruler was said to have recanted.

This came at a time when people in Oyo are celebrating the second Oranyan festival. It is in honour of one of the most illustrious names in Yoruba history, reputed to be the first Alaafin (King) of Oyo. His exploits were legendary, both as a warrior and administrator.

Though he was not actually deified, the invocation of his spirit may be repudiated by some people as being too close to fetishism. Not so in Oyo and its environs. Many of those who are involved profess to be Christians, but they hold fervently to what they consider to be purely a matter of “tradition”. In fact, one of the chief celebrants is a “prince of the blood”. His name like that of Pastor Oritsejafor, is also Ayo, and he is also a high cleric but of the Methodist Church of Nigeria— Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu.

A conflict of conscience and faith is rampant in the lives of many Christians who have been steeped in the traditional beliefs and mores of their birth by circumstances over which they had no power of choice.

They are then faced with repudiation or dumb acquiescence. But could they, in a manner of speaking, roll to both sides of the bed?

The God whom we Christians serve makes no bones about being a jealous God. He only must be served, and He alone, without any other. “I am the Lord,” He says, “that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to graven images…” (Isaiah 42:8.)

The Ogiame had all of my sympathy. May he find eternal welcome in one of those “mansions” prepared for the faithful, in the house of his Lord and Saviour ’s Father.

Specifically, Christianity and its dogmas—rather than religion in a generic mould— took over the conversation at a recent gathering of some of my old friends recently. The focus was on the Second Commandment of God given to the children of Israel through Moses which have solidified to the Christian pillars of faith. The Second, in particular, came to be dwelt upon among the others: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; thou shall not bow thyself to them

nor serve them; for I thy God am a jealous God….(Exodus 20:4)” .I have always felt that nothing could be less equivocal. But growing up in a fullboarding Christian school, and being a ward at different times to two priests who later became bishops each in his own time, I had oftentimes had to wonder as to the exact interpretation of this law.

That is because it was held in open contempt by so many people around me by those I had every reason to defer to, even as it still is today.

Christianity has accommodated many iconoclasts down the years.

The presence of carved images in the house of worship was a matter of great disputation between the year 726, when the veneration of images was allowed in the church, and 843 when it was finally restored in 843. The papacy had never welcomed the revocation of the adoration.

It should be noted that Moses still further expatiated on this injunction to the Israelites when he warned saying, “Therefore take good heed to yourselves.

Since you saw no form on the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female.” But it has fallen on deaf ears, especially in the Roman Catholic Church where the practice is celebrated. The believers in the word of God, “as it is written”, proclaim fearlessly that the veneration of images is akin to idol worship. They assert that the injunction does not limit the abstinence to the making of the craven image, but extends to an avoidance of its adoration. The implication, of course, is that an idol would thereby be made of it.

But those who embrace, or accommodate, the presence of sculptures and carvings of images in connection with religious worship within the Christian fold contend that it is not idol worship. But then, pray, what is an idol? The Oxford Advanced Dictionary says it is “an image of deity as an object of worship”. In any case, whether one misinterprets a graven image as an idol or not, what God says is that one should not make it for oneself—that is for a specific purpose—in the likeness of anything in heaven or on earth. That excludes God himself. In other words, he commands that no one should make an image of him. Nobody can worship in a sanctuary defiled by images, or in any space that accommodates a graven image, and claim to be member of a Biblebelieving church.

Time out.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—41

The metamorphosis of Ndi Igbo •If Igbo was the Igbo of the 40s 50s and 60s how would the elders keep quiet while the youths run around aimlessly in search of destruction?

•When did a people with enviable commercial instincts learn to forget to do simple cost benefit analysis before frolicking let alone taking deep plunges like flirting with violent secession?

“Igbo enweeze” ( Igbos have no kings) pays tribute not to disunity but to the independent mindedness of Igbos and their republican spirit. Igbos rightly believed that when the community ruled itself then arbitrariness and inequality that kings epitomized would not afflict them. ‘Igbo enweeze’ therefore is the enthronement of not just consensus and equity but also industry and meritocracy. Monarchy and feudalistic structures , despite all the historical sophistication ascribed to them , enthrone not mediocrity but also servitude.

But the political docility that has beset Igboland now is startling.

The colonialists came and , in the name of civilization, adulterated Igbo culture. When they left, the legacy of messengers and headboys gave rise to a multiplicity of pseudo kings and contrived kingdoms , serviced by the logic of ease of administration. Autonomous communities proliferated supposedly to bring governance to the grass roots but, in reality, only allowed many maniacs become Ezes.

Now even Igbos in places far flung from Igbo land, who have come by some money, would not be left out in the craving for a whiff of royalty in that artificiality - ‘Ezendi Igbo’.

Ezendi Igbo, a potentially useful instrument for community organisation soon became a bogus social contraption for vainglory. Often bought , borrowed , usurped, snatched or stolen , that title is now emblematic of a much deeper rot in Igbo culture. Let’s ignore the Deji of Akure.

Despite a slower start, by the early 60s Igbos had established themselves through giftedness polished by hard work in the top echelons of all aspects of national life. Dick Tiger had become a world boxing champion , Kenneth Dike was vice chancellor of university of Ibadan while Eni Njoku headed the university of Lagos. Envy could not be excluded from what befell the Igbos.

After the civil war , Igbos , stripped to bare bones , faced institutionalized discrimination. Participation in government was curtailed, so individuals embraced industry and innovation and communities practiced communal self help and “onyeaghalanwanneya” ( be your brother’s keeper).

With the determination that Enugu Rangers once represented, Igbos and their stock grew.

There were days when Igbo businessmen were known for frugality rather then exhibitionism. When they lived as tenants in one or two rooms till they owned more than 4 or five houses.

Not because they lacked in refinement but because conservation was given priority and the flaunting of wealth was still obscene . Those days when the worth of a man was measured by his nobility and his success by how many lives he had touched positively. And philanthropy was moral duty rather than a vehicle for personal aggrandizement and positioning for public office. Businessmen grew organically and their wealth could be explained.

The second republic came and Igbos returned to some reckoning. The northern establishment courted Igbos with the

C M Y K

If Igbo was the Igbo of the 40s 50s and 60s how would the elders keep quiet while the youths run around aimlessly in search of destruction? vice presidency and more. The days when Azikiwe won elections in Igboland because he was one of our finest and could easily lead Africa . And Mbakwe didn’t need billions or rigging or ballot box stuffing to win against the ruling NPN. And even the moneyed ones deferred to some tradition , and delegates weren’t available to be traded like ‘kulikuli. It is true that corruption has always been rife in our politics but politics then was not the commercial enterprise we have now.

That was before ‘419’ came and upset the order of things.

Serious crimes lost moral pungency and lost that ability to attract opprobrium. Well known advance fee fraudsters and drug dealers reveled in fame and became the envy of Igbo youths. They and their philanthropy undercut the industry and took away whatever virtue was left in patience. Then many businesses left Onitsha and headed to Lagos where things could be conjured and decades could be reduced to days. The decadence was general but it would appear that Igbos with their innate cleverness were the masters of both the good and the ugly.

‘419’conmen assumed newly minted traditional stools in Igbo land where honesty and hardwork had always ruled.

The commercial instincts of the Igbo youths became perverted and male school enrolments dropped drastically amongst a people who once nostalgically sang “ …….amataramsoroibemgara school, amataramsoroibemoo…” ( I wish I had followed others and taken to education) . School and education became redundant nonsense as ‘ get rich quick ’ moved from being a mantra to being a religion. Graduate unemployment rose and left many of those who chose education and ended up as bus drivers inconsolable. Many became more certain that education was acostly superfluity.

When democracy returned in the 3rd republic, some other regions began reviving political cultures and structures while money took hold of Igbo politics. Igbos played peripheral shortsighted politics. And were very easily and cheaply bought. Semi literate businessmen became political godfathers. Elections were all about rigging and sane people left the show for thugs. Some fraudsters became governors and legislators and made a mockery of democracy and all that Okpara and Louis Mbanefo had envisioned. They fended for their personal ambitions and their pockets while the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches quibbled, continued with their primitive political rivalry which would amuse Irish and English clergies. Nominal affiliation with a denomination by reprobates mattered more to priests whose endorsements many unfortunately relied on.

When a people lose the courage to condemn evil, let alone check it, they regress. But Igbo communities didn’t just stand aloof, they also valorized ill-gotten wealth and sanctified criminal careers in the worship of money. Neither drug trafficking, nor advance fee fraud was evil enough to be openly condemned by communities. Criminals were celebrated and atrocities became banal.

Survival of the fittest has always underlined the healthy competition and rivalry prevalent amongst Igbos of the old.

But that sort of competition had the virtue of the recognition of abomination and sensitivity to sacrilege. It was once condemnable to abandon a brother in need. It was once obscene to brag about wealth let alone exaggerate ones achievements. It was once a sacrilege in Igbo land to steal because future generations would be tagged and smeared as Igbos believed that, like madness, stealing was transmitted along bloodlines. Times have really changed.

Little wonder Kidnapping came and found a foothold. All the bulwarks against the sort of moral degeneration that would permit the thriving of such evils have long been dismantled.

Priests, by their conspicuous unrighteousness, trivialized priesthood and kidnappers showed no reverence. Churches have replaced shrines but they didn’t replace the deterrent dread of ‘Ala’ and ‘Amadioha’ and the immediacy of their retribution with anything comparatively exacting and decisive. The priests are not wholly to blame for this, their God is a merciful one. The secular police the missionaries relied upon to maintain law and order have been made unreliable by corruption. Taboos have been demystified, the society is now naked. We are relentlessly emptying ourselves of content and the tradition.

Before tragedy befell Igbos, an Nnamdi Kanu in the throes of the most intense of hallucinations will not pretend to the leadership of Igbos. But he is not to blame. ‘Nkaramanya’ ( ‘open eye’ ) has displaced reason and decorum. You look at some of the persons who have become governors in the south east today and you struggle to hold back tears. NCNC was a phenomenon, NPP held the south east and had plateau and parts of Rivers and was forging national coalitions. 0ver 30 years after, the trademarks are now the disorderliness of a moribund APGA and the running of errands in the PDP? Igbo politicians now lack stature, lack vision and are extremely greedy.

If Igbo was the Igbo of the 40s 50s and 60s how would the elders keep quiet while the youths run around aimlessly in search of destruction? I know things have degenerated and courage has fled with morality but when did Igbos start to lack even prudence? When did they come to be associated with the sort of foolish risk taking that IPOB epitomizes? When did a people with enviable commercial instincts learn to forget to do simple cost benefit analysis before frolicking let alone taking deep plunges like flirting with violent secession? Igbos are not cowards but they are not frivolous. If the events of 1966/1967 repeat themselves they will rise and defend themselves more robustly. But this inculcation of violence and hate in our youths by a shallow and intellectually wretched IPOB and other such groups is poisonous.

Some have suggested that if Buhari doesn’t handle Nnamdi Kanu’s matter well he could end up a Yusuf ( late founder of boko haram). And they implied that something more savage than Shekau will rise and IPOB and its deluded youths will become more barbaric than Boko haram. Buhari therefore should fret , perhaps cry. It’s a good cautionary tale.

And I want the president to pay serious attention to the agitators.

But that reading of that cautionary tale lacks perspective.

The tale bearers can’t understand that if IPOB becomes Boko haram then Igbo land will become worse than the desolate northeast. Why would anyone sufficiently this paranoid leave it to his ‘oppressors’, from whom he expects mischief and malice, to save him? Why wouldn’t Igbos then take their destiny in their hands and stop IPOB and other groups and their gospel of violence in the interest of Igbos.

Why are the churches quiet? Why are they so aloof even when Nnamdi Kanu has ridiculed Jesus Christ? Don’t get me wrong, if they wont act out of morality or civic duty, why won’t they do so out of prudence, self preservation?Why are the Bishops silent , why have they left it all to Father Mbaka to speak? Nnamdi Kanu may not be an anti Christ but he wants a Biafra, where Jesus is treated as a farce. He is entitled to that position but why would avowed Christians consider him sane let alone a freedom fighter ?

We know the traditional institutions have been bastardized but we still have a few respected traditional rulers. Igwe Nwokedi has spoken but why are the others sitting on the fence?

If they support the position of violence and hate canvassed

by IPOB they should be bold and say so.We know Igbo politics is largely “ cash and carry” but we have governors on whom the constitution has invested legal duties. Why is it only Rochas Okorocha that has made a categorical statement? When did Igbo leaders become so cowardly? Igbos can be accused of brashness but not timidity. If Biafra is an immediate necessity why don’t they say so and give reasons? Why can’t we relocate the discourse from the streets to town halls and village squares so that reasons will be separated from emotions?

‘Igbo amaka’ shouldn’t be a mere chauvinistic slogan , it should be a call to the restoration and preservation of Igbo values , culture and interests which materialism has set ablaze.

42—SA TURD AY 42—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, NO VEMBER 21 NOVEMBER 21,, 2015

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Must a wife always say yes to sex?!

F

orget the old wives’ tale that a married woman must be ever ready to satisfy her husband’s conjugal rites’ (how archaic!) but when push comes to shove, must a wife always be her husband’s ‘obedient servant’ in the bedroom? Some months back, two couples were asked about their mismatched libidos, and how it affected their marriage. While one partner claimed to be pretty much always in the mood, the other often felt pressured to have sex when they had little desire to do so. The challenge? For one month, the couples agreed they’d make love every time their iron —a lesson never to partner made an advance. Would this iron until you’re fully highlight cracks in their dressed. I can’t even think relationship—or bring them closer about sex over the next together? Both couples kept diaries couple of days—Motoke for four weeks. appears relieved and amused. Three days later, COUPLE 1: Nathaniel, 38 an we try again but architect, and wife, Motoke, 40, an unfortunately I’m still too industrial nurse have been married sore. I suspect Motoke is a for 12 years and have three children. little frustrated, and that While Nathaniel would like sex every feels great after years of night, Motoke says juggling work and pestering her for sex. family has sapped her libido, We finally make love a meaning she’s only in the mood a week after the iron couple of times a month. Their incident. Abstinence seems score: Week 1: twice; Week 2: once, to have boosted our sexual Week 3: once; Week 4: twice. Total: Six appetites, and two nights times in four weeks. later, we’re at it again.

According to Nathaniel: I’m so Keeping a diary has been excited at the prospect of being able great for putting sex at the to make love to my wife more often forefront of our minds and Nathaniel to join me in bed that, on the first night, even not allowing it to slip off the next evening, his face though I’m shattered after 12 hours our busy agendas. I love lights up. Sex twice in one at work, my heart is racing as we feeling close to my wife week is unheard of for us. climb into bed at 10.30pm; even more and, best of all, knowing The second week starts with thrilling, Motoke actually makes that she now actively me having a night away. the first move—I cannot remember wants to make love to me, Nathaniel is raring to go the last time that happened. I rather than just doing it to when I return. I’m tired but spend all the next day fantasising appease me. It‘s made us a respond to his advances, about what will happen later, but lot more playful too, which because that’s what we’ve after a couple of glasses of wine, we is great as it doesn’t agreed and to my surprise, I both collapsed into bed and fell always happen in a longreally enjoyed it. asleep. I’m too tired to mind. Sex is standing marriage.

The following evening I’m then off the agenda for a few days as feeling a bit frisky and wait it was Motoke’s ‘time of the month’, Motoke says: I know for him in bed— naked. I’m but then she actually asks if we can there’s no way Nathaniel astonished when he rejects go to bed. You bet! will pass up the me. I feel a little hurt — but The next week doesn’t start well. I this is how he has felt the wake up in the mood when the alarm countless times I’ve rejected goes off at 6.30 am, but Motoke him. We’re back on course by grumbles that she wants to go back to the end of the weekend. I sleep as my snoring has been seduce him in the living room keeping her awake. It seems like by the dimmed lights of the we’re back to our old ways. The TV. It’s very romantic. The following evening, I pick up a meal enforced five-day abstinence from our favourite eatery hoping a after Nathaniel’s iron accident romantic dinner might relax her. leaves me looking forward to Later, she’s happy to cuddle but our next love-making, and it’s while I try to initiate love-making wonderful, really reminiscent she’s clearly tired and things don’t go of when we first fell in love. I any further. A couple of days later, we think it’s because having sex go to bed early, at Motoke’s more regularly has brought suggestion, ostensibly to watch TV, us closer together. but a goodnight kiss turns into a This has really helped us passionate embrace, and we make reconnect, both physically love. The following night, Motoke and emotionally reminding us climbs into bed naked, and is clearly that we’re not just parents but ‘in the mood’ yet I feel so also lovers. With all the exhausted. Wow! This is the demands of being a working first time in our married life mum it’s easy to lose sight of that I’ve turned her down. It opportunity on the first this, but I am determined not gives me an insight into how night —and I’m surprised to allow sex to fall to the Motoke must feel all those it only lasts for 15 minutes. bottom of my ‘to-do list’ times I’ve been in the mood He was feeling tired. We again. and she hasn’t. decided to give it another The next two nights, Motoke go the following night but COUPLE 2: Treasure 40, is out with family friends but on after a couple of drinks, owner of a restaurant and Dipo Saturday evening she tells me sleep becomes a far more 41, a legal practitioner have a we’re definitely on for tonight. appealing prospect for both 3-year-old daughter and an I don’t even have to ask— of us. I’m surprised he’s infant son. fantastic. But at the beginning not taking greater SEX SCORE: Week 1: three of the third week, while advantage of the situation. times; Week 2: five times; hurriedly ironing my shirt for Perhaps our libido aren’t as Week 3: twice; Week 4: Six work I somehow manage to mismatched as I’ve always times. Total 16 times in four catch my ‘manhood’ with the believed? But when I invite weeks.

Keeping a diary has been great for putting sex at the forefront of our minds and not allowing it to slip off our busy agendas

that propositioning him may make things worse—but, after going without for so long, I’m willing to take the risk so I start kissing him. It pays off. The sex is very passionate. As we enter the final week, I know I should feel happy that Dipo can’t refuse my advances, but I’m realising our love-life is not as exciting as it was—I miss the chase. This experiment has made me realise how much I enjoy the excitement of not knowing whether Dipo will or won’t succumb to my seduction techniques.

Perhaps it wasn’t so bad before.

According to Treasure: Our experiment doesn’t start well.

While I spend the first day excited about the prospect of guaranteed sex, plans are ruined when our baby is awake from 10.30pm to 3am. then I’m up with our other child at 6.30am. The next evening, I’m not sure I’ll have the energy—but I start caressing Dipo and very quickly realise the answer is a resounding ‘Yes!’ The following night, he looks resigned when I start kissing him, though he seems to enjoy himself afterwards. The night after that, realising he might take some persuading, I slip into a silky nighties that usually works. It’s all very passionate, but I’m questioning whether it feels like a chore for my husband. At least when we make love normally, I know it’s what he really wants.

He works so hard on Sundays so he could get through his back-log of work that I let him off, then spend two nights with our baby who has tonsillitis. But once the baby’s antibiotics kick in, I’m back in the marital bed. While many women would want to catch up on sleep, sex actually gives me energy so we make love that night. The following evening, we entertain friends for dinner and I can’t wait to rip his clothes off afterwards.

The following two nights, I’m impatient for him to get home from work. I know he’s tired but I tell him love-making is a great way to unwind. But not having to work to get him into bed feels really strange—I’m missing the challenge.

My period slows things down a bit in week three. Then I come home from work to a grumpy husband and I know

DIPO SAYS: I haven’t been looking forward to this month. I always enjoy sex but some nights, I’d rather relax in front of the TV. Of course I oblige under the terms of our experiment, but after the first few nights, I feel a bit like a performing dog. To say I’m relieved when Treasure doesn’t make any advances—the following night is huge understatement. But when she has to stay up with the baby, I’m surprisingly disappointed not to be cuddling up with her in bed. Once the baby is better, my wife is back on form. It’s not easy getting in the mood on nights when all I want to do is sleep, and I even contemplate faking a headache. When she tells me it’s her ‘time of the month’ the following week, I feel as happy as if she’s told me we’d won the lottery!

Like most men, once I get going, I really enjoy it but I don’t like feeling pressured and, with a demanding job and two babies, sleep is sometimes more appealing.

Once she’s able to make love again I don’t give in too easily. Work has been challenging, and so are the children, so I’m not in a great mood when my wife starts whispering suggestive things into my ear.

However, I’m glad she made the first move because what follows proves to be a great stress-reliever.

All the same, I’m glad when I get to the final week.

Not being able to say ‘No’ to sex is beginning to stress me out — I feel a loss of control not knowing when I’m going to be asked to perform. It’s a relief when the challenge ends. Sex should be fun, not a chore.

Now I’m going to make her wait a whole week before making love to her again.

SATURDAY

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—43 YETUNDE AREBI Yetty5050@yahoo.co.uk tweeterhandle@yetundearebi 08054700825

What will they tell their children?

What would make a man welcome back his wife who dumped him for his friend?

Good sex? What name did she bear on death as she had children for the men?

I

T has always been an open secret. That the four siblings had deep rooted resentment for each other. Though they seemed to get along in the public under the keen watch of members of the extended family, everyone knew that the relationship was more like that of a cat and mouse. They would attend functions of other family members, but never those hosted by their father’s families. For they had different father’s. The first born and the last were sired by the same man while the two in the middle were from another man. As members of their maternal family, we were always caught in the middle of the battle for loyalty for whatever it was worth. Over the years, the situation had grown worse long before my grand aunt, their mother, passed on a few years ago. Before her death, several father figures of the family had made a series of attempts to get their mother to reconcile them or to persuade the children forget whatever might have happened in the past between their parents, but nothing had worked. Both sides held on fervently to their views of whatever they thought was responsible for their differences. So, on her demise, everything came to the fore.

As younger members of the maternal family, we were never involved in the direct discussions. We were naturally not considered old enough to participate in such high profile deliberations. But we sure were not in short supply of information on what was amiss.

Unfortunately, the secrecy only gave room for the spread of rumours. Thus, many people had their own version of what they thought could be the real reasons, from the ridiculous to bare face white lies.

But story had it that mama, daughter of a popular Lagos fabric merchant was first married to her husband, an equally successful and famous Lagos socialite. Together, they had produced a lovely son. But after some C M Y K

years of secondary infertility, they decided to give God a helping hand by adding their own intelligence to His. So, they began talking to their friends, and most likely those they thought knew how or who could assist them.

One of such helpers was Papa’s close friend, another Lagos socialite of reputable pedigree.

Papa’s friend was said to have taken the couple to consult at a few places but before long, they began noticing some strange things. Rather than my grand aunt focus on solving her problem, she added another and began openly singing the wonderful praises of her husband’s friends.

An open affair developed to the amazement of family and friends, which finally resulted in my aunt dumping her legitimate husband and young son, and moving into his friend’s house. All advise and admonition fell on deaf

There are so many bizarre stories of relationships that produced children that many of us have accepted as a way of life because children are assumed innocent and should not be blamed for circumstances that gave birth to them. ears. But after birthing two children, she was done with him and wound her way back into the heart of her first husband and had another child. By now however, she did not have the honour of being wife number one but two. She had lost the right to live in the big prestigious family house but in a rented apartment, and also lost the honour of walking by his side as his esteemed partner. This left everyone wondering why he took her back in the first place. Perhaps, to pacify his manly ego or teach her a lesson, or it was simply a case of everlasting love and good sex, no one can tell. But mama did not exactly live an affluent life style on her return. She also joined her mother ’s fabric business like her other sisters and lived a modest lifestyle until her demise.

Fortunately, her two wealthy husband’s died

before her and left properties for their children.

But alas, her love for the two men left indelible marks in the lives of all stakeholders, especially her children who neither forgave her nor learnt to love each other as siblings. Their lack of tolerance for each other affected their mother gravely during her lifetime and after. Because each family considered itself as not less important than the other, they could not agree on which of the names to write on the obituary, each insisted it would be a disgrace for them to post their mother’s obituary bearing a name other than theirs. They opposed each others’ suggestions and disagreed with every arrangement different from theirs. Even suggestion to write the two men’s names on it were turned down. They wanted different dates and venues as well as different churches. One body, two camps, two burial arrangements. The gladiators were men of means and position in the society and lived largely on their family’s names, so protecting them was very important. The old hatred and rivalry between the two dead one time friends resurrected in their children and rather than honour their mother, they caused her disgrace and condemnation in the community. Perhaps, her inability to reconcile her children’s lack of love for each before her death, stemmed from the fact that she might have also been consumed by guilt and shame because of her inappropriate behaviour and lack of self control between two men. I suspect that her affairs with the men might have caused so much enmity and suspicion between them such that they always had to look over their shoulders for the rest of their lives, as well as make them the butt of jokes among their friends and business associates.

After several weeks of stalemate, the family had to step in and took over the arrangements for the burial. The obituary was printed in her maiden name and her children’s names were listed under.

The old family church attended by aunty’s father on the Island was used for the burial service while they were left to sort themselves out for the after party. Still they refused to have the same venue on the excuse of their large number of guests. So it held same day at different venues and the matter was rested.

I have heard people say that having children for more than one man, rich ones in fact, is a way of acquiring wealth and property through inheritance.

So, you find these women carefully choosing their targets and sowing one or two seeds there. A great investment for rainy days as well as old age. An unending access to resource and an easy way to reap where they did not sow. Many others might have been victims of this grand design by women to survive Nigeria’s harsh economy and social insecurity. Even the poor and low income men are not spared from this grand design of the female pelvis as you often find three, four women and their children fight over a six room face-me-I-faceyou bungalow on the demise of the owner.

Some others believe it is a way of life for lazy women and women of easy virtues who have no desire to adapt to the challenges of married life in the real sense of it. These women want to be married to enjoy the financial support and social security of the men, but desire the freedom to do as they please and never to have to wait on a man. Yet, at his demise, they want a large chunk of his wealth and all that the ‘poor’ woman (though, not in all cases is she poorly) at home have made all the sacrifices and weathered all the storms for. For these women, no child is more important than the other, is their watchword.

I am less bothered about who gets what as a survival strategy. I am more concerned about the children born under these strange circumstances. I often ask what would be the excuse of such parents when their children grow up to ask questions. In my great aunt’s case, what story would she and the men have told the children? Their relationship with each other up until now have shown that whatever the stories and excuses might have been, they were not accepted to their children. There are so many bizarre stories of relationships that produced children that many of us have accepted as a way of life because children are assumed innocent and should not be blamed for circumstances that gave birth to them. But what about the parents? Do they ever feel remorse or shame for their actions? I just wonder! Do have a wonderful weekend!

44—SATURDAY Vanguard Vanguard,, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

Where is Nigeria's thinking cap?

L

ast week screams rent the air at the NNPC Amphitheatre that bids were transparently opened for offshore processing arrangements and crude oil term contracts. Some petroleum resources managers whose overt or covert actions over the years that smirched the NNPC also smiled broadly with smirks.

They took prime airtime displacing scheduled programmes on national television networks (some on live broadcasts) for those ceremonies.

Problems have compelled Opening of envelopes for tender was countries to challenge what we wasted funds to beam on television and radio to the world as their governments and our achievements in the industry.

Many bidders in the orchestrated leaders to action transparent exercise are nonproducing consumer nations. A nonproducing consumer nation is that quite commendable that we got that which oil production is 10 percent or revelation. The reward and punishment less of their consumption. We cannot option in management is now needed if add value in an industry with he has exhausted the 90-day ultimatum investment opportunities for up to he gave his managers to prove 6000 products when we refine a barrel themselves. Some staff members may of crude. Yet we sermonise about shape up to the employment market for us to make progress. subsidy as the problem.

In 59 years of petroleum discovery we The same weekend NNPC’s are struggling (in the upstream sector) September report was released with to produce about 250,000 bpd as our 1.96 percent value of what came out local contribution to the till for sharing. of our four refineries. There was full New methods of injecting gases and complement of process plants, staff foams into wells to force out oil using members and crude at international horizontal drilling and more geophysical market rate and other costs. At the information to predict the accuracy of level of operations where a company reservoirs are being deployed; where would prefer to close down rather are we? Nowhere! than produce in micro-economics, it America dumped us in crude oil import is shut down point. in July 2014, we crept into India and To the GMD and Minister now happy. As a net importer of designate, Ibe Kachikwu, it was petroleum India has the largest refinery

in the world that refines 1.24 million bar rels per day. One of India’s refineries, Digboi Refinery Assam built in 1901 reputed to be the oldest in the world is still functional. We have four refineries with a combined capacity of 445,000 barrels per day and processing only 1.96 percent for the month of September 2015.

Problems have compelled countries to challenge their governments and leaders to action, but ours is lamentation. I only contemplate our suppliers sabotage one day. I do not want to go into varied definitions of research and development (R&D). But a search party for our forgotten thinking caps in research and development is urgently needed by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

In the first oil crisis of 1973 -74, President Richard Nixon commissioned a think tank on how to solve America’s energy crisis in 10 years. Solution came 40 years after with the shale revolution now unsettling global oil demand and supply even though vulnerable and yet to be perfected.

During the same period, the United States established a Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to counterbalance the power of Arab producers.

It now has 695 million barrels in reserve held in four sites along the Gulf of Mexico coast. On October 26, the White House and top members of Congress reached a budget deal to sell millions of barrels of crude from its SPR from 2018 to 2025.

Sales are due to start by 2018 with 5 million barrels and rising to 10 million barrels by 2023 and totaling 58 million barrels at the end of the period.

Additional barrels to be sold would cover a $2 billion programme from 2017 to 2020 to modernize the strategic reserve including building new pipelines.

Again industrialised nations are to reduce fossil fuel consumption which for a long time had been the world’s largest source of electricity. Because

A

t last the list of Minister to constitute the Federal Executive Council has been approved after a protracted period of screening by the upper legislative house. Good news, one may say, but there are still some uncertainties. Mr. President agreed that he has conformed to the constitution of the Federal Republic by appointing at least a Minister from each state of the federation but he also hinted that the constitution does not state that he must assign portfolios to all of them. This simply means that there are going to be Ministers without portfolios. We perceive that as a measure to cut cost, ministries will be reduced. That entails merging of ministries and departments, scrapping and cancelling of some.

We caution! There is a need to be careful. Last weekend, the social media were agog with one or two forms of assignments of responsibilities to the Ministersdesignate. Some of them were lucky to have been assigned full ministries and indeed juicy and flourishing ones, while some merely got junior positions; that I mean to be Ministers of State, but everyone was at least assigned something. I was not going to wonder why that had to be because I identify with anxiety— though I try always not to be. Nigerians had become quiet anxious over time about the obvious gap in the governing process and some people therefore decided to take the bull by the horn by stepping up to do the work they thought their president was not really doing. To them, the gap left by their president is dangerous so there is a need to fill the gaps. They started doing so by assigning responsibilities to the screened personae.

I will love to join in this citizens’ noble task, so Mr Adesina, hear me!

I am shy and can’t talk directly “at” the President but my people say that any message is sent through the smoke has already made it to heaven. In the list I got last week, C M Y K

The dilemma of a people: Future the following ministries attracted my attention: Agriculture, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Health, Education, Power and Works. Those appointed by the people’s parliament in these positions are— in the order I have listed them— Audu Ogbe, Okechukwu Enelamah, Kayode Fayemi, Osagie Ehanire, Isaac Adewole, Babatunde Fashola and Ogbonnaya Onu. This is an impressive team and who knows if things will work out this way. However, I must make my own contributions. I listened to Audu Ogbe talk about Agriculture in the first tenure of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo as President between 1999 and 2003 and I got one point. He emphasized the need for Nigeria to intensify efforts towards rice production, claiming that he had a privileged information, from a reliable research endeavour, that by the year 2015, one out of every five persons in the world would be eating rice. I do not have to struggle too hard to believe that.

Even in the USA, where rice was not in the main menu list before now, there has been a change because rice has become prominent. Should I say he has scaled through my screening? I leave that to better judges.

Forgive me, my beloved reader, I am not going to talk about what or who I have nothing to say about, so I am going to skip a number of the nominees. Let me then agree with some of my colleagues that Kayode Fayemi and Babatunde Fashola fit properly. They belong to the future. The question is will they be able to reveal a taste of the future, better than they did as governors? One factor must be

considered; as Honourable Ministers, they will be a little out of the direct beam that they faced as governors.

They will have a less expansive domain and expectations will not be as outrageous as they were in the days of governorship. Fashola’s large visions and Fayemi’s clinical

Fashola’s large visions and Fayemi’s clinical demeanor will be put to test once more demeanor will be put to test once more.

Well, I would have loved to get the circle a little tighter with names like Donald Duke and Ben Bruce so that I could say like the commercial jingle of Emirate Airline – “ welcome to the future.” My major problem here is the midwife, who is commissioned to deliver the future. He must show awareness that he is at least expecting the future. Mr President, please be alert to this point.

I have been unconsciously drawn to the future by these two or four gentlemen, right now. For this reason,

petroleum is from a nonrenewable source, and its supply limited, scientists are looking for clean, renewable sources of energy to power machines of the future.

Gasoline which is widely used in applications today is destined to become a thing of the past. Arguments are that renewable energy sources would reduce global greenhouse gas emissions which have dangerous consequences. Electric vehicles have been developed and solar and wind energies are also powering cars and homes.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that by 2030, renewable energy could become the world’s largest source of electricity ahead of conventional sources of coal, natural gas and nuclear power. The Conference of the Parties to the UN global treaty on climate change slated for December 2015, in Paris would have countries submit their Individual Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).

The United States has planned to cut greenhouse emissions by 26 to 28 percent by 2030 while the EU plans to cut by 40 percent. China plans to start bringing down its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. India that we are relying on as our crude oil buyer has given signals of reduction of crude imports by about 10 percent by 2020. Where is Nigeria?

With oil glut and revenues dwindling, we are in dire straits and one believes research and development must not be ignored. Competent and reliable professorial chairs should be endowed now in universities. We should strengthen our research institutes and give them specific targets as we adequately fund them.

Engineers and scientists in the research and development department of the NNPC should be retrained and challenged on how we can navigate from crude oil sales to refining and adding value. Let us institute government research exchange programmes with partners we have bilateral and multilateral agreements.

I will do a seismographic scanning for tremours of the future in the personae of the Ministers designate. Forgive me, I have to start from what or who I know. Prof. Tony Anwuka is another gentleman I want to say I know one or two things about. Quite frankly, when I knew him, in his days at the University of Maiduguri; he equally came from the future. He had returned from the USA and was one lecturer who made the job of teaching and academics attractive to people like me as we ended up in academics.

Although I cannot say much about how he fared later but I met him again, on the way from Nigeria to Atlanta Georgia, USA. I was impressed to know that he had become the Vice Chancellor of Imo State University. I learnt that he brought sanity to the institution after cleaning up the monumental mess he inherited from past administrations. He is a very civilized person, a specialist educator and his ideas about EDUCATION should be an advantage to the Federal Executive Council when it is inaugurated and when he is given the opportunity to contribute.

Can I really identify “future” in the rest? I will not be able to take them one after the other, so I take an easy way, out of the task. Generally, I ask: what are the prospects and the potentials in these gentlemen—I mean the future in them. For them to fit into the great expectations, they should be agents of “hope,” yes, hope is a major ingredient of the future … what is not but yet will be. They are expected to be radical thinkers, who are willing to take risks and catalyze the quantum leap from the present to several rungs of the ladder of time ahead; that being what the country so much desires. They should be visionary and prove that Nigerians have not made a grievous mistake voting in their man, Mr. President. There are a lot to do right now. Nigerians are waiting for a blue print for the 4-year mandate given to this government. So far nothing seems to have happened.

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 — 45

SHAME: Over 50m Nigerians defecate openly –UNICEF

BY PETER DURU, MAKURDI

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HE United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has disclosed that over 50million Nigerians do not have access to toilets hence resort to open defecation.

The world body also revealed that Nigeria ranks among the five countries in the world with the greatest rates of open defecation.

This was made known in a report issued yesterday by Ijeoma OnuohaOgwe, UNICEF ‘A Field Office’ Communication Officer (Advocacy, Media and External Relations) on behalf of Sanjay Wijesekera, head of UNICEF’s global water, sanitation and hygiene programmes, to coincide with World Toilet Day. The report titled, Improving Nutrition Outcomes with Better Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, pointed out the emerging evidence of links between inadequate sanitation and malnutrition among children.

Wijesekera was quoted as saying that “Nigeria

loses over 150,000 children to diarrhea annually. After pneumonia, it is the biggest killer of Nigeria’s under-fives; 88 per cent of diarrhoea cases in Nigeria are attributed to unsafe water and sanitation. Where rates of toilet use are low, rates of diarrhoea tend to be high.

“Intestinal parasites such as roundworm, whipworm and hookworm are transmitted

OPC launches online radio, magazine

BY EBUN SESSOU

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EADER of the Ood ua People’s Congress, Otunba Gani Adams, has announced the launch of an Oodua Radio/Magazine, in honour of the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, late Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo.

Adams who said the launch took place in London earlier in the week, explained that the media will serve to project, enhance and showcase the

Enugu govt awards more road contracts

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N furtherance of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s commitment to open up more urban areas to boost the economic growth of Enugu state, the State Executive Council yesterday awarded contract for the construction of additional road, located at Emene a satellite town in Enugu.

The road which is known as Orie-EmeneAdoration road will be done by Cops Construction Company Limited.

A statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Louis Amoke, stated that the State Commissioner for information, Dr. Godwin Udeuhele while briefing newsmen at the end of the 10th meeting of the EXCO, disclosed that the new road when completed will de-congest and enhance easy transportation in the area.

It will be recalled that Governor Ugwuanyi recently flagged off the construction of eight urban and rural roads across the three senatorial districts of Enugu State, marking the commencement of aggressive road development in the state.

The statement stated that the Information Commissioner said that the council considered the road which leads to the popular Adoration

through contaminated soil in areas where open defecation is practiced.

Hookworm is a major cause of anaemia in pregnant women, leading to malnourished, underweight babies.

“We need to bring concrete and innovative solutions to the problem of where people go to the toilet, otherwise we are failing millions of our poorest and most vulnerable children.”

Ministry praying ground due to its importance to Christian faithful and the inherent economic benefits to the state.

It further disclosed that the Council in a bid to boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state also appointed a private company, Bricks Data Limited to generate revenue on landed property through geographic information system approach.

Yoruba cultural heritage and tradition of the Yoruba to the world at large.

He said that there was an urgent need to resuscitate the Yoruba culture and tradition which he regretted were going extinct. Adams said the radio station would propagate the cultural beliefs of the Yoruba through what he described as effective communication channels.

According to him, “establishing the Oodua Radio and Magazine is a deliberate attempt to showcase Yoruba culture and ethics globally.

In his address, Tourism Editor of Tribune newspapers, Gabriel Akinadewo, urged Nigerians especially the Yoruba to be culture ambassadors within and outside the country.

“We must all support the Federal Government by projecting the image and protecting the name of Nigeria for the change mantra to work and Oodua Radio is a platform for everybody living in London to do this,” he said.

TREM hosts 2015 kingdom life world conference

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HE Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) will be holding her 2015 edition of Kingdom Life World Conference (KLWC) with the theme “Rest” at the Cathedral of His Glory, TREM International Headquarters, Gbagada Express Way, Anthony Oke, Lagos from 22nd – 29th Nov 2015.

The Conference kicks off on Sunday November 22nd by 4.30 p.m. There would be sessions for Pastors and other teaching sessions during the morning by 8.00a.m from Monday 22st –Friday 27th. These sessions will address topical issues like finance, relationships, leadership development and other social issues.

Speakers billed for the Conference include Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, CAN National President, and

General Overseer - Word of Life Bible Church Warri; Bishop Tudor Bismark Jabula - New Life Ministries International Zimbabwe; Dr. Mensa Otabil from Ghana and Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo KICC London.

Others include Dr. Felix Omobude of the New Covenant Church, Benin City; Bishop Simeon Okah of Flock of Christ, Warri; Bishop Peace Okonkwo, Lagos and other anointed Men of God. Highlights for this year ’s convention include a special healing service for both male and female with Bishop Peace Okonkwo which comes up on Thursday 26th of November from 9.a.m. The Graduation Ceremony of the God’s Army Bible College holds on Friday 27th by 9.00a.m and a special Praise Evening by 9pm.

46—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

Apapa tank farm: Nigeria’s hidden danger

Perhaps the Federal Government’s greatest fear is not crazed terrorists targeting it, since human entry and movement can somewhat be controlled, but the undetected leak that comes from neglect and lack of inspection causing an explosion.

For this reason, government regulation is paramount towards averting an impending industrial disaster, and ensuring that neither of the two evils occur. The future of every Nigerian rich or poor depends on it. he government’s involvement through third party T inspections is a coalition between

BY IKENNA IFEDOBI.

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Nigerian state within its walls. It also happens to be highly explosive, volatile in nature and at present poorly regulated.

Given that Nigeria is yet to make significant strides in alternative energies and diversified energy sources because she continues to neglect the option of refineries and because she cannot maintain a functional national pipeline system, the country is forced to depend on facilities like the Apapa tank farm for basic sustenance and survival. The Apapa metropolis also houses the busiest ports in sub-Saharan Africathe Lagos Port and Tin Can Island port complexes. This orgy of port and petroleum import business with its associated heavy machinery has made the entire area almost inaccessible on any given day. And, because there are no pipelines to transport petroleum products to and from its storage grid, the nation must rely on giant tankers to do the job. These tankers have literally turned the major motorways into parking lots. These are the same roads leading to the busiest ports in sub Saharan Africa and one of the largest petroleum storage facilities in the world. The resultant situation is absolute mayhem. In a normal country with normal people, this situation would have been addressed before the apparent current population explosion.

In One of my articles published on 6th September 2014 by Vanguard Newspaper titled: “Nigeria: Apapa Tank Farm Complex- a disaster in the making,” I went into elaborate detail and analysis on the likelihood

and consequence of failure of a 200 tank complex laden with highly explosive fuel. In that article, I cited examples such as the Buncefield accident in England in 2005, which from one leaking tank, 30 tanks were destroyed in two days of inferno that blasted buildings as far as eight kilometers away and registered about 2.5 on the Richter scale. If a 30-tank complex can cause such havoc in a developed nation with a functional firefighting system and proper urban planning and industrial layout, imagine what a 200-tank complex like that of Apapa would do to the Apapa metropolis, with its dense traffic, roads, and residential areas and miles of tankers filled with the same explosive material. Can the bridges within that radius withstand a 2.5 Richter scale shake up, given that they may have never been inspected since erected? Will the fire fighters be able to contain steel melting heat and flame? Can the Nigerian economy handle a crippled Lagos and an indefinite fuel scarcity? All it takes is one unlucky leak from one tank.

While the political euphoria from the last election dies down and things gradually get back to normal, hopefully, it is important that the paramount significance to national security of this facility be duly noted especially by the Federal Government. The facility literally holds the entire Nigerian economy in its hands and can bring the country to its knees.

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s a social commenter and writer on a brazenly corrupt society like Nigeria, it’s hard not to be viewed as a doomsday prophet like the biblical Jeremiah. This is because any predictions made for a morally decaying polity would usually result in an immoral judgment so to speak.

But in the drunkenness of national corruption, avarice, looting and plain thievery, it is also important to understand how all this wealth gets to your table and how all the economic activities that produce the wealth are made possible. This strategic perspective would go a long way in the appreciation of the crucial steps necessary for nation building and the weak points that may mean life and death for a country like Nigeria.

In plain terms, there is a single light-switch industry that one may say supports all the others and is essentially the life blood of the entire macro-economic system. If this switch is turned off, the entire nation is thrown into darkness, a single factor which if affected adversely would essentially cripple the entire country within hours indefinitely. The longer one brainstorms, the clearer it becomes that as a country, the Apapa tank farm is as important to Nigeria as the head is to the body of a national organism.

The Apapa tank farm holds about 90 per cent of Nigeria’s petroleum products and as we all know, all industries directly or indirectly run or depend on petroleum products for survival. Storage of imported petroleum products is the single most delicate economic activity in the present day Nigerian economy. This storage depot of over 200 tanks of explosive fuel, owned by about 50 private companies represents the foundation and lifeblood of the entire Nigerian existence.

Everything is tied into the availability of energy and fuel for production: prices, inflation, employment, food, education, life expectancy. Therefore, any disaster experienced within that facility will immediately ripple across the entire nation. This tank farm holds the energy supply and distribution capability of almost the whole

Nigeria: Apapa Tank Farm Complexa disaster in the making

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the public and private sector.

Through a professional nondestructive testing (NDT) agency the government can begin now to evaluate which tanks are defective and commence repairs and maintenance. As stated in the earlier Vanguard article of September 6th 2014, simultaneously, loaner tanks can be built along the Lekki area as previously proposed. These loaner tanks though not enough for a full relocation in the short run would ensure that tanks undergoing repair today have somewhere to route their product and production is not in any way affected. Over time, this loaner tank facility would evolve into the new facility and a complete move would be made from Apapa to Lekki. This short run/long run strategy will not only ensure the facility is safe today but provide for its continued functionality tomorrow, all in one stroke. It is absolutely imperative that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) consider, and strongly if I may, the initiation of an inspection and maintenance program, through a third party Inspection company for the Apapa Tank farm complex based along the lines of the American Petroleum Institute (API) Standards, the commencement of a new Loaner facility in Lekki, Lagos, to support the massive inspection/ maintenance project and sustain production levels andthe support of an experienced 3rd party inspection company to inspect and report on the current mechanical integrity of each tank in the facility:this company or group of companies will oversee the periodic maintenance activities outlined in the inspection program as specified

by API and will always be on ground to ensure that procedures are followed and standards are met. The DPR may also consider upgrades in capital protection through electronic monitoring of facilities. Wireless Leak Detectors, cameras, digital pipeline protection, all working in hand with the state police and military, can ensure a recovery of stolen income enough to reignite another economic boom. According to some online news reports, Nigeria loses about N430 billion yearly to crude oil theft and bunkering. What a shame, considering that half of this money may as well solve the electricity crisis in the country, all from one year’s loot recovery. As an experienced person in the industry, one can only watch in amazement as the professionalism and dynamism of Nigerians is enjoyed by other countries. This administration will surely do well in involving the experienced middle-aged and youth in initiating ground breaking programmes that may save the world’s largest black nation from economic Waterloo.

Ikenna Ifedobi is a consultant of the American petroleum Institute (API) and an economist based in USA. ikennaifedobi@gmail.com

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—47

EBONYI/C’RIVER LAND DISPUTE:

Slaughter without end

BY OGHENE OMONISA & PETER OKUTU rom his house to the farm is only but a kilometre, and it was a walk Innocent Agbomi did almost every day. Like most people of Adadama Community of Abi Local Government Area in Cross River State, he was a farmer. But in the morning of Wednesday October 21, 2015 his singular mission was to fumigate his farm. With his fumigation machine hung on his back, he met and greeted other farmers on the way. It was the last time Agbomi was seen alive.

A few minutes later, heavy gunshots rang across the whole community. Scared for their lives, the people scampered in different directions for safety. When the gunshots died down, they cautiously followed the direction the sounds came from only to find bullet-riddled Agbomi lying dead on his farm, with his head and right leg chopped off and taken away. His assailants had vanished into thin air. Then high-pitched wailing and cries of agony followed. The people of Adadama have lost yet another victim to the mindless and macabre killings of missing heads and limbs, the trademark of militants from neighbouring Ndiagu Amagu Community in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, with whom they have been having protracted boundary disputes.

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Origin of dispute The boundary dispute between Adadama and their Ndiagu Amagu neighbours is believed to have lasted for more than a hundred years and 2012 was the centenary anniversary of a boundary point known as Ugoli, which Amagu people claimed was mutually agreed between their ancestors and those of the Adamama people. But a source at Adadama faulted this claim and alleged that the desire of Ikwo people is to chase every Cross River community on the Western side of the Cross River to the other side. According to the source, the Ebonyi people are insisting that the Cross River should serve as the natural boundary between the two states and any Cross River village across the Itigidi Bridge, which runs across the Cross River, is an intruder and would be chased away. He recalled that a community called Igbo Imagbana was once on the Western side of the river where Adadama, Itigidi and other Cross River communities currently are, but due to boundary disputes, the Igbo Imagbanas relocated to their present location. The source lamented that the boundary disputes between Ebonyi and Abi communities can be traced to the boasting of Ebonyi people that they will chase all Abi communities to the other side of the Cross River.

But which party in the dispute is to be believed?

Who are the aggressors and who are the victims?

Another source at Adadama traced the history of the dispute to the cordial relationship which both communities had enjoyed nearly a century ago.

According to him, the Adadamas and the Amagus once lived in peace and harmony, and even intermarried. And the Amagus who settled in Adadama, and who mainly assisted the Adadamas in farming, were either paid cash or given farm produce as payment. But due to their relationship, the Adamamas resolved to be offering farmlands to the Amagus to cultivate as their payment.

“They were never offered the lands for possession, but only for them to cultivate”, the source emphasized. He added that at that time, even youths of Adadama were against the practice as they foresaw a time when future generations of Amagus could begin to lay claim to the lands. “This is exactly what is happening today. They are presently telling us they own our land, and

forcefully asking us to leave by killing us and destroying our properties, making life unbearable for us.”

However, tracing the origin of the dispute, the traditional ruler of Ndiagu Amagu, His Royal Majesty, Irimogudu III, Eze Dominic Aloh stated that the boundary dispute started in 1912 following the encroachment on their ancestral land by the Adadamas, and that their neighbours had often been the aggressors.

communities.

But that was not to be. Two days to the meeting, on January 19, 2013, a day the people of Adadama had scheduled to bury their dead from the clash, the community was yet again invaded by alleged militants from Amagu, where children, men, women, the aged, the weak and the infirm, and even animals were not spared as the invaders were clearly out to kill and destroy anything they set their eyes on.

Incidentally, among According to the those killed was an Ebonyi princess married to an History of clashes source, the Ebonyi Adadama man: Mrs Though both communities have had Mavis Egbe, a 38-year-old people are insisting that the Cross a history of clashes over ownership of mother of two children, the land presently occupied by the River should serve as the natural ages six and one. She was Adadamas, the genesis of the recent the daughter of the late boundary between the two states hostilities could be traced to the Eze of Etiti Uburu abduction of four Adadamas on and any Cross River village across Community in Ohaozara January 13 and 14, 2013. Armed Local Government of the Itigidi Bridge, which runs militants believed to have come from Ebonyi State, His Royal Amagu invaded Adamama farmlands across the Cross Highness, Eze Agwu Akpa. and abducted Mrs. Ekama Edu River, is an intruder She held a B.Sc in Ekpala and Chief Vincent Ekpa Egbe.

Biochemistry from Abia Chief Egbe was later found with and would be State University, Uturu, several machete cuts on the head and Abia State and worked as other parts of his body, and was a Desk Officer in charge rushed on the same day to the Eja of hostel accommodation in the Student Affairs Memorial Hospital in Itigidi for medical attention.

Department of the University of Calabar, Cross River Among the casualties were Mr. Anthony Enang State. She was at Adadama for the funeral ceremonies of Isang who was shot dead, and Mr. Edu Sylvester who her husband’s aunt. was also fatally shot, but survived the gun wounds.

Unknown to the Ebonyi militants, they had killed The militants vandalized a border police post their daughter and sister who was married to an constructed by the Cross River State Government.

Adadama man. Killed alongside with her was a cyclist, The Amagus also alleged that eight persons of their who was taking her to safety in Itigidi. He was own were abducted and several others wounded. identified as Christian Edu Ideaba, an indigene of Following was a ceasefire mutually agreed between the Ikamine Clan in Itigidi Community. two communities that they would not attack each other, Even with accusations and counter accusations, rather they agreed to meet on Monday, January 21, to restoration of peace to the warring communities carry out a joint assessment of the disputed land and the appears to be only a mirage. Will the death of Agbomi meeting would involve the Chairmen of Abi and Ikwo Local Government Councils and the Divisional Police bring about renewed hostilities or motivate renewed Officers as well as other government officials from efforts towards finding a permanent peace?

Ebonyi and Cross Rivers and leaders from the two

48—SATURDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 r. Abiodun Ajifowobaje is the Managing Director of Ikeja Electric.

In this interview he spoke on the state of the company’s network, its metering programme and other customer-related initiatives.

Excerpts.

When you took over in November 2013, you complained of low power allocation from the national grid, what are you getting now and the quantity of power you require to service your customers?

When we took over in November 2013, power allocation to Ikeja was hovering between 300MW to 320MW. At a stage, it went to about 200MW and power supply crisis early in the year at time got to zero megawatt.

Following improved power generation, especially driven by the progress being recorded at Egbin Power that now generates 1100MW, we have in the last few months seen improved allocation to

By Sebastine Obasi Ikeja hovering service for our customers. between 450MW and 500MW. This has What is the update on your metering scheme? translated to more power supply to our customers.

We have rolled out our Advanced Metering However, there is still a shortfall as we require Infrastructure (AMI) scheme. We project that on 1,250MW of power to customers within our monthly basis, install12,000 meters. As soon as network. Since the takeover date, we have among our contractors mobilise more teams, we will other strategic initiatives continued to upgrade be hitting 15,000 meter installation per month. our network for seamless and equitable After our 2,000 meter installation pilot scheme, distribution of the power we get. We also have we have already installed another 8,500. We had localized cases where we have witnessed issues earlier said we will install 10,000 meters for with transformers and feeders. We are responding October. The programme is very much on course to these issues while implementing a holistic and we are confident that we will realise our overhaul programme that would reposition target of deploying these 300,000 smart meters Ikeja Electric for optimal performance at our to our customers. network. We have made significant progress in What informed the delay in your metering this regard and remain committed to working scheme? with all stakeholders to ensure our esteemed The point is that we wanted to install meters customers are serviced excellent, efficiently and that are smart, reliable, secure and futuristic. sustainably.

This is in line with our customer-centric approach When the new management took over, of ensuring service excellence in all our promises were made for replacement of bad operations. Prior to the ongoing deployment, transformers and upgrade of assets. Please can we had to embark on a thorough review of the you be specific in telling us how far you have project to ensure that the solution we adopted is gone in fulfilling these promises? one that will resonate with global best practice.

Yes, we are replacing bad transformers and We went through a lot of painstaking attention upgrading our assets. Between January and June to details and stakeholder engagements to arrive this year, we have replaced 96 defective at the meters we are currently installing. These transformers and have effected major repairs on smart meters that will be installed at residential feeders and other installations. The upgrade is a and business locations can be monitored continuous process that will ultimately ensure remotely from our office. A customer can also stability and efficiency within the network. There monitor how he/she progresses on a daily basis is one aspect of asset that we consider as the using the meter. For instance, if a customer most crucial. That is, our people. We have since intends to spend just N10, 000 on a monthly the takeover continued to invest in our people basis, that could be achieved. What we have now through local and foreign training programmes is secure, tamper-proof and put the power of designed for all categories of staff. We are conservation and management of usage in the confident to state that our people are among the hands of our customers. leading professionals in the power sector and Have you put any programme(s) in place in we have a seamless succession plan for the future the bid to effectively meter all customers on through our Graduate Engineering Programme. your network?

We believe that all of our human capital We have drawn our timetable on how we are investment will culminate in the best possible going to cover all our customers. In the first

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We require 1,250MW —MD, IKEDC

President/CEO, Sub-Saharan Africa Region, FORD, Jeff Nemeth (right) with President/ CEO of Coscharis Group, Dr Cosmas Maduka, at the unveil of the first Ford R a n g e r assembled in Nigeria and announcement of the Assembly Plant at Coscharis Ford Showroom, Lagos.

(L-R) Etisalat Customer, Raphael Osamon, Chief Marketing Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Francesco Angelone, Etisalat Customer, Chizoba Okpala-Atsu and Director, Customers Care, EtisalatNigeria, Plato Syrimis at the Etisalat Customer Forum held in Lagos on Friday.

instance, we are going to meter 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 customers. But there is no way we can bring in all the 300,000 meters for installation in one month. There are some we are going to install now, and it continues until December 2016.

The holistic timetable for the installation will be strictly adhered to as it was informed by parameters that Ajifowobaje are vital to the overall success of the project.

In addition to the AMI project, Our Board going from house to house. The plan is to has just approved the implementation of ensure customers are adequately captured CAPMI scheme to boost the process of on our database. This will ultimately lead metering. The fact still remains that the to enhanced service delivery and more meters are free – whether through CAPMI efficiency in billing. The second aspect of or the AMI scheme. If customers pay under this initiative is the technical audit. All the CAPMI for acquiring meters, Ikeja Electric power assets from transformer, cables, poles, will refund such monies over time. The and so on, used for our operations will be procedure through which our customers captured using our technology. In the longcan leverage our CAPMI scheme, will be run, immediately we identify a customer, we made public soon. The meters will help us can map the customer to a transformer; effectively monitor and manage customer map the transformer to a feeder; and so on.

The data is needed to manage the system consumption as well as minimise losses.

Again, our Customer Enumeration, effectively. We expect that this project will be Technical Audit and Asset Mapping concluded in the next 7 to 10 months.

(CETAM) initiative is targeted at making A combination of the metering scheme every consumer of power within our and the CETAAM initiative is certain to network our customers indeed. This produce seamless service within the Ikeja initiative has kicked-off fully and we are Electric network.

MTN supports internally displaced people with relief materials n its continual bid to complement government’s efforts in providing I succour to the needy, MTN Foundation has

flagged off the distribution of relief materials to three Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camps in North East, Nigeria.

The relief materials meant to provide succour and brighten hopes were distributed to displaced persons in Government College, Maiduguri, Borno State; NYSC Camp, Yola, Adamawa State and Poponari Camp, Damaturu, Yobe State.

The relief materials included: mattresses, pillows, bed sheets and pillow cases, bathing soaps, disinfectants, cooking pots, kerosine stoves and cartons of noodles.

At the presentation ceremony in Adamawa, the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma, represented by Dealer Account Executive in the Sales & Distribution division of MTN, Ms. Pedeino Mathias, said MTN was delighted to contribute to efforts that would ease the plight of the IDPs. “We have come to demonstrate our deepest concern for our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers including children who have been affected by one disaster or the other. As the government strives to meet the needs of these individuals, this donation is part of the many projects of the MTN Foundation to

support the efforts of the government to improve the quality of lives in our communities,” Ugboma said.

On his part, the NEMA Camp Coordinator at NYSC Camp, Damare, Adamawa, Alhaji Balarabe Musa said, “We are really happy for the concern shown by the MTN Foundation and we assure you the items will be distributed to the IDPs. We appreciate the donations we receive from individuals and groups and we appeal for more to be able to meet the needs of the IDPs. NEMA is doing its best on behalf of the federal government to accommodate the IDPs and make them comfortable but we need the support of all.”

The chairman of the IDPs, Alhaji Madu Goni who spoke on behalf of the IDPs in the Adamawa camp expressed satisfaction with the gesture shown by the MTN Foundation. He said that “by this donation, they have shown that they care for us and have concerns for our plight. We call on other organisations across the country to emulate this gesture and also support us”.

The MTN Foundation, the corporate social investment arm of MTN Nigeria has invested over N13 billion in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment. The Foundation has 344 project sites across the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory.

SATURDAY Vanguard,

NOVEMBER 21, 2015—49

BY LAJU IREN 07017860213 ELLEJAYMEDIA@YAHOO.CO.UK

SDG 4: Educationists doubt Nigeria’s ability to achieve quality education for all by 2030

BY LAJU IREN s the curtains drew on 2014, and the lights shone on 2015, it became obvious to Nigeria and the international comity that the world’s most populous black nation would not meet quite a number of the Millennium Development Goals postulated by the United Nations in 2000. At least, not the Education For All goal.

The country still holds the highest record for Out of School Children, accounting for a staggering 10.5 million of the 57 million in the world. With such a poor record, it is no wonder that stakeholders doubt whether Nigeria will be able to meet up with the Sustainable Development Goal four recently adopted by the UN to ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.

In detail, world leaders are working to ensure that by 2030, all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes; that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education. SDG 4 also seeks to ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university; Substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship; Eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations.

Governments at various levels are not acquainted enough with the global urgency and exigency for meeting the SDG Goal 4; there does not appear to be any concerted focus on the part of governments to take the SDGs seriously. As at yet the efforts made in that direction are so feeble they can only pass for lip service.

Mr. Chizo Aomugha, President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics told Saturday School Life that Governments at various levels are not acquainted enough with the global urgency and exigency for meeting the SDG Goal 4. His words: “There does not appear to be any concerted focus on the part of governments to take the SDGs seriously. As at yet the efforts made in that direction are so feeble they can only pass for lip service.”

Continuing he said: “There are enduring deep systemic ruptures that have serially hindered the country's achieve-

A

ment of global targets, not only in education, but in all spheres. These intense fissures are manifest in the endemic corruption, lukewarm patriotism, poor service delivery, abnegation of rule of law, disregard of justice, dearth of accountability, generally the dysfunctional national system. Unless and until the government in power musters the will to put the nation on course for national rebirth, the halfhearted efforts at achieving the SDG Goal 4 will continue to return sub average results.”

National Coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign, ERC, Mr. Hassan Soweto is also not to hopeful about Nigeria’s chances in this regard. “On the basis of current trend of pro-capitalist education policies and the lackluster attitude to funding,” he said, “I do not think it is feasible for Nigeria to achieve the SDG goal 4. Every bit of Nigeria’s education policies contravenes the spirit and aims of the SDG goals. Our education policies promote exclusion instead of inclusion. The economic system of Nigeria is still capitalism which means so-

cial services including education are seen not as government responsibility but as business and students are seen as customers.” Continuing, he said, “I see no reason for optimism. However, If the Buhari government is serious, the first step is to declare free education at all levels and devote public resources to providing the required facilities needed to ensure that education is not only free but also qualitative.

How do we accommodate all of the 10.5 million out-ofschool children in the same number of schools available now? That is impossible! The available schools are already overcrowded. So we need a public works programme funded by the state to build new classrooms and establish new schools equipped with all of the latest modern gadgets and facilities to make learning an educative and fun-filled experience children would love to have again and again.All over the country, at least 220, 000 additional teachers are needed to bridge the yawning teacher-pupil ratio. If the government is serious, there must be a provision to employ more teachers and also see to the improvement in teacher training through the improved funding of the colleges of education and provision for regular in-service training.”

C.I.T.Y. school to four cities’

BY LAJU IREN he Catch and Inspire Them Young, CITY School has become a go-to spot for secondary school students in Lagos and Ogun states since it was launched in 2011.

However, to equip more students across the country, the organisers, Eagles’ Hope Foundation, an arm of the Covenant University Alumni Association, chose to hold this year’s edition in four cities: Lagos, Ibadan, Ota and Abuja The summer school themed “Leaders Arise’ had over 500 teenagers as well as over 250 youthful volunteers in attendance. The participants were taken through practical and in-depth training on leadership, personal mastery, entrepreneurship and community development.

Hope’s Executive Director, Mr. Femi Taiwo, spoke on the rationale behind the summer

T

school. His words: “Fifty per-cent of Nigerians are below eighteen years of age and our goal through C.I.T.Y. is to turn majority of this demography into social change agents. We want to raise leaders and entrepreneurs who have the capacity and character to transform Africa, even from their teenage years.. Over the last 3 years, C.I.T.Y. has engaged over 1,000 volunteers and scores of corporate partners to reach over 7,000 teenagers with our award-winning leadership development programmes. It is our goal to reach more locations and more teenagers, and make excellent leadership commonplace in our society.”

Miss Gift Ogidi, one of the participants at the summer school shared her experience with Saturday School Life, SSL. She said: “I learnt a lot about public speaking, goal setting and principles of effective leadership. I think the

C.I.T.Y. has also helped me figure out what career path I want to take in the future’.

For Summer School Director, Miss Tochi Ivi Kanu these lessons are in line with the establishment of the C.I.T.Y. programme. “The C.I.T.Y. programme is centered on providing practical and age appropriate training to teenagers in Nigeria,” she said, “we believe the greatest investment a country like ours can make is in its people, that’s the only way to achieve the Nigeria we all desire. Our mission is to a raise a new generation of leaders who have a heart for service and are willing to accept responsibility for a people or a cause.”

Continuing, she added: “The need for a true leadership cannot be overemphasized. We believe that Nigeria’s greatest asset is in its people; people not machines or buildings can bring about the future that we desire. We teach the teenagers that leadership is not in position but in accepting responsibility for a people, for a cause. This is why we do what we do.”

50—SATURDAY

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

How police smashed notorious Oyo-based Fulani kidnapping gang

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE

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esidents of Okeho and Iganna communities in Iwajowa Local Government Area of Oyo State can now sleep with both eyes closed following the arrest of Fulani natives who were suspected to be members of a notorious kidnapping and armed robbery gang that has been terrorising the entire local government for a long time.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the suspects were arrested following several reports of armed robbery and kidnapping of notable figures by these hoodlums who were said to be armed with high calibre rifles.

The situation was said to have forced the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase into deploying his newly designed elite operatives of Special Intelligence Team (SIT) to Oyo State, to track and apprehend the culprits.

Sources intimated Saturday Vanguard that residents of these communities which are towns bordering the Republic of Benin, had been living in fear over the incessant activities of these hoodlums who were described as very powerful and some of them were also said to be children of rich Fulani herdsmen resident in the community.

SIT operatives go under cover Sources at Force Headquarters Abuja, disclosed that the SIT operatives, on arriving Okeho and Iganna communities, went

undercover for two weeks, gathering intelligence from locals, before swooping on five members of the gang, identified as Abdullahi Mohammed (35), Abubakar Abubakar (28), Damanya Gambo (30), Usman Idris, Usman Saidu (30), including a 30-year-old member, Hassan Maikudi, who led the gang in kidnapping his father and a ransom of N1.5 million was paid before his release. Others were said to have fled into the bush and the sum of N200,000 as well as several charms used in evading arrest were recovered from the arrested suspects.

Though search for other fleeing suspects is still ongoing, some residents who spoke with Saturday Vanguard hailed the police for coming to their aid, adding that activities of the hoodlums would have plunged the community into crisis.

Jimoh Abbas, a resident and native of Okeho, told Saturday Vanguard that Fulanis were suspecting the Yorubas because most of the victims were Fulanis.

His words: “The Fulani elders in our community had thought that it was we the Yoruba boys that were committing most of these atrocities and whenever we went close to them, they would be looking at us suspiciously. And on our part, we also suspected their boys, because we had been observing how they were spending money around the area. We knew that they could not afford the kind of lavished lifestyle they

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the suspects were arrested following several reports of armed robbery and kidnapping of notable figures by these hoodlums who were said to be armed with high calibre rifles

were living. Tension was building seriously, but all thanks to God that the policemen from Abuja have solved the problem.”

Career in crime When Saturday Vanguard interviewed the suspects, Mohammad Abdulahi, a Fulani native of Kwara State, who is also a graduate of Mathematics from the Kwara State Polytechnic, and who is married to two wives and has three children, said poverty led him to crime.

He explained further that

graduating from the university, he managed to secure a teaching job where he earned just N15,000 monthly, which he said was too poor for him. According to him, “I was a teacher but quit my job because I wanted to join the Nigerian Army. I applied but I wasn’t admitted.

“I have Ordinary National Diploma (OND) from Kwara State Polytechnic in Mathematics and Statistics obtained in 2005, and went further for a BSc degree in mathematics from Kwara State University, graduating in 2009, before proceeding for National Youth Service. I started working in 2011 after getting a job at a private secondary school in Okeho.

“I taught physics and Mathematics and I earned N15,000 monthly. I was very popular among most residents of the area especially people of my tribe as I grew up in that area with my parents and siblings. I was also living there with my wives and children. Most of my friends who knew I was well educated, knew I wasn’t making enough money from my job. A few months ago, two of them, Damanya and Abubakar, approached me with an idea, that since I was highly respected and well known in the community, that I could always make good money for myself, by giving them informations about rich people residing in the community.

“I asked what they needed to do with such information, and they said in most cases, they would either rob or kidnap such persons.

I told them that I couldn’t do such because my eyes are very bad, and I could barely see at night.

Damanya told me that all they needed was for me to always look out for potential targets and when he or she was identified, in the case of kidnapping, I would be on ground to gather intelligence from relatives of the victims. In other cases, he said I would have to tail and give them information on perons they wanted to rob. We did a couple of jobs. I gave them information when they wanted to rob a cattle rearer after he had just sold a cattle. I informed them when the man came home and I followed him secretly until he mounted a motorcycle. I gave them information, and by evening, news went round that the man had been robbed and the money he made

from the sale of his cattle was carted away. In that operation, I got N40,000 as my share.

“There were several other times when they blocked the highway leading to the border and robbed traders going for business across the boder and disposessed them of their monney and valuables. When they returned, they would bring my own share. This is because they don’t want me to tell anyone who carried out those operations.

“There were several operations we did together and I usually got my share but last month they went and kidnapped Alhaji Maikudi, who is a rich cattle rearer. It was his son, Hassan, who brought the job and I don’t know what was his reason. Hassan is also my friend, but he works with his father as a herdsman and they have several cows. He gave the information to Danmayan and they kidnapped his father and took him into the bush and kept him there for one week till a N1.5 million was paid as ransom before he was released.

“During the operation, I was in the community monitoring what was happening. I was attending meetings and I took part in planning on how we would go and look for Alhaji Maikudi. My father also took part in the search. He was also in the bush looking for Alhaji.

Some of my gang members were also with them and they were always relaying information to those keeping Alhaji. On my part, I was always giving them information about any plan that was to be carried out in the community. At the end, Hassan ensured that the sum of N1.5 million was paid as ransom after some of his father’s cattles were sold. He got N700,000 as his own share, while I, Abubakar, Damanya and Saidu got N200,000 each. I had barely spent my own money when I was arrested by the police.”

Nabbing the suspects Revealing how he was arrested, Abdulahi continued: “I was picked up in a bar, where I had gone to have some drinks. The policemen were also in the bar drinking and I didn’t know that they were policemen. I liked the way they were relaxing and offered to buy them some drinks, but before I knew what was happening, I was arrested and whisked away. I thought the policemen were from Ibadan on rountine raiding and I threatened to call my lawyer. It was when I got here that I realised that I was in a deep mess. I told the police the role I played and took them to my house and handed over my N200,000 of the ransom.”

Another suspect, Abubakar Abubakar, also a Fulani from Kwara State, confessed that he received the sum of N80,000 from the gang. He said, “Whenever they went for an operation, they usually gave me my share. It was Damanya who would instruct Abdulahi to bring the money to me. I am not into the business full time. I have my own business and I sell telephone accessories and everyone within our community knows me very well. The only job I played activie role in was the kidnap of Alhaji Maikudi. It was his son, Hassan who brought me to Damanya and they did all the preparations.

Meantime, when Saturday Vanguard came face to face with Hassan Maikudi, who led kidnappers to abduct his father, he showed no remorse and was unapologetic. He refused answering questions from this reporter and claimed he was wrongly accused by his friends.

arrest — Suspected cultist SATURDAY

Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015—51

MURDER OF ABUJA NURSE

Family raises alarm over alleged attempt to close case theirs, was a direct recipient of the smoke which usually filtered into her room and left her gasping for breath. She complained severally but was ignored and even threatened.”

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

F

amily of the Abujabased nurse, Ifeoma Okwor (27) who died last August after she was set ablaze by her neighbour ’s lover, during the week, raised the alarm over what they called “attempts by some personalities to use their influence and connection to frustrate and close the case.” Speaking through their solicitor, Ezra Enwere of Grey Silk Legal Consult, the family lamented that the personalities were trying to deny them justice.

How the incident happened The victim, Ifeoma Okwor met her untimely death in downtown Karmo, a suburb on the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. She was reportedly set ablaze by her neighbour’s lover, Uchenna Ezeiro following a prolonged quarrel over the perennial inconveniences she suffered on account of Ezeiro’s alleged hemp smoking habit.

Indian hemp addict

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

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he 43-year-old widow of late Eniola Olayemi, who was brutally murdered in cold blood during a political rally at Oshodi area of Lagos State last April, has cried out, alleging that those responsible for the death of her husband are frustrating the investigation in order to escape justice.

How it all started Narrating how it all started, Mrs Eniola, a native of Ibadan in Oyo State, who insisted that her photograph should not be taken for her safety, said: “I got married to Eniola in 1996 and we had four children. On April 9, my husband went for APC rally and never came back alive as he was murdered during the rally at Oshodi. According to the medical report, my husband died as a result of injuries he sustained at the rally after his assailants attacked him with hammer and plywood.”

Threat messages “At about 5pm that fateful day, I received the news that my husband had been killed at 7 & 8 Bus stop, Ajao Estate, along Oshodi/Airport Expressway.

Before he was murdered in cold blood, he received several threat messages from members of a notorious gang in the area who informed him that his name was in their elimination list.”

Accuses police of connivance According to her: “Right now,

War of words The solicitor went on: “The ugly trend reached a climax in the morning of July 27, 2015, when the suspect was said to have lit another wrap of the weed, sending the smoke spiralling into Ifeoma’s room, as usual. Enraged by the development, Ifeoma accosted her neighbour, Amaka and a verbal war ensued between the two. While this was going on, the suspect reportedly stormed out of the room, found a nearby portable generating set, scooped fuel from it and went after Ifeoma.”

•The late Ifeoma before he was set ablaze Recounting how the sad incident took place, the family’s solicitor, Ezra Enwere said that Ifeoma was a neighbour to Amaka whose boyfriend was in the habit of

•Ifeoma on the hospital bed smoking Indian hemp whenever he was on visit. According to the solicitor, “The boyfriend who used to visit regularly was fond of smoking the weed and Ifeoma, whose room was next to

Lagos widow’s S.O.S. to IGP:

My husband's killers are frustrating investigation

•The late Eniola

•Muritala Aweniya

the people who killed my husband are using top police officers in Abuja to pull strings and frustrate the entire court process. They have been able to manipulate a Deputy InspectorGeneral’s office to demand that the case which is already in court be withdrawn and case transferred to Abuja. They are afraid that the suspects who have been arrested and charged to court will expose them. Others who are still at large are making frantic efforts and also pulling strings using high ranking police officers to frustrate the court process and thwart justice, which is why they want the case withdrawn

•Jamiu Adedumoye

from the court and transferred to Abuja.”

Why transfer to Abuja?

“How can a murder case which is in court here in Lagos, be transferred to Abuja all of a sudden when the officers investigating the case here are making headway and have succeeded in arresting some of the suspects involved in the murder of my late husband. The only reason they want the case transferred from Lagos to Abuja is because they have succeeded in compromising some senior officers. They have sent a signal from the DIG in Abuja that the case should be withdrawn from the court and transferred to

Attack with fuel, death The solicitor continued: “As Ifeoma was heading back to her room after the quarrel subsided, the suspected allegedly doused her with the petrol, lit a match and set her ablaze. A violent flame instantly engulfed Ifeoma’s

Abuja. It was the same DIG that requested that federal Federal Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) should investigate the case.

Killers of my husband boasted that the case would die a natural death and the office of the DIG is helping them achieve their threat with this directive. I am pleading with Nigerians to come to my rescue.

Human rights organizations should intervene and the Inspector-General of Police should urgently set up a new team to look into the case because the killers of my husband should not be walking free.”

Suspects moving freely on the streets Crime Guard gathered that several months after the case

body and her agonising screams attracted neighbours who rushed to the spot and tried to save her. She was eventually rushed to a nearby hospital from where she was transferred to the National Hospital, Abuja. Doctors at the hospital battled to save her life but she gave up the ghost in pains and agony.”

Arrest of suspects The solicitor continued: “Soon after that, Amaka and her boyfriend, Uchenna, were arrested by the police at Karmo and later transferred to the Homicide Department of the FCT Command. After interrogation, Amaka was granted bail while Uchenna

was detained and later moved to the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS).

Unfortunately, for over three months, we waited for the police to charge the matter to court but they kept on delaying, claiming that they were waiting for medical report. Even after we provided the report, they still kept on giving excuses.”

was reported and detectives from Lagos State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID, Panti, Yaba, began investigation, no single arrest was made. Even some of the suspects were moving freely on the streets with illegal protection.

FEDSARS to the rescue It was when the case was transferred to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FEDSARS), Adeniji-Adele, Lagos, that they were able to arrest one Muritala Aweniya aka Horse Pain who was charged to court in August. His arrest led to the arrest of Jamiu Adedumoye who is currently facing a three-count charge on the murder of the deceased (Eniola) at Igbosere Magistrate Court.

52—VANGUARD, SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2015

In addition, its numeric strength which the 1996 census pegged at 1,500, 000 further makes it one of the spots to watch out for at the polls.

From 1999 till date, the APC has successively produced the elected chairmen in the 22-year old LGA, thereby giving itself some kind of hegemonic status in the LGA. But this hegemony is poised to be frontally challenged by a PDP that seems reinvigorated by the successes recorded by its candidates in the LGA at the last general election.

One of such is the victory of Mr. Oghene Igho, against Mr.

We can not be stampeded into conducting elections when we have not put the necessary structures in place

LAGOS LG POLL:

Foxy battle THE forthcoming local government election in Lagos State promises to be a battle of wits between the two major political parties in the state.

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

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CROSS the 20 Local Government Areas, LGAs, and 37 Local Development Council Authorities, LCDAs, the major players have been engaged in permutations and fireworks, albeit subtly as they wait on the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC. The three-year tenure of the elected chairmen had elapsed in October, but LASIEC, hinging on the argument that it was waiting for voter register from INEC, is yet to conduct the exercise.

Irked by this, the National Conscience Party challenged the appointment of caretaker committees to administer the affairs of local governments.

It was on this ground that a Lagos High Court in Igbosere, ordered that election in all the local government areas of Lagos State be conducted within 30 days.

Legal battle

The court held that the appointment of caretaker committees over the administration of local government councils in the state was unconstitutional.

While the state government

had applied for a stay of execution on the judgment through the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, findings revealed that structures were being put in place by LASIEC for a seamless exercise.

Polling units

Specifically, Vanguard was told that new wards and polling units are being created at the grassroots to make the polls more participatory.

Disclosing this in an exclusive chat, Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC,in the state, Mr. Joe Igbokwe dismissed the notion that the state refused to hold the elections. ‘’APC is known for its commitment to democratic ideals and practices. There are PDP states that have not conducted local government elections for a long time. Why are they making so much noise about Lagos? ‘’We cannot be stampeded into conducting elections when we have not put the necessary structures in place. Currently, we are creating new wards and polling units at the grassroots to make sure that every eligible voter partakes in the exercise.

What we are doing is the

needful and until we are done, no one can stampede us into conducting the polls.’’

However, a chieftain of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, in Ojo Local Government Area, Alhaji Muri Banjoko, dismissed APC’s defense as deceptive.

He said: ‘’A party that claims to be progressive ideologically, should adhere to progressive culture in a democracy. Even though we are not surprised at their refusal to hold the elections, APC owes it a duty to conduct the elections as stated by the law. ‘’Our supporters are ready and willing to participate in the exercise, but they are saddened that the state government is denying them the opportunity to elect their leaders at the grassroots.’’

Further checks across the state, showed that grassroots political actors are eager to see the polls conducted.

One of such places is AmuwoOdofin LGA, where the exercise promises to reenkindle the undisputed supremacy rivalry between the PDP and the APC. With a large concentration of non indigenes and reputation as a PDP stronghold, the LGA promises to be a battle ground during the exercise.

Ganiyu Olukolu of the APC at the exercise.

Notwithstanding, Saturday Vanguard findings showed that the APC could still be the party to beat when the chips are down.

The party, it was gathered, is not jittery over what analysts describe as the selling points of the PDP in the LGA, as it is known to boast of structures and men with incontrovertible

grassroots electoral value.

The contenders

major

At the moment, two aspirants are known to be nursing the ambition of occupying the seat which was vacated last year by the youthful Comrade Adewale Ayodele.

The aspirants include a grassroots mobiliser and Administrative Secretary of the APC in Lagos West Senatorial District; Mr. Segun Idris and a former member representing Amuwo Odofin in the House of Assembly; Mrs Riskat Adegeye.

The two are coming into the race with robust grassroots appeal and experience.

While Adegeye, who is married to popular juju musician, King Suny Ade represented the constituency for four years at the House, Idris, a prince of the popular Fakeye family in the Abule-Ado part of the LGA, has been a major player in the affairs of the LGA for decades.

In a chat with Saturday Vanguard, Adegeye had while stating why she wanted the position, said: ‘’I have been in politics for a long time. My late mother was a politician who inspired me to become a politician. It was not by accident that I became a politician. That is why I am passionate about serving my people. When someone gets into something by accident, you may not get the best out of that person, but for someone like me, who had idea of why I am in politics it is a different case.”

Despite her strides and popularity among some political leaders, Adegeye, however, did not seek a second term in 2011.

Her failure to get a second term also followed insinuations in some quarters about her documentations, an issue that may arise again.

Nevertheless, Amuwo Odofin promises to be the center stage for the battle of wits between the two parties.

adipe w arns residents Fuel scarcity: FFadipe warns against storage of petrol

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

The Director Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasak Fadipe has warned Lagosians who are fond of buying and storing the Premium Motor Spirit, (PMS) as a result of scarcity of the product to desist from the act and be fire safety conscious.

Fadipe gave the warning in his Alausa, Ikeja Office, noting that fire outbreak has been on the increase across the state which had led to avoidable colossal loss of lives and properties.

According to him over 1,558 fire calls were received and promptly responded to, while properties worth over N89.26billion were saved from January till date.

This figure he explained attested to the fact that people were yet to comply with the safety advocacy campaign of the government which was a source of concern.

To curb the tide of this menace, Fadipe expressed that the agency had been re-positioned and transformed with provisions of new equipment to meet the challenges associated with mega city.

Fadipe recalled that no fire outbreak is small or big in terms of aftermath destruction and trauma victims encountered during and after the outbreak. Noting that the habit of buying fuel in jerry cans or containers and storing at home, vehicle boots or within the premise of the office must be a thing of the past and urged parents and guardians to warn their children against careless handling of electronic appliances, naked lights and gas cookers among others as all these are major source of fire disasters.

SATURDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 — 53

Rodrguez in the groove for Clasico J

ames Rodríguez is in Madrid again and has switched his attention to the ‘Clásico’ after ten days away with his country. The trips to the Chilean capital of Santiago and the city of Barranquilla in northern Colombia provided ample personal grounds for optimism, even if they only yielded a single point. The ‘Cafeteros’ may have suffered a setback on the road to Russia 2018, but the Real Madrid star got 180 minutes of action under his belt.

The attacking midfielder wasn’t able to train under Rafa Benítez until Thursday, leaving him with just two sessions to convince the coach he should start against Barcelona.

However, his claim can only have been strengthened by his impressive performances in Chile - where he scored a second-half equaliser and at home to Argentina.

James, who has only started once for Real Madrid this term, appears to have returned safe, sound and free from any niggles, although the ‘Los Blancos’ coaching staff will gauge his condition for themselves when he reports back to Valdebebas.

Morata: Juve hungry to beat Milan

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lvaro Morata insists Juventus are “still hungry” and targets victory over Milan today.

The Bianconeri have started the season poorly, and currently lie seventh in Serie A after 12 League games, with the Diavolo visiting Turin this weekend.

“Historically it is the biggest game in Italian football,” Morata acknowledged in an interview with JTV. “We want to win it, to climb up the table. We haven’t

started in the best way, but it’s not been easy after changing so many players.

“Now we know each other more, and we’re playing better every day. We’re still hungry for wins, and we want to return to our place, which must be at the top of the League.

“This year our rivals have improved, they’ve reinforced and the League is very difficult. There are at least four or five teams who can compete for the Scudetto.”

Bayern roll into Schalke for three points B

Frankfurt seek to tame Chicharito

ayern München can extend their unbeaten start to the season to 13 matches with a positive result at Schalke’s VELTINS Arena this evening Schalke are without a win in their last six competitive outings. Bayern boast the best return after 12 matches of all time (11 wins, one draw) and are on course to break the 100-goal mark.. The Bayern players are set to walk out in front of a sell-out Bundesliga crowd for the 300th time in succession.

The champions currently average four goals a game at home, but just 1.8 on their travels (nine goals in five outings).

Robert Lewandowski scored the first of his 105 Bundesliga goals against Schalke. No other player has found the net as often since. The Pole’s next strike will take him into the top three on the Bundesliga’s all-time leading foreign goalscorers’ chart.

To date, Thomas Müller has ended up on the winning side in 150 of his 209 Bundesliga outings. No other player has recorded as many top-flight victories in such a short space of time.

Schalke’s Max Meyer is in line to make his 75th Bundesliga appearance.

Only Julian Draxler reached the milestone at a younger age.

S

topping Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s in-form Mexican Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez is the challenge Eintracht Frankfurt face in the Bundesliga today.

Frankfurt did not lose to Leverkusen last season, drawing 1-1 away and winning 2-1 at home In the last 12 meetings, the Eagles have only once kept a clean sheet – on 15 December 2013 in a 1-0 win.

In the 60 Bundesliga meetings between the sides, there has not been a single 0-0 draw.

However, there have never been more than five goals in a single game, either. Leverkusen have scored 98 goals against Eintracht in the sides’ top-flight history.

Toni back to face Napoli L

uca Toni could make his comeback for Hellas Verona against Napoli tomorrow.

Last season’s Capocannoniere has been out of action with a knee ligament injury since the 1-1 draw with Atalanta on September 20.

He took part in Thursday’s full double training session, including a game between ranks.

There are reports the 38year-old hitman could make his return to the field against Napoli at the Stadio Bentegodi this weekend.

Hellas have sorely missed Toni, as they are the only side still without a Serie A victory this season.

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Sagna: I had tears in my eyes after Paris attacks

M

anchester City full-back Bacary Sagna said Tuesday’s game between France and England at Wembley Stadium was a show of unity and strength.

Sagna, 32, played in Friday’s match at the Stade De France between France and Germany during terror attacks across Paris that saw 129 people killed and said he had tears in his eyes at the tributes paid to the victims ahead of the game at Wembley.

“We struggled to focus, but, by playing, we were sending out a bigger message,” he said. “It wasn’t just an ordinary game. But, as French, we wanted to fight. To compete. To show that we remain strong and united.”

“I had tears in my eyes. Inevitably.

Like everyone. I am French, and when something happens to the French people, it happens to me.”

54 — SATURDAY Vanguard,

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NOVEMBER 21, 2015

SATURDAY VANGUARD, NOVEMBER 21, 2015 — 55

REVEALED: How Real Madrid

players revolted against Mourinho

*Will same play out in Chelsea? *Is he suffering from another third-season syndrome?

Chelsea’s remarkable demise this season may appear to be the most extraordinary in recent football history but veteran observers of the club’s Portuguese manager see it as simply following a pattern – with eerie parallels to his final season at Real Madrid Are the Chelsea players revolting or are they not revolting? This is the question.

For all the public protestations of loyalty to Jose Mourinho by John Terry and other members of the Chelsea squad, many wonder whether the early season collapse of the reigning Premier League champions – seven defeats in 12 games – is at least partly down to the Portuguese manager having lost the confidence of his players.

The tantalising claim by BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Garry Richardson that a member of the team said he would rather lose than win for Mourinho may be balderdash. But it has served to encourage the suspicion that perhaps some of his players have decided the time has come, as they say in Spain, “to make his bed” – code for deliberately under-performing in order to get the manager sacked.

We do not know if this is exactly what the Real Madrid players had in mind during Mourinho’s third season in charge of the team but of this there is no doubt: well before the Spanish club asked Mourinho to leave in the summer of 2013 most of them were sick to death of him. As were almost all the Spanish sports journalists, who had come to regard him as a narcissist so locked into his self-referential world that he had no notion of the fool he continually made of himself.

The editor of the country ’s most unapologetically pro-Real sports paper, As, would end up writing: “The truth is that Mourinho blew it at Real Madrid… He came to eat up the world and he ended up eating something else.”

The curious thing was, that at the start of the 2012-2013 season everything suggested that he would eat his arch-rivals, Barcelona, for breakfast; that a new era of Real Madrid domination had begun. Pep Guardiola had quit as Barcelona manager, Real had just won the Spanish championship and the road seemed clear for Mourinho to do what he had been signed to do: knock the Catalan club off its perch once and for all.

The cruel news in December 2012 that the new Barça manager, the late Tito Vilanova, had been diagnosed with cancer provided further reason to believe that the balance of power was shifting back towards the Spanish capital.

Yet quite the opposite happened, suggesting that those like Fabio Capello, who theorise that Mourinho’s teams burn out during his third season in charge, may be on to something.

Barcelona won the Spanish championship, leaving Real trailing 15 points behind in second place. As if that were not humiliating enough, Real went and lost Mourinho’s last significant game in charge, the Spanish Cup final, against their noisy neighbours, Atletico Madrid.

The game was played in Real’s home stadium, the Bernabeu, where the dressing-room atmosphere had been poisonous since before Christmas.

Mourinho had begun to make a habit of blaming C M Y K

the players for poor results. Among a host of complaints by the Portuguese manager were that his team played with no heart, they lacked professionalism, they displayed minimal commitment.

To ram home the message, Mourinho punished a number of his stars – among them the goalkeeper Iker Casillas, the left-back

Marcelo, the central defender Sergio Ramos and the midfielder Mesut Özil – by dropping them to the bench or subjecting them to the indignity of taking them off at half-time.

The players rebelled, either through veiled public comments or via leaks to the press. Ramos, today the Real captain, was the most outspoken. He questioned the decision to drop Casillas in an interview and he replied pointedly to one of Mourinho’s attacks on the players by declaring, “Here, we all win together and we all lose together”, meaning that the manager, who had a habit annoying to the players of claiming credit for the team’s triumphs in the first person singular, should take his share of the blame when things went badly.

Among the many stories that were leaked, one told of a confrontation in December 2012 in which Ramos told Mourinho that nothing had proved more damaging to the team’s performances on the pitch than his attacks on the players.

The word from the dressing room was that Mourinho had a blacklist of players he did not like, but Mourinho did not backtrack. Made increasingly paranoid by the media leaks, he continued to drop and to shun those he suspected of having it in for him, notably Casillas, who had captained Spain to victory in the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championship in 2012.

Mourinho let it be known that he believed Casillas was the dressing-room mole, turning a hardline proMourinho faction of Real fans – a distinctly unpleasant bunch of fascist temperament known as los Ultra Sur – against the national team goalkeeper.

This did not help Mourinho’s cause, for the gentlemanly Casillas, the closest thing in Spanish football to a Sir Bobby Charlton, was well liked by his teammates. As the second half of Mourinho’s last season at Real ground on, the player mutiny widened to include previously unconditional loyalists such as Pepe, the bruising but excellent Portugal centre-half.

It was not just the personal slights that made the players indignant, it was the depressingly cynical defensive playing philosophy Mourinho imposed upon a team that, on paper, was rich with attacking talent.

Jürgen Klopp, whose Borussia Dortmund knocked out Real in the Champions League semi-final, had echoed the words of the manager of lowly Betis, Pepe Mel, in saying that the best way to beat Real was to let them have the ball, as they had little clue what to do with it.

As for Capello’s point about third-season player burn-out, Mourinho’s motivational strategy of creating an all-is-

fair-in-war mentality by sowing a climate of hatred against the Catalan enemy, his demeaning habit of letting the grass grow deliberately long at the Bernabeu before a “clasico” so as to hamper Barcelona’s fluid passing game, his propaganda obligation on players after the team lost never to give credit to their opponents and to back up his eternal complaint that the referee was to blame: all of this and more added to the psychological wear and tear on his team. An excellent book on Mourinho called “The Special One” by the El Pais journalist Diego Torres tells of a discreet poll of the Real players ordered by the club president, Florentino Perez, as the 201213 season drew to its miserable end.

To the question, should Mourinho continue as manager the following season, 15 of the 22 squad members said no and six of them said that if Mourinho stayed they wished to be allowed to leave.

In the two weeks before the Spanish Cup final against Atletico Madrid on 17 May 2013 the manager and the players had practically stopped talking to each other. The game itself followed a pattern reminiscent of Chelsea’s performances this season. Real Madrid scored an early goal, Atletico equalised, the Real players seemed to lose heart, Mourinho was sent off for abusing the fourth official and Atletico won the game.

With an irony that the fans of English clubs may be tempted to emulate, the Atletico fans’ celebrations included the chant: “Mourinho, stay!”

Mourinho did stay – in the dressing room. He refused to go up to the collect his loser’s medal from the Spanish king.

In “The Special One”, Torres quotes a dressing-room witness to the mood at Real before that game, saying, in what could be another eerie echo of his present plight, that “the players didn’t mind losing because it meant that Mourinho lost”.

They minded less when he duly left for the league he said he admired above all others and the club he said he loved most.

They minded less when he duly left for the league he said he admired above all others and the club he said he loved most.

In his last press conference as Real manager, Mourinho had said: “This has been the worst season of my career.” His current season is shaping up to be worse still.

Are his Chelsea soilders still loyal to him or will they make his bed? Does he still retain control or are things falling apart the way they did at Real?

Will he be fired and replaced by someone like Carlo Ancelotti, to whose arrival at Real after Mourinho left the players responded with relief and joy?

We will know soon enough.

But if Mourinho does go, Chelsea fans do not need to lose heart. The season immediately after Real’s 201213 débâcle the very same group of players went on to win the Champions League. .Source: The Independent

SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

REVEALED: How Madrid players revolted against Mourinho •Will same play out in Chelsea?

>>55

El CLASICO !

Neymar, Suarez Madrid invade

>>33

VERA OKOLO:

My father disowned me for playing football

Today’s Fixtures EPL Watford v Chelsea v Everton v Newcastle v Southampton v Swansea v West Brom v Man City v

Man Utd 1:45pm Norwich 4pm Aston Villa 4pm Leicester 4pm Stoke 4pm Bournemouth 4pm Arsenal 4pm Liverpool 6:30pm

LA LIGA Real Sociedad v Sevilla 4pm Real Madrid v Barcelona 6:15pm Espanyol v Malaga 8:30pm Valencia v Las Palmas 10pm Deportivo v Celta Vigo 10:05pm BUNDESLIGA M’gladbach v Cologne v Frankfurt v Stuttgart v Wolfsburg v Schalke v SERIE A Bologna Juventus

Hannover Mainz Leverkusen FC Augsburg Werder Bremen Bayern Munich

v Roma v AC Milan

3:30pm 3:30pm 3:30pm 3:30pm 3:30pm 6:30pm 6pm 8:45pm

FRENCH LIGUE I Lorient v Paris St Germain 5pm Bastia v Gazelec Ajaccio 8pm Guingamp v Toulouse 8pm Monaco v Nantes 8pm Montpellier v Reims 8pm Troyes v Lille 8pm EREDIVISIE AZ Alkmaar v Heerenveen 6:30pm Roda JC Kerk v PEC Zwolle 6:30pm Ajax v C Leeuwarden 7:45pm De Graafschap v Groningen 8:45pm Willem II v PSV Eindhoven 8:45pm

•Recalls Nigeria’s shame of 2004 in SA •We drank Garri before matches >>34-35

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria Mr. Ray -(5) 4 Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Lasisi -(7) 7 Newt (3) 8 Barcelona FC Coach, Luiz (7) 9 Skilful (5) 10 Tunisian Premiership Club (9) 13 President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Kayode -(6) 15 Canadian Capital City (6) 19 England Striker and Liverpool forward, Daniel (9) 21 Italian Prime Minister, Mr. Matteo -(5) 22 Country in Africa (7) 23 Beverage (3) 24 LGA in Benue State (7) 25 Cereal (5)

DOWN 1 Burkina Faso President, Mr. Michel -(7) 2 Lesotho currency unit (7) 3 Ninth Month of the Year (9) 4 Kano Pillars midfielder, Eneji -(6) 5 Oman Currency Unit (4) 6 LGA in Kogi State (5) 11 England Premiership Club (9) 12 Female Cattle (3) 14 Wager (4) 16 Flying Eagles striker, Taiwo -(7) 17 Former Nigerian vicePresident, Mr. Mike -(7) 18 LGA in Imo State (6) 19 Special Adviser to the Presidency on Media & Publicity, Mallam Garba (5) 20 Proportion (5)

Solution on page 51

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