Sacking the NSA: How Azazi's fate wa sealed

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How Azazi’s fate was sealed Continued from page 1

hundreds of lives, did not come easy, Sunday Vanguard was made to understand at the weekend.

Left to the president, sources said, he would have preferred to retain the NSA, believing that, with time, a solution or a set of solutions would be found to the challenge of the insurgency.

But Jonathan’s trip to Rio De Janeiro, the Brazilian capital, where he attended a sustainable development summit alongside the heads of state of many other countries, played a crucial role in deciding Azazi’s fate.

The trip aside, there had been pressures from the North on the President to try to create a balancing of sorts in the power equation inside Aso Rock. The pressure had been ceaseless in the last six months on Jonathan that a northern NSA may have a better grasp of the issues relating to Boko Haram and, may, therefore, be in a better position to “tame the monster of terrorism”.

In fact, the argument, an Aso Rock inside told Sunday Vanguard, was that the history of the office favoured a Northerner – past NSAs had been of northern extraction; the immediate past substantive NSA was Serki Mukhtar, who was relieved of his duties in early 2010.

Presidency sources said the President’s quest for foreign direct investment (FDI) during the Brazil trip met with difficulty in unmistakable terms which suggested that the move would never yield the desired results in the face of the high level insecurity occasioned by the terror attacks in the country.

“President Jonathan was told to be more decisive in tackling the challenge of insecurity if he was serious about the FDI drive of his administration”, one source told Sunday Vanguard.

The source added: “It was against this backdrop that the president mulled the idea of

changing the NSA to combat the terrorism challenge, hence the removal of Azazi”.

Azazi was removed, on Friday, along with the Defence Minister, Alhaji Haliru Mohammed Bello.

The NSA is the second security chief to be removed since the insurgency challenge in the North spearheaded by the Boko Haram Islamists began.

Hafiz Ringim was sacked as the Inspector General of Police in January after an alleged high profile terrorist, Kabiru Sokoto, under arrest escaped from police custody.

Jonathan’s trip last week, to Brazil for the Rio + 20 Summit on Sustainable Development amid terror attacks in Kaduna and Yobe States generated some furore.

The president was accused of being insensitive.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that Jonathan was at pains in relieving the NSA in the wake of “the international community ’s position on Nigeria’s insurgency”.

A source said the president related with Azazi as “an uncle” and found it difficult to fault his advice on security matters notwithstanding the spate of terrorist attacks in the North.

The source traced their relationship to the past when Jonathan was the Bayelsa deputy governor and the NSA the chief of the army staff, as well as when Jonathan was Vice President and Azazi Chief of Defence Staff, CDS..

In addition, information made available to Sunday Vanguard, yesterday, indicated that there was never “a time when it was suggested from the office of the sacked NSA that President Jonathan was a weak leader ”.

A source close to Azazi insisted that there was never a time “the then NSA made use of a media spokesperson, nor was information volunteered which created the impression that President Jonathan’s weakness as a leader made him unable to act decisively in the face of

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From left: Mr. Segun Erewa, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Mr. Sunmi Smart-Cole, celebrant and Omolola Adefusika, during the lauching of Sunmi's Lens-Medum Between Man and Nature Book, by Sunmi Smart-Cole and exhibition of photographs (spanning 36 years)held at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez and Diran Oshe.

security advice from Azazi.

“There was never a time it was suggested to anyone that President Jonathan is weak”, the source maintained.

Persona non-grata Meanwhile, the Niger Liberation Force, NDLF, a militant group in the NigerDelta, yesterday, declared the sacked NSA a persona non grata in all Ijaw communities in the region, including his country home, Peretoru-gbene in Bayelsa state.

The group, in a statement by its spokesman, “Captain” Mark Anthony, welcomed enthusiastically the removal of Azazi for incompetence, saying, he was an embarrassment to the Ijaw nation and Niger-Delta.

The group said: “The leadership of Niger Delta Liberation Force, NDLF, has lauded President Goodluck Jonathan for the sack of General Andrew Owoye Azazi(rtd) who was the national security adviser to the President, Gooodluck Jonathan for incompetence”.

“The NSA was an embarrassment and failure to Ijaw nation/Niger Delta and to the President’s kitchen cabinet as the man, who misled the President with his archaic classroom military tactics that

did not work out in practical combatant operations.

“The sack decision by Mr. President is a wise decision that came almost too late as he was seen overtly incompetent, which brought Mr. President and Nigerian government to international ridicule and embarrassment on security matters.

“NDLF had called for the sack of the NSA for long since he was found obviously derailing, which result had put hundreds of Nigerians into untimely death by Boko Haram extremists’ activities by bombing worshipping centers and other public places”.

The militant group went on: “For the record, the sack of NSA, Andrew Azazi is unconnected with his publicized accusation against the PDP -led government of fueling the current insecurity and bombings in northern parts of the nation. But it was clear show of incompetence on his part as the worst national security adviser the country had ever had over the years”.

“One could recall that in 2010, when NDLF had a gun confrontation with the Joint Task Force (JTF) and the JTF lost the battle, the Nigerian army under the watchful eyes and supervision of the sacked

NSA, sent JTF soldiers to test run their newly acquired military planes and other lethal weapons on an Ijaw town of Ayakoromor on the 1st of December, 2010, thereby causing genocide on harmless and innocent ancient community.

“As God does His things, Boko Haram from the north, sprung up by killing innocent Nigerians in hundreds under the same NSA, Mr. Andrew Azazi’s security supervision, but he failed to deploy the same military war planes and other lethal weapons to bomb some northern towns to stem further suicide bombing as he commanded in the case of the Niger -Delta militancy.

“But, to our surprise, the former NSA cleverly dodged his responsibility by being afraid of his former generals and ex-military Heads of state from the north by shifting blames carelessly and raising accusing fingers at the ruling PDP of brewing the insecurity in the nation.

“How does PDP politics cause suicide bombing of churches and killing of innocent Nigerians? And that prompted Mr. President to demand further explanations from the incompetent NSA for his unguarded outburst”.

Cult clash: 6 feared dead,93 arrested in Calabar BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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T least six persons were feared dead in a clash between two cult groups in Cross River State just as the officers and men of the 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Calabar have arrested over 93 people suspected to be cult members terrorizing Calabar.

Property worth several millions of Naira belonging to traders around Nelson Mandela, Goldie, Bassey Duke, Bedwell Streets and the Watt markets were said to

have been destroyed by the suspected cultists.

Parading the suspects, on Friday, the Public Relations Officer of the 13 Brigade, Akim Barracks, Captain Joseph James, said some of the suspects were arrested at the scene of the clash while others were apprehended in their hideouts.

James said, “Following the cult clash that took place on Tuesday, 19 June, 2012 in Calabar South which led to the killing of some people, and another mayhem the following day, men of the Nigerian

Army, alongside the Quick Intervention Squad, QIs, went out on a raid.

“When they got to the scene where this clash happened, several arrests were made.

“The total number arrested is 93. They are suspects until when investigations confirm them as cultists. We searched them thoroughly but none of them was found with any ammunition or weapon”.

It was, however, gathered that some of the suspects were arrested at viewing centres where they went to watch the Portugal, Czech football match.

PAGE 6—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

JTF kills 4, recovers bombladen vehicle in Kano

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD

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From left; Guest Speaker and ManagingDirector/ CEO, Samsung Electronics West Africa Limited, Mr. Idorenyen Enang; Chief Executive Officer, Masterpiece Resource Development Centre,MRDC, Mrs. Modupe Oyekunle, Board member, Mrs. Olubunmi Fabamwo and Special Speaker, Mr. Jimmy Agbaje, at the opening of a 2 day Conference on Young Entrepreneur Netwotwork at NECA House, Alausa, Ikeja. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi

HE Joint Military Task Force (JTF), early yesterday, killed four suspected militants during a shoot out at a hideout at Janbulo Quarters of Rijiyar Zaki area of Kano metropolis.

JTF sources said the hideout, a magnificient building, served as an operational base for militants terrorizing the ancient city..

7 feared dead as police, robbers clash in Anambra

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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O fewer than seven persons, three police men and four suspected armed robbers, were feared dead during a gun battle on Friday night at Okija, Anambra State along the Onitsha Owerri e x p r e s s w a y .

It was gathered that the robbers, who dressed in camouflagged army uniforms and were driving in a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), had double-crossed the police patrol team, made up of members of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP)’s Special Task Force on Heinous Crimes for Zone C, and opened fire. In the ensuing gun battle, seven persons died, three on the side of the police and four on the side of the robbers.One police man

was also injured.

According to an eye witness, when the heat of the superior fire power of the IGP’s squad became unbearable for the surviving members of the gang, they abandoned their car and fled with gunshot wounds.

Anambra State Police Command could not be reached at press time, but the Commander of the IGP’s Task Force on Heinous Crimes, Zone C, Mr. Ogwuni Edwin, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), told Sunday Vanguard on telephone that the hoodlums could be the criminals they arrested and charged to court few months ago, but were later granted bail by the court.

He said that his men fought galantly to kill some of the bandits and even recovered their car riddled with bullets. The

SUV, he suspected, might have been snatched from somebody for the operation, adding that if his men had had a plain operational

vehicle which did not have police colours or number plate the criminals would not have easily identified them.

The raid came less than 24 hours after the security outfit arrested four suspects at Waje Friday Mosque trying to plant an explosives in over 15,000 capacity worship centre located within an expanse of land that separated the predominantly Christian quarter from their Hausa Muslims host A primed Honda car was recovered from the hideout after a two-hour combat operation alongside heavy weaponry and assorted military hardware.

Residents who spoke on the condition of anonymity after the mop up by the militar y, explained that they were shocked over the arms discovery at the premises of the magnificent building.

JTF spokesman in the city, Lt. Ikedichi Iweha,

confirmed the operation in a chat with Sunday Vanguard adding: “An operation was carried out resulting in a gun duel, at the end of which four suspected terrorists were killed in their hideout, located at Jan-block of Rijiyar Zaki general area.”

Iweha said the operation was carried out based on tips from the public, while calling on residents in the state to continue supporting the security agencies with information to make Kano free from terrorists.

Iweha confirmed that a rigged Honda car was also recovered from the residence, adding that “from all indications the vehicle was primed for a suicide mission”.He however declined comments on the number of arrests made by JTF during the operation..

Ondo 2012: ACN aspirants reject Akeredolu, alleges imposition

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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HE centre is no longer holding in the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria in Ondo state as twelve of the governorship aspirants unanimously rejected the choice of Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu as the candidate of the party in the October 20 election.

At a meeting held in Akure, the aspirants, all from the northern part of the state, said that the imposition of Akeredolu is unacceptable to them.

An aspirant, who attended the meeting, said they all kicked against the choice of Akeredolu because none of the leaders from the state had an input into how he emerged as the party’s candidate.

According to him the choice of Akeredolu “”failed all democratic norms and would not be accepted by the people of Ondo State.

The aspirants, in a letter to the national secretariat of the party, called on the national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, to set in motion the process of selecting a credible candidate that could win election for the ACN in the state.

They said the candidature of Akeredolu failed “all democratic norms” as none of the party leaders in the state or the

aspirants who had been promised of free choice of candidate has input on the emergence of the former NBA President”.

Meanwhile, the Campaign Committee of Robert Ajayi Boroffice has refuted a newspaper report that said they had agreed on the candidature of

A k e r e d o l u .

Boroffice said: “I wish to state categorically that I DID NOT SAY SO and will not support his aspiration because the manner in which he emerged is short of being transparent contrary to assurance given to aspirants that the ACN candidate in

Ondo State will emerge through consensus and in a transparent manner in line with the criteria set up by the party and recommendation of the Committee set up. ”I urge all my supporters and the good people of Ondo State to disregard the said news publication”.

Anyaoku, Tinubu, Ajimobi, Ikuforiju mourn Olusola

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HE death of Amb. Segun Olusola, the former ambassador of Nigeria to Ethiopia and a cultural icon, is a significant loss to the nation, the former Secretary General of Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has said. “Segun Olusola was a true connoisseur of arts and culture as well as a great humanitarian.

He has left an impressive varied legacy that includes outstanding contribution to broadcasting and production of television drama in Nigeria, tireless efforts to mobilize support to refugees and internally displaced persons in Africa, and a deep interest in the rehabilitation and conservation of Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage in our national museums. I pray to the Almighty to comfort his family and grant to his soul eternal rest in peace,” he added in a

tribute.

In another tribute, Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu described Olusola as a titan in everything good and noble.

“Ambassador Olusola belonged to the age of the titans in our country: a titan in everything that is good and noble. He was an abiding role model, who showed the light throughout his illustrious life, so that the younger ones could find their way,” the former governor of Lagos said.

Tinubu said when he turned 60 late March, the deceased was at his home to induct him into the Elders’ Club.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi, in his own tribute, said the death of Olusola is a loss that would take decades for the nation to recover from.

According to him, Olusola was not just a cultural icon, he represented one of the

best exports of Nigeria to the cultural world.

“But we are rest assured that icons like Olusola do not die; they merely translate positions. With his imperishable footprints on the sand of time, Olusola will continue to live, as long as Nigeria and our culture remain,” he said.

The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, RT. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, also condoled with the Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and members of the family of the deceased.

Ikuforiji said, in a statement, that the deceased took enormous pride in his Africanness and promoted the rich African culture everywhere he went.

More stories on page 15

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012, PAGE 7

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PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

Hope and Possibilities Ride From Lagos to Abuja with Manual Tricycles by Three Polio Survivors — Cosmas Okoli Cosmas I.B. Okoli is President/CEO, Mobility Aid and Appliances Research and Development Centre (MAARDEC). In this piece, Okoli, who celebrated his 50 th birthday on Tuesday, unfolds the Hope and Possibilities Ride from Lagos to Abuja with Manual Tricycles by him and two other polio survivors. The event, according to him, starts November 4 and ends December 3. And barring any changes, the route will be from Lagos through Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Benue, Nasarawa.

•Cosmas Okoli

OPE and Possibilities Ride is a ride with manual tricycles by three persons with disabilities from Lagos to Abuja, covering a distance of 1,349 kilometers. The riders will be accompanied by three able-bodied cyclists, Federal Road Safety Commission officials, security agents, trumpeters, medical personnel, caterers, tricycle and bicycle technicians and sanitation personnel. A total number of 80 persons will be on the entourage. The riders will cover about 75 kilometers every day and, at each stop, the entourage will camp at convenient pre-arranged locations along the route. Courtesy calls will be paid on each state governor along the route.

The team will arrive the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on 3 December, 2012, and it is expected that the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, will receive the team on arrival. The arrival of the team at Abuja has been planned to coincide with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities which is 3rd December every year. There will be rally at Abuja on the arrival of the team to celebrate the 2012 International Day of Persons with Disabilities with the theme:

“Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society forall”.

The objectives of the ride are: 1. To promote legislation to protect the rights of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.

According to the World Health Organization’s estimate and our local studies, the population of Nigerians with disabilities is estimated to be over 22 million. Unfortunately, this significant segment of our population still suffers unimaginable social exclusion.

Though a few states now have legislation to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, most of the states and the Federal Government still do not and even the states that have the legislation, have not done much to promote and implement the legislation. The Hope and Possibilities Ride will create the necessary awareness that will lead to the Federal Government and the rest of the states to put in place comprehensive legislation to protect the rights of persons with disabilities and ensure promotion and implementation of the legislations.

2. To promote immunization of children against polio and other preventable childhood diseases.

Nigeria is still one of the few countries of the world where polio is still

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endemic. Our children are still coming down with polio as a result of lack of immunization, we will during this ride, educate and inform people on the dangers of not immunizing their children and encourage them to do more to complement the efforts of the government and international community to ensure that polio is kicked out of the world.

3. To promote safety on Nigerian roads. The carnage on our roads is alarming, and more needs to be done to reduce the rate of road traffic accidents which is sending a lot of people to their early graves; maiming a lot of others permanently and swelling the population of persons with disabilities.

Hope and Possibilities Ride will work with the Federal Road Safety Commission to carry out studies that would help reduce road traffic accidents and promote a safer driving culture.

4. To promote MAARDEC’s expansion of its operations to meet the mobility needs of Nigerians with Disabilities at their doorsteps in all states of the federation.

MAARDEC empowers people with disabilities by providing them with mobility aids and appliances and complementary services, ensuring their social, economic and political relevance to society. We reach the unreached, giving voice and hope, producing

L-r: Uncle Sam Amuka, Oliver Akubueze, Chief (Mrs.) Kate Onunwa, Marij Colruyt, Mrs. Josephine Nzerem, Mrs. Azuka Okoli, Mr. Cosmas Okoli, Senator Bode Olajumoke and Elder S. E. Ishelowo in a group photograph with Mr. Okoli as he cuts his birthday cake at Golden Tulip Hotel, Festac Town, Lagos.

•Cosmas Okoli training with a manual tricycle skilled labor, creating opportunities and new markets, thus enhancing economic, social and political equity that will make Nigeria a better place. During this ride, MAARDEC will seek the support of various state Governments to enable her set up an empowerment centre in each state with mobile mobility aids technical units that will take our services to the door steps of every person with disability in Nigeria.

PRE-EVENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 1. Media roundtable aimed at creating awareness for the project.

2. 100km road-shows in Lagos in October aimed at creating further

awareness for the project and provide opportunity for the riders to test their fitness as they will ride the tricycles during the event.

3. A fund raising dinner in November to raise funds for the project.

4, . Courtesy call on stakeholders and partners, including media tours, to promote the project.

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES NEEDED FOR THE PROJECT ARE: 1.

Six manual tricycles and spare parts.

2.

Four mini buses.

3.

One 15-tonnes truck and a pick up van.

4. Four patrol vehicles 5. Three mobile toilets and bathrooms.

6. Sewage evacuation

tank 7. Sleeping tents.

This project is capital intensive and will rely on sponsorships for funding. It offers a great opportunity for companies and organizations to promote their goods and services. It also offers a good opportunity for companies to carry out their corporate social responsibilities. I therefore appeal to companies, organizations and individuals to invest in this unique project.“ This project can only succeed with the help of the media; I therefore wish to appeal to the media to help us give this project the desired publicity to ensure that the objectives are realized.

Today is my 50th birthday and my 22 years of active service as a social entrepreneur. For me, there is no better way to celebrate my golden jubilee than to re-strategize and reinvigorate the struggle for mainstreaming persons with disabilities.

Borrowing from the words of greatest living legend, Dr. Nelson Mandela: “The struggle is my life”. The best gift anybody can give me in celebration of this milestone is anything you can do to ensure that this “Hope and Possibilities Ride” succeeds.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012 , PAGE 9

Prologue

BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS The open-ended complicity leading to the destruction of lives and property

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efore the legion of excuses are laid on the table to tolerate the complicity of Nigerian leaders in the orgy of violence occasioned by terrorist activities, it should be made clear that many of the leaders, past and present have blood on their hands.

Starting from Matthew Okikiolakan Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo, and even going as far back as the military leaders from 1983 to 1999, along with a large chunk of the present crop of state governors in the north, a few in the south, including and, yet, not limited to the present chief executive of the country, they all have blood on their hands.

It is becoming increasingly clearer that even as the present leadership at the federal level claims to be giving its best in handling the security challenges in the country, that best peters into insignificance in the face of contemporary realities.

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Yet, consider: If Obasanjo had allowed members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and by extension, Nigerians, to freely elect a presidential candidate and a president of their choice, respectively, in 2007, perhaps, just perhaps, the banana republic status that Nigeria appears to be donning like a toga, may not have arisen.

The debauchery that he passed off as a party primary at the Eagle Square in 2007 and other actions built on it all conspired to create the situation Nigeria and Nigerians have now found themselves in.

Had Umaru Musa Yar’Adua not died on the throne as President, and more importantly had his minders not treated then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan with utter scorn, reducing the office of the Vice President to one less than noble, may be the controversy over zoning may not even have arisen.

Had President Jonathan chosen to strictly follow the rules of zoning in his party, a

rule to which he was a signatory in December 2002, (without prejudice to his constitutionally guaranteed right to seek the office), perhaps and again more so, the northern politicians who threatened to make life unbearable for the expected Jonathan administration would have demonstrated a far

,

By JIDE AJANI

followed by more satanic pronouncements, some times bothering on the treasonable, from leaders in the north, that the expected Jonathan government would not know peace leading to the post election violence of April 2011.

But before then and even before this full scale acts of terrorism, those in government

Yet, a political solution which would work like a talisman to bring down the temperature in the country exists but the blind quest for power makes it difficult for those in government to see

,

more patriotic sense of maturity.

To be candid, it was the utter poisoning of the environment by leaders from the South, specifically South South who created the impression of a ‘We’ versus ‘Them’ scenario,

and the Police high command ignored the possible resultant consequence of the extrajudicial killing of Mohammed Yusuf, the leader of the Jamaatu Ahlil Sunna Lidawati wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram. Whereas there

is no justification for the activities of the monsters today, government behaved at that time as if all was well. It was that act of impunity that has foisted these other acts of impunity by the sect members.

Worse, while politicians engaged in power tussle, the sect membership grew, just as it continued its mobilization drive, setting up bases all over the North, particularly the north eastern axis of the country. Today, hundreds of lives have been lost while properties worth billions have already been lost. This is apart from the loss of investor confidence To make a mockery of the proclamation of emergency rule, government fork-picked some local government areas in Borno, Niger, Plateau and Yobe States. It was not going to work and it did not work.

Suleja, Niger State knows what emergency rule is all about.

Today, some people are talking about the imposition of emergency rule in Kaduna State because of the carnage of last Sunday. But that, too, may not solve the problem because the sect members would simply migrate. Already, the sect has left Kaduna a discombobulate society, pitching Christians against Muslims.

In the following pages, you will read how emergency rule has not worked in those four states; the views of a bishop and a sheikh, as well as the history of politico-religious crises in Kadua State in the last 22 years.

How to pull back from the brink? Bishop Iloh says President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan should act in a presidential manner and not continue to make a mockery of the enormous powers at his disposal - even with the belated sacking of the National Security Adviser, NSA..

Yet, a political solution which would work like a talisman to bring down the temperature in the country exists but the blind quest for power makes it difficult for those in government to see. As things stand and as Boko Haram threatens more violence, the blood of innocent Nigerians already dead and yet to die would continue to stain the hands of Nigerian leaders.

For those who say the President shouldn't have gone to Brazil, they have been told tyhat they miss the point.

Information minister, Labaran Maku, who speaks majesterially, like Professor Jerry Gana knows more than most people because he is the information minister. Pray, many had come before him and many will come after him. If there is one area where President Jonathan appears to eb failing much more than the security challenges, it is in the area of information management by his information minister

PAGE 10 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 17, 2012

Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State.

Governor Kassim Shettima of Borno State.

Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State.

BORNO, NIGER, PLATEAU AND YOBE STATES

Emergency rule in retreat mode The limits and limitations of Emergency Rule Rep laments ineffectiveness of emergency rule in Jos

By TAYE OBATERU

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espite the declaration of a state of emergency in Jos North, Jos South, Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas of Plateau State, nothing seems to have changed security wise. This is because the security situation in these areas has remained the same and has even worsened in some cases. Bomb attacks have been recorded in churches in Jos North and Jos South Local Government areas while killings have continued in local communities in Barkin Ladi and Berom Local Government areas.

Many residents of the four local government areas told Sunday Vanguard that there was no noticeable new security arrangement put in place after the declaration of the emergency rule outside the road blocks and security posts which predated the declaration in the wake of the crises in the state. To some, what has changed is an upsurge in the attacks on villages by suspected Fulani herdsmen and the hardship brought by the seizure of the

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monthly allocation to the local governments following the declaration.

“Many of us saw hell because our salaries were not paid for about four months.

Our children were sent out of school and we could not meet our responsibilities as bread winners”, Dalyop, a civil servant said.

Member representing Riyom/Barkin-Ladi in the House of Representatives, Mr. Simon Mwadkon, had cause to lament the ineffectiveness of the declaration of emergency following repeated attacks on his constituents despite the emergency rule. Speaking after one of such attacks, he said the state of emergency had not achieved the desired end because insecurity still pervades the area. He appealed to security agencies to do all they can to put an end to the attacks.

Similarly, Member representing, Riyom Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr. Daniel Dem who escaped death when gun men opened fire as he conducted journalists round one of the attacked villages said the

people had not seen the positive effect of the emergency rule. He told journalists after another attack on a village that over 30 of his constituents had been murdered in cold blood by the attackers in the last one month. He regretted that the state of emergency declared in four local government areas of the state which was to end the attacks had not yielded results and urged the Federal Government to review the security arrangement to make it effective.

Dem was in tears after he escaped to a safe area about two kilometers from the village saying he had witnessed what his constituents were going through first hand. “I thought

it was a joke. I never knew this is what my people have been passing through; I had a close shave with death. Government knows about the problem; security agents know of the attacks but no one is responding to my distress call.

“The Federal Government imposed a state of emergency on this council but they are not giving required attention to the council. The worst the

Many of us saw hell because our salaries were not paid for about four months. Our children were sent out of school and we could not meet our responsibilities as bread winners

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government has done is to withhold the monthly allocation of these local governments and the Federal Government is not sending any special fund to handle the security challenges people are facing here. The Federal Government has no reason withholding monthly allocation of councils under state of emergency”. The allocations were, however released shortly after these appeals.

MAIDUGURI

Council areas are groaning because of withheld funds

By NDAHI MARAMA

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orno State Commissioner For Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Baba Kaka Kyari Garbai, has said that unless federal government reverse itself on the emergency rule in some councils of the state, the affected council areas will not be able to pay its workers, not to even think of infrastructural development at the grassroots.

Garbai stated this in an exclusive interview with Sunday Vanguard in Maiduguri against the backdrop of the financial incapacitation of the affected council areas which were

earlier denied the federal statutory allocations as a result of emergency rule.

He described as worrisome the non-disbursement of the funds, which he said has created severe challenging financial and security situation in the affected councils. Garbai, while commending the efforts of the state government under the leadership of Governor Kashim Shettima for providing funds for the affected councils to be able to pay their monthly staff salaries and the running cost of the administrative businesses in the councils Continues on page 11

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012 , PAGE 11

Emergency rule in retreat mode Continued from page 10 said, “withholding the funds is strangulating the local governments” The Commissioner said that “it is very unfortunate that these local governments have been denied their constitutional rights, because even as I am talking to you now, apart from the payment of staff salary which the state government took over, there is no development taking place, simply because the resources are not there”.

Also reacting to the development, the Secretary of ALGON in Borno State who is the Caretaker Chairman of Biu council area described the action as a sabotage to the rural people as according to him, the imposition for the state of emergency by the federal government has not solved the problem of insecurity, rather, it has aided in retarding development in the affected areas.

Adamu noted that, although, the federal government has started releasing the federal statutory allocations to the affected council areas, he however said, for the past four months after the state of emergency, the councils had faced a lot of challenges, particularly in the area of providing basic necessities.

YOBE

Five local government areas

BY BALA AJIYA

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amaturu LGA; Geidam LGA; Potiskum LGA; Buniyadi-Gujba LGA; and Gasua-Bade LGA – in Yobe State were listed among the ones where the federal government proclaimed emergency rule.

Last month the relative peace that was enjoyed in Potiskum local government was shattered when unknown gunmen invaded the market and killed about 50 people.

As a result of this, the government imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in Potiskum.

Since then and despite emergency rule, the people have been living in perpetual fear in all the local government areas of the state because of the fear of the unknown.

When a visitor comes into Damaturu, it may be difficult to perceive that there is emergency rule in place because government activities go on normally since the federal government did not withhold the monthly allocation but information

from a reliable source revealed that in Damaturu metropolis there is selective killing going on despite the emergency rule.

Last Monday, what happened at exactly 5pm still remains a sore in the eyes of people because nobody had the premonition that such would happen.

Two explosions, followed by sporadic gun shots, reminiscent of the Boko Haram type of assault, tore through the capital.

Pandemonium followed, with people scampering to safety. Once the JTF responded, the gun battle raged till 2am.The following day, Tuesday, the gun battle continued unabated.

Information provided by the Red Cross suggested that over 40 people were killed including 3 policemen.

One Mallam Yusuf Ibrahim, an eye witness said the JTF brought a top member of Boko Haram for treatment at the Gen. Sani Abacha hospital and once the sect members

* Gov Babangida Aliyu got wind of the purported treatment of their leader at the hospital, they decided to rescue him in their commando style. This triggered the onslaught. A 24hr curfew was imposed immediately bit it has since been eased. The curfew created its own problems as banks and business activities were shut, leading to

hardship or the people.

Hajiya Maryam Iliyasu, a mother of 6, said “we had that the government provided food and water as palliative to cushion our suffering but in our area here we have not seen anything; if not for our neighbours that supported us with what to eat, I and my children would have died of hunger.

a murderous gust of vengeance in a shocking display of cold disregard for human lives, human pity, and any sense of morose in a manner that would leave even Boko Haram shivering in disbelieve.

In just two hours, statistics later showed that not less than 70 Hausa Muslims had been sent to their graves, while hundreds others

suffered severe injuries.

Then by 11am that same morning, a distraught Governor Patrick Yakowa ordered Kaduna State shut down. A 24-hour curfew was imposed on the state that has been divided along physical, religious and political fault lines since the infamous Zangon Kataf fracas of the early 1990s.

KADUNA/ZARIA MAYHEM

The tempestuous response from Christians and Muslims ‘You have not seen anything yet’

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wo volcanic explosions in two Churches in Zaria, and another equally thunderous bang at another Church in Kaduna, erected the new foundation for the latest rounds of mass human slaughtering and heart wrenching destruction of property in Kaduna State last week.

Between 1987 and last Sunday, Kaduna state had witnessed 13 bloody clashes which almost always pitched residents of the state against Hausa/Fulani Muslims, with sympathizers on both sides as tag-team partners.

In Zaria, according official police report, Christ the King Catholic Church was bombed by a suicide bomber leading to the death of 14 worshippers, around 8:40am; 32 were injured.

Also in Zaria, the ECWA Church, Wusasa, was bombed leading to the death of 3 people. In Kaduna, Shalom Church International, which was hit by a suicide bomber in a Honda car, three people were killed, and unspecified number of others was injured – this was at about 9:30 am.

Less than 15 minutes after the Kaduna bomb blasts, Christian youths South of Kaduna town responded with

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BY LUKA BINNIYAT

In just two hours, statistics later showed that not less than 70 Hausa Muslims had been sent to their graves, while hundreds others suffered severe injuries

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Continues on page 12

PAGE 12 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

The tempestuous response from Christians and Muslims Christians

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t looked like a bottled up anger against all the killings in churches as a result of series of suicide bombings, and sometimes outright gunning down of Christians in some parts of Northern Nigeria.

In the Television area of Kaduna, which had been renamed, “New Jerusalem”, a 30-year old man was spotted issuing orders to a group of about 30 youths, supervising the demolition of Mosque still bellowing out smoke after it had been burnt.

He had set up a road block, where his members stopped cars and frightened passersby trying to figure out who was a Hausa Muslim. While, the rest carried axes, machetes, diggers and clubs, the “boss” had no weapon of any sort.

Not far away, cars, trucks and buses belonging to Hausa Muslims were torched.

As he came towards this reporter and the women and children in the area, everyone took to their heels and headed into a room in a nearby building.

“Open this door and give us water, or we will open it ourselves”, he said.

This reporter opened the door as the women and children looked on in fright.

His boys with their clothes soaked in blood and sweat waited outside, chanting unprintable abuses, as their

boss walked in.

All the contents of the fridge were emptied. It was actually another form of looting.

As they hungrily drank and ate, this reporter attempted a conversation with the leader.

“Bob, you guys are tough o!”

“You have not seen anything, yet; will you follow us”, he responded “I will follow you if we go catch Boko Haram” “See this Uncle, don’t you know that every Hausa man is Boko Haram? If Hausa people don’t want

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Continued from page 11

on a crusade “In times like this, this is our work. And when they hit our people in Tudun Wada (Muslims dominated area) later, we will match and take care of them” In our five minute conversation, he rained tirades of abuses on the President and the state governor.

In Trikania, where a church was bombed, and where the Muslim and Christian population is about balanced, the Christian youth took the usually combatant Muslim

It was reported that some three Christian female traders were killed by a mob at the market

Boko Haram in Kaduna, they will drive them away. So they are all Boko Haram”.

“Some people believe that Christians should not revenge”, I went on.

“That is Jesus! We are not Jesus. If Boko Haram enters Kaduna, we will not run under the bed. If Christians in other places don’t love them, in Kaduna we cannot tolerate them. We are not their mates!

“But, if you are Christians, you should have been to church by now”

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population by surprise, launching deadly attacks on them.

At Sabo market, irate Christian youths messed up the meat meant for sale by vendors and stamped the meat under their feet. The street along that area was strewn with kola nuts, suya, cigarettes and used clothes merchandise that are almost the preserve of Hausa traders in that part of the state.

The military, police and other security agencies were stretched thin, as they kept

running from one part of troubled area to another. The heavy teargas and bullets shots in the air could not tame the rage of the Christian youths.

By the time sanity was forced to return, a large disaster was left behind as a response to the bombing of two churches in Zaria and Kaduna leaving a about 17 worshippers dead.

Muslims hit back

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n Monday, after the state government relaxed the curfew from 2pm to 6 pm, some members of the Hausa Muslim community trooped to hospitals in search of their relations that had not returned.

After burying their dead, the stage was set for counter reprisals.

On Tuesday, a M o b i l e Police man carrying a riffle, narrowly escaped death, after angry Hausa Muslim youths pounced on him, lacerating his body with knives. They snatched his riffle, but he managed to escape with the magazine.

Another Immigration Officer in mufti also escaped being lynched near the Police man.

It was reported that some three Christian female traders were killed by a mob at the market.

Soon, a military helicopter was seen flying over thick fumes of smoke, as Tudun Wada, Unguwan Mua’azu, Trikania, Panteka and Kawo, were besieged by Hausa Muslim youths who picked

up arms and set out for Christian targets.

Two students on their way to Kaduna Polytechnic were slaughtered because they took the wrong route, according to reports.

In Bardawa, far northern part of Kaduna town, with majority Hausa Muslims, fighting was reported to have broken out as minority nonMuslims residents waded off attacks by the Majority around 4pm on Wednesday.

Some Churches and homes of Christians were reported to have been burnt, and many killed, but it was also said that Christian youths in some parts of the area, retaliated.

At the St. Gerald Catholic Hospital, the Public Relations Officer of the Hospital, Mr Sunday John, confirmed to Sunday Vanguard that five corpses were deposited with 14 injured persons, as a result of the fresh violence.

At the Barau Dikko General Hospital, an unspecified number of the deaths were taken there with many other injured persons.

It was also gathered that some other private hospitals were treating many other injured victims.

Another source told Sunday Vanguard, that a car conveying some four Igbo traders to their business premises on Jos Road, off Bayajida Street, was burnt with the four inside, Tuesday night.

“Their roasted bodies are still inside the roasted car ”, said the source who asked not to be mentioned.

In the face of all these reports, Kaduna State Police Spokesman, ASP Aminu Lawan, did not pick calls put to him by Sunday Vanguard, nor responded to a text message to his phone asking for clarifications on the developments.

In Barnawa part of the town, the small Hausa Muslim population surrounded by Christians, it was reported that some trucks and buses had driven in and evacuated many women and children since the violence broke out last Sunday.

At far away Kawo, it was reported that Hausa Muslim youths were said to have hijacked vehicles, killing non Muslim travelers.

At Hiyin Banki, dominated

by Hausa Muslims, many were reported killed, but that Christian youths had also responded by killing and burning some Hausa Muslims and there assets.

Curiously, the Christian dominated areas south of Kaduna River has remained calm, after last Sunday ’s madness.

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012 , PAGE 13

churches in Kaduna and the reprisals by Christian youths?

The first thing I will want to say is that one begins to doubt if we still have a Federal Government in this country; and if we have serious genuine state governments.

What is government for? Is it not to protect lives and properties?

The state governments where these things are happening appear to have surrendered their states to terrorism and the Federal Government is not bordered. It is unfortunate the lives of the Nigerian citizens, to the government, mean nothing. Having said that, one has to let Boko Haram people know that Christians are not cowards; Christians are not defeatable and they should be very careful.

Christians are being careful and are not reacting because they believe in one Nigeria where no man is oppressed, but when Christians decide to protect themselves because they don’t have protection and nobody to defend them; I hope the government will not suddenly wake up mysteriously to begin to kill the reacting Christian youths.

What will you expect the Federal Government to do in the face of the current development?

What the Federal Government should have done is two things: the government should have found out the cause of the crisis and when you diagnose the problem, then prescribe a solution to the problem. Two things to bear in mind: Number one; there was an original Boko Haram which came out to fight the elite Muslims who have impoverished the poor in that North Eastern part of the country. That Boko Haram was disenchanted with the elite which were busy stealing money without consideration for the poor in the society.

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hat Boko Haram is not what is happening now.

The Boko Haram that is currently killing people indiscriminately and bombing churches is PDP. The PDP people birthed the current problem on themselves by decreeing that they have to zone the position of president and they followed the zoning pattern for eight years. If President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua did not die and run his own time he would have spent his eight years, but he died and the irresponsible party called PDP decided to shift the goal post by altering their own constitution. That man died and it is only proper, if the PDP was sincere, for the party to respect its own constitutional provision of zoning by chopping for a candidate that would replace the dead Yar ’Adua, but what did we see? Two things were introduced into Nigerian politics when some people began to scream; Jonathan is Ibo, he’s South South, while Christians were screaming; C M Y K

he is our brother. So the Ibos and the Christians introduced two very dangerous elements into the Nigerian politics. The two dangerous elements are tribalism and religion and with these two errors, they took over what belonged to Yar ’Adua if he was alive. And don’t forget, believe or not, Islam does not believe in forgiveness. Muslims will never forgive. It’s in the Qu’ran. So, what they are doing now is; you took this thing from us, we will retaliate. So this Boko Haram is one made up of sophisticated Nigerian Muslims who are members of the elite who have authority and are carrying out a well thought out and programmed agenda.

This is not Boko Haram of some hapless and irresponsible Almajiris.

No! And so if the Federal Government accepts this as the truth, they should find a way to placate PDP people who feel they have been deprived of their right to rule according to their own constitution. Now find a way to do something with and let there be peace in the country.

The president told Nigeria that

*Reverend Moses Iloh,

BOKO HARAM: Jonathan should abdicate power — Rev. Moses Iloh

By Sam Eyoboka Reverend Moses Iloh, former 3-term chairman of Nigeria Cycling Federation, former National Publicity Secretary of CAN, former member National Olympic Committee, has described the 2011 presidential poll as the most sophisticated, highly educated and well-mannered electoral fraud ever recorded in the country. In this interview, the General Overseer of Soul Winning Ministry in Ebute Metta, Lagos blamed the killings by Boko Haram on the inability of PDP to adhere strictly to the tenets of its own constitution and he called on the president to resign which, according to him, is the only panacea to peace in the nation.

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hat is your reaction to the unrelenting bombing of

members of the Boko Haram have infiltrated h i s administration….

This is why I am saying to him that the appropriate thing to do at this moment for the nation to have peace is for the president to abdicate that office now. He should not have been there in the first place.

Number two; he got advisers around him who will not tell him the truth in the interest of the nation. He has always gone from one error to another ridiculous error. And so, he should make up his mind before we get the military coming in to discipline us again. This president is not supposed to be there and he should not have been there in the first place. They put him there against the wish of the people. I am saying again today, we are paying for sins

of rigging and listen my fellow Nigerian; we are going to be in more problem.

So, you a r e suggesting that he s h o u l d resign?

Yes! Let him make that sacrifice now in the interest of peace in Nigeria.

Believe me, if he quits o f f i c e tomorrow the entire problem of Boko Haram will cease.

They will go to sleep.

If he was smart enough to know that his security chiefs are not loyal to him and you know that you are having this kind of problem, what do you go to Brazil for?

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ome Nigerians have criticized loudly the fact that the president jetted out to Brazil for an earth summit when there is fire in Kaduna and Yobe states….

One thing I must mention here is that if he was really smart, he should have

noticed that the security people in the country are not loyal to him. He should have developed a rapport with all his security chiefs. The whole service chiefs and all the security chiefs don’t like him and they are not loyal to him. Boko Haram members are not spirits.

They are not living in the air.

They live among us. If he was smart enough to know that his security chiefs are not loyal to him and you know that you are having this kind of problem, what do you go to Brazil for? Unless you are going to Brazil to buy a factory for himself privately….What do you go to Brazil for? You can always go to Brazil. What is the problem now? I think the president has shown insensitivity…and I think it is because the PDP controls both houses of the National Assembly, otherwise in his absence, they should impeach him and by the time comes back he should be Mr. Jonathan.

Is the National Assembly fighting the cause of the Nigerian people?

No! How did they get there?

They get there to make money. You get there as a poor man, you begin to buy houses

everywhere and live large and its sad that in 13 years of democracy we have not been able to recall any of these rogues. It’s so sad! This is a place that is mesmerized by forces of darkness. What are they doings? They could be fooling us and the entire Nigerian people behave like a totally mesmerized people.

It is painful to me because Nigeria is daily going towards self destruct.

What is your advice for the endangered Christians in the North?

Well Christians in the North should come together and take the current situation to God in prayer. If you go the Bible, you will find out that our Jehovah is mighty in battle, fearful in praises, doing wonders. We should not be afraid, because He has not given us the spirit of fear.

This advice is not for Christian in the North, but for all Christians in the countr y.

This is an opportunity to come together and repent and humble ourselves to pray for a revival in the country. Jesus said; my House shall a house of prayer but it has been turned to a den of thieves. Churches, if we come together, shall become powerful. .

PAGE 14 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

Only spiritual leaders can make peace to reign —Sheikh Adangba

By Sam Eyoboka SHEIKH Abdulraman Sulaiman Adangba is the National Missioner of an Islamic society known as Al Fatih - Ul - Quareeb Islamic Society of Nigeria. In this interview, he described the Islamic sect known as Boko Haram, currently terrorizing innocent Nigerians in the North as non-Muslims and believes that President Goodluck Jonathan should rather have stayed back to sort things out instead of the jamboree to Brazil. Excerpts….

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hat is your reaction to the current crisis in Kaduna?

It is very pathetic and disgusting seeing things like these happen in Nigeria at a time that we need a good growth. It is something that is unwanted and it is totally condemned especially when it is attached to Islam and the Muslim of which I am one of them; because the Islamic divine constitution which we use is a unified one and it never changes. It is the same from here to Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Bahrain to America amongst others; it is still the same thing. It is very bad. It warns us not to kill because if you kill a soul unjustifiably it is like you kill all mankind. So, how can someone come up and say he is fighting for Islam or God who you did not see and kill people created by the same God. It is really very bad and unrealistic.

What then is your advice to leadership of Boko Haram?

Let me tell you something, the Boko Haramists are not Muslims.

The people perpetrating these atrocities on the platform of Islam understand that there is volatility in religion. When you bring two religions together and you allow commotion between them and they start fighting that is the end of it. They want to institute a forum where there will be pandemonium, fear, destruction in the land and that is what they are looking for. Although, an Islamic Sect called Boko Haram existed since 1990 and its members were into Islamic propagation without causing problem with anybody.

But when it got to point when the politicians started using them, we found that they have gone beyond the limit that an

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ordinary Islamic sect goes; and that is the transgression limit. You done go beyond the transgression limit, where somebody abuses or does something bad to you, you are not expected to retaliate. If one fights you or attempts to kill you, then you can defend yourselves, but who is fighting them now? NOBODY! When Yusuf was caught in 2009, the footage was shown on Al Jazeera of how he was brutally killed. He was shot and shattered with gun shot.

He was naked before he was killed. He was caught in the afternoon, made a statement towards evening and before morning he has been killed.

Can you see the level of injustice? And nobody is talking in this country; even the government.

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umber two; former President Obasanjo

went to visit his in-law to solicit for him but the person he went to visit to solicit for peaceful co-existence, was killed within 24 hours in cold blood. When we watched the footage, we could see that he was tied to a running car on one side and another car on the other side and the cars started moving and he was torn to pieces. You could imagine that inhuman treatment to a fellow human being; just because they are going to get some facts from him and everybody would know the root causes of what is happening in that part of the country. And they have not stopped ever since till now.

A lot of security reports have been given and more so the reports that are in greenwhite-green-yellow paper and because the Muslims will not talk. I am sorry to say it you Press people will play down on things because they don’t have any other place to work.

What we are saying here; is

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hese people will carry their children and run

out of the country. When they come back, their children who are trained abroad, will come and be our rulers. Their children study outside the country because they have all the money.

We don’t have. They have the money and everything to rule but we don’t have anything. We suffer to eat, we suffer to drink, we suffer to power our houses with electricity, to have good roads. Even while we are sleeping, they bomb our house.

A time will come, if nothing is done, that they will bomb our house while we are sitting and you will not be able to do anything.

The Boko Haram, we don’t know but the government knows them, because the president has told us that they are in his cabinet.

The government knows them because they are in the army, military and everywhere all of them surrounding the governance of Nigeria, why not fish them out? Something must be wrong somewhere and somebody is putting a square peg in a round hole.

It is only the spiritual leaders in this country that can make peace to reign and do you know why because we are close to the grassroots and everybody will listen to us even when we are lying. The Muslim and Christian leaders should come together for what I call RNC. Do you know what I mean by that? It is different from SNC—Sovereign National Conference. Before a sovereign national conference can succeed there has to a Religious National Conference (RNC) which is totally different from National Sovereign Conference. The government has failed us. Look at the star Boko Haram in the petroleum sector.

Another Boko Haram is in the financial sector. The subsidy debate is going to die a natural death now. If there is a RNC, where all religious leaders should come out and shout that our government has failed us; when you have decided to kill us because you are in a position, what are we talking about. When we come out of RNC, we will have almost 100 per cent of the people following us.

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*SHEIKH Abdulraman Sulaiman Adangba

that if we say the truth, it is not only those that are affected alone that will suffer; all of us will suffer it. Something that is happening in the North must be relayed accordingly; the Kano riot claimed numbers of the Muslim clerics. Before now in the Maiduguri axis where the whole thing started, a lot of Muslim clerics have been killed; no paper carried it the way it is. Some central mosques were being attacked; people were killed while praying. Out of 17, only two were reported. Why doing that? There should be fair reporting. Let people know so that we don’t instigate ourselves against ourselves.

Who wants to die?

The Boko Haramists are not Muslims. The people perpetrating these atrocities on the platform of Islam understand that there is volatility in religion

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o you really believe that government is handicapped over this issue?

I will not believe that and I will never believe that.

Government is not handicapped. If some people are not above the law in this country as he had been telling us, which is a lie, then some people should have been brought to book. Why the dilly dallying? Why the stage play? There have been petitions. There have been probe panels. Where is the action? Some people are behind it; no matter how hard they are and government said they are in the cabinet, military, air force, police, SSS who are they? Are you telling me government is handicapped? That is a multimillion question. If we ask who they are there are no answers.

Why do you think the government cannot act?

In Nigeria nobody goes into government to make sacrifice, everybody is going in to make money. While making money and you want to say the truth people will threaten to expose you and you will shut up. The bottom line is that the government of Nigeria is

totally corrupt. And from all indications it is showing glaringly that government is not ready to tackle corruption in its entirely, but to cover corruption our faces and allow corruption to take place.

Let me explain this when government made the fuel subsidy propaganda January this year, after investigation we found out that N5.3 trillion was taken by a clique of people and government spends N1.3 trillion yearly for subsidy and that means these people take subsidy three times without doing anything.

And the government takes the money and return it back to the subsidy and reverse the fuel price to N67 per litre.

They will tell us they get the money but we don’t know where the money goes to. We don’t know, they don’t return the money. They will pack the money which they may not even spend. We hears some stories that some high ranking ministers in Nigeria are buying houses in Geneva for over $30 million and Germany and nobody is talking about it. You want to tell me that such ministers cannot be asked questions?

Why the nation is on fire our president is in Brazil for Earth summit….

I saw in the papers where he said it was a schedule visit. Where is the schedule?

You should have put your house in order before you consider any foreign trip. If your house is burning and you go to the market, it would have burnt by the time you return. I believe that the Brazil trip is a market and we are going there to sell our wares but because we don’t even have wares to display there I think the trip is unwarranted; if your house is on fire. You are going the Brazil at a time when your development index rating is said to be taking a nose dive.

Again, we are going for an earth summit with 116 persons accompanying the president. They are going to take a whole plane. I do know what we are going to do with that large entourage. Are we going for a Commonwealth Games or are these people all going to be talking there. How are we going to feel when we touch down at the Rio de Janeiro Airport. I think he is on a very hot seat and he needs to be on ground to sort things out instead of this trip.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012 — PAGE 15

500 ACN members defect to PDP in Osun key leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Osun State was among over 500 members of the party who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last week.

The defectors, at a rally in Bode Osi, Ola Oluwa Local Government headquarters, promised absolute loyalty and commitment to the cause of the PDP , so that it could

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“rescue” the state from the ACN in the next general elections.

Chairman of the ACN in Olaoluwa Local Government, Alhaji Kelani Adeleke, who led the defectors said they left the party because Governor Rauf Aregbesola had hijacked the party, making it insensitive to the plight of the members and the people of the state.

A former Secretary to

Igbinedion, Ogbeh, Okunbor, others grace Ize-Iyamu’s 50th birthday

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin-City ORMER Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion; Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu; a national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN); Chief Audu Ogbeh; and business mogul, Captain Hosa Okunbor; were among the dignitaries that graced the 50th birthday celebration of the South South ViceChairman of the ACN, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, yesterday, in Benin City.

Other dignitaries at the colourful birthday party include the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion; Senator Domingo Obende; a former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi; Speaker of the Edo state House of Assembly, Uyi Igbe; Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon (Igodomigodo); National and state Assembly members and members of the Edo Executive Council.

The celebration kicked off with a service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Trinity Sanctuary, Benin City, where one of the presiding Pastors, Mrs Margret Agbonifo, who also is the founder of the Family In-

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tercessor Ministry, broke down in tears while praying for Nigeria.

ADUNA, the capital of Kaduna State, was calm, yesterday, as residents obeyed the 24 hours curfew slapped on the state, on Tuesday, by Governor Patrick Yakowa after the bombing of two churches in Zaria and one in Kaduna last Sunday led to fighting between Hausa Muslims and Christians.

Meanwhile, reports indicated that all Kaduna State members of the National Assembly, members of Kaduna State House of Assembly, commissioners, acting Local Government C M Y K

From left: Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed , Kogi State Governor Idrisi Wada and Sokoto State Governor, Dr Aliyu MAgatakarada Wamako at wedding of Senate President David Mark’s daughter in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

Ahead of verdict in Kogi gubernatorial tussle Save me from Echocho, Governor pleads with PDP chairman •‘Let Justice and Rule of Law Prevail’ OGI State gover nor, Capt. Idris Wada, yesterday, stormed the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), pleading with the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and the National Working Committee (NWC) to intervene in the electoral petitions against him by the winner of the January 9 primary election of the party, Alhaji Jibrin Isah, also known as Echocho.

But, in a reaction, Isah urged the party to ignore Wada as the matter is in court, insisting that the best way out is for PDP to allow justice and rule of law to prevail in his various petitions currently before the courts.

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Calm returns to Kaduna as stakeholders meet

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the State Government, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, who received the defectors, said the event marked the beginning of the end of the ACN in the state.

He noted that the entire people of the state were tired of the policy of the ACN administration in Osun and that other members of the ACN, numbering about a thousand, were on their way to declaring for the PDP. He said these ACN members had approached the PDP and had been assured of the readiness of the party to accept them into the progressive fold.

Chairmen, traditional rulers and clerics were among some of the stakeholders that had a closed-door meeting at the Hassan Katsina House, otherwise known as State House, Kaduna.

All major streets of Kaduna were deserted while shops, offices, schools and hotels were shut in obedience to the curfew.

In the afternoon, a military helicopter was seen hovering over the town, but no unrest was reported.

Before the emergence of Wada as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state election of December 3 ,2011, Isah was the elected candidate of the party at the January 9, 2011 primary election held at the Lokoja township stadium and was so,returned as the flag bearer of the PDP for the April 26, 2011 general elections.

But the Court of Appeal ruled that the tenure of five governors including Kogi had not expired, hence the postponement of the gubernatorial election in the state and four others.

This became the bearing of Echocho’s suit at the Federal High Court where he is asking that,since his name was forwarded to INEC by the PDP as its flag bearer in respect of the governorship election in Kogi before the election was abruptly halted by Suit No. FHC/ABJ/646/2010 filed by Alh. Ibrahim Idris for his tenure elongation and with the dismissal of the said suit by the Supreme Court in SC/357/ 2011 vide it’s judgment of 27 January, 2012. Wada should stop presenting and parading himself as governor based on a purported election held on 3 December,2011 during the life and pendency of INEC’S appeal at the Supreme Court.

Judgment on the matter is expected to be delivered by Justice Abdu Ka-

farati of the Federal High Court Abujaon 29 June.

Speaking when he paid a courtesy visit to the National Chairman of PDP, Wada said, “Mr. Chairman, I will be deceiving you if I tell you that all is well within our party in Kogi State. Despite all my efforts and reconciliation, Mr. Chairman, a member of our party still has four cases against me in our court system.

“I think that is wrong and I call on you to intervene as quickly as possible. Guidelines of our par-

ty with regards to going to court is very clear and I have read the guidelines of gubernatorial electoral elections in the party very carefully and it states very clearly that any issue must be resolved through the internal system of resolution in the party. Elections were held in December and we are now in June Mr. Chairman”.

However in a statement

by Isah, signed by his Special Adviser, Phrank Shuaibu, he appealed to the PDP to stay off as the matter is in court and it

would be against natural justice, rule of law for the party to intervene.

He said that reconciliation shall not be “at the expense of justice, fairness and the rule of law”, stating that “Wada’s demand on the National Chairman for reconciliation between himself and Jibrin Isah is to say the least baffling. This is because Wada’s sudden realization that Jibrin Isah Echocho is NOW vital to his continued stay in office is very difficult to explain at this time”.

Delta community gives oil firm ultimatum AN Ocean Oil Com pany Limited has been given a week ultimatum by the Delta community it operates in to rescind the sack letter issued to four persons from the community or face a show down.

Youths from the community stormed the company’s flow station with the placards carrying inscriptions which read: ‘We can not be enslaved in our own land. Give us our rights.’ ‘No Ovade indigene is in a managerial position; Pan Ocean, reinstate our sacked people.’

The President of Ovade community, Mr. Ejiro Efetobo, said for over 40 years, Pan Ocean has been operating in Ovade “there has been no meaningful development.”

According to him, “de-

P

spite the peace overtures to the company recently to replace the four persons sacked with people from the community, the company remained adamant hence the protest to the flow station.

He called on the Delta government to intervene in the matter by compelling the company to reinstate the sacked people before the peaceful protest snowballs into a crisis situation.

Also speaking, an Ovade chief, Eyegho Friday; Comrade Blessing Efetobor Erhovwo and Comrade Peter Eyare said since1972 when Pan Ocean started operating in their community, it has not contributed to the development of the community, while people from other parts of the country were employed in strate-

gic and lucrative positions in the company.

Adeyinka Agbaje’s burial Mr. Adeyinka Agbaje is dead. He died on the 30 of April 2012 after a brief illness at the age of 64.

Wake keeping holds at No. 2 Kehinde Ashafa Close, Ewedogbon Bus Stop, Akesan, Lagos, on 19 July. Funeral Service takes place at RCCG Abule Odu, Opposite Unity Estate, Idimu, on 20 July.

Mr. Adeyinka Agbaje

PAGE 16—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

debbiemoments@gmail.com

A sad state of freedom

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ascent from 3rd to 1st world. With our teeming population we would be the market the world needed, with our abundance of natural and human resources we were bound to be the bride of the world or so

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PTIMISM is a choice I make as a way of life. I have always thought no matter how dark the night, dawn would break and bring light. Survival is and will always be the name of the game, the trick is to remain standing against the odds and just wait, to make time a friend and let it bring healing and new opportunities!

Optimism is the poor man’s elixir and at this point in the history of my country Nigeria, I could do with a massive dose of it. We endured years of tyranny under military rule and waited with baited breathe for democracy. We, the Nigerian people would take our place in the league of nations and stand proud, we would enjoy all the dividends of freedom and begin our

what a sad state of freedom.

It seems we have exchanged taskmasters and remain static and unprogressive for all that our democracy cost! It cost blood; so much blood was shed to attain what we now are not enjoying and optimism is ebbing.

A politician or bank magnate steals in the billions and is given a soft sentence of a few years or even unpunished while a poor man can be executed by firing squad or even sent away for life for stealing less than a $1000

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we thought. We got freedom, we took the steps into democracy and those dreams are dying; we are a lot worse off than ever;

Recent events reveal corruption so endemic that watching the local news is depressing and hope destroying. I worry for the next generation,

I worry for my generation; even through the most rose tinted glass, things are looking grim. The government cost more than the people and even the american president who is arguably the most powerful man on the planet apparently earns less than a member of the house of representatives!

The level of injustice is

mind boggling. A politician or bank magnate steals in the billions and is given a soft sentence of a few years or even unpunished while a poor man can be executed by firing squad or even sent away for life for stealing less than a $1000. The fabric of nationhood is tattered and torn and I wonder just how much

we can take. This is not the democracy/freedom we fought so hard for; this government of a few against the people.

I came across a poem that captures what I believe are the sentiments of a majority of Nigerians. It was written before the nigerian situation but it is accurate in its grasp of our new found reality under democracy.

A Sad State of Freedom by Nazim Hikmet You waste the attention of your eyes, the glittering labour of your hands, and knead the dough enough for dozens of loaves of which you’ll taste not a morsel; you are free to slave for others— you are free to make the rich richer.

The moment you’re born they plant around you mills that grind lies lies to last you a lifetime.

You keep thinking in your great freedom a finger on your temple free to have a free conscience.

Your head bent as if half-cut from the nape, your arms long, hanging, your saunter about in your great freedom: you’re free with the freedom of being unemployed.

You love your country as the nearest, most precious thing to you.

But one day, for example,

they may endorse it over to nought, and you, too, with your great freedom— you have the freedom to become an air-base.

You may proclaim that one must live not as a tool, a number or a link but as a human being— then at once they handcuff your wrists.

You are free to be arrested, imprisoned and even hanged.

There’s neither an iron, wooden nor a tulle curtain in your life; there’s no need to choose freedom: you are free.

But this kind of freedom is a sad affair under the stars.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2011, PAGE 17

“What sort of people do they think we are?”

Sir Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister during World War II, in reply to Hitler’s demand for the British to surrender while under German bombardment.

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HURCHILl could say that because he was himself a great leader in charge of a great nation. Can any of our living Heads of State say the same about us? Can Jonathan say it now, that we are under siege by destructive elements?

The simplest way to discover what the people of any country consider important is to find out what engages the time of their leaders. And, the easiest way to find out how their leaders, especially elected officials, spend their time is to follow the major news items for a period of time. Naturally, the place to start in that assessment is the President or

If in a democracy government is defined as comprising of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches, what are we to make of a situation in which the Executive is now at loggerheads with the judiciary and the NASS

nd, just to prove, it was not an ac A cident, another Ad Hoc Committee probing the grand larceny pertain-

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Prime Minister. As we draw near the first half of this year, it is noteworthy that in Nigeria, the lead stories carried by our media houses in the last six months can be summarized as follows.

In January the nation woke up to the monumental announcement that, despite advice to the contrary, the President had increased the price of petrol from N65 to N141 per litre on account of alleged N1.3 trillion subsidy paid out by government in 2011. For the rest of the month, the nation was held in the grips of a national strike which paralysed the industrial states and almost brought down the government itself before the President, who had vowed that “there is no going back on subsidy removal”, stepped back. The cost to the nation, difficult to determine, could not be less than the N1.3 trillion the government wanted to save. So, in one month, we gave away all what we wanted to save in one year.

That is the way we are. We act first and think later.

In February, the National Assembly, which was not consulted before the fuel price increase was introduced, appointed an Ad Hoc Committee, headed by Lawan Farouk as Chairman, to look into the alleged fuel subsidy. Within the first week of public hearing, it was clear to everyone that what government claimed as subsidy was actually a monumental fraud perpetrated by a few importers, ably assisted by top government officials – starting from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources whose Minister told the Committee, without blushing, that Nigerians were drinking 59 million litres of petrol per day. It turned out not to be so in every material particular.

Then, it was the turn of the Minister of Finance, of World Bank fame, to confess to the Committee that she was not sure of the figure N1.3 trillion. Yet, two months earlier she was at the Muson Centre, in Lagos, dancing all over the stage and shouting at Barrister Femi Falana, “Just think about it Femi, what we can do with N1.3 trillion”. And to prove it she had produced a SURE document, packed full with fairy tale projects which would be financed from the phantom N1.3 trillion – which we now know exists only in the fertile imagination of World Bank economists.

That’s the way we are. Talk first; think later.

In March, it was the time for ASUU strike.

The egg heads in Nigeria’s ivory towers, most of who “voted for Jonathan, not PDP”, finally realized that unless they took decisive steps, meaning embark on another strike, Jonathan was in no mood to honour his agreement with them. So, out went the academicians; and once again, the kids were out on a lam C M Y K

until “You-know-who” finally got the message and coughed up some dough.

Why the kids have to suffer before the government will fulfill an obligation freely entered into, would have been a mystery in any other country where there is something called GOVERNMENT. But, it is routine in Nigeria because that is the way we are.

In April, two bits of foolishness cropped up. The Ad Hoc Committee members cried out that some people were trying to bribe them to water down their reports; they even alleged death threats. Nobody paid attention. And, why not! Because previous probes have failed to see the light of day and those who robbed Nigeria had got away with their crimes. Thanks to the Ad Hoc Committee on Power probe, which promised to tell us how $13 billion vanished without trace during Obasanjo’s administration; we know no more than when they started.

ing to the Capital Market, soon found itself in the lime-light for bribery and corruption. Two ladies, one former DG of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, and, the second, the DG Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, literally, undressed themselves and then some of the Committee members in public.

In May, four topics stole the show.

First, the President refused to reinstate the President of the Court of Appeal, who GEJ, sent on suspension on account of a letter from the National Judiciary Committee, NJC. Second, the wahala of presidential ambition for 2015 pushed that off the front pages. Third, it was revealed in, far away, United States, that the President had authorized N155 billion to be paid out to one Malabu Oil and Gas Company – without approval from the National Assembly. Perhaps it is a mere coincidence that the major owner of Malabu comes from the South South.

And just as we thought that this government will save us, and itself, from further distractions, Jonathan, on May 29, 2012, after running for cover from Boko Haram, announced the change of name of University of Lagos, Unilag to M. Abiola University of Lagos and, since then, all hell had broken loose.

It had been five months of self-inflicted turmoil. Then came June; when an airline disaster; another probe related scandal and the first major confrontation between the President and the National Assembly is shaping up. If in a democracy government is defined as comprising of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches, what are we to make of a situation in which the Executive is now at loggerheads with the judiciary and the NASS? But, that is the way we are. I glanced through two of Ghana’s newspapers for the same period and the topics for discussion were mostly about development and governance.

That is the way they are.

Note that left out of this catalogue of woes are other national calamities like the multiple Pension fund scam; the incessant explosion of tankers on expressways; buildings collapsing; kidnapping occasionally resulting in homicide. And the MONSTER PROBLEM CALLED BOKO HARAM.

CONDOLENCES “The wounds of the heart are the most sensitive of all..Nothing but time can heal them”. Frederick the Great, 17401786. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p88).

To all the families of the victims of the DANA air crash without exception, please accept my condolence. To those known to me, Doherty, Odujirin, Somolu, Otegbeye, and, of course, Shobowale, I pray to God to console all of us in His inimitable way.

The Lawan saga continues DENRELE ANIMASAUN FROM LONDON

“A week is a long time in politics.”- Harold Wilson (British Politician and Prime Minister. 1916-1995)

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AROUK Lawan, you know the House of Representatives Subsidy Probe panel Chairman (who since last week, has been stripped off his post).

Please keep up, because it is going to get rather messy. Last week, the member of the House of Representatives was accused by Otedola that Lawan and the ad hoc committee’s secretary, Boniface Emenalo, collected $120,000 on Lawan’s behalf.

In all, allegedly $620,000 was paid to Lawan as part payment of $3 million Lawan requested. This extortion racket seems to have been initiated, well actually allegedly repeatedly solicited by Lawan in order that Otedola’s company, Zenon’s name would be kept out of the report.

For a good part of last week Lawan, vehemently denied that neither he nor any member of the committee collected money from any of the oil marketers. As the story gathered speed, he retracted his story and then told reporters in Abuja that he actually collected $500,000 from Otedola.

Then he confessed that he indeed collected the money and was holding on to it as evidence against Otedola. Such overwhelming evidence that any right thinking citizen would have reported to the police immediately. Farouk told the police that when he discovered that the whole plot was a set up, he collected the money and

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The way we are: Our time management – 1

If they cannot show us what they have done on our behalf to better our quality of life, why should they be given carte blanche to continue leading the country to ruin and damnation

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handed it over to the Chairman, House Committee on Financial Crimes and assured the Special Task Force that he would return the money intact to the police. But the CP, Ali Amodu led STF is not buying the argument even as the House Committee Chairman on Financial Crimes would be invited to come with the marked money allegedly given to Farouk, to corroborate his statement.

The average Nigerian was not perturbed that by Thursday last week that Lawan had more or less admitted what he did. They did not bat an eyelid when he offered to hand in the money to the Police.

Lawan then, handed himself to the Police sans loot! Farouk Lawan has refused to release the cash to the STF. The detectives from the Special Task Force (STF) investigating the $3 million bribe scandal went on to conduct an hour search at Lawan’s Apo Legislators’ quarters in Abuja.

In the presence of his wife and children they searched but found a paltry $10,000 which , the police said, was part of the serialised money. For good measure, they seized his passport. Also, they searched the house of the Secretary of the Committee, Boniface Emenalo, who was alleged to have collected $120,000 as part of the bribe money. But according to those in the know, the real reason why Farouk was delaying to honour the police invitation is because he can’t produce the “actual dollars” which he has already spent and if he produces another $620,000 other than the original one he would have betrayed many Nigerians who trusted him.

In the meantime ,the Acting Inspector-

General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, and three Commissioners of Police on Thursday questioned top ranking members of the House of Representatives and any other persons in the role of the extortion scam.

There was another story about the money. So where is the money? Show us the money! That substantial portion of the money has been stolen by person or persons unknown. But the so called top ranking people have promised that this scandal will not go to ground. I implore anyone not to attempt to hold their breaths because this story will run and run. Farouk Lawan plans to contest for Kano State governor in 2015 and many believes he needs a financial war chest for the contest. awan in an attempt to turn the L case against him approached members of the House’s Committee on Narcotics and Financial Crimes to appeal to them to tender the money he collected on-camera as evidence of an attempt to bribe him. But the committee members refused to be used, claiming that they could only have agreed if he had come to them before the scandal blew open.

Meanwhile, Lawan’s commitee members have expressed disappointment in the fact that he could collect such a huge sum without putting them in the picture. Are they embittered that they did not get their own share or that if they had they may have hushed the scandal? We are more inclined to guess that he may have stepped on a few toes and not share his ill proceeds.

This development makes the Fuel subsidy redundant. Ordinary Nigerians took to the streets to protest and to learn that the 1% are pilfering on a grand scale. They profess that the country is broke and they need the savings to provide and update facilities . We were told that the government was broke and the masses were told to make sacrifices.

So all the riots and demonstrations did not achieve much as an increase of about 60% was still sustained.

A source said that the scope of investigation has been expanded as a result of new discoveries about other bribes, adding: “We are now talking about huge sums of money given to the probe committee and some of the oil marketers that were extorted have gone to the court to depose to affidavits to reveal everything”. ome and abroad, Nigerians H have become spectators in the macabre spectacle of crime against the majority. We should, as a people, do more individually and collectively to shift our mindset. Though I know it may sound rich from the comfort of my home and I do not have to deal with Nigerians in Nigeria.

The likes of Lawan, cannot lead or inspire a nation, yet they awarded themselves one of the highest salary anywhere in the world. Do they deserve their fat salaries? No! It should be Payment by result. If they cannot show us what they have done on our behalf to better our quality of life, why should they be given carte blanche to continue leading the country to ruin and damnation. The mood in Nigeria is not a unhappy one, in particular regarding the extensive looting and pillaging of our resources by people entrusted to do better and should know better. They have failed us but most of all, they failed the younger generations, sending the wrong message that pilfering pays.

I told you, a week is a long time in politics. For Lawan, am sure, this saga will drag on and on.

PAGE 18 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

Edo 2012 election: Is INEC troubled?

Attahiru Jega expressed the confidence of his commission on the ability of the corps members.

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t is not difficult to know that the average Nigerian would not believe the so-called clarification or prophecy. There is in actual fact nothing to suggest that Jega or even the author of the statement himself believed it. If by chance such a statement is any way better than a bogus claim, then we need to quickly include all able bodied men and women in the scheme and reduce the duration of the service so that we can

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AST Tuesday, the Di rector-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Nnamidi Okorie Affiah, reportedly laid to rest the speculations making the rounds that corps members serving in Edo State had been compromised to work for the incumbent Governor. According to media reports, Brigadier Affiah did not only describe the allegation as false and baseless, he also urged everyone to disregard it in its entirety. The Director General who made the statement when he paid a visit to the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that the governor like some of his colleagues in other states of the federation only paid hazard allowance to corps members especially those in public schools and rural areas. The Brigadier then asserted that at no time would any corps member or NYSC staff be allowed to be used to truncate the principle of free, fair and credible election in the country and specifically pledged that they would not be used to rig or change the outcome of the Edo governorship election as being speculated. Based on his visitor ’s clarification, the INEC chairman, Professor

sults of the elections. Last December, the election working group of the Nigerian Bar Association testified that corpers demonstrated commendable orderly conduct during the Kogi State Governorship election. And only a few days ago, the INEC office in Calabar recommended two outgoing corpers for state and national awards for rejecting bribe money offered to them by politicians during the governorship election in Cross River State(although those who offered the bribe will not be disclosed). The NYSC boss is thus free to express the

Now, many citizens who are otherwise qualified to vote in the coming elections would be disenfranchised and no one can do anything about it because INEC can neither penalize nor reprimand alarmists

produce very many Nigerians of proven integrity overnight. But jokes apart, it would be unfair to say that there are no good corpers in the country considering that during the 2011 elections, many of them acquitted themselves creditably with some paying the supreme sacrifice in the riots which followed the re-

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hope that some of his corpers are likely to be of good behaviour.

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ut to give a clean bill of character to each and every corps member as well as all NYSC staff is unduly presumptuous. It is as if the NYSC is challenging other institutions to an integrity contest. Does any-

The danger of a dissappearing nation lonial nationalist movement. The momentum of the nationalist idealism that shaped the discourse of the modern nation in Africa has all but disappeared.

In its place today, is a nation that is sorry for itself.

Nigeria is remarkably not doing well. We know this.

We can see it. We can feel the extreme levels of incoherence that frame both our goals as well as our realities. But far more dangerous is how the Nigerian has been made to view the self – the idea of being Nigerian today as something evil and unrewarding. We are quick to destroy the most beautiful things about this nation simply because others tell us that these things about us are not beautiful.

We acquire strange tastes and habits; our gazes are glued externally rather than internally, and so we tend to overestimate the value of external agencies.

Nigeria is a great project nonetheless, but it is also a country in danger of disappearing. It is disappearing right before our very eyes, because, for the past fifteen years, especially since the so called transition to democracy, its sovereign will

and capacity has been whittled. We look to the world outside; even Nigeria’s national political leadership is of inferior quality, largely because those who have unique skills, and who could come into public service either have given up on the idea of this nation,

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HERE are many people today across the world who earn their living as professional naijaskeptics.

These people drum up and sustain the idea of Nigeria as an impossible creation, a place existing between Dantesque purgatory and hell. Nothing good will ever come out of Nigeria, and for them, the greatest good will come only with the collapse of Nigeria as a sovereign nation.

I have over time reconciled myself to one basic reality: Nigeria may be Lugard’s creation, and Nigeria may indeed be the product of problematic alchemy; a fusion of many disparate nations and peoples, but there is a great beauty to that alchemy. It is difficult and challenging, but it is not an impossible nation to fashion. Nigeria is possibly colonialism’s best gift to Africa. Nigeria has fought a war, certainly, and we have caused much violence against each other, and within a generation, almost wasted the massive potential of creating a modern African economic, industrial and military power, and thus subverting the idealism of the antico-

one expect the Speaker of the House of Representatives for instance; to assure the nation that none of the honorable members of his House would accept any gratification to alter a report to favour anyone? Put differently, would the President of my beloved professional association-the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) – seek to also bamboozle the nation with a public statement that none of us, his members, would accept ‘brown envelope’ at any event?

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o, the story that cor pers in Edo were only paid hazard allowance appears to resemble the old story of ‘Alice in the Wonderland’ because at about the same time, hundreds of out-going corps members in Kaduna had to demonstrate against the state government over its failure to pay their terminal allowance of N30, 000 each (or is it also called hazard allowance?). The corpers reportedly blocked officials of the Ministry of Youths from leaving the premises and also blocked all roads leading to the area. As one analyst opined, the corpers in Kaduna State were not paid their terminal benefits because their electoral value at that point in time was at zero level. Consequently, there is some logic in the argument that the payment to corpers of what is described as hazard allowance close to an election by an incumbent seeking reelection can be used to compromise the corpers who are to officiate during the exercise. Under the circumstance, INEC should

where in the world. There are only leaders who fear – and the word is fear – the power of its citizens. Nigerian leaders do not fear Nigerian citizens. They hold them in contempt because, clearly, Nigerians are disorganized, frenzied and alienated.

A disorganized public becomes the bitch of an organized elite. But Nigerians today, invested in the future of this country; in the security of its people, in the protection of its sovereignty; in the general happiness of its present and future generations, must begin to meet at the cellular level to push for a movement of national restoration. As a journalist, I have watched developments in the polity

There are no saints in government anywhere in the world. There are only leaders who fear – and the word is fear – the power of its citizens

and are secretly plotting for its dismemberment, or they are far too lethargic to care.

There is strange nostalgia for the past because the present is aberrant and seemingly unsustainable.

The problem, we say is leadership. This may be true in many respects. But the problem is also about citizenship. Citizens who are unable to contain, direct, and shape the quality of the ministration of political leadership are often badly led. There are no saints in government any-

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since 1998: the mafia style execution of political opponents; the unresolved questions around these assassinations; the rise of various ethnic militias; the kidnappings especially in the South; the weakening of Nigeria’s military and security apparatus by various imponderable agreements with certain external powers;the inexplicable case of Boko Haram; the general incoherence of government under the PDP administration which seems to get its marching orders more from the gov-

deploy corpers serving from outside Edo State to officiate in the July 14 Governorship election in the State. That would be a more reassuring gesture than a meeting of NYSC and INEC bosses where one assures the other that corpers would not be compromised while the other confidently assures the nation that the allegation of a likely biased officiating has been cleared. Otherwise, if free and fair elections in Nigeria are to be based on verbal assurances, the talks would be many but they would all be ineffectual. It would not be hard for example; to get the Police boss to tell the nation that because of a planned change of uniforms, none of his men, would be misused by politicians and that indeed there would be no snatching of ballot boxes during elections.

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nterestingly, it is not too evident that INEC itself is on top of the game and that she is poised to attain free and fair election in Edo State come July 14.

The handling of recent political matters in the state by the Commission gives the impression that she is already overwhelmed by the politicians. For example, on May14, 2012, there was massive demonstration in Benin City by persons who alleged that INEC was in league with some people to undertake a fake voter’s registration for the purpose of rigging the coming elections. The reaction of INEC four days later, was to postpone the exercise until after the elections so that in the words of the chairman “we can do it in

ernments of the United States and the United Kingdom rather than from Nigerian peoples and a wellestablished parliament, and it doesn’t make sense.

There is a strange and inexplicable missing piece. It seems clear to me that what we have is not just simply a failure of leadership but a gradual collapse of the nation.

Nigeria is under attack.

But who is behind these sustained attacks on Nigeria?

Who wants Nigeria permanently disabled and perhaps even destroyed? Why? Is the current government – the Jonathan administration telling us all that it knows about the current security situation and is it up to scratch in dealing with it? I should say this: I do not blame President Goodluck Jonathan alone for the current failures of government. The last time I checked, under the rule of law, there are three institutions that govern the Federal Republic of Nigeria: the executive, the legislature and the Judiciary. But the constitution endowed in the office of the president, all the resources available to this country, to sort out the national economic and security challenges. The Legislature, the legal keepers of the Nigerian purse, has given the president all that he has asked for to contain this situation. But the president and his national security and intelligence services have failed to protect this country.

Last Sunday, the city of Kaduna came under a barrage of attacks by the group claiming to be Boko Haram. Just as Kaduna was

an atmosphere devoid of suspicions and fears and so that we can focus on rebuilding confidence and preparing for free, fair, peaceful and credible elections.” Two issues are important here. First, because it is practically impossible to undertake fake registration of voters without the collusion of INEC officials, the posture of the Commission gave credence to the allegation.

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econd, since INEC hopes to focus on rebuilding confidence and preparing for free, fair, peaceful and credible elections only after the July 14 exercise, it means that the Commission has already given up on the possibility of attaining free, fair and credible election this time around. Surprisingly, some 8 days after the decision to postpone the registration exercise, INEC came up with an official statement that its investigation had shown that the allegation which influenced its previous decision was baseless.

Why did INEC act before thinking and why did she allow herself to be stampeded to dodge its legal right and duty to review the voters’ register as a continuous exercise as provided by the Electoral Act? Now, many citizens who are otherwise qualified to vote in the coming elections would be disenfranchised and no one can do anything about it because INEC can neither penalize nor reprimand alarmists.

We can only hope that another demonstration will not put the entire election process on hold!!

burning, the president was flying to Brazil, for a nonessential summit. True, both Mr. Labaran Maku, the minister for Information, and Dr. Rueben Abati, presidential spokesman, defended the president on the grounds that modern technology makes it possible for the president to govern in the air. Well, true, but he’ll be governing in the air, and not on ground zero.

The symbolic and reassuring presence of the president taking direct charge, would have more Nigerians believing that he has a hands-on grip on this increasingly strange and intractable question of Boko Haram and national security.

This especially with new claims by many leaders in the north on the new, and I must say incredible angle that Boko Haram may be the covert operations of an external power intent on destroying Nigeria. Labaran Maku again dismissed such a claim saying, “Nigeria is not under external attack. It is our people killing each other.” But how does he know? How can Nigerians trust such a statement when the government has not given us any single concrete proof that it actually knows what Boko Haram is about? Nigeria’ security apparatus seems utterly compromised and impotent before this strange phenomenon. The president, rather than taking strategic action, has now asked God to intervene, even in the clear evidence that God has since taken a furlough from Nigeria? This is why Naijaskeptics are winning.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012, PAGE 19

Is this desire wrong?

Dear Rebecca

I

have benefited from this column now it’s my turn to ask a question. I am an eighteen year old girl in SS2. I have a boyfriend who deflowered me at 17 and who has promised to marry me. We have sex once or twice when I come home on holidays. I satisfy my sexual desires with masturbation instead of taking on another boy at school. I do this because I love my boyfriend very much. I do not want to disappoint one who loves and cares for me. The Bible says it is better not to make a promise than to make and not fulfill it. Isn’t masturbation a better option?

Aina, Oyo State.

think you are making His temple dirty and are offending Him? I suggest you stop having sex with your boyfriend or with any other man, until you are legally married, not merely a promise of marriage made to a school girl. Try to control yourself, and not desire sex so much. Concentrate on your studies and take up hobbies to keep busy. I hope you know about contraceptives and venereal diseases.

Abstinence brings peace of mind as you wouldn’t have to worry about unwanted pregnancy, abortion, and contracting venereal diseases. Sex is neither food, drink or air. You can do without it, not only now, but for the rest of your life if that’s what you want.

REPLY

E

xperts say that mas turbation is a safe way that men and women can use to relieve themselves of sexual tension, as they cannot contract diseases or become infertile by the act. A person who feels guilty about it should not do it, as the guilt feeling may bring on psychological problems. Some people consider it an unclean habit and they feel bad and unhappy about it. Some people think it is safer for them than going to fornicate or commit adultery and risk getting pregnant or contracting venereal diseases. Some people are against it because of their religious beliefs, and they think that a person should either have a legitimate sex partner, like in marriage, or abstain from sex. I think the act should be left to people’s conscience and religious beliefs. I don’t support adultery and irresponsible sexual attitude. God punishes sexual sins, and that is why dreadful diseases are attached to sex. Sex in the form of fornication and adultery can cause heartache and result in broken homes and relationships.

Now, I am worried about your accepting sex with your boyfriend, as a normal activity. At 18, still in secondary school and unmarried, it should not be. Sex, which involves giving the body to another human being, is very important and sacred in the eyes of God, hence He made it the only way by which the human race can continue. Sex is not a sin; it is our attitude about it that is sinful.

First, it is meant as a loving gesture in a one-on-one legitimate relationship between a man and a woman and then it is for making babies. I am glad that you are a believer who can quote the Bible. It says there that our body is the temple of God and we are created in His image. Since you are not having sex in a situation approved by God, don’t you

How to resist his moves Dear Rebecca

I

am a nineteen yearold student and he is twenty-two and working. He is very much in love with me and has promised to marry me. I have turned down his sexual overtures. I am afraid that if I travel home, the issue of sex will come up again. I don’t want to tie myself down to any man in case I find someone I love in future.

Mercy, Kaduna.

REPLY

I

T is only when a girl is properly married to a man that she feels guilty about not allowing him sex. Even then, your body belongs to you and a loving husband would be understanding and cooperative when you refuse him

sex, maybe due to tiredness, illness, etc. Also, you as a loving wife would not want to deny your husband access to your body when he wants to show his affection for you.

In a boyfriend and girlfriend situation, there is no such bond or commitment. You have every

right to refuse to have sex, or have even body contact with a boyfriend.

If he forces you, that is rape which is punishable by law if you report it to the police.

A girl should not be afraid to tell the boyfriend plainly that although she loves him, she does not want sex.

Frankness is always best in romantic relationships. Let the man know your rules about your body. Don’t be afraid of losing him. Allowing sex will not make a man yours forever; in fact, deep down, some men may even consider you cheap and begin to wonder if you are having sex with other men as well.

That is why there is usually an argument about who owns a pregnancy.

A supposed loving boyfriend who is not ready for the responsibility of fatherhood turns around after you allow him sex and have become pregnant, to say that he was not the only one who had sex with you. What a disgraceful situation for a girl to be in!

I support your decision to leave yourself free to be courted by other men.

Obviously you don’t think that you have met your ideal man. I would advise that even when

you feel you have met your ideal man, don’t eagerly allow him sex, not even when he and his people have approached your people, asking for your hand in marriage.

Let at least the traditional wedding (which in our culture is the real wedding), take place first. Some born-again Christians can only allow sex after they’ve taken their vows before God in the church.

Some men find an excuse to dump a girl after she’s allowed them sex. Such men may not be sincere in proposing marriage in the first place; just a trick to have sex with a girl.

So, keep your eyes wide open. A man who truly loves you would wait patiently for the relationship to become marriage before demanding sex.

Act according to your moral conscience then, and make sure you know much about contraceptives, family planning and venereal diseases.

If you don’t want to be seen as tied to this man, don’t visit or communicate with him frequently when you go home. Just be friends until you are certain about his purpose towards you.

This bedwetting refuses to leave me!

Dear Rebecca

I

am a twenty-two year old boy. I have this problem which has humiliated me times without number. By day or night, each time I sleep, I wake up to find myself wet. I have gone to several churches and hospitals, all to no avail.

A doctor once advised me not to eat after 2pm. It didn’t work. In a day, I drink water four times but I will urinate twelve times. I am so worried being the eldest child in the family. . The others don’t have this kind of problem. My dad even tried waking me up continuously for five years, I didn’t get used to it; neither did an alarm clock work. I have even gone for deliverance. I have turned down several admissions because of this problem. Even if I don’t go to the university, I will get married

someday. What would I tell my wife? Please help dry my tears by finding a solution.

Worried Young Man REPLY

I

am sorry about your distress caused by bed-wetting. I understand the way you feel. The problem is that the more emotional we are about anything concerning our bodies, the worse it becomes. Worrying worsens problems, but then, you have every cause to worry about this problem. We spoke to several experts and we pass on their advice.

A medical expert advises that you don’t eat or drink after 8pm. He says 2pm is too drastic a step. Make your evening meal light, and before you go to bed, ease yourself. He says you should

still use an alarm clock to wake you up twice during the night so that you can be conditioned to waking up to ease yourself at specific times. He says you should consult a specialist in a general or teaching hospital about the frequency of passing urine. If you urinate about twelve times a day, it can’t all be during sleep, so there may be a health problem causing frequent urination. The specialist will carry out tests to find out why you urinate so frequently. A general practitioner in a private hospital may just see it as bed-wetting; whereas it may not be.

A psychologist says the bed-wetting may be the effect of something that happened in your childhood; maybe something you were afraid of, and which loosened your bowels. Maybe something you were doing secretly which brought

fear into your mind; or you may have been scolded or punished for it, but you still did it secretly. Emotions like fear, guilt or rejection in the home can bring on bedwetting, diarrhea and constant weeping. Love is very important in the home so that kids can have emotional support in whatever they are doing. Sit down and consider your childhood right from when you can remember and try to trace when the bed-wetting started. Speak to your parents, especially your mother. Maybe she can remember incidents in the family which happened then. Once you can pinpoint something, discuss it thoroughly so that it would no longer be deep-rooted, and you can relax in mind, body and spirit.

A pastor recommends some helpful practical steps: you should declare a day of prayer and fasting, during which you will pray intensively every 3 hours during the day, asking the Lord to forgive whatever sins there may be, and heal you completely. Believe that your prayer is answered and healing is on the way. It may not be immediate, and the Spirit may direct you to a source, person or book, that will help. Every morning and night say “You spirit of bed-wetting, I bind you in the name of Jesus Christ and I command you to leave me right now in Jesus’ Name.” Be patient and persistent. The pastor claims that this had worked for some young people he recommended it to. Goodluck!

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

PAGE 20 —

SUNDAY Vanguard , JUNE 24, 2012

0808 066 0660 (Texts only!)

Consoling guests who’re afraid of the dark!

W

HAT do you ‘girls’ talk about when you get together?” It was Ini’s husband asking me this curious question.

“You get together all of the time, talking your heads off. I bet a lot of your talk has to do with men.” We were at an impromptu get-together for a friend who didn’t want to celebrate a round-figure birthday because she didn’t want to admit time couldn’t stand still for her.

Most of the guests had had their fill of bubbly and quite a number were slurring their words. “We boys get together too you know?” he persisted. Was he going to be a bore?

“And we talk about women all of the time.”

Yeah, right, I sighed.

“By the way, did you see Peace when she came to stay with us?” I told him I did. Peace is Ini’s second cousin who runs an ice-block making business from the modest bungalow she lives in with her husband.

They ’d only been married for three years and the husband had to travel to the village urgently.

Peace was scared to stay in the house all alone at night, so the husband begged Ini to take her in.

She would run the business by day but come to Ini’s at night, just to sleep. Unfortunately,

Ini’s boysquarters were occupied as well as the guest room. “Don’t worry auntie,” Peace pleaded, “I can sleep in the sitting room. It’s only for two weeks”. ”I don’t like people crashing on the sofa,” Ini had complained to me, “but she’s my flesh and blood - and a good cook to boot!”

“Did you notice she’s quite a pretty girl, in a native way,” Ini’s husband persisted. So what?

“None of those gunk you all slap on your face and she cooks real native food too - not the ones you people cook reeking of artificial flavourings.

Anyway, come her first night and I pictured her all alone in the big sitting room scared stiff of the dark. I tip-toed to where she was to tell her she could leave a light on if she wanted. But she’d done all that and was fast asleep - with her wrapper thrown off, showing all her feminine glory. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as I rushed back to our room. Luckily, your friend was fast asleep.

That’s one thing I’d always been envious of her - as soon as Ini’s head touches the pillow, she’s out for the count.

— ow it’s going to work to my advantage, I don’t envy her

N

that any more. The next day, as soon as I heard Ini’s soft snore, I tip-toed back to the sitting room.

Peace was fast asleep, her wrapper partially falling off this time.

She’d left a light on as usual but I threw caution. to the wind as I approached her. I pretended to cover her up, she didn’t stir. Then I sat on the edge of the settee, drinking in all her beauty. Tentatively, I touched her boobs - she didn’t move. By this time, I was really on fire. I clambered on top of her, ready to promise heaven and earth if she woke up. But she didn’t. As I made love to her, she looked serene in her sleep. Once in a while, she would turn as if in sleep, but

her eyes were shut throughout. My goodness, that was some love making!

“In the morning, she greeted me in her respectful way, made breakfast and got ready to leave. I gave her money for taxi what I hadn’t done the previous day - and she didn’t look too surprised at the large amount I gave her. I couldn’t wait for the following night as I tip-toed to my love nest. Again, she took it all in her stride- and she kept taking the taxi money without breathing a word to Ini. That’s how I suspected she knew what I was up to all the time. She must be a real mischievous girl, handling my escapades with such mischief. I felt like having a word with her

about it all. Did she enjoy the sex? If yes, why didn’t she participate - you know thrash about and scream with pleasure like most of you do? I guess she was afraid of screaming in case she woke Ini up. But she should have moaned silently or at least opened her eyes. Something to make me feel my prowess was being appreciated.

“When her husband eventually came back, I was most unhappy to see him.

How could this crude man be enjoying such a wellstacked woman? Now Candy, you’re my wife’s good friend but I know what most of you are up to, so I need your advise here. How do I continue with this beautiful thing that the gods put

on my lap? Should I tell her I fancy her and that I would enhance her business?”

What’s the matter with this man? A married woman gave him mind-blowing sex when her husband was away. Instead of thanking his lucky stars and crawling gratefully back to his wife’s bed after getting away with murder, he wanted continuity. I told him that much and he looked at me as if I were off my rockers. “I can’t forget her just like that,” he said sadly. “You spend a lot of time and money chasing after these sophisticated women and all you get is rubbish sex and an infection! What I had with Peace was the real thing”. . felt like giving him a I piece of my mind. He might be revelling in the after-glow of illicit sex but Ini had never rated him high in the sex department.

That’s why she feels little or no qualms about picking her pleasures any where she gets them. But I still feel a bit uncomfortable to realise that whilst we thought we were pulling the wool over our men’s faces, they’re actually laughing themselves in and out of other women’s beds. I mean how could he have stooped so low as to crawl into Ini’s cousin’s pants with his poor wife happily snoring in the next room? And still has the nerve to brag about it!

The shoulderstand

C M Y K

straight line, vertical, in a relaxed position, with normal breathing.

Concentrate on the throat where fresh blood is flowing abundantly which promotes the secretionof the thyroid and para-thyroid glands.

This is most important.

Exhale INBOX slowly, lower the legs without jerks and release the position of the hands. One should not lift the head from the ground while lowering the legs to its original position. Slowly slide down and lie flat and relax in Savanna for a few minutes. The duration for this posture may vary from one minute to three minutes for daily practice.

Benefits: During the practice of this posture, every part of the body is given exercise. Circulation of blood is directed to the thyroid and para-

thyroid glands of the endocrine system. It stretches and renders pliable the muscles of the shoulders and the ligaments of the cervical region. It helps the victims of varicose veins. It strengthens the muscles

,

S

PREAD a thick blanket on the floor. Lie flat on your back with legs stretched out, heels and knees together and the hands close to the sides of the body, palms facing the floor. Slowly inhale and simultaneously raise the legs without bending the knees. Slowly lift the trunk and support it at the back (in the middle of the spine) with your hands, bent at the elbows.

Keep the spine vertical i.e., perpendicular to the floor. The back of the shoulders, neck and the back of the crown of the head should touch the floor, and the chin kept pressed tightly against the chest. When you get the spine vertical and establish balance n th posture, slowly stretch the lgs with the toes pointing up. Keep the legs, the back and the spine in a

and those suffering from heart problems, pus in the ears, displaced retina and other chronic eye diseases, should not do this Asana. Children below 15 years of age also must refrain from practising this Asana.

During the practice of this posture, every part of the body is given exercise. Circulation of blood is directed to the thyroid and parathyroid glands of the endocrine system

of the back and neck. It tones up arm muscles, and the body on the whole. It also checks elimination of toxin forming waste matter and regulates the entire blood circulation of the body.

Caution: High and low blood pressure patients

,

Main Benefit This position strengthens and balances the function of the thyroid which supervises the other glands, promotes the growth and development of the body, regulates metabolism and heat production, and controls the heart rate.

INBOX The Shoulderstand

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

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 24, 2012, PAGE 21

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

08056180152,

SMS only

The Grandma who refuses to double as a nanny!

W

EMI had just made a much needed dash to the toilet when sheheard a huge crash.

“Couldn’t I even have a wee in peace without those brats creating havoc?”

She muttered under, her breath. Hastily pulling up her skirt, she dashed out of the toilet to the sitting room, yelling ‘what’s going on?’ as she approached her two grandchildren. “Jnr. hit me,” hissed Kenke, nine; “and he’s broken your fancy flower vase.”

“I didn’t touch her oh,” he defended himself.

“She hit me first.” Wemi’s heart nearly broke in two as she saw what remained of the beautiful vase she’d bought on one of her trips abroad over ten years ago. “I would have defended the vase with my life as I clutched it through customs. It was an indulgence and it had pride of place on the sitting room’s coffee table. “Now it lay in pieces on the floor - and my infuriating grandchildren were still fighting like cat and dog on the floor. ‘Stop it!’ I snapped furiously. ‘How dare you behave in such a destructive way!’ I might as well have been talking to myself for all the notice they took. ‘ “Desperate, I put on the DVD and sat them in front of it as I cleared up the broken vase. The maid was away at the market. I was 58, and Moni, my 35 year-old daughter often leave them with me on her way to the shop she ran. She was in between jobs and the shop kept her busy and help towards her housekeeping. After Moni’s husband had left to live with his mistress, she had struggled to

keep going and the monthly house keeping her husband sent didn’t go far. ‘’Now her little angels were turning into destructive monsters. Moni always defended them if I tried to explain how badly behaved they ’d been. It was obvious there was no discipline, no structure at their home any more - a probable effect of the separation. Meanwhile, their antics were leaving me drained, despairing. My husband often returned late in the evenings, so he was spared the stress of putting up with the kids. As if the vase incident wasn’t bad enough, the kids ran riot in the kitchen biting into fruits and biscuits, then throwing them on the floor.

Losing my temper completely, I frogmatched them back to the sitting room, clipping their ears as I did so. It was a relief when their mother finally came for them.

T

he following month, when she came for her kids, she was almost her bubbly self. ‘I have some great news,’ she said, smiling.

‘I’ve got a new job as an administrator in,a,good school, the hours are mostly during school time, but I’ll be staying over a few hours to tidy up. So, do you think you could take the kids as a regular thing after school?’ And have my house smashed up even more often? No way!’ But I didn’t tell her that - she looked too happy for me to disappoint her that quick, ‘No problem,’ I said, ‘but let me discuss this with your dad first.’

That should buy me enough time to make up a credible reason to back out of her crazy idea.

Y

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

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

You shattered my heart!

I thought I had it all...

It felt so good,so sweet, so perfect. The love I had was the best around. I was proud of it. You prom-

termine when to pursue a relationship.”

A

“I had an appointment for the next day with my doctor and I told him how stressed I felt. He told me my blood pressure was slightly raised and suggested I try to lose a few pounds and get a bit more exercise. He’s been saying that for a while. Basically, I was perfectly healthy. No reason on earth why I couldn’t help out my daughter. Only, next time she came over with her little horrors, I sat her down with some refreshments. ‘I’m sorry dear,’ I said, ‘but I won’t be able to have the kids with me for a while.’ She looked really disappointed but I quickly explained. ‘I went to the doctor’s and he said I’ve got a serious heart condition. He said I must avoid stress. ‘ She looked so worried I almost felt guilty’ Are you going to be all right?’ she cried, ‘I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.’ I assured her I would be alright with the right treatment. The big fat

lie I’d told was to save myself from a lot of trouble. I’ve raised all my children with little or no help from anyone. Now that I felt my job was all done and could relax, she wants to put a lot of strain on my general wellbeing. Today’s children could be really selfish. Not all grandmas are dotting ones.

Once they ’ve raised their kids, they sit back and enjoy some peace and quiet - not chasing after some noisy brats!”

What’s in a kiss?

A

ccording to scien tists, a kiss is much more than just a way of saying you fancy someone. It’s an efficient means of working out if your potential partner is the one for you. In her book: The science of kissing, Sheril Kirshenbaum explains: “When we’re that close to another person, all our senses are engaged, allowing

ised, I promised, we promised to be there for each other through thick and thin. We had future plans.

Though I had my doubts,though I had my shortcomings, I trusted you. I believed you. I believed in us. Your essence occupied my whole being,my senses.

I lived for you. But alas,it came to pass. You shattered my heart.

Stan Stan. stanfeelings@gmail.com 07035709315

My Queen If the queens of this earth should be on a stage, and all the crowned most beautiful girls should be on stage, and you are on stage and I'm asked to pick the best out without partiality or favouritism, I will choose the current most beautiful in Africa. Her beauty never fades, her smile heals the sick, her voice can raise the dead. I've vowed to be loyal to her for

our bodies to assess compatibility and the potential for long-term relationship.” This behaviour, she says, evolved to help humans fulfil three basic needs - sex drive, romantic love and attachment.

She continues: “In other words, kissing helps us find partners, commit to one person and keep couples together long enough to have a child. How does locking lips help us do all that? When you kiss, you can’t help smelling the other person.

And biologists have found that women are more turned on by the smell of men who have very different immune systems from their own.

This may be because potential children would have a higher level of genetic diversity, making them healthier and more likely to survive. In this manner, kissing serves as nature’s ultimate litmus test to help us de-

nd once we find our perfect genetic mate, our bodies respond instinctively to his kiss by flooding our systems with feel-good hormones. “A good romantic kiss quickens our pulse and dilates our pupils,” she says, “which is probably part of the reason so many of us close our eyes. Our brains receive more oxygen than normal and breathing can become irregular and deepen. Our cheeks flush too but that’s only the beginning. There is an associated rise in the neurotransmitter dopamine, responsible for craving and desire. Oxytocin, popularly called the love hormone is involved in bonding, fostering a sense attachment. This is the chemical likely responsible for maintaining a loving relationship over years and decades.”

More men than women said they preferred kissing their partners with open mouths, and using their tongues. There’s even a goodreason for that. Male saliva contains testosterone so it could affect how attractive the kissers find each other.

Later Perhaps?

(Humour) A bus breaks down and remains at a standstill for a quarter of an hour, whilst its passengers get more and more restless by the minute. Finally, the conductress goes round to the front of the bus, where the driver has his head under the bonnet.

“Do you want a screw driver?” She asks. “No thanks,” the driver replies. “We’re running 10 minutes late already.”

ever........................ are you jealous? Don't get jealous, that queen is YOU. You remain the best.

Omor Ville Omorville@gmail.com, 08062486549

When love is gone!

My heart goes out to the families of the DANA crash, words cannot explain the burden our heart carries when we see those our hearts share no more.

We all have a reason to as why? But then even when i don't know any among them ,i also asked but why?

Somethings happen and we cannot explain and love ends up as a candle that lost is flames.May the love that binds you with those gone breath peace into your hearts. we mourn with you all.

Ekhas Obazee 07031338939 d4greatness@yahoo.com

PAGE 22—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

News: State of the Nation

"You had better decide on your resurrection date, ..... third day is not realistic in this situation".

MAILBAG

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

Nigeria needs divine intervention Dear Sir

These are trying times for President Goodluck Jonathan and Nigeria. Evil forces seem to be contending with the luck of the man and the country he presides over, especially in this past one year of his administration. Some may wonder: who has bewitched the man and the country called Nigeria?

If the Almighty God had not allowed it, Goodluck Jonathan could not have

worn the crown on his presently troubled brow - not for one hour, not to talk of one year. And, if he could not have handled situations arising from his position as President, he would not have received the mantle which had been designed from above.

Thus, if he fails he will have a disciplining to face from the Most High. For, after all, he was chosen even though many were called.

Recent catastrophic events, such as

Revival of moribund DSC, a challenge to Uduaghan Dear Sir,

I

T would be a great feat for Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan if the Delta Steel Company, DSC, which went inactive late last year is fully revived now that he is in power.

This company which was the heartthrob of the nation as far as steel production is concerned provided source of livelihood to thousands of workers who are now left to their fate as they struggle to keep the soul and body together while hoping for the resuscitation of their main source of livelihood.

It would be a great feat to the governor in the sense that, even though the outfit is a federal government establishment, as long as the company is situated in the state, its resuscitation would make an indelible mark on his name in the annals of the state in particular, and the nation in general.

This is because there are other companies in the country like Ajeokuta Rolling Mill and many others that are begging for revival but to no avail. So if he is able to work in tandem with the federal government to bring this multinational company back to life again, posterity would always remember him.

Although he has other critical areas to attend to, like road construction, particularly in Warri metropolis and the suburbs, the bouncing back of this

company to life would certainly add more feathers to his cap.

Nkemakolam Gabriel Warri , 08072257360

the Dana plane crash at Iju, Lagos State, the bombings in the North, and the frauds and bribe scandals rocking the country point to the powerful hands of Satanic forces at work in Nigeria.

The Dana plane crash manifesting even when it was preventable could not have been less the handiwork of 'the prince ofNigeria', the demonprincipality under the direct command of Satan himself. Remember the 'Prince of Persia' in the book of Daniel'?. The 'prince of the power of the air' (Ephesians Chapter two verse two) is clearly at work in the Nigerian skies, while the Northern killings, and the spate of corruption are the 'killing, stealing and destroying' agenda of the 'thief' (See Bible book of John Chapter ten verse ten).

It is glaring that the Nigerian problem has its roots in the spirit realm.

The President must change tactics in order to prevail and pull Nigeria

through. Mere common sense would show that attempting to solve a problem by employing the same solution would always yield the same result. At this moment, the President would need not be bemused and lean less on his own understanding. It is high time he really allowed God to take full control, requiring the President's proactive steps in that direction. The initial action he needs to take now is to muster a holy exorcist - a man like Pastor D.K.Olukoya of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles (MFM) Ministeries, and a healer like Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of the Christ Embassy Church to specially pray for the deliverance and healing of the land.

Declaring a minimum of three days dedicated to this holy project would do much good to this dear country, Nigeria, as a starting point.

Pastor Emmanuel Ifie.

Warri, Delta State.

When will HND/BSC dichotomy end?

Dear Sir,

O

VER the years, Nigerians have given priority to issues that are not relevant to the development of this country. While many countries of the world have continued to plan and strategise on how to be at the forefront in terms of technology, our country is still much on ground in its quest to ruin technical education.

Definitely, this is occasioned by the continued dichotomy between holders of University degrees and Higher National Diplomas (HNDs). I was compelled to write on this issue after reading the words of Martin Luther King which says “Our life begins to end the day we become silent about things that matters” and Winston Churchill says that “If the eagles are silent the parrot begins to jabber”.

The Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) and Higher National Diploma (HND) are just titles which we get after going through the university and polytechnic

education, respectively. But rather than concentrating on the competence of the holders, we focus our attention on the title which is doing our nation no good.

The issue of whether you have B.Sc or HND should be totally erased from our mentality and competence should be the crux of the matter; how and what an individual contributes to the society and not the paper qualification.

Nigerians celebrate certificate but if we go by what is obtainable in other developed climes, the issue of disparity would not arise. So, if a graduate is seeking for employment the interview should be assessed on the basis of the wealth of experience or competence the individual possesses and not the title he carries.

It is also disturbing to note that even in public parastatals this issue is still prevalent and the gap has not been bridged. One would think the Federal and state government would treat its staff better than private employers, but reverse is the case as HND holders would never progress beyond grade level 14. This is not as a result of

incompetence but to the type of school they attended The argument is that degree holders are trained to be thinkers and managers while HND holders are trained to work with their hands. I think this is not correct because what stops the HND holder from being a good strategist? Polytechnic graduates are actually trained to be both managers and practical-oriented personnel.

The ongoing discrimination against polytechnic graduates promotes double standard in nation desperately needs reposition technologically to meet the demands of the 21st century.

HND should therefore be abolished if it cannot be equated with B.Sc and National Diploma (ND) be retained to supply the nation middle level manpower to serve as a foundational qualification for entry into bachelors degree programme Oloruntoba Femi, Mass Communication Dept., Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State.

SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 24, 2012, PAGE 23

By Gift Gabriel

I moved out of the crowd to get it right – Mrs Alakija, fashion designer turned oil merchant Life is truly what we choose to make of it. From a very humble career as a bank secretary cum yypist, she has become one of Nigeria’s richest women. Wondering how that happened? Her creativity earned her golden fingers that turned everything into immediate success in her hands! From that humble career which was imposed on her by her father and then to fashion designing which she later had to venture into, Mrs.Folorunsho Alakija has proven herself a genius! Her foray into the oil business, which saw her becoming the Executive Vice-Chairman of Famfa Oil & Gas Limited, is also not an exception. This 61year-old former President of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria FADAN is also a philanthropist of note.

Today, she opens up on her journey to fame and success.

Enjoy!

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READING a career path chosen against one’s will could be frustrating. How did you cope?

I didn’t like it at all when I first started my secretarial Studies. I felt as if my ability had been undermined. I felt frustrated! I however took it as a career and worked hard at it. I had always loved the idea of being a Lawyer because I had an inquisitive mind. That hope was however dashed by my father who insisted I should study secretarial studies. However, I made it work for me because whatever I take up, I always want to do it well. So, that saw me through the years of being a confidential secretarial, a personal assistant, and secretary to several Managing Directors at the now defunct IMB where I worked, until I decided to move out when I observed that new intakes were being ranked and promoted above me.

But didn’t you feel inferior when these new intakes at the bank were being promoted above you?

I didn’t feel inferior because I knew that I wasn’t inferior!

But I felt frustration because I knew that if I was given the opportunity, I would prove myself. But when it got to the point that others were being placed above me, I knew I had reached a crossroad where I needed to make a decision. I do not blame the bank because they were actually capitalising on degrees. I’m however

glad I took the right decision at that point. I believe very strongly that God ordered my footsteps because He had planned out my destiny. So, I traveled abroad to study fashion designing. As a matter of fact, my youngest son was two years old then. The condition I had with my husband under which I would go to study abroad was to take the youngest two of my four children along with me, which I did.

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et’s look at the immediate success you recorded as soon as you joined the array of fashion designers in the country That was the Lord’s doing.

Precisely three weeks after I formally launched my label, Supreme Stitches, I won a national award as the Fashion Designer of the Year 1986. To the glory of God, people liked my designs because I was creating them from within. I would say my creativity had always been inborn.

Would you compare the success you recorded in fashion with that of the banking industry?

Of course the success I achieved in fashion was a lot more! In the banking industry, I was not only part of a crowd but also wasn’t making national news. I was doing my work diligently and was appreciated by everyone, most especially when I headed the corporate affairs department.

I was able to start many things that the bank never did. In fact, the creative aspect of me was

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BY GIFT GABRIEL

not be making clothes anymore, fashion will always continue to be part and parcel of me because it’s something that I love. I still note down designs as they come into my head. I also delight in encouraging younger designers.

Do you see any link between passion and success?

The mere fact that you’re passionate about anything doesn’t mean you’ll

If God does not approve our success, we can never get there but can only try! So, if you’re blessed with fame and fortune, remain thankful and do not become boastful

harnessed, as I even created a corporate image for the bank when its name was changed.

However, whatever I did was for and within the bank alone.

It was just within a little island, compared to dealing with the general public like in fashion where people were inspired by my designs in so many ways.

So, what has life taught you about passion? o me, passion is whatever you derive pleasure in doing, something that comes to you naturally. When passion is involved in whatever activity, struggle becomes less. Though I may

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Mrs.Folorunsho Alakija

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automatically be successful in it. You may not make money out of it, but you’ll enjoy it. It does not guarantee your getting to the top of the ladder!

It will put food on your table if you decide to make it a source of livelihood, and it will set you apart from others because it gives you place, but that still does not determine the degree of success. The sure fact however is that it will get you off the ground. Then if you add hardwork to it, it will get you on top of the ladder.

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o, how did you venture into the oil and gas industry?

In the 1990s, in the course

of my discussion with a friend whom I was designing clothes for, my family and I got involved in a deal to purchase an oil field. After three years, we were allocated an oil bloc which nobody wanted at that time because it was deep offshore, over 1,500 meters deep and very expensive to explore at that time. We were approached by Texaco late in 1996, and, after three months daily negotiation, we signed on the dotted lines. Chevron took over Texaco after a few years, but, to the glory of God, we actually stocked oil in commercial quantity, and we were told that the oil had been collecting in there for 17million years, and then we just considered ourselves very lucky. That was how FAMFA Oil was born. I and my husband and our four sons are all heavily involved in the business.

You seem very busy and quite successful, but do you ever find time to go into the kitchen?

Absolutely! Just yesterday, I still cooked beans for my church fellowship members. I always cook when my husband is in the country. I’ve had cooks for years, but there’s always a difference when you add your own personal touch.

At weekends, I cook. I also cook each time he’s arriving from his trips because he always prefers to eat from my own cooking at such times.

Also, we eat together. I do believe that no matter her

level of success, a woman must always remember that she must not depart from her kitchen.

Many marriages are on the rocks because many women find it difficult to combine marriage with affluence. Why has yours remained the envy of many since 1976?

Money has nothing to do with love. Love comes from within. Money is something you acquire along the line.

Only love keeps people together. From the time that we started courting, it has been like that, and we thank God that to His glory, we’ve known one another for 40 years. I pray also that God continues to unite us. I believe that if love is the foundation of a union, God will prove Himself faithful.

Every married person has a duty to ensure that they make their marriage work because nobody dragged them into it. Even looking after the children in that marriage calls for both parents to impact into them the skills, love, knowledge and talent required to enable them live fulfilled lives. When we shirk our responsibilities, we’re being careless. understand that you now cater for widows and orphans in four states?

Taking care of widows and orphans is a calling, and it is in the fear of God that I am doing so. I’m not doing so because I have the resources, but because God has called me to it. He has also been faithful in providing the resources. I however had to register a platform, Rose of Sharon Foundation, a few years ago, to reach out to more widows and orphans. Rose of Sharon is also a means of giving back by my entire family on behalf of Famfa Oil. You seem a very religious person, but do you know many are quick to forget God as soon as they acquire material comfort?

I don’t see any reason why anyone shouldn’t successfully combine his or her faith with affluence. As far as I’m concerned, wherever we get to in life is not because of what we have done, but because of what God has done through us. If God does not approve our success, we can never get there but can only try! So, if you’re blessed with fame and fortune, remain thankful and do not become boastful because pride goes before a fall. I’m grateful to God for making me who I am, and the way I am. I always look back and remember that nothing is as a result of what I have done but for what He’s done through me.

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“Every day is an opportunity to be creative – the canvas is your mind, the brushes and colours are your thoughts and feelings, the panorama is your story, the complete picture is a work of art called, ‘my life’. Be careful what you put on the canvas of your mind today – it matters.” — Innerspace

PAGE 24 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 24, 2012

up and went to the scene. On getting there, the people that shot him had run away. When it happened, students rushed there to know the person that was shot and the security personnel tried to control the situation.”

According to him, when it was confirmed by the university that Akpo was dead, his remains were taken to the UCTH. He added that only three girls who had come to write a test at CRUTECH witnessed the fatal shooting.

The sad end of a student leader ... after curious invitation to lunch

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erbert Akpo, Director of Socials of the Stu dent Union Government, Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH),was full of life, Thursday June 7, 2012, and went to school to write his semester examinations like other students. He never had the inkling that, after his first paper, that would be his last day as a student of the university and his existence on the mother earth.

Akpo, who was a third year student of visual art and from Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State, at about noon that fateful day, was said to have received a call on his cell phone to come for lunch with the yet to be identified assassins in a restaurant within the university campus.

It was gathered that it was in the course of the lunch with the supposedly friends that he was shot in the head from behind while those behind the killing immediately jumped into the nearby bush and disappeared.

BY EVELYN USMAN

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une 1, 2012, will forever remain indelible in the memory of the Anyinye family, in Idumu-Ugbe quarters, Ogboobi viillage, Onitcha Ugbo , Delta State, following the murder of a member of their family, Ifechukwude, 32.

Ifechukwu, as he fondly called, had reportedly, returned from the farm that fateful day, where he did a job for one of the villagers. He was said to be going to take his bath when a group of youths arrived. The youths, as gathered, descended on Ifechukwu and started beating him, following the claim that he slept with a mad woman.

As he was being dragged out of his compound, those present begged for his release but to no avail. Unknown to them, Ifechukwu was embarking on a journey of no return.

This was later confirmed folC M Y K

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bong said the late SUG executive member was killed in a restaurant by suspected hired killers and that,as a member of the SUG, some students may have felt offended by his actions in one way or the

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* Akpo ... during rescue operation. * Inset: The deceased ... before the assassination June 7.

Effiong said it was the only known death recorded which he was carried out by unWhen it was confirmed said known young men and that the by the university that university could not place the identity of the assailants which Akpo was dead, his at a remote end of remains were taken to happened the university in a restaurant. the UCTH. He added The Dean said that the management and staff of the unithat only three girls regretted the killing and who had come to write versity that investigation was going on a test at CRUTECH to unmask those behind the dastardly act. witnessed the fatal He said that some arrest had shooting been made but refused to mention the number.

A member of the Man’O War in the university, who was in the team that took the body of the late Akpo to University of Calaother.

Speaking to Sunday Van- bar Teaching Hospital mortuary, guard in his office, the Dean, Mr. Godwin Egbe, said he was Students Affairs of CRUTECH, in his apartment when he Dr. Uduak Effiong, said infor- received a call that somebody mation available to the univer- had been shot and that he sity was that one of their stu- should come to attend to the dents was shot dead between situation.

Egbe said, “Instantly, I woke the hours of three and four on

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BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Calabar

The late students leader, according to some of his colleagues, was sociable although he may appear in some situations to display some intimidating posture. The colleagues, however, claimed that but if he realized that he had offended anybody, he would apologize.

Even though there were insinuations that he may have belonged to a cult group, it was gathered that one of the criteria for belonging to the Students Union Government exco of the university was non-involvement in cult related activity and, after thorough screening by security agencies, he was certified cult free which then qualified him to contest for the position of Director of Socials.

A lecturer in the Department of Visual Art in CRUTECH, Mr. Justin Obong, who described the late Akpo as his nephew, also debunked any such insinuation linking the late Akpo to any cult group.

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Man, 32, murdered for ‘sleeping with mad woman’ lowing the discovery of the remains of the victim in the bush.

Although one of the youths alleged to have been among the assailants has been arrested by the Delta State Police Command, while others are on the run, the Anyinye family has appealed to the state Police Command and the Inspector-General of Police to carry out a thorough investigation that would not only get the accused arrested but that would also ensure that the matter was not swept under the carpet.

Spokesman for the Anyinye family, Mr Robert Anyinye, said before his brother was

killed, he was allegedly first taken to the palace of the town’s traditional ruler who allegedly ordered that the man be taken away.

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obert narrated: “The in cident occurred at about 10.30 a.m. when a group of Onicha Ugbo youths, led by their leader, stormed our brother ’s residence. Ifechukwude was dragged to the palace where the traditional ruler ordered the youths to take him away. The youths were eight in number. They took my brother into the bush, beat him mercilessly and inflicted matchet cuts all over him , like a common criminal. He was

CP Aduba .. unable to confirm incident

he Man O War member said the slain student leader used to eat in front of his department and was surprised he went to the restaurant where he was killed, adding: “I have not known him to be a cultist.”

The elder brother of the deceased, Mr. Fidelis Akpo, who graduated from the Institute of Management Technology, Enugu, in civil engineering, in an emotion laden voice and with the clothes and shoes of his late brother soaked with blood, confirmed his brother was shot in the head.

“The school is full of bad boys. When they called me that my brother was shot, there was no police; only the Medical Director, Dr. Ita, two other members of Man O War and myself that took him to hospital,” Fidelis stated.

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am terribly sad. I plead for justice to know what killed my brother. I shall not rest until I find out what killed my brother. May be it is only when a lecturer is killed that they (school authority) do something about security”. “

also forced to drink a concoction which nobody, as I speak, can tell what it was. “While they were torturing my brother, one of our kinsmen who was returning from the farm sighted them and pleaded on my brother ’s behalf. But they would not listen. Rather, they warned him to leave the scene in his own interest” At this juncture, he kept mute and shook his head intermittently. After a while, he continued: “ Our kinsman rushed to inform us consequent upon which we mobilised some youths with the hope of rescuing my brother.

But when we got to the spot, we met him naked , with blood all over him.

The man that witnessed it all, thereafter, rushed to the Obi’s palace , where he met him discussing with the youths. He told the Obi he was Continues on page 25

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 24, 2012, PAGE 25

Country News

US DV Lottery: At your gain or peril?

BY PRISCA SAM-DURU & VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

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he United States of America Diversity Visa (DV) Program, also known as Green Card Lottery, and congressionally mandated by the Department of State in 1995, has become an annual ritual which has given many Nigerians free passage to the US. Information from the Consulate in Lagos shows that the DV lottery makes visas available to persons meeting simple, but strict eligibility requirements. The process involves choosing selectees for DVs through a computer-generated random drawing after which visas are distributed among the world’s six geographic regions and, within each region, no single country receives more than seven percent of the available DVs in a particular year. A total of 55,000 permanent resident visas are made available each year. Although about 6,000 Nigerians emerge lucky winners of the lottery each year, not up to a quarter of this number survive the screening exercise.

While this program is designed to offer opportunity of migrating to the US, to nationals of countries who are under-represented in America, it has received so much criticism. People have indeed been caught in the web of so much misconception about the program. While some who dismiss stories of Nigerians who migrated through the lottery program say it is unbelievable and therefore a fraud, others say even if it is real, there is a string attached to the offer. The argument by

Continued from page 25 there to find out if indeed he sent the boys to kill Ifechukwude. But the Obi allegedly told him to calm down, asking if he did not know that my brother was a criminal.“ The murder of the Ifechukwude reportedly sparked off a protest by youths from his quarters who, as gathered, removed the corpse from the bush and dumped it in the apartment of one o f the alleged assailants.

The youths, according to Roberts, “ also stormed the palace demanding that his killers be released to them

* The US embassy in Lagos ... gateway to fortune for desperate Nigerians?

One cannot but ponder if it is indeed worth the stress, as many who have migrated through the lottery are worse off in America due to lack of accommodation and job people in this category has been that how can US of all nations whose visa is very difficult to come by, make ob-

taining visa to their country through lottery, so easy, simple and cheap.

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any others, especially within the elite class, have accused America of using the lottery to rip Nigeria off her labour force while some people accuse America of not being entirely sincere with the process of selection, especially when it comes to interviewing lottery winners, maintaining that the consular officers only look for one flimsy excuse or the other to disqualify interviewees. The last accusation seemed a fact and in a bid to ascertain how true, US Immigrant Chief Kris Arvind was confronted on the matter.

Arvind dismissed the allega-

tion. He explained that rather than seek to disqualify any lottery winner, the Department of State is interested in encouraging more legal migration through the lottery program.

Meanwhile, many Nigerians see the lottery as a miraculous way of escape from their troubles at home, especially when the minimum requirement is just School Certificate. As a result, many Nigerians have turned into customers of the annual gambling game as they try their luck each year hoping that they will emerge winners.

Even with reports of terrorists attacks on the US, many skeptics such as Kingsley Obiora who has played the lottery thrice without winning still wonder why the country has maintained this form of migration procedure which creates more insinuations that the US is up to something that is not completely spelt out.

The truth, however, remains that many Nigerians are living in America today and thanks to the DV Lottery even as many still pray they emerge winners as results are already out on the internet beginning from 1 May, 2012.

Considering the enthusiasm with which players await results of the lottery, one cannot but ponder if it is indeed worth the stress, as many who have migrated through the lottery are worse off in America due to lack of accommodation and job.

This is especially so as the

Man, 32, murdered for ‘sleeping with mad woman’ and threatened to set the palace ablaze if their demand was not met. But the traditional ruler called the police who came and arrested one of the youths”.

A source close to the palace told Sunday Vanguard that their traditional ruler never sent anyone to carry out the dastardly act. The source clarified that the traditional ruler

only instructed the youths to take the deceased to the police station, adding: “Our Obi was even shocked when news of the death of Ifechuwude reached him. In fact, he was the one that called in the police and released one of the suspects to them”. hen the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, was

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reached , he told Sunday Vanguard on phone that he was not at the Command and could as such not give details . But he assured he would call back.

However, a source at the Command confirmed the arrest of one of the alleged killers, informing that effort was on to apprehend other fleeing suspects. It was also

program only provides visa and nothing more. During a recent press conference held at the Public Affairs Section of the US Consulate in Lagos, the duo of Kris Arvind and Christina Bernal said the program does not cater for housing, job, etc but only the right to be citizen of the United States of America. Arvind said any serious minded individual should be able to plan for a bright future for himself under the program.

Another problem is that the visa, once issued, is rendered invalid if, after six months, the holder fails to relocate to the US. Many winners often end up selling their belongings to get cash to relocate.

Even those considered to be elites scamper for the lottery.

It is that bad that some have to accept menial jobs such as baby sitting, washing dishes, etc, even with high sounding Nigerian certificates. Little wonder there are stunning number of cases of Nigerians, who, out of desperation, get involved in sham marriages and illegal businesses for survival and this makes them the US’s liability in one way or the other.

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igerians still dreaming of traveling via the DV Lottery ought to look before leaping. The lottery program, as pointed out by Arvind, is indeed a chance to plan a bright future but, at the same time, people should know that it takes ingenuity, creativity, hardwork, being smart as well as so many other qualities, to be able to survive once the rubicon is crossed. The US Consulate maintains that even after visa has been issued, the lottery winner has the right not to travel; this is another opportunity to have a rethink before embarking on the journey to the unknown.

gathered the traditional ruler would be invited for questioning , as part of the investigation.

The Idumu-Ugbe quarters in particular and the entire Onitcha Ugbo are currently anxious for the police next line of investigation.

Although some of them confirmed the allegation leveled against the deceased, they wondered why death should be the penalty. The criminal allegation of rape, according to them, could have been handled appropriately by security agencies.

PAGE 26—SUNDAY VANGUARD,JUNE 24, 2012

Duty-free industrial tools: Will the govt comply?

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OR some time, I had this feeling that the Manufacturers Associa tion of Nigeria (M.A.N.), which is the mouth-piece of manufacturers in Nigeria, had stopped functioning, since I’ve not been reading of its reactions to government’s policies regarding the production sector in this country. In the seventies and the eighties, the association held sway and it was a force to be reckoned with. Foreign companies here at that time held it in high esteem, along with NECA., and they made it a point to join these organizations so that they could be part of active bodies of manufacturers and employers.

When recently I saw the headline ‘MAN lists woes, wants production tools dutyfree’ in the Guardian, I rejoiced; ‘At last, MAN has woken up from its slumber’, I told myself. Maybe the body has not actually been asleep, who knows?

The piece which was written on a workshop organized by the Ministry of Trade and Investment in Lagos, showed that the association was still alive to its role in this country. Thank God! Part of it went, ‘Through the President of MAN, Chief Kola Jamodu, the industrialists particularly demanded the removal of duty or tariff on machinery and equipment, to stimulate activities in the manufacturing sector. Chief Jamodu said there was need for the Federal Government to put in place measures that would expand domestic production, boost exports, generate employment and create a level playing field. He lamented the high cost of providing independent power to factories

by MAN members, stressing that power supply account for 40% of production costs in Nigeria, compared to 5-10% in countries with more stable electricity supply. “It costs twice to manufacture a product in Nigeria than in China,” he claimed, noting that “Nigerian firms are going through hard times.”’

Of course they are, and have been for quite some time and through several administrations.

MAN’s president’s statements are in line with my thoughts on the state of our manufacturing sector, and its contribution to the high rate of unemployment in the country.

We all know that a high rate of unemployment without the cushion of unemployment benefits from the government, like in some western countries, leads to intense financial hardship in the land, a high rise in criminal activities, unwanted pregnancies and abandoned babies. Everyone of us is affected by at least the effect of one of these; if not directly, then by proxy. If you have a job or run a good business and are comfortable, criminal activities in one form or the other, could prevent the growth of your wealth/business, and stop you from enjoying the fruits of your labour in peace. So, we all have to be concerned about the state of our industries, and anxious about the issue of high unemployment in this country.

One doesn’t have to be an expert to reason that the establishment of industries is a plus for any country. Big ones; small ones – they are all important to our well-being. Most Nigerians are enterprising and they would struggle to find a means of livelihood. Look at the various ways our women who do not have much education eke out a living to sustain their families!. They work on the farm if they’re in the rural area, cultivate cassava and engage in the back-breaking task of turning it into garri, fufu, lafun, etc. Some are hunters of small animals; some gather fire-wood for sale; some fish; and others sell one thing or the other. In the cities, those who can’t afford market stalls, become hawkers and roadside traders. Fast going are the days when women could afford to be only home-managers, and rely on what the man brings in. The reality these days is

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View-Point

Helen Ovbiagele Woman Editor

in vain. Imagine the frustration, the dejection, the humiliation and the depression of these young people! A few decide to end it all and commit suicide.

Am people-friendly government which is alive to its responsibility, knows that job provision is of utmost importance to its citizens; not only for the financial relief this brings, but also to sustain their selfesteem. The first thing to go when there’s no hope of a job is your selfesteem. Now, the government cannot give employment to everyone in its civil service, and frankly, I haven’t heard of any government that has been able to run a successful business. Whatever industry the government tries to set up usually ends up in smoke. Think of cement, rubber, palm oil, steel, cocoa, etc. This means we need the private/manufacturing sector to create employment for our citizens.

A responsible government would be aware of this and would ensure that it creates a conducive environment/atmosphere for this; instead of making policies that would de-

stroy industries, One doesn’t need to be an expert on trade and manufacturing to reason that for an industry to thrive, it needs affordable machinery and spare parts, a ready supply of affordable raw materials, and a steady supply of electricity, among other things.

All the small-scale manufacturers I spoke to, lament that poor electricity supply and the extremely high duties that are charged on machinery, spare parts and raw materials are their major headache and the reason their products are priced high.

“Added to all these, madam,” said one of them, “the market for our products is flooded with cheap versions from the Far East. We just couldn’t compete with their prices. Even if we wanted to sell at production price, our product would still be much higher than the imported versions.

Who would want to buy the local version when the imported one is much cheaper?”

I think the government should act positively on the recommendations from MAN, to save industries and jobs.

One doesn’t need to be an expert on trade and manufacturing to reason that for an industry to thrive, it needs affordable machinery and spare parts the man can lose his job at any time, so, the woman has to engage in something that would earn her some money so that the family can have something to fall back on. Education, which used to be a sure ticket to good earning and a comfortable financial life, is no longer always that these days. We have almost one hundred universities in the country, and each year they pour out graduates to join the unemployment market. Only a small percentage have ready jobs of their dreams available to them. The majority will roam about the streets job-hunting for quite a while. In spite of this, most families still strive to send their children for higher education as they believe that this would increase their chances of landing good jobs which would help improve the financial status of these families. So, they slave away to give their children university education. Hopes are high when these children graduate.

For many of them, the mandatory national youth service job may be the only employment they may have for several years as they trudge the streets with their curriculum vitae, looking for jobs. This is why, in spite of the risks involved in serving these days, (accidents, attacks and murder by militants in hostile host communities), many graduates don’t want the service scrapped. Prolonged job hunt means some graduates may become a financial burden to their families, instead of bringing the much expected financial succour to them.

Some, out of desperation may even apply for jobs beneath their qualifications, but

AMERICAN FASHION OUTFITS fashionzfashion.blogspot.com

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012, PAGE 27

The brains of autistic children are wired up differently—Ayo Idaomi

By ESTHER ONYEGBULA

Mrs. Ayo Idaomi is a renowned lawyer with over two decades worth of experience in the legal practice. She is also one of the project coordinator of the Annual Autism Seminar organised by Women of Worth, divinely-inspired anointed sister, popularly known as WOW VIVAS. The group consists of women who have consciously decided to fulfill their divine destinies by impacting, celebrating and inspiring the lives of others positively.

The seminar is an initiative tailored to create awareness, inform and educate parents and care-givers of children with autism. With the growing number of autistic children in world generally, and Nigeria particular, it is no doubt a noble project.

For a woman who doesn't have a child on the spectrum, Mrs. Ayo Idaomi's passion about this project is contagious. In a recent chat with Esther Onyegbula, she gave an insight into the second edition of the autism awareness seminar with theme Empowering the Parents and Caregivers. Enjoy!!!

Usually, the diagnosis comes in when the child is around two years or thereabout. Some of the symptoms are: delayed speech, hardly making eye contact, they may have sensory issues, they do not want to be touched, while some of them have other things attached to autism spectrum disorder.

Why is this year's autism awareness seminar focusing on parents and caregivers?

With the growing rate of autistic children in the country, we felt there is a great need to empower and educate parents and caregivers of autistic children. Although presently we do not have a genuine statistics of children on the spectrum, the rate is relatively high.

For someone who doesn’t have a child on the spectrum, one wonders where the passion to make a difference and impact lives comes from.

Yes, I am a lawyer and I do not have a child on the spectrum. But every individual tries to find his/her purpose. There is something that is inside of me. I can’t explain it. But I believe that it has been deposited originally by God, and I have discovered it and I want to run with it. I'm not going to sit down and do nothing.

How beneficial have these seminars been to parents and caregivers who attended the event?

Care givers and parents now have more options on how to manage children with autism, because they have acquired sound knowledge from renowned professionals on autism. We had resource persons, doctors, an educationist and a psychologist from Nigeria and abroad. We also had a live video conference with Elizabeth Mitchell a member of the Training Institute Faculty with Geneva Center for Autism , which is basically an authority in autism.

Most importantly, the seminar was free. The organisers of the event have

not charged participant a penny. All they had to do was register online.

If the signs of autism are noticed on time does it make a difference?

Early diagnosis and intervention are the key. You know that the brain of autistic children is wired up differently.

So if it is noticed early, like when the child is about nine months old and a specialist starts to implement training, there is a chance that the child will recover and be able to get integrated into mainstream school. It takes a lot of consistence.

Imagine a child who is fully formed, probably in her teens. We have seen children who have been integrated because maybe their level of autism wasn’t so high. That is why it is called a spectrum. We have from low to high.

So, early diagnosis is very important.

How do you feel making a difference in the lives of children with autism?

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ou cannot quantify it. It's awe some when a child who has never talked, nor responded to conversation, begins to respond and call 'daddy,' 'mummy', and suddenly begins

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UTISM seems to be on the in crease. What basic symptoms should parents and care-givers look out for?

Mrs. Ayo Idaomi.... Our job is to ensure that everyone has the right information on autism. dencies. If a nursery or primary school teacher undergoes a course on how to teach children with autism, or how to identify children with autism, it will go a long way to help. It is important that it is in the curriculum from the very beginning.

In the aspect of health, when peo-

Care givers and parents now have more options on how to manage children with autism, because they have acquired sound knowledge from renowned professionals on autism

to put words together.

How can the government contribute?

We need to split it into health and education. Autism course and training should be included in the curriculum of teachers in teacher’s colleges. They should be trained on how to identify and teach a child who has autistic ten-

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ple take EMT and social science courses, they should explore deep.

This is because to diagnose a child with autism, you need a psychologist, behaviour models and therapist. You need at least six specialists to give a single child one diagnosis. For health reasons, it is important that when mothers take their babies to health cen-

tres for immunisation, the health providers should take a good look at the child for these signs. These health providers can’t do that efficiently if they are not adequately informed.

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hat successes have you recorded?

We have launched the first autism directory. This, on its own, has empowered a lot of people. We included information like signs to look out for, medications, diet, special schools that will accommodate these children and different doctors available for consultation.

What are the immediate goals of the autism seminars?

Our job is to ensure that everyone has the right information on autism by bringing awareness from the low valleys to the high valleys. The future of the WOW DIVAS Autism Seminar is to project this forward, to build a centre where full diagnosis of autism can be done.

A centre where all specialists needed for autism diagnosis are in one place, a centre where parents and caregivers would conduct all necessary medical tests and also have access to the services of an autism specialist.

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PAGE 28 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 24, 2012 short term or even a medium term programme. Meanwhile the race to the abyss is accelerating globally. Many more nations are in distress; Ukraine is one and others in the former Soviet Union are about to follow.

For a start, it is not the first time Nigerians would receive assurances from top government officials about our insulation from global trends. In 2007 to 2008, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria was assuring us that our banks were immune from the global financial melt-down. As it turned out, our meltdown was only delayed and much worse. There is no Nigerian bank which is not in worse shape today than in 2009 – when the current CBN governor blew the lid off the scams in the sector. Big brand names like OCEANIC and INTERCONTINENTAL have vanished.

Then, in 2008, it was the turn of the Director General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE to ask Nigerians to ignore “prophets of doom”, like this writer who pointed to an inevitable capital market crash. The total market capitalization, which at the time stood at N16 trillion, is now well under N8 trillion.

BY DELE SOBOWALE

“When your neighbour’s wall is on fire; it becomes your business”. Horace, 63-8BC. n the global economy, a country’s neighbor is not the nation sharing its border; it is the biggest trading partner – which might be half the planet away. Nigeria’s neighbours, in that sense, are not Benin Republic, Cameroun, or Niger. They are India, United States, Netherlands, Spain, and Brazil. Together, they account for 70 per cent of our external trade.

According to a Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research report: “The Eurozone crisis is infecting global oil prices as contagion spreads from banking woes to economic growth expectations…If Greece exits the Euro, Greek oil demand could drop by one third. In the event of a disorderly broad Eurozone break-up, demand could contract sharply and we think that Brent oil prices could drop to as low as $60 a barrel”.

And, if you are wondering what could trigger a “disorderly” break-up, let me quickly provide some answers, based on historical precedent; specifically, the Great Depression of the 1930s. Then, as now, several of the world’s leading economies went into recession at once and then it was every country for itself. The world is, again, experiencing the same sort of general downturn. Let me list the casualties at the moment.

Britain is admittedly in a recession; China and India have reduced GDP growth expectations by about 40% (meaning less oil consumption); the US economy is slowing down; Netherlands is in a mess; German industrial production declined by two per cent in April – that is the country which had been keeping the Eurozone out of recession.

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hen, last week it was announced that “the [credit] door to markets is not open to Spain”. The simple meaning of that statement must be understood by all of us. Spain, Europe fourth largest economy, like every other modern nation, operates by borrowing large sums on short and long term basis to keep its economy afloat. Again, like most countries whose economies go into reverse, Spain is experiencing problem obtaining the credit and its economy might collapse and with it oil imports from Nigeria will slump.

In fact, the only country among our largest trading partners not yet in distress is Brazil. However, that situation will be short lived.

The US and Europe are Brazil’s two largest trading partners. Soon enough that nation will also find its markets shrink and with it oil exports from Nigeria to Brazil will drop. So, it is not just one neighbor whose walls are on fire; it is all of our neighbours which have been set ablaze. So why is it not yet our business to discuss the outcome?

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eclining crude oil prices increas ingly reflect the imminent recession in most of the developed world; especially our biggest trading partners. Greece had just gone through an election to elect new leaders who face tough economic choices; none of which is guaranteed to stave off the recession in that country and Spain is accepting bail out conditions which will not promote growth – at least in the short term.

To the impact of imported recession, we must now add domestic economic

SPECIAL REPORT: RECESSION SERIES (1)

Nigeria in the looming global recession

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President Goodluck Jonathan variables threatening to turn ours into a deep depression. Boko haram-induced violence in several parts of the north presents a grave challenge to agricultural output which contributes the second largest percentage to our Gross Domestic Product, GDP, and which is more significant than manufacturing and services as a contributor to our collective prosperity. In several parts of the north, especially, Borno, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, Kano, Yobe and now Kaduna, farmers are fleeing for their lives instead of planting the crops which will enrich us next year and beyond.

Okonjo Iweala

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If anybody should be ignored, it is the Minister, who, like most other public officials tell the President and the Nigerian public, what they want to hear, not what they must know

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CRUDE OIL PRICE MOVEMENTS The average monthly price of crude oil since May 2011 is presented below; May 2011 $114.46 Jun 2011 113.76 Jul 2011 116.46 Au g 110.08 Sep 110.88 Oct 109.47 Nov 110.50 Dec 107.97 Jan 2012 110.99 Feb 119.70 Mar 124.93 Apr 120.59 May 110.52 Jun 20; 2012 95.56

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S TRUTH BENDERS he Minister of Finance, and Co ordinating Minister for the Economy was recently reported to have made a statement, obviously meant to re-assure Nigerians that, despite widespread threat of global recession, the Nigerian government is in control. She also claimed that measures have been “put in place” to address the situation.

With all due respects to Madam, that is a lot of balderdash. Just a few weeks earlier, the same Minister was issuing dire warnings that the economy will soon collapse without diversification. Diversification, meanwhile had not even started; and it is not a

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ust two weeks ago, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr Segun Aganga, had published a report which claimed that government had created 1.4 million jobs since last year; 1.3 million of the jobs were attributed to the efforts of the Bank of Industry, BOI. Sensing an attempt to foist deliberate falsehood on Nigerians, I wrote an OPEN LETTER TO THE BOI MD in the SUNDAY VANGUARD OF June 17, 2012; asking BOi to confirm if indeed 1.3 million jobs were created by the bank in one year. It was also made clear that my management consulting group was prepared to verify all the 1.3 million jobs wherever they might be.

The BOI, one of the most responsible of our public enterprises, was prompt in its reply. Two days after, on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, the following clarification was received from BOI.”The attached summarises the highlights of BOI’s operations and their developmental impact over a ten year period 2001-2011. As indicated during our brief conversation, the number of direct and indirect jobs created under reference are cumulative and not for one year. [underlying mine].

Obviously, the Ministry of Trade and investment is following the time-worn path of deception in order to deceive the President and the public. The fact is, more jobs were lost than created last year – even without adding those who abandoned jobs in violence-torn parts of the north.

Clearly, if anybody should be ignored, it is the Minister, who, like most other public officials tell the President and the Nigerian public, what they want to hear, not what they must know.

With crude prices plummeting daily and agriculture under siege locally, it is difficult to imagine what measures put in place will avert a recession.

CONDOLENCES he wounds of the heart are the most sensitive of all..Nothing but time can heal them”. Frederick the Great, 1740-1786. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p88).

To all the families of the victims of the DANA air crash without exception, please accept my condolence. To those known to me, Doherty, Odujirin, Somolu, Otegbeye, and, of course, Shobowale, I pray to God to console all of us in His inimitable way.

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012, PAGE 29

Life Is A Tragedy For Those Who Feel, And A Comedy For Those Who Think —JEAN DE LA BRUYERE

I left LUTH a wretched doctor – Faseun ’ays OPC doesn't practise satanism My encounter with Ribadu, IPO' The life of Dr. Frederick Faseun, the founder of the Odua Peoples’s Congress (OPC), is all about activism. Activism once led him into quitting his employment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) which, according to him, he left a wretched doctor. Faseun told Sunday Vanguard the story and how he survived. He also says many people who think the OPC has lost its potency don’t know what they are saying.

OW valid is the claim that you were the first acupuncture doctor in

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Nigeria?

I studied pure medicine and specialised in anaesthesiology which, at that time, was a rare area in Nigeria. At that time, there were about 15 anaethesiologists in the whole country. I came back to practice at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH. We thank God we were able to perform various operations because of the availability of that specialty. I became an acupuncturist when the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, then said they would want LUTH to be a centre of acupuncture because other parts of the would were sending their doctors to China to read acupuncture and the UNDP gave me a scholarship to go to China to read acupuncture. Acupuncture basically is used to control pains? What is the purpose of medicine if not to control pains?

And anaesthesiology is to control while being operated upon.

So, it is as if I had acquired two methods at controlling pain.

Acupuncture, at that time, was novel in all parts of the world except China and Japan. Not long after, I left LUTH. Why did you leave?

I was not the only one that left.

Three of us left at the same time because we felt that the standard of practice of medicine was too low. We protested very strongly and many of our colleagues didn’t like it. The college board didn’t like it but the straw that broke the camel’s back was the death of one of us, that was Dr. Majekodunmi, he died mysteriously. He was a swimmer of international standard,he went to Badagry to enjoy himself in form of swimming and he ended up dead. We recovered his body and we were taking the body to the teaching hospital morgue because we were all consultants there, the most senior cadre you could find in the teaching hospital, and the powers-that-be refused to accept the body into the morgue and we thought that was the height of inhumanity and the other two resigned including me.

When I resigned, I set up a clinic. But, at the time I did that, I was totally committed to practising medicine. And so, I had nothing on ground to survive on.

At that time, I might go to the theatre on Friday afternoon and return to my flat Sunday or Monday. I became the darling of peo-

ple because I knew nothing outside medicine. I didn’t think the race for money should be in medicine. You could have come as accountant if you wanted money desperately.

When we resigned, we gave no notice because we were running for dear life and the powers that be made the situation so unpalatable that when we resigned in the morning, they wanted us out of our flats Dr. Frederick Faseun that same day . I had to give up that month’s pay bigger accommodation; this in lieu of my leaving. I then time, I took a whole house and, moved into a one-room apartbecause the work load was getment in Ilupeju with my wife, ting heavier by the day, I started three children and my books. recruiting colleagues and that was how Best Hope Hospital ow was the experience became a household name in the like moving from 3 bedenvironment of Mushin. rooms to one room?

Why the name Best Hope?

It was a very sad experience, The name has it’s significance. I with a wife, three children. It was started the clinic as Good Hope a sad part of my life and that was Hospital and somebody told me why when I became buoyant there was a clinic in Ikeja called enough to have my own buildGood Hope but, I asked myself, ing, I built a comfortable house why should I give up on the sigwith 10 bedrooms all en suite. nificance of hope? I then asked In fact, it was that experience if there is any clinic called Betthat prompted me to build the ter Hope, my wife then said, why house like that because I was not? Best Hope? I said that is it, denied the pleasure of good living when I lost my job. But I didn’t regret leaving the teaching hospital,because I wanted people to practice medicine in an environment where life would have meaning. Doctors are supposed to preserve lives but the statistics of deaths at the hospital at that time were bad and that was why the three of us came together and protested but they didn’t like it.

How did you return to practice again after you resigned?

Man must feed. I had to open it is even more romantic and that a clinic in Mushin. I would open was how we arrived at Best for the day at 6:30 a.m. and close Hope. Having emerged from the 11 p.m. because I had nothing teaching hospital a poor doctor, else doing and I needed money a wretched doctor, a hungry docto survive. Honestly, it is a sad reflection of my life but I like it. tor who had residual knowledge That is why I can now crusade from which he could dispense for social justice. If a doctor of service to the people, so when my grade at that time could go things were getting better and through that discomfort and inknowing that it will continue to convenience, what about those get better, I then said this is hope, uneducated who have no vocabest hope for that matter. tional training to fall back on?

Were you that buoyant to the But as the clinic was in operapoint of employing 12 specialtion so was the demand of paists at a time? tients getting bigger to the point As I said, the hospital became a that I had to move out to get a

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BY LEKAN BILESANMI

household word in Mushin and the patients work load was getting heavier by the day, so I needed the services of my colleagues.

I believe in offering best service, that is why I took specialists. Yes, it was true that maintaining my specialists was more expensive but the money was coming in.

Best Hope was and still not an expensive hospital to go. It was not so much of how much you pay but how many people paid.

I don’t believe in hoarding money and that is why I don’t have it.

Medical practitioners, particularly the doctors are said to be more prone to philandering.

How true is this?

That is a personal thing . It is not true that doctors are given to promiscuity. Of course,the environment may look as if it supports promiscuity. Nurses are invariably females and doctors, in those days, invariably males and when males and females work together, they are bound to relate and inter-relate; that is why you find that most doctors of those days were married to nurses. I met my wife when I was in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, and we have been married for 40 years, where is the promiscuity? I don’t believe doctors are promiscuous.

re you promiscuous?

A I am not, if I am, I won't be staying with one woman for over 40 years. My wife is a beautiful woman, very loving, what else do I need in a woman other than love and loyalty?

You don’t know if a man has a child or children outside his home until he dies. Do you have other children?

I would not say I do but let me explain. I had a girlfriend for 11 years and we got married and

We don’t discourage anything in OPC, practice what you believe as long as you do not force others to believe in your religion, we have Bhuddism in OPC, we allow all faiths to blossom in OPC

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she died. The woman in my home now is my second wife and the issue I got from the first wife is still with me. So I am different from those ones you are talking about.

Are there actions you regretted taking?

Before I take any action, I analyse, re-analyse, there is no action I have taken which is now regrettable to me, none, I don’t think so.

Are you fulfilled now?

My ambition is not money dictated. So I am fulfilled. I want to

be useful to my community, my people and I try to be a role model and so far so good. I am not looking for riches, I just want to be able to feed and feed my family and I have been able to do that through the benevolence of God almighty but I don’t have too much extra I thank God I am a fulfilled person by the glory of God. You appear to be a good Christian, yet you are the leader of OPC which tend to believe more in terrestrial powers. Is this not contradiction?

There is no contradiction. The OPC is a big organization and all powers emanate from God almighty. He is the source of all powers. And if you believe in Him to protect you against gunshot, He will do it. It is about faith which conquers everything. I know of somebody in Russia who has developed a psyche power to a level where he can sit down and switch light off and switch it on without touching the switch. It is not fiction .

He will sit by your table and bend your cutlery without touching them. It is the power of the mind. So, faith can do anything.

We don’t discourage anything in OPC, practice what you believe as long as you do not force others to believe in your religion, we have Bhuddism in OPC, we allow all faiths to blossom in OPC. It is multi-religious . We do not practice Satanism.

Some people think OPC has lost its potency.

That is not true, it is a very unfortunate statement; if anything, it has even become more potent.

Now, let me ask you, why are some of these crimes rare in the South-West? Why is there no kidnapping here? Why have these groups that have territorial ambitions not ventured into the South-West? People tend to think OPC is less potent because we have controlled the organisation such that no member can anymore be subjective in their activities, you can only be objective such that only the rules and regulations of the organisation must be obeyed; if you don’t comply, we show you the door.

OPC is much more potent than it was. Of course we no longer flex muscles in the market or public place. We take them for granted because we don’t have to pay for what they are doing but I can assure you that the OPC you knew 10 years ago is nothing compared to what it is now.

ave you ever lied before?

H There are various forms of lies. If you lie to protect yourself in a terrible circumstance, it is okay. I am not fond of lying. I don’t lie. When I was arrested in 1996 and kept in custody by Abacha, I under went various interrogation sessions; at one point, the young man who became the EFCC chairman then, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was the IPO. They came to wake me up one midnight that I should come to give them another statement, I told them I had written ‘ what I had to tell you, go and read my 48-page interrogation sheets’,but they didn’t want that.

I had written two previous statements, all identical. So, I told him ‘enough is enough, go and read the first and read the second, read the third, if you found any difference then you can come back’, so I don’t lie.

How about to your wife?

The only time I quarreled with my wife was when she called me a liar and I know I did not lie. I had just gone to her father and she thought I went out with friends; when I returned and she asked where have I been and I told her I went to see her father, she said, ‘ you a liar ’, and I was furious with her and that was the end. So I don’t lie because there is really no need for it.

PAGE 30—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

‘Why Pastor Tunde Bakare cannot advise Jonathan’ *Pastor Ehimika speaks on the "The Jesus Dream" Programme *On Boko Haram he says Pastors have weakened the power in the name 'JESUS' Emmanuel Oje Ehimika is the head of Fruits Integrated, an Abeokuta, Ogun State based Christian ministry that publishes monthly ‘Ministers Alive’ magazine. Ehimika speaks, in this interview, on his programme, tagged, ”The Jesus Dream”, aimed at fostering unity and reconciliation within the Church around the globe.

The cleric, who prefers to be called “Preacherman”, laments that there is so much disunity, bitterness and bickering within the Church (especially pastors) and, for this reason, God’s power is not manifesting.

He says Pastor Tunde Bakare was not in good stead to advise President Goodluck Jonathan because of his involvement in politics.

What is the ‘Jesus Dream’ all about?

HERE is so much bitterness and disunity, competition, envy, jealousy and strife among pastors. Unfortunately, this is not only within the Nigerian Church but also throughout the world. It is now a common trend to see assistants breaking away through strife from their original churches to start their own churches. There are some pastors who don’t see eye to eye with other pastors due to one reason or the other. God cannot expand His Kingdom by strife; so He has raised me up as one among many to call for forgiveness and reconciliation among minsters. There has been a lot of deception- how can a minister who is openly in bitterness with another minister preach the gospel of reconciliation? We were given the ministry of reconciliation

by God; so, our first requirement, after reconciling with God, is to reconcile with men. I was in a city to preach where two ministers in the same building have not had a handshake for six years until I got there.

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Prayer of Unity In 2010, God told me to call for a prayer of unity for pastors. I sold our church building and invested all. We closed down our church when God told me, He didn’t ask me to start church. Actually, the first edition of Jesus Dream began on June 30, 2010 when I called for over one hundred million Christians throughout the world to pray for one hour at the same time for the unity of ministers of God and it was very successful. In 2011, we had the same experience, then Dr. David Yonggi Cho of South Korea (pastor of the largest church congregation in the world) wrote to me personally that he was in

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agreement with me while Apostle Fredrick K.C. Price (USA) sent a word of blessing for all those that will be part of the 2012 edition, come June 30.

That was a significant move of God knowing the personalities i m a g e worldwide. And many other leaders are s e n d i n g encouraging messages now.

Though some are still doubting and watching.

The significance of the June 30 event is that we

Emmanuel Oje Ehimika

are asking Christians to pray for one hour at the same time.

In Nigeria, it will be 8pm while other countries will correlate the time on their own. Since Jesus Christ prayed for the unity of the apostles, we must do the same. So, on June 30, 2012 we would be praying for the unity of pastors worldwide,

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BY DAUD OLATUNJI

advise the president. I am sent to pastors and I have the grace to minister to pastors but I’m called to pray for the president; so whoever is the president of this country, I pray for him. In the Bible, Paul was sent to the Gentiles, while Peter was sent to the Jews, and Paul always had problem whenever he

Most of our pastors are boasting about the cars they have, numbers of jeeps they have, prosperity is not what you have. It’s what people get through you, that is, another level of prosperity

whether you are Anglican or Catholic or Pentecostal, it doesn’t matter, all of us should be on our kneels to pray for the unity of God’s servants because unless they are united, the followers will not. That is why Jesus prayed for Peter and said; “When you are strengthened Peter, then pray for your brethren”. We have just released a magazine that contains the illustrations of the Body and prayer points. It’s being sent to key church leaders and key Christian leaders in the secular all over the world and our partners.

What advise do you have for the president?

When everybody is called to advise the President, not all pastors are called. This is what people don’t know, when you ask people who have problem managing ten people, you can imagine a man having problem to manage ten people advising a man managing 120million people, it doesn’t make sense; only a man who is sent can

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tried talking to the Jews because he didn’t have that backing. A man like Tunde Bakare, I don’t know Tunde Bakare who is a politician but Tunde Bakare who is a pastor, there is a difference. Tunde Bakare as a pastor was able to speak to the late General Sani Abacha, was able to speak to former President Obasanjo and they could not kill him because God sent him. If I go and talk to those people like he did, I could just get locked up and people will just wonder why, because I wasn’t sent for that . If you notice, Tunde Bakare was the only man of God in this country, who came out and spoke boldly. We are all called to pray for the president, but Bakare cannot Tunde advise the president because he is now competing with him. I am not against what he wants to do but I respect him as a pastor called upon to speak because he is bold and has information. Many pastors that stand up and tell people what to do do not even know the

budget, they don’t know the resources; so how can you advise? I want to tell pastors their major role is to pray, and there are few people sent to advise, and those people must have information, and be bold and have the backing of God. Why do Church leaders prefer wining and dinning with bad and corrupt leaders instead of criticising their excesses?

They (Church leaders) cannot criticise them (corrupt leaders) because they (politicians) give them money.

But it is certain that God’s judgment is waiting for such so-called men of God who flirt with people who are oppressing the same people God has called them to set free. If judgment is to start from the Church of God, it will start with the church leaders.

But I must stress that not all politicians are bad. There are some honest and righteous ones among them just as there are some few righteous God fearing pastors. espite prayers, Nigeria’s problem keep mounting. What is responsible?

Majority of the ministers have shifted from preaching the real gospel, so church members just come in on Sundays and just a few hours of service and they go, and they are not really grounded.

Midweek, most of them are not there. People are going to church on Sundays out of ‘ we have to go’. In the short time they go, they are not really grounded, so it’s not the question of how many churches but it’s the quality that matters. The quality is not there, most of the things taught in most churches now are things that will groom the person to go to the office. We are supposed to teach people in the church to go office and perform and show the character, but most times now, people go to office to just make money, bring their tithe and offering, and they feel they have done their duties.

The duty of a pastor is to grow his followers in the word of God. Prosperity is part of it, but it is not all about money, it has to do with total well being, spiritual and body. But it looks like some people think they are called to preach wealth. Paul did not preach wealth, and Peter preached holiness. They preached the whole Bible. We are called to holiness, we are called to prosperity, prosperity does not just mean me having excess money; some are with excess money but they are poor, that’s what Jesus said in the Bible “I know you are rich but you are poor ”. For instance, I am doing a world vision, as at the day the magazine came out, all I had in life was two thousand

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naira, no investment anywhere and no other money anywhere. But as I’m talking now, the magazines are in Europe, U.S.A, Asia.

This is a mystery, so prosperity accumulates everything. Anything God wants you to do. He will accomplish it, and you may not have everything in your hands.

What prompted you to distribute the magazine free of charge to Christians leaders abroad?

God told me to go and train the mindset of what prosperity is,. Most of our pastors are boasting about the cars they have, numbers of jeeps they have, prosperity is not what you have. It’s what people get through you, that is, another level of prosperity. That’s what God said to Abraham “through you, nations will be blessed”. God said ‘I will not use a man who will boast of mansions, of cars but great men and president of nations will have quality substance in their hands that will impact life through them’.

What are the main challenges of our churches?

The leaders of the Nigerian churches are part of the problems. Most of us see leadership position as an opportunity to be favoured but leadership is primarily about sacrifice. The reason why we are fighting for leadership positions in the church is because we see it as a place to get something but if we see it as a place to become an example in humility and sacrifice, many people will run from it. So we see people coming out to give testimonies of the material things they have acquired but the real testimony is about faith in God and love for ALL the brethren.

Proliferation of churches and insecurity in the country today, what is responsible?

The point is that all what we preach in churches majorly now is ‘give and receive’ and we don’t teach justice. I mean the sacrifice we teach is just for people to give us something and we call that sacrifice.

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any pastors are committing crime on the altar. Offerings are forcefully collected from the people, when it should be willingly. Justice is supposed to start from the church but justice is not even in the churches today. That is why Christ said we left the weightier matter, which is justice (Matt. 23:23). It is weightier than tithing. If there is no justice in the Church, how can there be justice in offices? Pastors emphasise money but justice is weightier than money. All through the Bible, the pattern is – God always calls for justice first.

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marginalisation of the Niger Delta in virtually everything. By our individual and special endeavour, we were able to have some bit of economic survival.

The younger elements were bitter with the situation in the region and almost lost confidence in the elders. They were unhappy with the marginalisation and deprivation; no development, no infrastructural development yet 90% of the wealth of the country is from the region. They felt they could no longer take it. Majority of them were graduates, some with second and third degrees. When you saw the level of jobless graduates in the region, you will understand their feelings. They got to a breaking point. The reaction was for them to carry out rebellion against the government.

What did they do? They did not kill people or intentionally bombed installations or main and kill people or completely destroy the fabrics of society.

But they also…?

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Alabo Tonye Graham-Doughlas

Why we need to be honest about restructuring Nigeria,

by Graham Douglas Advocates a parliamentary system *Expresses confussion at the renaming of UNILAG Alabo Tonye Graham-Doughlas was a four-time Minister. He was first appointed Minister for Social Development, Youths and Sports by former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida. He was later reassigned as Minister of Aviation in the same administration.

When former President Olusegun Obasanjo came on board, he appointed him Minister of Employment, Labour and Productivity. The former President later made him Minister of Culture and Tourism.

Tracking the four-time former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for an interview was not an easy task. When finally he obliged, it coincidentally fell on the time he needed to break his monthly spiritual fasting exercise. As soon as this correspondent stepped into one of his sprawling sitting rooms upstairs at his Port Harcourt residence, Alabo, as he is fondly called, took him to join the family downstairs at a prayer session to break the fast for the day.

At the table, Alabo took time to explain the reason behind the monthly spiritual exercise. According to him, it was to say ‘thank you, God Almighty’ for being there for him and his household. He said he and every member of his house do the fasting once every month and he had kept faith with the spiritual practice for almost four decades. He recalled that God made him survive two plane crashes.

In this interview, Alabo speaks extensively on issues bordering on national security, development challenges in the Niger Delta and matters for constitutional amendment. Excerpts:

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME President Goodluck Jonathan recently clocked one year in office.

What is your assessment of his performance? have read through the papers and there are diverse opinions on his one year in office. I will say that he has done fairly well, taking into cognisance the enormity of the problems in the country. He came in as a Vice President; he inherited a lot of problems which people may not appreciate. So it will take some time to plan his course. The

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very good thing is that he is now beginning to find his course, you will appreciate that it is not just easy in one year to fulfill the expectations of people, especially in the midst of human and biological factors.

The common man who voted for him will be full of expectations, he will look at the economy which is biting because it is being restructured; unemployment is there, people will grumble, health care and educational system are not so wonderful as people want to see them; so it will bring about some bit of unhappiness but these are efforts aimed at trying to look at what is wrong, what are the remediation you want to

introduce to the system. To answer your question, one will say that the President to whom we have strong confidence should be given the opportunity to settle down. Mark you, he has the advantage of being a technocrat. He has a Ph.D, the amount of research methodology and the ability to analyse the situation will dispose him to face the challenges.

What is your response to this emerging culture of terrorism in a section of the country?

As a leader of the Ijaw extraction, when I served in the cabinet, one appreciated the disparity, injustice and

hat they did was to attack the economic source with the feeling that if they could not have the good things from the source nobody should.

Then oil production dropped drastically.

You can imagine the loss. They had a cause and government listened to them, introduced the amnesty programme and created the Niger Delta Ministry to meet with the people of the region.

You see that the movement or action of the youths was not terrorism in any way; it was an agitation by those you will call freedom fighters, liberators, they were not militants, but liberators pursuing economic emancipation; of course their action gave leeway to the country; by divine intervention, one of our own became President.

Before the last presidential election, the attitude of some of our northern brothers, who vehemently were opposed to Jonathan succeeding Yar Adua, was that, if that happened, the country was going to be ungovernable and things would be very difficult.

None of the elites or leaders from the north has been able to outrightly come out to stop the boys from what they are doing. So you can’t divorce the political aspects from the insurrection that is going on in the name of Boko Haram.

Again, unemployment, deprivation could be responsible but the question is that, for thirty eight years, their people ruled. Today, some of us are not too happy with our own President because we are not gaining much in the Niger Delta region; he tilts more to other people than giving attention to the Niger Delta situation.

The initial terrorist thing, I want to be very careful of nomenclature because when your son suddenly gets up and starts behaving funny, as the father, you want to find out what is happening.

Jonathan is the father of the nation; so the Boko Haram operators and so on are his children. Government cannot just be apathetic; government should be able to find out what exactly a rebellious child wants. His reasons may not be obvious as the Niger Delta situation but, all the same, as an elder, I will think that we should find out, we have the security apparatus to really Continues on page 36

PAGE 36 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 24, 2012

Alabo Tonye Graham-Doughlas

‘Parliamentary system is it’ find out and determine what exactly is the grievance of the principal operators, come to a table and talk. I believe in dialogue in any situation to get the correct picture.

You believe that the government should dialogue with Boko Haram? o, don’t put words into my mouth, when a child rebels, you must give him opportunity to hear him out, it is not going to sit down. Dialogue is two parties sitting down. What I am saying is that when a son rebels, the father should find out why a son rebels.

N

How will you rate President Jonathan’s performance in the Niger Delta region?

Very frankly, I am sad, very sad that the Niger Delta has not gained prominently from the presidency by the fact that we have our son as President.

Mark you, the resources that he is going to use is for the development of the Nigerian nation but that is not to say that there should not be visible gestures in the Niger Delta . In virtually every field and endeavours of government, the Niger Delta has nothing serious to look on to and, to that extent, we will say that we are unhappy.

A case in point that will meet the heart of everybody is the East West road, which cuts across the geopolitical zones. We cannot be taken to ransom by just one contractor. It will take another three years which will dovetail into the period of election. And if during the election nothing happens and the place becomes abandoned, it will be a white elephant in perpetuity; so that, in itself, is a glaring example to say we are sad.

Generally too, empowerment, curtailing of the unemployment are issues of concern. We must say it is incumbent on him to ensure that when

,

Continued from page 35

I will be the last to think of pulling down the country.

But we need a very serious and honest attitude to the restructuring of the country

,

he takes care of the rest of his country, his home base must not be forgotten.

Constitutional amendment is around the corner, what are the areas you want the National Assembly to focus on?

First, whatever members of NASS are doing, they must ensure preservation of the unity of Nigeria. I have never been comfortable with the presidential system. I am one of those who believe in the parliamentary system because it has got the check and balance. Most of the Commonwealth countries practising the parliamentary system, we see them flourishing. The presidential system is a very expensive, intricate and complex system of government which the National Assembly should look into dispassionately.

Federalism he regional system in those days brought competition and progress.

We advanced more and better with that type of structure than what we are doing today. The late Obafemi Awolowo did not need oil to develop the West.

The first stadium, first television station,

T

free education, all these he did not do with oil money. Then other Premiers also followed. Today, we have six geo political zones, they could be used as regions, components of what make true federalism works. Federal Government structures should be reduced to not more than defence, internal affairs, appellate judicial systems. Saddling the Federal Government with the present structures whereby roads, schools, etc depend on the Federal Government should be looked into.

Do you think this restructuring you talked about, particularly having a parliamentary system, can be achieved within the context of the National Assembly or through a Sovereign National Conference, SNC? I belong to a body, we earlier in the year called for a national conference not SNC whereby representations will come from the various political zones and the 774 local governments in the country for people to sit down and talk about their problems. Let us evolve a proper indigenous acceptable constitution. This will enable us define true federalism, resource control and what can bind us.

I am a strong believer of a strong united and indivisible Nigeria. I will be the last to think of pulling down the country. But we need a very serious and honest attitude to the restructuring of the country.

A state like Bauchi, I have always said is the richest state in the country.

Most of the northern states have a lot of minerals. Switzerland does not have oil, Japan does not have oil, Thailand and so don’t have oil. I was in Bangkok, they were selling Nigeria stones to me - the ones they mined from Nigeria. But we don’t seem to know what to do with them here.

You recall we had a national conference in 2005 that did not lead

us anywhere as a nation?

Well, it depends on the President in office. Nothing came out of that because it was directed towards a wrong motive, a personal motive. If the President is to give it his support, organise a genuine one that will be all embracing, all encompassing, we will be able to get the best for the country. It mainly depends on the President.

As an old boy of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, how did you feel when your school was named after the late Moshood Abiola? felt downcast. We don’t know the details and reasons for which government takes an action. I worked very closely with Abiola, he was a very good friend and he was a pillar of sports in Africa. If adequate consultations were made and the stadium in Abuja was named after him, it would not raise rancour. But the renaming of my alma mater after him, as I said, it was a big surprise. I am still confused.

I

Do you see the ongoing amnesty programme for ex-militants in the Niger Delta as a success?

There have been comments on the amnesty programme. I think the young man handling it is doing a good job.

Some of the people being reformed had been written off in society but they are now being made to be productive. It is a complex task, giving very fundamental training to people that were in the swamps for so long a time; people that took over the habitation for animals, you know it is not easy.

First, you need to debrief them to that height of competence. I think it is a Herculean task. What we don’t know is whether the programme is adequately funded and then the spread. You know the militancy thing started in Rivers but it extended down. So it should go to cover most of the Niger Delta areas and the Ijaw areas C M Y K

SUNDAY

Vanguard, JUNE 24, 2012,PAGE 37

Nigerians Don’t Crash; We Bounce (3) The question of Randomness and the crash of DANA Air flight 9J -992

I

T is not a village in the remote sense of the word. The average man on the street probably has a mobile phone. It was either an aircraft crashed in Yala on the night of the 15th or it did not.

The ThisDay online report which was the most extensive of all the media houses went further to say that the National Emergency Management Agency had also joined the search. The Cross River State government had also supposedly dispatched land search parties.

Harold Demuren, the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, supposedly confirmed to ThisDay that the Bureau and NCAA had taken over the papers of the airline to scrutinise them. It was he who was also quoted as saying that the Accident Investigation Bureau had mobilised a team to the site of the accident. It was either there was a site of the accident which people were mobilised to or there was none.

Some unnamed aviation experts also lent their voice to the report: They claimed that the ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) which triggers off Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon either was not present on the plane or it was not working.

It was the same ThisDay newspaper that had gone out of its way to provide all this information that rushed to a conclusion on the 24th of March by drawing parallels with Amelia Earhart’s disappearance.

A similar crash to the Beechcraft 1900D 5N JAH one had occurred in the early hours of the morning of September

17th 2006.

A Dornier 228 twin - turboprop utility aircraft carrying fifteen Army officers and three crew members on it had crashed on its way to Obudu. It might be relevant that the aircraft was being maintained by DANA Aviation company. The company also sold the aircraft to the Nigerian Air Force. No parallels were drawn between the two crashes as a pointer to what could have gone wrong. At least the public were not informed of the conclusions. On the Aviation Safety Network, the accident description for the March 2008 Wings Aviation aircraft

,

BY YEMISI OGBE

failed him. The contributory aspect mentioned only holds water if in fact there was a flight plan.

The Beechcraft 1900D re-surfaced six months later. We were presented this news by the media. It was found in “thick rain forest of Besi in Obanliku local government area” by Hunters who presumably never went that way before. As my uncle had indicated six months earlier, the pilot’s body was outside the plane, the other two crew members were inside the wreckage.

It is Sunday evening on the 3rd of June 2012.

Dana

The Aviation industry in Nigeria is built and sustained to fail. The number of airplane crashes over the last ten years is proof of this. There is a lack of accountability

reads: Probable Cause: A lack of situational awareness which led to a controlled flight into terrain, and the inability of the crew to identify their position while navigating to their planned destination.

Contributory factors to the accident according to the report were: the flight crew’s deviation from initial filed plan to Bebi, poor Cockpit Resource Management and the crew’s inability to respond promptly to several EGPWS warnings. Anyone reading these words can safely conclude that the pilot’s reasoning and instincts had

,

9J-992 has crashed into a building in Iju-Ishaga in Lagos. One hundred and fifty three passengers have crashed with it. They sit suffocating in the wreckage waiting and praying for rescue workers to arrive. The minutes draw out. In twenty minutes there is an explosion and everything is presumed lost. The crew warned of an emergency 11 nautical miles to the Murtala Mohammed Airport. Rescue workers could have been sent out to to cover the remaining distance and check the explosion. The locals in Iju-Ishaga attempt to put out

the wreckage of a burning plane with pure water sachets and buckets of water.

On December 10 2005, Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 crashed at the Port-Harcourt International Airport.

There were 61 Loyola Jesuit school children returning home for the holidays on the airplane. In a similar scenario, children were heard outside the plane screaming as they suffocated and were burnt alive. In a similar scenario, the system failed.

The failure of Aviation safety in Nigeria is not random. “...The question remains as to whether the problems of this aircraft were resolved satisfactorily and whether the eventual buyers of the plane (Dana Air) and the Nigerian Ministry of Aviation were aware of this fact and took necessary measures to ensure that the aircraft was safe enough to operate within Nigeria’s airspace.”

It is not arbitrary. It is systematic. The Aviation industry in Nigeria is built and sustained to fail. The number of airplane crashes over the last ten years is proof of this. There is a lack of accountability. There is no expertise.

Crucial managerial roles are not in the hands of experts nor competent personnel. Those who are in charge are too cocky to hire consultants but are shrewd enough to protect their own families from the system. The commercial enterprise is overseen by diplomats, autocrats and people who have difficulty just simply telling the truth. The system is corrupt in and out but this is not a car that we can jump out of and put two wires together. As we speak the Accident Investigation Bureau is on its way to the United States with the Black box. If that does not spell disaster, I don’t know what does. Worst of all the media is a tool in the hands of blatant corruption.

Even God knows we are not in his hands.

Concluded OGBE WAS A COLUMNIST WITH NEXT

PAGE 38—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

D

ateline Force Head quarters, Abuja, the nation's capital.

Time was 3:45 in the afternoon. It was penultimate Thursday.

His arrival was much expected. He walked into the cold, anxious, embracing hands of the Commissioner of Police in charge, Special Task Force, STF, Ali Amodu.

Hon. Lawan Farouk's long walk to the detention cells of the Police Force Criminal Investigation Department at Area 10, Garki, started that fateful Thursday afternoon; after all of four hours and some minutes - he was marched to the detention cell at about 8pm.

Information available to Sunday Vanguard made it clear that Hon. Farouk made himself available to the Police at force headquarters, after a round of negotiations.

It was a negotiation process which a source described as "in itself very intricate and delicate".

To avoid a dispute or disputation about representation and procedure, a lawyer accompanied Hon. Farouk.

The interrogation commenced immediately.

According to sources privy to the interrogation, "the process started on a seemingly cordial note. But at some point, the kernel of the matter became 'how many members of the committee helped themselves with funds from marketers?

The focus also shifted to the issue of how many members of the House of Representatives got part of the money".

Sunday Vanguard was told that the reason why focus shifted had to do with the discovery that some marketers besieged the Force Headquarters alleging as well as claiming that "they, too, had parted with huge sums of money".

To be fair, Sunday Vanguard's own discovery showed that whereas some of the marketers had genuine grievances against the committee, some others were only out to engage in a smear campaign.

Some of those who were sincere about their deposition to the Police authorities were said to have "gone as far as swearing to affidavits that they made payments available".

Some of those Sunday Vanguard spoke to in the House of Representatives were aghast that members were being linked to bribe monies arising from acts committed by members of the subsidy committee. One of the members informed Sunday Vanguard that "it appears that the executive, which seems to have been wholly indicted by the report of the committee was bent on rubbishing it hence the set up and the conclusion that members collected money.

DISHONOUR AMONG THIEVES (2)

What Police investigation has discovered About N11b allegedly collected and shared The alleged complicity of House members

its session of penultimate Friday with the re-insertion of Synopsis and Zenon Oil. Some members of the House are insisting that the Police and the SSS should prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

Sunday Vanguard was further told by Police sources that "while the interrogation of Farouk was going on, there was a parallel revelation session which went on and which involved some of the marketers who claimed to have been approached by committee members".

The source further asserted that this accounted for the huge sum of money that has been discovered to be alleged payment to members of the committee and which was shared with the knowledge of some members of the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, as at the time of going to press, the money was yet to be returned to the Police by Farouk, who continues to be a guest of the Police on a daily basis.

Indeed, fresh information has come upon Sunday Vanguard which suggests that the Police itself may hit a brick wall in spite of the bold face it has put on the investigation into the matter.

I

Farouk

IG

,

BY JIDE AJANI & KINGSLEY OMONOBI

Abubarkar

Otedola

Ita

Ekpeyong

Some of those who were sincere about their deposition to the Police authorities were said to have "gone as far as swearing to affidavits that they made payments available

H

owever, in sharp con trast to what the member said, Police sources informed that "part of the deal

,

which saw Farouk honouring the Police invitation bothered on the acknowledgment by members that they would

stand by Farouk".

Police sources insisted last week that about N11billion exchanged hands. in fact, Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that part of the reasons why the $620,000 has not been produced is because the "sum of money in its exact form and shape can not be reproduced as given and collected. The money has been shared and it is difficult to produce that money in the same form that it was collected".

This notion was what the House sought to dispel with

t was discovered during the week that there has been no love lost in the relationship between the Police and the Department of State Service, DSS. It was disclosed to Sunday Vanguard that efforts by the Police to get the necessary documented cash, which was supposed to be part of the $3m demanded was yet to be provided.

That is just one of the many complications in the matter.

The Police is also said to be frowning at the operational lapse by the DSS which was premised on a serial attempt to entrap Farouk.

According to a Police source, "you do not try to catch a thief twice; you only set up an operation and once he falls for it you arrest him".

However, a DSS source maintained - as was reported last week - that the department could not have arrested Farouk the very first day he collected money from Otedola because there were other considerations on April 24, 2012.

The third leg of the argument rests on Farouk's claim that he, too, was actually carrying out a sting operation on Otedola but wanted to play along to the end.

In fact, when on Thursday last week Farouk appeared at the National Assembly complex, many tongues began to wag.

But in an interbview with journalists, Farouk, brimming with confidence said whereas this trial was from God Almighty, he was sure that at the end of the day, he would be vindicated.

For the moment, Police investigation may be stalled because of the many incongruities in the whole episode.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012, PAGE 39

Dana air crash: Victims families to undergo rigorous process for compensation

BY ROSEMARY ONUOHA

A

LTHOUGH the Federal Government and the insurers that insured the ill-fated Dana Airline that crashed last Sunday have assured family members of the victims that compensation will not be delayed, unfolding events tend to point otherwise.

Despite the promise that the compensation about 30,000 dollars will begin to get to the beneficiaries within 30 days, the rigorous process of getting Letters of Administration before compensation can be paid is a very big hurdle to cross.

The bureaucracy of the courts is a major impediment which could pose as a clog in the wheel of progress for the beneficiaries.

Besides, the fee to be paid to lawyers for getting a Letter of Administration is about 15 per cent of each compensation money.

The insurance company handling Dana Airline, Lloyds Underwriters, London, had said families of each of the victims of the ill-fated airplane, a McDonnell Douglas 83 (MD-83), will be paid $100,000 or N15.58 million, at the exchange rate of N155.84 to the US dollar.

According to the company, the initial sum of $30,000 would be paid within 30 days while the balance of $70,000 would follow thereafter.

Investigations by Sunday Vanguard reveal that a beneficiary will not be given any compensation without producing a Letter of Administration from a High Court in Nigeria certifying the bearer as the bonafide next of kin of the deceased.

However, getting a Letter of Administration is not an easy feat as the processes involved could drag on for long.

To get a Letter of Administration from any High Court in the country, a beneficiary will proceed to the court with the death certificate of the deceased.

Next, a form for Letter of Administration will be given to the beneficiary to be filled. The beneficiary is then required to place an advertorial in any national newspaper to declare that the deceased is actually dead.

An interval of 21 working days will be observed to wait if anybody will come forward to counter the advertorial. If nobody comes forward to counter the advertorial, the beneficiary will then proceed to the court with the newspaper bearing the advertorial. Then, the beneficiary will pay the lawyer an amount equal to 15 per cent of the total compensation money which is the standard charge for getting a Letter of Administration in any High Court in Nigeria.

After all these processes, the beneficiary will be issued the Letter of Administration.

However, investigations revealed that due to the extended family culture in Nigeria, two or more Letter of Administration may spring up from one family which could halt or delay compensation to the families of the victims.

Mr. Harold Demuren, Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, in a

C M Y K

chat with Sunday Vanguard, sometime ago, revealed that it is the extended family culture brouhaha that stalled the compensation to the families of victims of the Sosoliso plane that crashed in 2006.

Demuren then said that the compensation process was unduly prolonged because different persons kept coming up from each family claiming to be the actual beneficiary of the deceased victim of the Sosoliso crash.

According to him, in order not to pay the wrong persons, the compensation payment dragged on for so long.

Last week, the reprsentative of Lloyds Underwriters, London, Otunba Yomi Oshikoya, promised that families of each of the victims of the ill-fated airplane would be duly compensated and that the airline would not cheat any beneficiary.

Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah Oshikoya said the relatives would not be treated below the international standard as enshrined in the company ’s policy.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

stipulates that each family of the victims (passengers) of an air disaster is to be paid $100,000 (N15.58m), that of cabin crew members, $150,000 (N23.4m), while each family of pilots will receive $250,000 (about N38.96m).

“By international standards, you are required to pay the sum of $30,000 to the victims as initial payment. By law, the substantive amount is $100,000 and I want to assure you that Lloyds will approach this as per international standard,” Oshikoya said.

On the ground claims, he said the underwriters had contacted a surveyor in Nigeria to visit the site and evaluate the buildings affected and make a comprehensible report available to it. “It is on the basis of the evaluation that compensation would be worked out,” he added.

Meanwhile, the National

Insurance Commission, NAICOM, the body in charge of regulating insurance practice in the country, says the ill-fated aircraft was properly insured and all reinsurance contracts were duly entered into. Seven local underwriters are involved in the business.

NAICOM stated that while no amount of money is sufficient to compensate for the loss of dear ones, it will, all the same, ensure that compensation, as stated in the insurance contract between the airline and the underwriter, was adequately paid to all the next of kins of the crash.

The Nigerian Insurers Association, NIA, an association body for insurers, also urged government and its relevant agencies in the aviation sector to ensure that thorough investigations are conducted into the Dana crash with a view to unveiling the cause of the unfortunate incident.

Chairman of NIA, Mr. Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi, implored government to implement the recommendations that may come from the investigations which will prevent a re-occurrence.

Fuel Subsidy: The way forward

BY MAYOWA KAREEM

O

N January 1, Nigerians woke up to find that petrol price had been increased to 140 naira from the 65 naira per litre, the reason being that government was paying N91 subsidy for every litre of fuel sold at the filling stations across the country and it was no longer economically sustainable to continue to do so. In the words of the president “Nigeria must either deregulate and survive economically or continue with the subsidy regime that will undermine our economy”.

A good number of Nigeria who had gone for the yuletide celebrations were struck in the villages because there was an immediate astronomical hike in transportation fares. Various reactions trailed this development part of which was the angry nationwide protest by Nigerians which left many dead and the strike action embarked upon by the Nigerian Labour Congress that had to be quashed by government.

Some people were of the opinion that subsidy removal was a move in the right direction because there was need for government to raise revenue to put in place infrastructure such as good roads, well equipped schools, hospitals and build build industries to generate employment for the youths. This school of thught also felt that fuel subsidy removal will provide money to help quench the Boko Haram uprising which is a major security challenge.

But those adamantly opposed to the removal of subsidy argued that majority of Nigerians will be greatly affected negatively as they can hardly make ends meet with the refusal of certain state government to implement the 18,000 naira minimum wage.

They contended that given the history of corruption and mismanagement in the country, government will come up in a few years to tell Nigerians that the money amassed from the fuel subsidy removal has gone “missing” just like monies earmarked for the “rainy days”.

After many of such reaction by Nigerians and series of meetings between the NLC and government, a compromise was reached to temporarily reduce fuel price from the proposed 140 naira to 97 naira while government further looks into the issue.

It has now been more than 160 days since the fuel subsidy removal.

Nigerian have consumed millions of barrels of gasoline at less subsidized rate of N32 difference as opposed to the N65 formally obtainable. The

question now is, where has all the money gone to? With massive issues of corruption amounting to the tune of 6.8 billion dollars raised by the fuel subsidy committee raised by the House of Representatives and the 620 thousand dollars bribery scam by those who are supposed to protect the interest of Nigerians, one wonders what is the way forward for Nigeria? Is it still justifiable for the presidency to remove the subsidy and make life unbearable

for the common man? Since the removal of subsidy, the only tangible achievement of Nigeria has been the consumption of cassava bread in the Presidential Villa “Aso Rock”. What are the assurances that, after two years, there will be something to show for the removal of subsidy? Mr. President, Nigerians need answers as to the way forward. * Kareem is of Mass Communication Dept., Federal Polytechnic, Bida

Maersk lifts school with N31m

BY UDEME CLEMENT

MAERSK Nigeria Limited has renovated the State Nursery and Primary School, Apapa, Lagos , with an additional N16 million spent on two blocks consisting of four classrooms each. The company spent N31 million in renovating facilities in the school. The company had earlier spent N13 million in 2010, covering the repair and painting of classroom blocks as well as the provision of 250 sets of furniture to the pupils.

Speaking at the commissioning of the classrooms, Managing Director, Maersk Nigeria Limited, Mr. Jan Thorhauge, said that the renovation was in line with the company ’s commitment to CSR through active participation in the local community and a focus on education.

He added “I take this opportunity to commend the Lagos State government for the initiation of the Support Our Schools Initiative aimed at improving school facilities in the state. This will go a long way in improving the standard of education and welfare of pupils”..

From left: Managing Director, Maersk Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Jan Thorhauge; rep of Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr. Laolu Akoni; representative of Apapa LG boss, Lilian Odim; HoD, Education and Library Services, Apapa LG, Alhaja H. K Balogun; and Baale, Marine Beach Community,Apapa, Chief Omobolanle Ogunmola, at the commissioning of 2 blocks of 4 classrooms each at the State Nursery and Primary School, Apapa, Lagos.

From left: Mr Adolphus Ekpe, Director Keystone Bank; Mr Oti Ikomi, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Keystone Bank, and Mr Chris Ndulue, Managing Director, Arik Air Nigeria Limited, during the unveiling campaign, '' Never Say Never'' of Keystone Bank, in Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

40 —SUNDAY, Vanguard, JUNE 24, 2012

70 cheers for Susan Oluyole With Ayo Onikoyi

08033286159

New Baptist Church marks 10 years in style embers of the New Nation Baptist Church rolled out drums to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Church in style. Highlight of activities to round off the three-day celebration includes commissioning of borehole water in the neighbourhood where the Church is situated, presentation of awards to some members of the church who have excelled in various capacities, free medical tests for members and members of the public, presentation of drugs, lecture for Okada riders and presentation of helmets to them for safety purposes. The events held June 1st to 3rd. Photos by Joe Akintola, Photo Editor

M

L-R: Mrs Elizabeth Abimbola; Rev. Samson Abimbola, Shepherd in Charge, New Nation Baptist church and Miss Benita Okojie

L-R: Oba Dr. Joseph Akinlolu of Agbowa Ikosi and his Olori, Adepeju and Rev and Mrs Deji Bashorun

Some beneficiaries of helmets for motorcycles known as Okada

I

t was joy and celebration galore at the home of Susan Alake Oluyole who turned the Bibli cal age of 70 recently. Her friends, family and well-wishers joined her at St Paul’s Anglican Church Isolo, Lagos for a thanksgiving mass and later reported at her residence, also in Isolo for a reception of lavish entertainment and merriment.

Photos by Biodun Ogunleye

The celebrant, Mrs Susan Alake Oluyole (m) cutting her Birthday Cake with her children and grandchildren Some Awardee members of the Church

L-R:Mrs Nwaosu Chibuzor; Mrs Merit Ofulue, Mrs Yinka Oluwole and Mrs Ada Lawson

L-R:Pastor Olatunde Festus, Kosofe Baptist Church; Rev Dr. G. O. Adebayo, Yaba Baptist church and Rev. Israel Kristilere, Obanikoro Baptist Church.

L-R: Mrs Funmi Sodiya, Mrs Tutu Alao, Mrs Remi Babinghton and Mrs Mosun Sangodara

L-R: Mrs Temitope Oladejo, Mrs Susan Alake Oluyole,celebrant and Mrs Funke Aribisala

Grand burial outing for Elizabeth Ejuwa

T

he burial ceremony of late (Mrs) Elizabeth Oyamibiagharen Ejuwa (nee, Kpenose), mother of a Lagos-base businesswoman), Mrs Alero Attah recently took place at RCCG morning Star Area, Koko, while the reception held at Kpenose’s compound. Koko Delta State, several notable family members and notable personalities from public and private sectors were on hand to commemorate with the Iweroko Ameren and Ejuwa family.

Engr. and Mrs Ken Attah,

C M Y K

L-R:Mrs Mercy Avan-Nomayo and Mrs Okpalefe

L-R: Mr Christ Okpalefe, Prof. Austin Asagba and Deacon Joseph Ejuwa (JP), behind Mrs Mercy Avan-Nomayo, and other guests.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012, PAGE 41

chimeena@yahoo.com

Adamu Ajunam

I write poetry to balance Injustice — Ajunam Adamu AJunam, an Engineer with Julius Berger Nigeria Limited is also an artistic writer of strong commitment. Having in the past profiled the nation’s rich tourism cum cultural history in two well received published tourists guide books, he recently came out with a collection of poetry that chronicles his abiding faith in the enterprise called Nigeria.

W

ho is Adamu Ajunam and why did you write Red

Earth?

This collection is a project I have had for more ten years, which has now consolidated into a book form - a collection of poems, to be precise.

Red Earth and Other Poems is my first attempt into poetry. I have before this written a couple of books which are basically tourists’ guides.

My interest and all that I do dwell in Nigeria. Even though that I am an Engineer, I have great passion for arts and writing. Where I work as an Engineer also, I always try to see that I protect and promote the Nigerian interest.

Basically how I work is that I have my camera always with me and if I see something that holds my attention for a little while, I go after it and if it is a thought, when I get to the office, I write it down and if there is need to expand on it, I follow it up with due research and try to build it up until it becomes something that is tangible.

So, I hope that when people read Red Earth, they would feel the same way I feel or they shall find a language to express the feelings that may be they have that they do not know how to crystallize them in words. So I am sending the collection out as a message that people can learn from.

Our greatest obstacle in this country is the inability to balance justice and fairness. It is not an easy thing to balance, because even in your homes, balancing the family is not

,

man, now how can we relate this title to the issue of environment which it pre-supposes?

Poetry is an art form and art is appreciation and you don’t always see art from the perspective of the artist. You react and expand the content and interpretation of art based on your own understanding. I don’t want to think about the degradation that our environment suffers, but I am rather more concerned with the enhancement of nature.

You have done some works in the past, on the subject of tourism. Would you say that your poetry is a continuity of that project, another guide into the nation’s soul?

Like I said, everything about my thought dwells around Nigeria. So, I try to expand what I had already known and also what I come across every where I go. I try to see if I can use my findings to expand or connect to what I know. My first book is on Lagos, where I have lived for a considerable time. So poetry, I think, is a continuation of my photography, photo speaks and language of poetry is also very colorful.

The visuals are more explanatory to the lay reader.

So poetry, I think, is a continuation of my photography, photo speaks and language of poetry is also very colorful

easy. So balancing the North and South, a small unit as small as a local government is not easy to talk much less of a nation.

These are some of the issues that affect us and so in this collection, I try to write poems about what it means to balance “Justice.”

The title of the collection, you said has something to do with the spiritual and you also said that the nature of earth that surrounds Nigeria is red, is your deduction based on research or from mere assumption?

R

ed Earth is found everywhere you go in Nigeria and the Bible says that we are made from the earth. So, with that at the background of our thinking, you know it cannot be any other thing other than the red earth.

There are various ways we can relate to the title of this book, you have explored two angles already, which are the cultural-political spheres and also the spiritual formation of

,

But poetry on the other hand, is some what coded. Are you not disturbed that your message may not be communicated to the target reader as a result of your medium of communication?

I don’t think so because I have chosen to write in free verse so as not to be too rigid and I also speak in a common language and that was very important to me that I am able to speak the language that even the secondary school student will understand.

What informs the cover picture and the choice of your publisher?

I am an engineer. I work with Julius Berger and I am a publisher as well. Over the years, I have tried to expand my works and AMVPS gave me the opportunity to be on Amazon and they are also helping me to expand my market, while it is published by my company, Ant Hill Publishers. And for the cover picture, I like to use what could be identified with Nigeria.

Epic portrait of A.J.Turner ..... the example of J P Clark continued from last week

BY EKANPOU ENEWARIDIDEKE MUSIC

T

he dramatic monologue and the chorus poetically cast with imagistic sophistication drawing on JP Clark’s identified technique of INDIRECTION, King Ebizimor begins to narrate the story of A. J. Turner with an admixture of poetry and Prose. Bayelsans have been developmentally enslaved by the rulers in the state. When the constitutionally permissible season for change of government arrives, it is the same failed rulers who are poised to stage another dance of enslavement. A. J. Turner comes to the rescue of the groaning Bayelsans. He offers them Seriake Dickson as the next ruler of the state. A. J. Turner deploys all his resources towards the enthronement of Seriake Dickson. Eventually Seriake Dickson emerges victorious after the election – thus offering Bayelsans a fresh breath of Democracy in Democracy. And for this liberation crusade, A. J. Turner merits musical immortalisation even while he is still alive. This is the inspiration behind King Robert Ebizimor’s musical panegyric cast in decorative, connotative, emotive, incantatory and recitative language where ALLUSIONS flourish in a dance of obeisance to soothing progressive verbalisation seasoned with instrumental accompaniment.

S

till in the midst of the musically enacted narration, possessed of the Aristotelian qualities of beginning, middle and end, King Robert Ebizimor suddenly turns a satirist. Before he claims his satirical cloak, he likens A. J. Turner to a man who shaves the enslavementconsolidated shaggy hairs of Bayelsans and pronounces them free – opening up the space for the illuminating arrival of moonlight from the sky. Closely followed by this allusion to slavery and liberation of slaves in our traumatising past history, he satirises the past ruler of Bayelsa state, now displaced by Seriake Dickson, as a man who ignores his erstwhile advice of being cautious when on the road because of moving motors and okadas, and on the forest because of roaring lions. The ruler ignores the advice until the fatal moment arrives. The following lines embody the satirical picture: You are on the road Beware of okadas, brother Okadas look brittle but dangerous Even Okadas kill when encountered

Be wary of moving motors Hastily you ran into the moving motors Battered the moving motor left you Again I warned: This is a forest of lions Into the forest, wander not.

You did not listen to me.

Carrying Greek hubris, you ran into The forest of lions. Daringly rather.Oh! You have been gored by lions Didn’t I tell you brother?

Brother, you chose death.

Brother, Death did not choose you.

In the mould of a good story-teller, King Robert Ebizimor skillfully draws on the technique of indirection and progressively narrates the events that lead to the downfall or the democratic dethronement of the former ruler of Bayelsa State - a clear artistic reinforcement that his dethronement emanates from administrative recklessness and ideological vacuity. However, in justification of his portrait of A. J. Turner as the liberator of Bayelsa state, King Robert Ebizimor ends the song with the thesis that A. J. Turner is an unbeatable achiever. His terminal but soothing chorus in syncopated rhythm captures this:

I

n Bayelsa no patriot, no genius has Ever been born.

An unprecedented cosmic bestowal On Bayelsa state.

In a dance of recognition and gratitude Pere, Obi, Charles have their hands raised Perpetually, waving like flags on mast.

A. J. Turner, there is no one Like you in Bayelsa state!

Premised on the musical panegyric, King Robert Ebizimor has moved from the world of music to the world of writing where he has assumed multiple shapes as poet, dramatist, novelist and philosopher.

King Robert Ebizimor’s panegyric progressively moves from the stage of exposition, complication, climax and anticlimax to the final stage of denouement.

A J Turner

PAGE 42—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

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CRISIS IN APGA:

Why we shut party secretariat— Alor Chief S. Nwobu Alor, first chairman of APGA is now Special Adviser, Parks and Markets to Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State. In this interview, he reveals that what is going on in the party chaired by Victor Umeh is not in line with the tenets of democracy, hence the need to restructure the party. Excerpts: Crisis in APGA, what is your own story?

EOPLE keep saying Nwobu Alor is quarreling with Victor Umeh, it’s not true. I don’t even believe there is crisis in APGA. It’s just an issue of mind. The mindset of the national chairman is that, he would be the chairman of the party for life and control everything, even the governor. He decides who to be employed. He makes a list of those to be appointed and when the governor protests, he gets angry to this point he becomes too aggressive and forgets entirely the management of the

P

party. All attempts to call him to order did not yield any result.

We’ve called him several times to run this party, and that this is the only instrument we have to get into the Nigerian nation and to take our right, but he refused.

When things got out of hands, we started losing, and the fact is that we can’t even win the five eastern states which could have been a must. Igbo believe in this party.

They regard this party as their property. It’s not just a political party. But because of bad management and dictatorship, people lost interest and look at where we are. We can’t even win here 100%. Other parties are here winning something, I feel like crying, it hurts. I asked, what are we doing? The only way we can make it is to restructure the party, he refused. At a stage, our two governors wrote to him that the party must be restructured; he agreed initially but later changed his mind that the party members had not been treated well and nobody knew how.

SOLE OWNER So, I had to come out to tell the people that this is the time

Chief S. Nwobu Alor,

,

BY MOSES NOSIKE

The way Victor Umeh is running the party is not in line with the tenets of democracy and that is why we have to do something before things get out of hands

,

for us to come out and know if he is the Sole owner of the party.

So what he does is, if you criticise him, he removes you and this is the way we lost all the important personalities in the party. The party is now empty. That is why I said we must remove him. He didn’t know what to do, and he

said I have been removed, forgetting that for the past seven years, we have not had congress to elect state executives or ward congress, local government and state congress and then elect officers. No election, nobody is elected. He is the picking them, putting them into position and using them as instrument of operations. As I’m talking to you now, it is only on the pages of newspaper that I saw that I was expelled. They have not written me to come and explain. But in our constitution, if you commit anti-party offence, they will write you and list the offences and ask you to come and defend yourself, they set up a panel and you go to the panel and defend yourself.

The panel will now make the recommendations to the party, the party will now look at it to know whether you are wrong, suspended or expelled, and then they will write you on whatever decision.

C O N D E M N AT I O N All he did was to ask them to call a press conference and condemn Nwobu Alor. I have never seen such a thing in my life. It’s terrible. What he wants is to run me down in order to get to the governor, which he has tried through the youths but he didn’t succeed. Now he felt he can go through the media and said I have been sacked. What am I gaining from the party, I don’t hold any office in the party, not even village chairman and I’m not contesting anything. I’m not fighting for anything; rather I am the one giving money to the party, giving them appointments, helping them in schools, giving those who are in trouble cash and you are asking me to get out, you are losing and not me. I will save a lot of money and energy, so it doesn’t make sense to me.

Now that the national secretariat is shut down, what is the way forward?

Like I said, the party needs restructuring, and there is no going back on that. Works started at the secretariat . First and foremost, there will be ward congress, starting with local government, state and national congresses. Then elections will be conducted in line with the party’s constitution. The way Victor Umeh is running the party is not in line with the tenets of democracy and that is why we have to do something before things get out of hands.

For some years now, Anambra State has been experiencing political crisis.

What do you think can bring lasting solution?

If we can go back to our mind, educate our mind, be more articulate in what we do and say, apply truth in everything we do or say, we will now find where we went wrong. That is why I have been saying we need lectures, workshops; unfortunately it’s not easy, to let people know that running your fellow man down is a bad syndrome, it’s a bad act. My prayer is that God may get into the heart of these people and show them the light so that they would do the right thing because I believe that God has power to do everything. And my advice to these people is that what they are doing is actually against them.

If you run people down or pull him down, it is very active in Igboland, if we continue to do that, we will run far behind other states because they are discouraging people who are out to do something and, when you are doing that, then your state is running backward. There is a saying, in fact, I have asked people to stop saying Ndigbo has no king, it’s a curse, that means Ndigbo don’t respect kings, it’s not good. When somebody is at your front and is achieving, you accept it, praise him and God will praise you.

The truth and lies of the Ondo 2007 elections, by Adegoroye Hon Ademola Adegoroye is a lawyer and an Akure prince who showed interest in the vacant stool of the Deji of Akure in 2010 but lost out. He was a lawmaker representing Akure South Constituency 1 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy AD in the House of Assembly in Ondo State.

Adegoroye, who, in 2007, contested the governorship election under the Action Congress (AC) now Action Congress of Nigeria, CAN, lost the election to Dr Olusegun Agagu who was seeking a second term. He was suspected of accusing the leaders of the AC then of abandoning him to support incumbent Governor Olusegun Mimiko who they believed would win the election, an action that earned him a suspension from the party. He speaks, in this interview, on the truth and lies of the 2007 governorship election and the fate of the troubled PDP in the state.

I

N 2007, you were the candidate of the Action Congress (AC) for the governorship election but later jumped ship to the PDP. What informed your decision?.

There have been a lot of misinformation and misgivings regarding my leaving the AC at that time for the PDP. There were a lot of allegations levelled against me particularly in the last three years concerning how

and why I moved. I want to say that most of these allegations are not true. It is true that I was the governorship candidate of the AC in 2007 in Ondo State. I did my best at that time alongside others to build the AC and to ensure that we make it an election-winning platform.

Unfortunately, things did not go the way we had planned and, after the election, there were crises and confusion that we had to manage. After the election, we observed certain things had happened which, in my own estimation, were not good for the party and which I regarded as mistakes by some of our leaders. Specifically, our leaders took certain decisions on funding which were wrong. When we started building the party in Ondo State, our leaders, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Baba Akande, were very excited. I can remember that shortly after I became the governorship candidate of the AC, at a meeting in Lagos, Asiwaju told us that after Lagos State, another state that was of prime importance to him was Ondo.

This was because of the loyalty and commitment we showed to their group during the time Afenifere and AD crises broke out. He promised then to assist us in terms of funding so as to win the governorship election.

Did he fulfill his promise of funding the party?

To a large extent, he gave us support. When we had the primary and crisis broke out, a group which came in from the PDP wanted a different

Hon. Ademola Adegoroye governorship candidate for the AC in Ondo State and they did everything possible to thwart my own aspiration because I had already won the primary. Our

,

BY DAYO JOHNSON

I did my best at that time alongside others to build the AC and to ensure that we make it an election-winning platform

,

leaders, Asiwaju Tinubu and Baba Akande, did very well by playing active roles to protect our mandate. They stood with us and ensured that that candidature was mine and nobody, no matter highly placed, was able to change it. That is why

till today, I appreciate that active responsibility they showed to us.

But, at some point, between January and April of 2007 when election eventually took place, certain things happened. I suppose there were some moves by some people so that the leadership of our party could support Dr Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party rather than our own candidate. Somehow, we were denied of the funding which we expected. A lot of people began to carry rumours that Ademola Adegoroye collected N200m, N400m and some said it was N100m for the elections.The fund we had for the election was nowhere near N100m. While Mimiko and Agagu started their campaign six months to the election, I did not begin campaign until the second week of March, 2007, barely a month to the election because of the funding issue. We were only able to campaign for three weeks before the election on borrowed funds.

Is it true that your complaint led to your suspension from the party?

The funding which we were denied actually fuelled the crisis within the party. Some of us became frustrated. After the election, some unhappy people within the party bought a page in a national newspaper and placed an advertorial, stating to the whole world what transpired at the election in Ondo State and how the leaders of our party abandoned their own candidate to back another party ’s candidate. We were not happy.

We complained and maybe the

way we went about the complaint did not go down well with the national leadership of the party. The next thing was to inform the leaders in the state to suspend me without even listening to me or even issuing me any query. I was not one of those who signed that newspaper advertorial. There is no doubt that I knew about it. I knew about the advertorial but I was not a signatory to it. I guess they knew it was my handiwork and they just suspended me and the South-West executive endorsed the suspension. After that suspension, I was without a party for almost a year. I did not join the PDP until a year after, which was May 2008.

On the allegations that former Governor Olusegun Agagu sponsored his candidature in the AC to destabilize the party.

What is the sense in Agagu sponsoring me to become AC candidate? Could he have sponsored me or planted me to become the candidate of AC, cause crisis and again withdraw or abandon my candidature to campaign for him to become governor? I never did such a thing. I campaigned vigorously.

I had no money and the party was under funded. I campaigned till the very last day and I went into that election with all the energy and resources I had.

Within two weeks that we started the campaign, Dr Agagu started making very unpleasant remarks about us because he saw that even within a week we were making a lot of progress.

PAGE 44—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

TIT BITS Edo: ‘The coming together of Anenih, Ogbemudia, Igbinedion will give PDP victory’

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

D

Mr. Okharedia Ihimekpen Oshiomhole. So, Edo people have discovered Oshiomhole’s hypocrisy. In a free and fair election, PDP will win and the idea that he has changed schools into red roof, I will put it to you that the hood does not make the monk.

Go to that school now, there is no security, no teachers.

And the current curriculum of the schools says that, from 2014, for any child to sit for SSCE, the child must be able to pass computer science and ICT but there are no teachers for these subjects. Go to the schools, you said you have changed the roofs but you will

,

Mr. Okharedia Ihimekpen is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Director of Publicity in Edo State. In this interview, with Sunday Vanguard, he declares that the recent reunion of Dr Samuel Ogbemudia, Chief Tony Anenih and the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion will produce the force that will defeat Governor Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) come July 14 governorship election.

Excerpts: O you think the PDP has the fire power to defeat Governor Adams Oshiomhole, whose performance has amazed the people of the state in the past three and a half years?

PDP is prepared. PDP is set and PDP will win the election.

I am bold to say that in a free and fair election, PDP will win.

How possible is that when most of the PDP leaders are now in the ACN? That one is history because you can see that they are now coming back home. For instance the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, is now fully in PDP. Dr Ogbemudia is fully in PDP. This election is not a laughing matter; every body must deliver his votes in his ward and, if you don’t do that, you are not a leader. I have traveled round all the 18 local governments and the 192 wards, I can tell you that from what I see, Gen.Charles Airiavbere is the next governor of Edo State.

You think that with the developmental strides of Oshiomhole in the past three years, the people of the state will vote PDP, particularly knowing their poor performance in ten years while they were in power?

Oshiomhole has not done anything. He has only succeeded in hoodwinking the people. Let me tell you, development is not a project, it is a process. If you talk of what we see today in the schools such as the red roof, that is a UBEC project of the Federal Government. The governor is supposed to tell the people that the Federal Government is contributingto the projects. Look at Airport Road, the government has expended N18 billion. But you could see the advert placed two weeks ago about the road contract awarded by the Federal Ministry of Works, Amadokia Road, awarded for N1.4 billion, about eight kilometers, that is an average of about N200 million per kilometer as against N3billion per kilometer in the roads being constructed by

Now that a new crop of leaders have emerged starting from Dan Orbih down wards, I am telling you it is a new PDP and expect the best

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find only the headmaster and a teacher. It is despicable, this not our portion, we did not bargain for this. So, let us rephrase that thing you call development, how he has underdeveloped Edo in the past three and a half years.

If you say Oshiomhole has painted only school roofs, what comes to mind is that if the PDP had painted roofs in ten years, Oshiomhole would have done some thing else?

The difference between the parties is the individuals. The people you are talking about that ruined the PDP government in that ten years or eight years are the same people now in the ACN starting from the deputy governor. Or is it Ize-Iyamu, Anslem Ojezua, almost all the commissioners in this cabinet?

These people are migrational politicians, they migrated to the ACN. Today we have a new brand PDP. And I can tell you, after July 14 when PDP would have won, because they

are migrational politicians, they will come back to the PDP like the return of the prodigals.

What is actually new in PDP, because, like you said, we have Chief Igbinedion, Chief Anenih and Dr Ogbemudia, these have been the same leaders in the party since 1999?

Yes, these people are the patriarchs at the apex, they are not involved in the politics of the state. We call them national leaders. I served in Lucky ’s government but you will remember that Lucky ’s government was perpetually at war with these leaders.

Even when the leaders tried to call him to order, it was difficult because it was perpetuated by people like Ize-Iyamu, the present deputy gover nor, the commissioners. Oshiomhole is the only neutral person in this government even though he was a friend to Lucky ’s government. So what we say in essence is that Lucky was perpetually at war with those three leaders you mentioned.

Now that a new crop of leaders have emerged starting from Dan Orbih down wards, I am telling you it is a new PDP and expect the best.

It is different from the migrational politicians in the ACN today, tomorrow they might also go and hijack ANPP. They are politicians in motion.

There are some people currently in court over alleged involvement in purchase of voter’s cards and they were identified as PDP members. Why is the PDP involved in the buying of cards if they know they are popular?

The reverse is the case, they are not PDP members, those people are ACN members. We have apprehended four people now who were buying cards. They are presently at the police station in Ekpoma.

I am not aware of any PDP person buying cards because we are on ground, we don’t need to buy cards to win election. But even these cards I don’t know how it will be useful for them because you cannot buy a card and come to my area to vote when we know ourselves. The PDP is ready for the election and God has ordained us for vicory and nobody can change it. The people of Edo are calling for a change.

But the same Chief Anenih is still in charge of the PDP, that is why I said people can’t understand what is new in the party?

Don’t relate the whole to Chief Anenih. Chief Anenih has never been a governor. He was only a minister for three years and what he achieved in those three years, no minister has achieved that in the history of this country.

Exposed: What Jonathan told Edo PDP leaders

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T is no longer secret that the PDP in Edo State, led by Chief Tony Anenih; the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion; and Dr Samuel Ogbemudia, went to solicit the support of President Goodluck Jonathan for the guber election. One of the leaders in the group reportedly informed the president that the ACNcandidate, Governor Oshiomhole had been boasting that he has a serious relationship with him, and therefore appealed to Jonathan to be wary of that fact to avoid a situation where the late President Yar ’Adua secretly supported Oshiomhole. But Jonathan was said to have responded: “He (Oshiomhole) is a governor and I deal with all governors including Oshiomhole. I am the president of all Nigerians, so I don’t see any thing wrong in that”. The president allegedly further pointed out that with the caliber of personalities in Edo PDP, they are supposed to win the guber election. One of the leaders in the delegation also allegedly informed the president that Oshiomhole had been recruiting militants and stocking arms for the election. Jonathan replied: “Since you have such information why don’t you inform the police so that they will go there and seize the arms before it will be used”. The president also reminded them that Oshiomhole is a hard nut to crack, therefore they should be careful".

Market women throw stones, sachet water at PDP campaign train In what seems to be a futile effort by the Edo PDP to redeem its image, thousands of market women in Oliha, Ekiosa and Uselu markets have told them not to bother to campaign in the state as they have made up their minds to ensure the return of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The market women made this known when PDP supporters embarked on a road show in Benin City. When the PDP campaign trained passed these markets, the women trooped out with brooms, abandoning their goods and engaging in a symbolic sweeping exercise. The situation almost turned violent at Oliha market when the women threw stones at the campaign train of the PDP, warning them not to pass through their market which was rehabilitated by the Oshiomhole administration. But the PDP members displayed uncommon maturity and did not respond.

War of words over road contract Chief Anenih, it is believed, got the Minister of Works, Arch.

Mike Onolememen, to award the construction of the road linking Ivue Water Works in the locality to Ibore Water Works in Esan Central. The contract was approved by the Federal Executive Council. Good gesture from an elderly man of wisdom. But Governor Oshiomhole raised the alarm that there is no such contract in Esanland, alleging that the FEC was deceived and urged President Goodluck Jonathan to come and commission the project if truly it exists. The Minister denied Oshiomhole’s claim. But, last Monday, residents of the area protested arguing that the project which was earmarked in the 2012 budget, was never executed. The issue of this particular project is still pregnant as the governor is urging the EFCC to beam its searchlight on the job. But the minister in charge of the ministry insists the job has been done.

Airhiavbere Oshiomhole

abandons

workshop

for

Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, hurriedly left the venue of a sensitization workshop on peaceful election for political parties in Edo State, last Monday, after the arrival of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, leaving many tongues wagging.

Attempts by Senator Roland Owie, a leader of the PDP in the state, to speak on behalf of Airhiavbere when the seven governorship candidates in the state were called upon to make their remarks was turned down by the organizers. Other governorship candidates who graced the sensitization workshop were Solomon Iyobosa Edebiri of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Chief Andrew Ayemere Igwemoh, Labour Party, LP, Chief Roland Izevbuwa, Congress for Progressive Change, CPC; Chief Paul I. Orumuense, National Conscience Party, NCP, Chief Frank O. Ukonga of the Social Democratic Mega Party, SDMP and Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria.

Group seeks support for Oshiomhole The people of Edo State have been called upon to support the reelection bid of Governor Adams Oshiomhole to ensure continuity in his policies on job creation and youth empowerment.

The President, Afemai Empowerment Club of Nigeria, Mr. Nurudeen Yusuf, made the appeal while addressing journalists after an emergency meeting of the group held in Lagos recently.

Yusuf explained that the present government has embarked on numerous developmental projects designed to enhance rapid economic growth and development in the state, stressing that continuity in government will pave way for the people at the grassroots to benefit from government polices and projects that are already on-going in the region.

“In consideration of unparalleled achievements of Oshiomhole, in the areas of youth/women empowerment, creation of jobs to tackle the problem of unemployment, infrastructure development, construction and rehabilitation of schools to improve the standard of education in the state, the Club has resolved to support his re-election to ensure long-term development in the state”

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E S O U R C E Intermediaries Limited (RIL) is holding an outsourcing expo in conjunction with Association of Outsourcing Practitioners of Nigeria (AOPN).

The outsourcing expo, the first for the five-yearold company, will hold annually and is part of RIL’s corporate social responsibility initiative.

The expo holds on June 27 inside the Shell Hall of MUSON Centre and will commence with a seminar during which a

RIL Outsourcing Expo key note address would be delivered by Mr. Kelvin Balogun, MD/ CEO of Coca Cola Nigeria, a major user of outsourcing services in Nigeria.

Speaking on the rationale for the programme, Mr. Ade Awonaike, Chief Operating officer of RIL, said. “The service sector is the most important sector for most developing economies. It

is the largest contributor to gross domestic product, production and employment. Since it is such an important sector, developing economies need to identify their comparative advantage in services and potential export markets.”

Awonaike aded that “developing economies are projected to be better off by US$ 130 billion from services”.

From left: Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, his wife, Dr. (Mrs.) Nelly Utuama and former Minister for Police Affairs, Chief Broderick Bozimo, during the service of songs in honour of late Pa Wilson Enaregha, father-in law of Minister for Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Nwogu in Warri recently.

PAGE 54—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

Tambuwal’s thesis on separation of powers

BY CHUDI OFFODILE

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF The limits of separation of powers in democratic setting

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T was a day of sharp disa greement between President Goodluck Jonathan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. The 2012 Democracy Day national symposium, tagged, ‘Our Democracy: Progress and Challenges, held on 28 May, 2012, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The President and the Speaker disagreed on budgetary powers and the limits and delimits of legislative and executive powers with both sides throwing up different perspectives of the concept of separation of powers. The President had asked, “How separate are these powers?” His answer: “Yes, you can separate the judiciary to some reasonable level but can you really separate the parliament from the executive and have a stable government? I believe that if the parliament and the executive maintain the theoretical separation of powers as if there is a wall separating the executive from the legislature, then this country will continue to have problems.” The President rounded off his argument by stating forcefully, “All members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for example, are supposed to key into the PDP manifesto so that, when elected into office, both arms of

government are supposed to work together to make sure that the party manifesto guides our actions.

If that is true, how do we separate them?”

The President interfaced two different but related doctrines, the concept of party supremacy and the concept of separation of powers in order to win the debate and put the legislators on the defensive. He was indeed responding to an interesting thesis postulated by Tambuwal. Said the Speaker: “Representation is the third function of the legislature. It denotes the power of the people to either act directly or through their representatives. In this regard, I wish to allude to the issue of budgeting. The executive arm of government is made up of only two elected functionaries to wit; the President and the Vice President, whereas the National Assembly is a body of 469 elected functionaries. The adage two heads are better than one is reinforced by that which says; he who wears the shoe knows better where it pinches and both favour the position of the elected representatives. In the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the legislature has the final say on the budget document by way of a veto where the right of final say is resisted.”

Jonathan also countered the Speaker’s position on budgeting, insisting that the Constitution gives him the power to plan and manage the economy. He stated that the budgetary process is carefully planned through a functional National Planning and Budget Office and accused the legislators of often mutilating the budget and making its implementation difficult. He had con-

templated taking the issue to court to finally determine the question of budgetary control.

The court option may be desirable in view of the effect of the struggle on the economy.

The contest for space by the various arms of government, particularly, between the executive and the legislature exists in almost every democracy, depending on the type of constitution it operates. This may be traceable to the lack of precision in the

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and what should be considered the President’s antithesis? It is neither here nor there. These two clearly contradictory positions represent ‘separate embellished truths’ without full disclosure.

The legislators know that the budget is not exactly a product of economic considerations only as the President claimed and as representatives of the people, they cannot be oblivious to the manner of allocation of resources in the economy. Tambuwal stated

Despite Tambuwal’s strange thesis, his hands seem very steady on the legislative wheel. One year after, he has kept faith with those who scripted his political ascendancy

original articulation of the concept of separation of powers by Montesquieu. The rivalry between the executive and legislature in Nigeria is compounded by the inter-play of ethnic forces and the struggle for control within the ruling PDP. Keep in mind the manner of ascendancy of Tambuwal and Emeka Ihedioha to the position of Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively. It was an open rebellion against the position of the party and the Presidency. All that seems to have been rested with occasional skirmishes occurring along the defining lines and boundaries of executive and legislative power.

What then is the correct position between Tambuwal’s thesis

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clearly that the legislators have the final say on the budget document. That is largely correct but reducing an intricate philosophical and legal matter to a game of numbers, 469 against two, is rather strange.

Let us return to the question posed by the President. How separate are these powers?

The different arms perform their functions in different ways following different modes of action but are not exactly contained or limited to the different modes.

The legislature proceeds slowly, by a deliberative mode. The judiciary employs a mode that is critical rather than deliberative, while the executive proceeds with rapidity, in comparison with the

other arms, giving effect to legislative and judicial decisions.

Although the three arms have different and distinctive modes of action, they often act in each other’s mode invading, in the process, the province of each other.

The judiciary, in addition to interpreting the law, in some cases, actually makes laws. The legislature employs the judicial mode of action when conducting investigative hearings. The executive arm on its part is a multi-functioning arm proceeding at the same time by all the three modes.

It initiates legislation, issues supplementary rules of law by way of regulations and orders, and constitutes administrative tribunals.

With this function overlapping, disputes about boundaries or a contest for space would periodically occur. The Constitution harbours the terms and conditions of engagement of the three arms to achieve a concert of the trinity of power. In situations of conflict, therefore, the judiciary would be called upon to exercise its primary function of interpreting the law, in the hope that it will resist the temptation to legislate from the bench.

Despite Tambuwal’s strange thesis, his hands seem very steady on the legislative wheel. One year after, he has kept faith with those who scripted his political ascendancy. He was expected to checkmate the Jonathan presidency and he has managed that expectation with commendable dexterity * Offodile, a lawyer, was a member, House of Representatives (1999-2003) c_offodile@yahoo.com

Moral decadence: A threat to societal peace

By AJARI BLESSING

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF The disturbing dimension that moral decadence has assumed in modern society.

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HE hurricane of moral decadence is fast blow ing round the globe and the Nigerian society is not spared of its destructive volcano. It is not only leaving Nigeria in shambles, but is also creating pessimism in many Nigerians.

Nigeria, no doubt, is a very interesting entity. The country is rich in human and natural resources, yet millions of her citizens still go to bed hungry, millions have no access to adequate housing or decent clothing, millions do not have access to quality education or health care services and millions daily ply the streets in search for jobs. Imagine a nation voted as the most religious nation in the world yet still steeped in religious intolerance; a nation with so many

politicians, but no progressive political ideologies. Morality is lacking in the high places and leaders do not have the conscience to rule justly.

Morality as defined by the second edition of the new Catholic Encyclopedia is the quality attributable to human action by reason of its conformity or lack of conformity to standards or rules according to which it should be regarded. This pre-supposes on the one hand that human actions are voluntary and responsible, and on the other, that there are standards and rules by which human conduct should be measured.

In his book, the trouble with Nigeria, Chinua Achebe observed that the problem of Nigeria is simply that of endemic corruption and failure of leadership, enlarged through inflated contracts, consumed in the escalating salary of grossly over drafted and unproductive public service. This has really caused a lot of harm than good to people in the country. Most Nigerians lost their loved ones due to one crisis or the other; the question is where is this leading

us to?

The political arena is not any more promising. It is indeed, anything but democratic. Politics in Nigeria has been used not for the development and welfare of the common people but as a medium of oppressive machinery and moral bankruptcy.

The schools are supposed to be the bedrock for sound morality but here, the reverse is the case. Increasing violent cult activities in Nigerian institutions is on a steady rise.

Innocent youngsters who leave their homes as angels are quickly turned into murderers, robbers and thugs as a result of their involvement in campus cult activities. This is because cult members are constantly encouraged by their leaders to be wild and inconsiderate in dealing with nonmembers and rival gangs.

Cultism is a cankerworm which has eaten into the marrow of most institutions of higher learning in Nigeria and must be stopped abruptly.

The way forward.

Students need to be enlightened about the place of proper productive education as an imperative for national peace

and development. Therefore, the youth must be adequately educated so that they can appreciate the value of hard work and have relevance for human life. An educated youth will

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Nigeria is a society that is bastardized by moral decadence and the major effect is the continual lack of peace. The former spirit of community should override any selfish desires

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seek adequate justifiable reasons before carrying out any attempt at rebellion. Furthermore, educated youths must be provided with job as the devil is often very quick in tempting idle minds and hands. It is certain that an

unemployed graduate will seek other means of livelihood which could be detrimental to the nation. While on the other hand an adequately engaged youth will have no time to contemplate crime.

Nigeria is a society that is bastardized by moral decadence and the major effect is the continual lack of peace. The former spirit of community should override any selfish desires. All Nigerians should develop the strength of character needed to push the nation forward.

The whole scenario calls for a concerted effort not only by the government, but also organized institutions like churches and mosques. Most importantly, the role of parents can never be over-emphasized. All must assist in combating the ugly trend of moral decay and the attendant evils of escalating crisis. It is only when morality is restored to the Nigerian society that we can have a stable society devoid of violence.

Ajari Blessing is of Mass Communication Dept, Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State.

Contribution of not more than 1,200 words should be sent to sundayvanguard@yahoo.com

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SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012— PAGE 57

Nigeria will be great again if.... Ovedhe Today in Festac Town, Lagos the Royal House Assembly will conclude its one week prayer revival crusade titled; ‘’THE EXTREME ANOINTING.’’ It featured special guest speakers including Bishop lsaac ldahosa, Apostle Edith Moore, Prophet Stephen Nwila and many more. During the programme, our SAM EYOBOKA had a chat with the general overseer, Apostle Joe Ovedhe on the challenges of ministry and his thoughts about the nation.. Excerpts...

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hat led to your conviction to go into ministry?

As long as the work of God is concerned, attending a bible school does not qualify one to be called of God. God calls first, then equips. He does not call the qualified, He qualifies those He calls. My calling is divine. Coming into the ministry was God’s calling upon my life. I was ordained into kingdom work as a full time minister of the gospel 23 years ago. When the Lord spoke to me and commissioned me to raise up an end-time army of gospel invaders who will affect the nations and people with teaching, preaching and the healing power of our Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, my response was simply: ‘‘Yes Lord’’.

When was your ministry established and what have been the challenges?

Royal House Assembly started in 1998 in a classroom of a public primary school. We had it very rough moving from place to place, until God settled the church in her permanent site. At every new level, there is a new devil to fight, but God will always give the victory. As I look back through the years, I am amazed at the things God has done for this ministry. It has been absolutely rewarding to see the Word of God produce extraordinary results in the lives of men and women. To God be the glory. Hallelujah.

We learnt you are about to be affirmed as an Apostle. How were you called into this ministry?

The word apostle has two

OLUKOYA BIBLE QUIZ FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN IBADAN THE Dr. Daniel Kayode Olukoya annual Bible Quiz Competition for Secondry Schools in Oyo State held at the Conference Center of University of Ibadan on Thursday.

L-R: Brother Segun Olorunayo; recorder, Bro Iyanu Oladele Taiwo; member of Organising Committee and Mr Richard Dare Ajiboye, Assistant Secretary, Bible Society of Nigeria.

Apostle Joe Ovedhe meanings: The broader meaning is a "messenger", while the narrower meaning is the early apostles directly linked to Jesus Christ. The more general meaning of the word is translated into Latin as ‘missio’, from where we get the word ‘missionary’. The word apostle is the Greek word (apostolos). The Freiberg Greek Lexicon gives a broad definition as one who is sent on a mission, a commissioned representative of a congregation. A messenger for God, who has the special task of founding or establishing churches; who actively proclaim the gospel, and are generally restricted to the imme-

diate followers of Jesus. Those who call themselves into the apostolic office may bear the title, but they lack the functions, the grace, the foundations and the anointing because they were not called for that office. God knows those that are His, those that He has called into the five-fold ministry. My ordination as an apostle is because of the grace of God upon my life, and the office He has called me to occupy. It is to fulfil my Godgiven mandate and destiny in His Kingdom.

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hat will be your comment on the current challenges

facing the country?

We need to look into the three major challenges presently facing the nation: Poverty, Corruption and Bad Leadership. Poverty abounds because, the economy has been bastardized. There is need for a comprehensive approach to anti-poverty strategies in policy and development circles. Nigeria needs to shift from revenue sharing and allocation to revenue generation. We must make a conscious effort to move from a consumer nation to a producing nation. Wealth is made when you have goods and services to exchange for money. The Asian Tigers have stopped being consumer nations. It is disheartening to note that Nigeria is the only oil producing nation in the class of poor countries. We have so much mineral resources, but lack the expertise to produce. A nation whose wealth is determined solely by her natural resources is doomed to fail! This is because the resources will not be properly managed.

God is ready to heal our land only if we humble ourselves and turn away from corruption and begin to elect leaders who will lead by example. I once overheard someone say; "Nigeria is busy building big men instead of building institutions". Leadership plays a vital role in the development of any nation. Our leaders must rise up to the challenge. They must make concerted effort to move the nation to the next level. If they truly make the effort, truly humble themselves and make the change, God WILL heal our land. God still believes in Nigeria.

Gospelers storm Mowe for Taiwo Foundation OWE, on LagosI b a d a n Expressway, will play host to notable gospel singers on Friday in a powerpacked praise night courtesy of Christ Revival Rain Mission. With the likes of Pastor Adelakun (Ayewa), Evang.

Ojo Ade, Funmi Aragbaye, Opelope Anointing, Foluke Awoleye, Bisi Alawiye-Aluko and Ayan Jesu ministering in a night at the same place, it

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promises to be a day of the anointing.

Tagged ‘Joy of the whole world’, the event is part of the six months of the weekly praise night which, according to Prophet Idris Taiwo, God asked him to do for one year. It starts at 6.00 p.m. with the launching of Taiwo Foundation. Taiwo was born in Ododeyo, Ijebu North of Ogun State in the 60s into a Muslim family hence was named Idris

Kamorudeen at birth. Born a twin and with other siblings, growing had its challenges both physical and emotional but the young Kamorudeen had been a persevering person from onset.

Destiny played its hand on Taiwo’s hand when, in 1993, he attended a night vigil which coincidentally was his first time in any church where he amazingly received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

PAGE 58 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JUNE 24, 2012

Greater works

ESUS says: “He who believes in me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father.” (John 14:12). This statement has confounded many Christians. Very few are bold enough even to imagine doing greater works than Jesus. And yet, Jesus’ words cannot be broken. Some believers have done far greater works than Jesus. But we do not even realize it because we do not know what it means to do the works of God.

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Signs and wonders It is generally assumed doing the works of God entails the working of miracles. But this is not true. Demons also perform miracles. In Revelation, John saw evil spirits coming out of the mouth of the false prophet among others. He observes that: “They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world.” (Revelation 16: 14).

Pharaoh’s magicians duplicated some of Moses’ miracles. When Moses and Aaron caused frogs to appear out of nowhere: “The magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 8:7). Indeed, Jesus warns: “False christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24).

Therefore, miracles should not be misconstrued as essentially or exclusively the works of God.

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owever, only God and his sons can do God’s definitive works.

Indeed, God’s children are identifiable by our ability to do the works of God. Thus, Jesus said to the Jews: “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.” (John 8:39).

When the disciples received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, passers-by marveled at how Galileans could suddenly spe-

DOING GREATER WORKS THAN JESUS Some Christians have done far greater works than Jesus ak foreign-languages.

They said: “We hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” (Acts 2:11). This provides the clue we need. By divine inspiration, the disciples spoke the works of God. The wonderful works of God are God’s spoken words. At Pentecost, the works of God were manifest in the speech of the disciples who spoke works that only God speaks; the words of eternal life.

The psalmist says: “I believed, therefore I spoke.” (Psalm 116:10).

In order to do the works of God, we have to believe in Jesus and speak his works. Indeed, it is the works we speak that identify us as sons of God and disciples of Christ. Jesus says: “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

(Matthew 7:16-17). “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.

For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:44-45).

Good works

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n God’s dictionary, good works are not m e r e l y synonymous with go-od deeds. Good deeds can be done by unbelievers. Good deeds are sheep’s clothing sometimes worn by wolves.

“Good works” actually imply “good words.”

Accordingly, Jesus uses both expressions interchangeably. He says: “The WORDS that I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does the WORKS.” (John 14:10).

This shows the works are

indivisible from the speaking of the words. Jesus speaks God’s words and the Father does the works.

The works of God are his words. God works by his words. He speaks his works. God created all things by his word. But the greatest work of God is in speaking the livingdead back to life. Jesus says: “The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.” (John 5:25).

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ohn says: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory.” (John 1:14).

Similarly, the word of Jesus must become flesh in us. Jesus says: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”

(John 6:56). This means Jesus’ words must be broken down and digested so it enters into our spirit-man and becomes part of us. When this happens, we automatically speak Jesus’ works in atonement with him.

We become “at one” with Christ; even as he is “at one” with the Father.

(John 17:20-23).

The will of God is that his works should be revealed in his sons. (John 9:3). Jesus says to us: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5: 16). Our light is the word of Jesus. Jesus’ word is “a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.” (Psalm 119:105).

In God’s light, we see light. (Psalm 36:9). Even so should our words provide illumination to this world of gross darkness.

Our good works are our edifying words. Our words are “good works” when they glorify the Father.

Jesus says we shall do greater works than him BECAUSE he goes to his Father in heaven. (John 14:12). This is because Jesus spoke God’s words for only 33 years. However, some of us will live much longer than Jesus.

Therefore, we shall have the opportunity to speak more life-affirming words to others for much longer through various media. Indeed, God has used the mouth of some Christians to raise more dead people back to life than he did through Jesus.

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he Holy Spirit enab-les us to do God’s works by reminding us of the words of Jesus. In sending him to us, Jesus says: “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26). The word of God comes to us in our daily walk with God. It not only empowers us, it keeps us from sin. David says to the Lord: “By the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.” (Psalm 17:4).

Our words are our works. However, Paul says we are justified by grace: “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

(Romans 3:24). T h e n he says we are justified by faith: “A man is justified by faith apart from works of law.”

(Romans 3:28). A n d then again he says we are justified by the blood of Jesus: “Having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Romans 5:9).

This is classic Pauline mumbo-jumbo. Are we justified by grace; or by faith; or by the blood?

Such Pauline confusion is avoided when we listen to Jesus; “the faithful and true witness.” (Revelation 3: 14). As usual, Jesus is precise, specific and to the point. He says: “Every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12: 36-37).

BRIEFLY...BRIEFLY...

FCT minister sues for peace among Muslims, Christians HE FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed has called on Muslims and Chrstians to con tinue to live in peace and remain their brothers' keepers, reports FAVOUR NNABUGWU. The minister made this call during an emergency inter-religious meeting held in Abuja to interface on the need to eschew peace in the Federal Capital Territory.

Senator Mohammed reiterated that the meeting has become necessary because of the unfortunate happenings around the contiguous states of the Territory to further reassure residents.

The minister lamented that the nation is unnecessarily getting over-heated by such avoidable crisis that has claimed the lives of innocent Nigerians.

Senator Mohammed, who on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan, appreciated the show of comradeship by the religious and traditional leaders in the Federal Capital Territory, called for continued prayers for continued peace.

He stated that the interface is significant to further strengthen the bond of relationship between Christians and Muslims in the Federal Capital Territory.

The Minister stressed the need for religious and traditional leaders to continue to build on the existing cordial relations by Christians and Muslims.

The FCT Police Commissioner, Mr. Ade Shinaba in his remarks, assured that all religious worship places will be properly guarded especially on Fridays and Sundays but enjoined them to give the security agents feedback to nip any crisis in the bud.

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Babalola assures of peace HE General Overseer of His Presence Redemption Ministries International, Prophet David Babalola foresees peace in the country despite current sectarian crises in the North, reports IME BASSEY. Addressing newsmen in Lagos, the cleric urged Nigerians to work with President Goodluck Jonathan to bring about the desired peace. “I stand on the name of our Lord to pronounce that in spite of all the violence and bloodshed in the country, peace will soon rain on our land. All we need to do is to stick to the Word of God and join hands with President Jonathan to get this job done,” he said.

On the incessant bombing of churches, he advised Christians in the North to "stand by their faith. They should prove God by seeking Him diligently because He is the one that rewards those that diligently seek Him,” he added.

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TREM hosts 2012 Word Celebration HE Redeemed Evangelical Mission, TREM, known for her strong believe in “Power in the Word” will be hosting her second edition of Word Celebration with a theme; “The Word became flesh” from June 26 to July 1, 2012 at the church headquarters, Cathedral of His Glory, by Gbagada Expressway/Anthony Oke, Lagos.

The opening ceremony is expected to kick off on Tuesday by 5.00 p.m. in a colorful and glamorous way. Other special activities lined up for the six days include a special International Women Prayer Conference on Thursday at 9:00 a.m, Business seminar/ exhibition for both men and women on Friday at 9:00 a.m. The programme closes on Sunday, July 1, 2012 with father’s blessing from the presiding bishop of TREM and the chief host, Dr. Mike Okonkwo by 8:30 a.m.

Expected to minister alongside Bishop Mike & Peace Okonkwo, during the 6-day programme include Rev. (Mrs.) Chichi Bismark from Zimbabwe and other ministers of God from different parts of the globe.

Top notch financial experts from leading financial house are also expected to give insight on business/ project financing. Our presiding bishop and other dignitaries are going to grace the exhibition stands.

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62 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 24, 2012

African Basketball: Aderemi hopeful on First Deepwater

By KATE OBODO OACH of First Bank, Adewunmi Aderemi has assured the team’s supporters of a formidable squad that could compete with the rest of Africa when the FIBA Africa club tourney gets underway later this year.

A fortnight ago, First Deepwater basketball club of Ekiti won the country’s women basketball league by retaining the Zenith Bank Women’s league title for the third straight season despite their 70-76 points loss to former champion, First Bank basketball club at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium Lagos.

For the coach of the first Bank team, the just concluded Zenith Bank Women Basketball League was an eye opener for them to do work harder ahead of the continental tourney.

“It was indeed a difficult

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season with a lot of improvement from various teams. First Deepwater has shown consistency over the years compared to my side that is in transition but I’m optimistic that we will come out good in a short time,” Aderemi said.

He added that “as the

defending champions (First Deep Water), they were able to keep together most of their players and I think their coach brought his experience to bear on the results. “ I had in my squad, new and young players with little of experiences.

Also our preparation towards the competition was a bit poor as we did not do much work in the first and second phase of the competition which cost us the title.

Now that we have seen our mistakes, we will do our best to rectify them and prepare well ahead of the continental tourney”.

IEI Hockey League: Union Bank captain focus on title

By IME BASSEY

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APTAIN of Union Bank Hockey team, Okwudili Menyei has set his eyes on this year’s IEI Premier League title.

The smiling captain told Sunday Vanguard Sports that it’s been long the trophy last stayed in Lagos, therefore, he and his colleagues are resolved on bringing it back to the center of excellence.

“It’s been long we won the trophy, so we are

pushing ourselves this time around to bring it back to Lagos. We are preparing with keen concentration and hoping that God will crown our effort with the title”.

“With the way our training is going on, I believe we will be able to improve on our team play and overall performance in order to edge out the top teams. This we intend to do, trusting God to make each player injury free,” Menyei said.

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SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 24, 2012 — 63

NFF plans more friendlies for Eagles

By IME BASSEY

A

s Nigerians still bask in the euphoria of the Super

Eagles’ qualification into the next phase of the qualifiers for the 2013 African Nations Cup

GREAT LEAP... U.S. Based Nigerian sprinster, Blessing Okagbare, one of the wonders from Delta State, leaping her way to the gold medal at the just concluded Olympics trials in Calabar. Photo by Sylva Eleanya

billed for South Africa, Nigerian Football Federation, NFF Chairman of chairmen, Effiong Johnson has revealed that the Super Eagles will play two friendly matches before their next game.

Making this known to Sunday Vanguard Sports after the 2-0 victory over Rwanda last weekend, the security subcommittee chairman said that the board is already weighing options for the Eagles.

“The board is working towards organizing friendlies for the team in other for the process of rebuilding to continue. The next qualifiers will be in September; consequently, we (NFF) will work out friendly matches, at least two before the next game.

This I know will actually allow for progressive continuity of Keshi’s outline,” Effiong said.

Commenting on the game, the Akwa Ibom State Football Association chairman heaped praise on the Keshi but requested that Nigerians should constructively criticize him (Keshi).

“With what Keshi has done, for me, I am impressed and I am positive that if he continues this way, we will get back to the top of our game. It is a collective responsibility; hence, Nigerians should criticize him (Keshi) constructively.

“We have made it clear that we are in the rebuilding process which is paying off for now with fair results coming from mostly players plying their trade here in the league.

This is what has been missing for a while and the players are gathering experience,” he added.

Enugu Schools sports festival begins Monday

By KATE OBODO

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he final of the Enugu State Secondary Schools Sports Festival kicks off tomorrow at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

The state’s commissioner for Youth and Sports, Chijioke Agu, disclosed that all the student-athletes who made it

at the zonal secondary school sports competition held in April are expected to feature in the state finals.

He said that potential gold medalists who will be discovered at the state finals will be further groomed for national and international sports competitions, adding that accommodation has been provided for the athletes who

Fed Cup: Osun Gov predicts surprise from Prime FC

By IME BASSEY OVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola has disclosed that Prime FC, winner of the Osun State Federation Cup will spring surprise in this year ’s federation Cup. The Governor made this known at the final of the state’s Federation Cup held at the Federal Polytechnic, Ede. “I’m highly impressed with the display of both sides and with the support of the state government, I know the team

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will do well in the national competition.

“We will not fail to give them the necessary support needed.

I’m convinced both sides will go places with the soccer artistry displayed today,” the Governor said.

The final saw Prime FC defeating Olorunda United by a lone goal to clinch this year’s Osun Stats Federation Cup. The one time Premier League side got its goal from the penalty spot through skipper Olapade Waheed in the th 47 minute.

Chijioke Agu also will be fed throughout the five days sports fiesta.

Commissioner Agu while answering a question on mercenary athletes; said that “all the student-athletes discovered during the zonal sports competition were accredited at the zones, and they are the student-athletes we are expecting at the state festival.

Any other athlete outside the duly accredited athletes will be apprehended and handed over to the security agents for impersonation,” he stressed.

The commissioner however commended the state Governor Sullivan Chime for promptly releasing funds for the competition .

Eagles as a construction firm

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ur friend and spokesman of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Ademola Olajire has a knack for coining names in the course of discharging his duties, laundering the image of the Aminu Maigari-led Board which has been struggling to assert its legitimacy from day one of its existence.

In 2009 (under Sani Lulu-led board) when John Obuh assembled a bunch of ‘young’ boys to prosecute the FIFA U-17 World Cup which Nigeria hosted, Olajire nicked named one of them, Stanley Okoro ‘little Messi’ even though he knew Okoro was not one tenth what the real Messi is and capable of doing.

So when I read Paul Bassey’s column titled Keshi’s work in progress in the Vanguard last week, which he said was coined by no other than Olajire once again, I chuckled and said my friend is at it again.

After the white men left us to govern ourselves, men of the Public Works Department, PWD who were hardly ever seen on construction sites working, always put a sign with such inscriptions, work in progress or men at work.

That is the era Olajire wants us to relapse into. What he has not done anyway is place a sign board at the Eagles training ground with his new cliche, Keshi’s work in progress. Bassey agreed that Keshi should be given time but wonders for how long the experiment would continue.

While Keshi was experimenting with the friendly matches against Liberia, Egypt and Peru, many football lovers and followers alike, chorused in one voice that he was rebuilding the team and should be allowed to tinker them into a world class team like the Clemens Westerhof era.

However, this same Nigerians are no longer comfortable with the ‘work in progress’ situation as the World Cup and Nations Cup preparations started with the Eagles struggling to survive against little teams like Rwanda and Namibia.

In Kigali, Keshi’s first acid test as Eagles new helmsman, the Eagles were lucky that their host were inexperienced and could not convert the chances that came their way. The football pundits went to town after that game with various insinuations.

Some said Keshi was toying with the future of the team by including home-based players in his starting line-up, claiming they were not ripe enough for the big stage while others said he was on the right track and that in fact, the home-based players outshone their foreign counterparts in that Kigali game.

After a wholly home-based team lost narrowly to both Egypt and Peru in friendlies, some Nigerians were unanimous that the home-based players are gathering experience and would soon become the toast of all football lovers.

After the Eagles beat Rwanda last Saturday, June 16 to move into the next stage of the Nations Cup qualifiers, captain of the team, Joseph Yobo, who has been sidelined by injury praised his mates for the victory but alluded to the fact that Keshi would still need to have the sidelined foreign-based players, claiming that “ you cannot buy experience”.

One fact Yobo has however, failed to realise was that he too was once a home-based player who cut his teeth in the Flying Eagles of 1999 under Tunde Disu when Nigeria hosted the FIFA U-20 World Cup and got the chance thereafter to be invited into the Super Eagles.

Those who are in a hurry to have Keshi’s team whack other teams, especially the so-called minnows should also realise that the gap between the big teams and small ones is just a thin line these days.

If they doubt this, they should ask five time African champions, Egypt how they lost 2-3 to Central Africa Republic on home soil in Alexandria Friday June 15. The Pharoahs are now at the risk of not qualifying for their second consecutive Nations Cup, a team that won the competition three times in a row, 2006, 2008 and 2010.

It should be drummed into the ears of victory hungry Nigerians that if they believe the Eagles lost their spark and have nose-dived in both the African and world rankings under Berti Vogts, Shaibu Amodu, Lars Lagerback and Samson Siasia, then they should give Keshi a breathing space to evolve a team that would not cringe under the determination of once smaller teams like Namibia and Rwanda nor be disgraced by bigger teams like Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana or reigning African power, Zambia.

Again, Keshi should realise that Nigerians cannot wait forever to see their team rise from the rubble of the past. Olajire’s sign post, Keshi’s work in progress, should be pulled down and replaced with a new one, Keshi’s Eagles on fire.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JUNE 24, 2012

What Keshi should do to succeed – Bazuaye

By KATE OBODO

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ORMER Nigerian International, Baldwin Bazuaye has said that the only way

Stephen Keshi can succeed in the rebuilding of the Super

GOOOOAL.... Mario Balotelli (right) scores Italy’s second goal against Republic of Ireland. Gary Neville has warned England to be wary of him in today’s match.

EURO 2012:

*Kick-off: 7.45pm

Can England survive the Azzuri’s onslaught? *As Neville warns ‘em of Balotelli threat E

x Manchester United player, Gary Neville has warned England players to be wary of Manchester City’s Italian forward, Mario Balotelli when they meet today in the quarter final of the Euro Championships.

The 37-year-old Neville however, believes that Balotelli’s Manchester City team-mates will help the Three Lions silence the young striker in the all-important clash today.

The controversial 21year-old scored the second goal in Italy’s 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland on Monday and will be a likely starter in the crunch contest in Kiev.

However, Neville hopes that Balotelli’s Manchester City teammate Joleon Lescott and experienced Premier

League opponent John Terry can keep him from having an impact.

“Joleon will know him better than we do, that’s the great thing,” the exManchester United fullback told the FA’s official website. “There will be no surprise for Joleon on Sunday (today) and the same for John Terry who’ll have played against him as well, so that’s a good thing.

“But obviously knowing and playing against him means that there will be that added extra spice that Balotelli himself will want to put one over on England.

“He plays in the country, he’s a big figure in England with respect to the media he gets and he’s a champion of England now with Manchester City and he

will be very difficult to play against.”

Roy Hodgson was named the new manager of the Three Lions less than two months ago but has fashioned a team that

has yet to be beaten in the five games he has been in charge and Neville heaped praise on the 64year-old. “[Hodgson] is calm, doesn’t get carried away

by things, brings a great deal of humility, trusts in his players and has faith in them and I think they are recognising that he is someone they like and want to play for.

ACROSS 1. Borno State ccity (9) 5. Fat (5) 7. Loafer (5) 8. Incisor 10. Employ (3) 11. Embarrassed (7) 13. Baking chamber (4) 16. Antelopes (6) 19. Hearing organ (3) 21. Primitive instincts (2) 22. Proceed (2) 23. Tap (3) 24. Do again (6) 28. Whirl pool (4) 32. Excuses (7) 33. Rodent (3) 34. Asian country (5) 35. Brain-Liquefying disease (5) 37. Give in (5) 38. Doubted (9)

Eagles with the local players is to ensure that the players play together for a long time.

This, he said, was to ensure they blend very well and get the results Nigerians are clamouring for.

Bazuaye who hailed Keshi for his determination to involve the local players in his plans,said it was an indication of better things to come, stressing the need for the Nigeria Football Association (NFF) administrators, media, fans and Nigerians at large to support him in his quest to qualify the country on both the Nations Cup and World Cup qualifiers.

“As a coach, when building a team, you look at different angles to succeed. I think he (Keshi) should be looking at the togetherness of the team and being able to blend well. They really need to stay together and get used to themselves.

“Another aspect is that Nigerians should be firm in their support for him rather than criticising him when he falters ,” he said, adding “so far, our Eagles are doing well as expected.

Keshi on his part has started a good work for the country and I think he needs to be appreciated especially for bringing back the home-base players the way Clemens Westerof did in our days. I think what they need is time to get it right,” Bazuaye concluded.

DOWN 1. Error (7) 2. Charged particle (3) 3. Wild (7) 4. Adulterated (6) 5. Frequently (5) 6. Dug up (7) 9. Gemstone (4) 12. Perform (2) 14. Genuine (5) 15. Close (4) 17. Snooze (3) 18. Location (4) 20. Knock (3) 22. Weight (7) 25. Raise (7) 26. Scuffled (7) 27. Parched (4) 29. Debars (6) 30. You (2) 31. Big (5) 36. Flying mammal (3)

SEE SOLUTION ON PAGE 5

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