Banks in dilemma over idle $5bn deposit

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62479

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

WITHDRAWAL OF OFFICERS FROM VIPS:

Police deploy men to airports, highways to enforce directive

FG reduces salaries of federal lawmakers 9

9

Banks in dilemma over idle $5bn deposits

By Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor

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•Refuse to accept dollar cash deposits •Won't buy dollar from customers

AGOS — I N D I CAT I O N S emerged, yesterday, that banks in the country are now in a dilemma on what to do with an estimated $5 billion that is currently idle in their vaults.

Banks, it was gathered, have their vaults full of dollars that they do not know how to dispose of. It is funds they can neither lend to other banks nor sell to CBN, and the only option open to them is to sell.

Bank foreign exchange Continues on Page 5

‘Okija Shrine: No longer a bee-hive of activities for politicians See Inside

Mr & Mrs LAUNCH: From left, Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser; Nicolaas Vervelde, MD/CEO, both of Nigerian Breweries Plc.; Sam Nwobodo, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Enugu State (representing Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi); Clementine Vervelde, wife of the MD/CEO of NB Plc and Hubert Eze, Sales Director, also of NB Plc at the launch of the world's biggest poster by Gulder at Okpara Square, Enugu, Monday.

COLUMNISTS:

What’s the point of a first lady? •P.17 C M Y K

Power supply:

NERC, DISCOs

Am I too small and the National to please my Assembly •P.37 •P.19 women?

Ekwueme, Clark, Gbonigi tackle 12 Buhari over appointments

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 3

C M Y K

4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

REGISTRATION: President Muhammadu Buhari (left) and Director-General, National Identification Management Commission, NIMC, Chris Onyemena during the registration of the President at State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Banks in dilemma over idle $5bn deposits Continues from Page 1 officers, who spoke to Vanguard. said that as of today, no bank will buy dollar from anybody. The source said it is not for any other thing but the fact that the banks have more than enough in their vaults.

The dollars being sold by banks for BTA and PTA, they say, have no direct relationship with the foreign reserve, hence the marginal increase in the nation’s external reserve despite continued downward trend in crude oil prices.

Vanguard gathered that banks have been pleading with the CBN to allow them sell off their dollar holdings when the apex bank could not supply enough dollars to fund customers' request for BTA and PTA. It was

learnt that when the CBN finally gave its nod recently, the banks immediately called on their customers and the public to buy Basic Travelling Allowance from designated banks.

Vanguard learned that there is more than $5 billion within the economy that are still in the hands of individuals outside the banking system.

It also learned from top bankers that before the general elections, there was scarcity of foreign exchange in the banking system and that banks were allocated about $30,000 for sale to customers that requested for BTA, which was grossly inadequate for most banks.

He said immediately after the election, banks

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

I

N the journey of life be careful not to let ambition choke your vision. Ambition is always selfish while vision is selfless. "Cherish your vision and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprint of your ultimate achievement," Napoloen Hill.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?—Socrates

T

HESE questions are very enabling in a beautiful way to live your spirituality and in dealing with others. You’ll be amazed at what is thrown at you in life but stay beautiful and keep the cloak of protection ‘Love’ in your heart as you contemplate these virtues before taking any action.

If you’re satisfied about these answers, please stay far away from anything not uplifting.

started receiving dollar deposits in millions per day. This, he said, was done mainly by politicians, who got dollars during the electioneering campaign, which resulted in banks' vaults stocked with dollar deposits that can neither be given out as loans nor transferred as it would be regarded as money laundering.

A bank customer, who used funds from a domiciliary account to support his ward's visa application before the glut of the dollar in the system, said the bank made it clear it could not transfer the fund from the child's domiciliary account to the parent's account after the visa was secured.

The parent said the bank added that if the child travels abroad, the fund cannot be withdrawn by the parent even if the child had already signed a withdrawal form for the parent's use when the money is needed.

Banks refuse to accept dollar cash deposits Banks are now refusing to accept any form of dollar cash deposits and even insist that transfer from one domiciliary account to another in the same bank will be regarded as a form of cash deposit that regulators will frown at.

According to them, the rules are now very stringent and no bank wants to be on the wrong side of the law. In one of the banks, Vanguard learned that no local bank will undertake to do transfer for Nigerian parents whose wards are in schools abroad which accommodation are not directly linked to the school.

Nigerian banks, they added, will also not do a third party transfer.

Unfortunately for many Nigerian parents whose wards are enrolled in masters' programmes in the United Kingdom, many universities in the UK do not provide direct accommodation for second degree students and such students have to contract accommodation with property owners.

Situation worrisome The situation has become worrisome to many as those who attempted to change huge sums at the unofficial market were given rates they considered ridiculous.

A roadside forex dealer told Vanguard that they do dollar exchange transactions for desperate Nigerians at the rate of between N198 and N203 to the dollar whereas they sell at N225 to the dollar.

Vanguard gathered that many parents with genuine need of transfer to pay for student

accommodation in London are desperately looking for alternative means.

A parent, who spoke to Vanguard, said the new policy has created a new form of business for some Nigerians living abroad who are now exploiting the situation. He said that those who have pounds and are living in London sometimes do agree to help pay for student accommodation but ask for an exchange rate of N358 to the dollar.

It will be recalled that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, recently proscribed acceptance of forex cash deposits by banks operating in the country.

Forex market now segmented into four layers Reacting to the ban, Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited (FDC), Mr. Bismarck Rewane, in his monthly economic news and views entitled, “Market versus Economy,” presented at the Lagos Business School’s executive breakfast meeting, said: “The forex market is now segmented into four layers. The differential between the segments will widen as the ability to move between segments becomes more difficult and risky.

"The desperation for electronic dollars will push that market to N250. Cash dollars will be at N240. The magnitude of the currency value adjustment will be dependent on when the subsidy is removed.”

He listed them to include the interbank foreign exchange market (IFEM), the BDC rate, rate at which exchange proceeds are converted into Naira and electronic transfer rate.

He said: “The electronic transfer rate and the cash rate were the same before. But now,

banks will not accept dollar cash again. When I get dollars, for me to transfer it is going to be too costly."

The CBN in an advertorial in several newspapers had, however, reiterated that all legitimate requests for foreign currency for eligible transactions, normally referred to as “invisibles,” such as remittances for school fees, student maintenance allowances, BTA, PTA, medical and other eligible transactions, shall be fully met at the official/ interbank exchange rate.

A statement from the CBN stated that already all the legitimate demands for such transactions through recognised channels have been fully met by CBN. According to the statement, “the CBN hereby directs all authorised dealers in foreign exchange in Nigeria to henceforth treat as top priority all legitimate demand for foreign exchange for eligible transactions.

“The CBN once again advises individuals that wish to source foreign currency for such eligible transactions to approach their banks with their legitimate demand as the CBN has made adequate provisions of foreign currency for all such legitimate and eligible purposes.

"Furthermore, holders of Naira-denominated debit and credit cards shall continue to have access to the use of their cards at ATM machines in any part of the world but subject to the annual limit of $50,000.

ATM withdrawals shall continue to be a maximum of $300 per day.”

In a related development, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank), informed its customers of its decision to reduce the daily international spending limit on their Naira MasterCard to $300.

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Hawker allegedly sets shop, owner on fire

14-yr-old boy kills brother with dad's gun while ‘acting' movie

By Francis Igata

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—POLICE, yesterday, charged a street hawker, Arinze Okemiri, before an EbuteMeta Chief Magistrate’s Court, over alleged attempted murder and arson.

The defendant is facing a three-count charge bordering on arson, attempted murder and causing grievous harm. He pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Emmanuel Ajayi, told the court that the defendant, who sold sun glasses, had on July 20, at about 4p.m., attempted to burn down Shop 19/21 Balogun Street, Lagos Island, belonging to one Malachi Ezeoke, by setting it on fire after dousing it with petrol.

Ajayi further informed the court that the defendant, while attempting to set ablaze the two shops, also caused bodily harm to the shop owner, Mr. Ezeoke, by setting fire to his legs.

The offences according to the prosecutor, are punishable under Sections 340(1)(2) 228(1)(2) and 234 of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

The defendant’s lawyer, Mr. Oladele S. O., urged the court to admit him to bail in the most liberal term.

Magistrate Olajuwon O., admitted the defendant to a N400,000 bail, with two sureties in like sum; ordered that the addresses and means of livelihood of the sureties be verified by the court’s prosecutor and adjourned the matter till September 23 for mention.

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NUGU—THE sleepy town of Umueze, Enugwu-Achi, Oji-River Local Government Area, Enugu State, was last Monday thrown into mourning, following the death of three-

year-old Akachukwu in the hands of his 14-year-old brother Ebubechukwu,14, using their father’s gun.

The brothers were said to be re-enacting movie scenes, not knowing that the gun was loaded.

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AGOS State Police Command, yesterday, said it had arrested 14 suspected cult members for allegedly terrorising Mushin residents.

This is contained in a statement by DSP Patricia Amadin, the command’s spokesperson in Lagos.

Amadin said that the suspects were arrested August 24 at Mushin Area of Lagos.

She said: “The Lagos State Police Command has recorded yet another success in its fight against cultism and armed robbery in the state.

“In a bid to make good its promise to chase out armed

son, Akachukwu, in a pool of his own blood.

Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said: “Investigations into the tragic incident have commenced to ascertain the remote causes, so the law can take its course.”

UNNECESSARY RISKS: Crossing Oshodi-Apapa Expressroad beneath a pedestrian bridge, Lagos. PHOTOS: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

Tipper crushes okadaman, passenger in Bauchi

By Suzan Edeh

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AUCHI—A commercial motorcycle (Okada) rider and his female passenger were crushed to death by a tipper lorry yesterday afternoon along Yakubu Wanka Expressway in Bauchi metropolis.

According to an eyewitness, the tipper lorry, which was

coming from the opposite direction of the road, rammed into the Okada rider and his passenger due to a break failure.

The source said: ‘’The driver of the lorry lost control as a result of a break failure and crushed the motorcycle rider and his female passenger.

“The female passenger died on the spot, while the Okada

rider ’s intestines spilled on the ground from the impact of the crash.”

Confirming the incident, Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Ibrahim Abubakar, said two persons, including an Okade rider and his female passenger, were killed in a fatal crash by a tipper lorry.

He said the accident was

caused as result of the tipper’s break failure. He added that the driver tried desperately to salvage the situation, but was unable to control the vehicle.

Ibrahim said the female passenger died on the spot, while the Okada man was conveyed to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, for medical attention, but died later.

... another killed by stray bullet in police/robbers' gun battle

By Abdul-Lateef Ligali

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AGOS—PANDEMONIUM broke out yesterday at Trade Fair along Badagry Expressway, Lagos, following a shoot-out between a team of policemen attached to Trade Fair Division and a four-man

robbery gang operating on motorcycles; a stray bullet hit an okadaman, killing him on the spot.

Report said the robbers were stationed under the bridge at Trade Fair, inward Badagry, dispossessing commuters of cash and other valuables.

Police arrest 14 suspected cultist in Lagos

By Esther Onyegbula

According to a source, their father, Christian Odika, had left for their village square at Obodo-Ukwu Enugwu-Akwu, for a meeting, when the tragic news reached him.

It was gathered that on getting to his house, he met his

robbers and cultists from the state, the command has smashed a notorious robbery/ cultist group.

“This group has continuously unleashed a reign of terror on the residents of Mushin and IdiOro areas of Lagos.”

According to the statement, acting on diligently-sourced and managed intelligence, the command swooped on the gang and 14 members arrested.

It stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, urged the people of Lagos to be calm and continue to furnish police with vibrant and actionable intelligence.

Owoseni also warned all cult

members and robbers that the police would employ all legal means within its disposal to decisively deal with them and their sponsors.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of policemen from Trade Fair Division reportedly stormed the scene.

The robbers were said to have opened fire on sighting the policemen, an action that sent everyone scampering in different directions.

Confirming the incident, spokesperson of Lagos State Police Command, Patricia Amadin, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said: “The heavily-armed hoodlums, on sighting policemen, immediately engaged them in a fierce gun battle, killing a

suspected motorcyclist in the process.

“Unfortunately, the miscreants escaped but not without varying degrees of gun-shot wounds.

“The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, wishes to use this medium to assure Lagosians of the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring safety of their lives and property, as well as making Lagos State a safe haven for both residents and businesses alike.

“The Command has intensified a manhunt for the fleeing culprits.”

Police parade man, 67, for raping 10-yr-old girl; 116 others

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—A 67-year-old man was among 117 suspects paraded by Edo State Police Command, yesterday, for armed robbery, kidnapping and rape.

Police Public Relations

Officer of the command, DSP Felix Onwochei, who paraded the suspects in Benin, said the alleged rapist (names withheld) defiled the 10-yearold girl at Ubiane, near Aviele, in Edo State.

He said some of the arms recovered from the suspects

include five AK-47 rifles, 25 cut-to-size guns, four singlebarrelled guns, three pump action guns and 52 live cartridges.

Those paraded include 35 suspected armed robbers, 20 suspected kidnappers, 33 suspected cultists, 10 involved

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015—7

14 die in Niger boat mishaps

By Wole Mosadomi

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INNA—FOURTEEN persons, including 11 women from the same family, in Dan Gunu village, have perished in a boat mishap in River Sarkin Pawa, Niger State.

Another boat, involving three persons, also suffered the same fate in River Guni, both in Munya Local Government Area of the state.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that the villagers were returning from farm, Monday evening, when the incident occurred.

The women and two men, it was gathered, had gone to the farm to harvest groundnut. The incident occurred on their return journey. The only survivors were the two men.

As villagers at Dan-Gunu village mourned the death of their beloved ones, reports of the River Guni incident, which claimed three lives, filtered in.

Some of the dead were identified as Munau, Wara, Fiddausi, Zainab, Najaatu, Ikilima, Fatima, Ladidi, Balaraba and Hafsat.

The senator representing Niger East, Senator David Umaru, in a condolence message to the people of the two communities, described the incidents as shocking and unfortunate.

He added that the disaster had brought to the fore the

Senator blames Shiroro Hydro Dam sufferings of the people of the area as a result of the activities of Shiroro Hydro Dam. He lamented the lack of roads and bridges in the area, adding that “this has shown the urgent need and necessity for the immediate take off of the HAPPADEC Commission,

which will, in no small measure, alleviate the suffering of people of the area.”

He explained that the lives of the people in the area had been made more difficult with the disastrous perennial flooding.

He noted that since the construction of the dam,

nothing had been done to make the life of the people comfortable.

He called on the relevant authorities to ensure immediate implementation of the HAPPADEC Act, which had been passed by the National Assembly.

Controversy, as 2 robbery suspects escape from police detention

By Esther Onyegbula

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AGOS—CONTROVERSY is currently trailing the escape of two suspected armed robbers from detention at Pen Cinema Divisional Police Station, Agege, Lagos State.

It was gathered that of the three robbery suspects (names withheld), who were handed over to the police by members of Odua People’s Congress, OPC, Ifako Zone, two escaped from detention.

Vanguard learned that on August 8, at about 1a.m., about 10 robbers invaded Sands Hotel and other apartments at Sands Avenue, off Iju Road.

The robbers, who succeeded in overpowering the OPC security guard on duty, carted away money and valuables in

the two-hour operation.

During preliminary interrogation, the OPC guard told the police that he recognised one of the robbers.

The congress leader in Ifako, one Soki, led other OPC members in a manhunt for the suspect, and eventually arrested him at Idi-Agbon area of Ifako.

The suspect confessed to taking part in the robbery and led OPC members to different locations, where two others were arrested on Sunday.

The three suspects were handed over to the police at Pen Cinema.

However, the case took a different twist when two of the suspects successfully escaped from the cell after cutting the burglary in the cell.

Vanguard gathered that the OPC operatives went to the station to confront the then DPO, Mr. Oliver, a Chief Superintendent of Police, who confirmed the development.

He added that all the police officers on duty on the night the incident occurred have been detained. He begged the OPC men to assist the police re-arrest the fleeing suspects.

Lamenting, one of the victims of the robbery attack, who spoke with Vanguard, said that their lives and that of staff of Sands Hotel are now in danger as the robbers can regroup any time with full force for another attack.

Meanwhile, despite assurance by the police, the two robbery suspects are yet to be rearrested.

3 injured, cars destroyed in Lagos tanker fire

By Olasunkanmi Akoni, Bose Adelaja & Monsur Olowoopejo

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O fewer than three persons were injured, yesterday, at Olosa Bus Stop, Mushin, after a petrol tanker, enroute Oshodi, fell, spilled its contents and burst into flames.

Three commercial vehicles, 20 make-shift shops at Awolowo Market and property worth millions of Naira were also destroyed by the inferno which started at about 1a.m.

Vanguard gathered that the tanker, carrying 33,000 litres of petrol, fell while trying to avoid a bad portion of the road, spilling its contents into drainage channels in the area.

An eyewitness said the fire broke out after the contents from the tanker touched part of burning ashes in the drainage a few metres from the bus stop.

The injured include the driver, his assistant and a commercial driver, Joshua John, who tried without success to remove his vehicle from the scene.

The fuel tanker and burnt cars at the Agege Motor Road fire incident, yesterday. NAN PHOTOS. in illegal possession of firearms, six suspected murderers and 13 persons involved in rape and child defilement.

According to Onwochei, the suspected armed robbers and kidnappers arrested at Iguobazuwa and Esigie areas of Benin, had been involved in series of robbery attack and kidnap activities in these areas in the past few months.

While disclosing that four cars and cell phones were

recovered from them, he said: “This arrests were made after a tip-off from members of the public and with our crack team of detectives in the streets, we were able to round up these criminals, who have been terrorising different communities in Edo State.

“They have all confessed to the crime and after investigation, they will be charged to court for the various offences they committed.”

Residents protest shooting by Naval rating in Lagos

By Bose adelaja & Monsur Olowoopejo

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ESIDENTS of Majidun, Ikorodu, Lagos, yesterday, trooped out to protest unlawful shooting of three of their own by one of the Naval personnel mounting surveillance on pipelines of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, since October 2014.

The victims, simply identified as Lanre Agbor, Abass and Timothy, all tipper drivers at the park, were shot.

The naval personnel were deployed to the area in October 2014 to curb activities of petroleum vandals, but tragedy struck last Monday when one of the personnel, a Naval rating, suspected to be drunk, left his duty post, shot into the

air, injuring three residents.

The incident occurred around 3p.m., Monday, at the tipper park and the three victims were said to be going about their businesses.

Residents said the Naval rating was recently elevated in his office, which he went to celebrate. He returned to the park and started shooting into the air.

8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Tension mounts as Buhari meets NDDC mgt today

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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BUJA—THERE is palpable tension within Niger Delta D e v e l o p m e n t Commission, NDDC, led by its Managing Director, Mr. Dan Abia, as they come face to face with the President Muhammadu Buhari to give him a status report on the operations of the agency, which has been rattled by huge debts totalling N1.5 trillion.

A Presidency source confirmed that the President would receive NDDC officials with a view to seeking explanations on series of financial issues, which have attracted several queries from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukara.

In the latest query, which drew severe condemnation from NDDC, Ukara accused the commission of not accounting for N183.7 billion from 2008 and 2012 and not allowing auditors access to the agency’s account for over 16 months to audit.

Although NDDC had criticised the Federal Government’s auditor for daring to publish the audit report and sending a copy to the National Assembly, Ukara had insisted that the report was authentic and that the commission must return the said amount to the Federation Account.

It was learned that NDDC hired financial and legal experts to prepare a strong presentation to give them a clean bill of health.

It was also gathered that a top official of the commission had been meeting with a senior aide to Buhari, explaining why they had to bow to pressure in awarding multi-billion Naira contracts to some influential persons and their cronies even after President Jonathan had warned them against doing.

Vanguard had reported exclusively on Monday that the President was set to meet with the NDDC team this week.

How Adoke stopped Abba Moro from hijacking 1,600 NIS jobs

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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BUJA—INDICATIONS emerged last night that the immediate past Interior Minister, Mr. Abba Moro, tried but failed to hijack the rescheduled recruitment of 1,600 Nigerians into the Nigerian Immigration Service.

Investigations by Vanguard indicate that Moro, whose ministry supervised Immigrations, Prisons and Civil Defence, had objected to the conduct of the recruitment into NIS by the Presidential Committee raised by former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Vanguard investigation further revealed that Moro tried in vain to stop the presidential committee from

recruiting the new hands by raising some legal issues to justify his position, but was overruled by the then Minister of Justice and AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke.

Moro’s attempt to take charge of the new recruitment exercise followed the death of no fewer than 15 NIS job applicants and the loss of at least N1 billion by those who had to part with N1,000 each as a condition for taking part in the controversial and tragic process.

Documents obtained by Vanguard in Abuja yesterday, indicated that the former minister, in a memo dated February 17, and addressed to the Attorney-General of the Federation, objected to

allowing the presidential committee to handle the recruitment in conjunction with the Immigrations and Prisons Services Board, IPSB, saying it could be illegal.

The memo, with reference No. MI/HMO/S.373/11/25, signed by Moro and addressed to the HAFG, the former minister claimed that neither the presidential committee nor the IPSB had the expressed power to venture into the recruitment of staff for the NIS. Findings by Vanguard show that the NIS ControllerGeneral, Mr. David Paradang, who was desirous of getting more fresh hands into the service, fell a victim of the recruitment exercise by

making the board to ratify the appointment of the 1,600 staff, following the clearance given by the Attorney-General that the exercise was in order.

Paradang had requested that a total of 4,556 officers and men should be recruited to shore up the NIS operations, but the former Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, overruled him, saying that there was no money to support that large number.

Rather than get the 4,556 staff at once, the minister directed that the number should be spread over three years.

The NIS boss was suspended

by President Muhammadu Buhari last week over the controversial exercise and is yet to be recalled.

DIASPORA DAY: From left— Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Co-Chairperson, Diaspora Day Conference; Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, Permanent Secretary, Political Affairs, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the State House Banquet during 2015 Diaspora Day Conference in Abuja, yesterday.

NNPC not responsible for industry's woes— KACHIKWU

By Michael Eboh

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BUJA—THE Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, yesterday, stated that the corporation should not be blamed for the problems in the petroleum industry, declaring that the cause had been lack of political will.

He said: “The reform of the petroleum industry is key and it is an area where we are going to put a lot of focus.

Transparency is key.

Restructuring is key.

Sometimes people do not realise that the problem has not been NNPC, it is a problem of political will to go forward and implement the outcome of

researches and reports.

“Fortunately for us this time around, that is what the President has brought to the table. He has a strong political will to see this through.”

Kachikwu spoke at the ongoing 55thAnnual General

Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Abuja.

Kachikwu, who chaired a special session at the event, called for extensive engagements with all stakeholders to iron out all grey areas in

the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, which has been pending before the National Assembly in the last seven years.

He said the bill is an essential legislation that must be approached with seriousness and thoroughness.

... as FG cancels swap deals between NNPC, traders

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EDERAL Government, yesterday, approved the cancellation of all Offshore Processing Agreements and crude oil swap deals entered into by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, with oil trading companies.

Spokesperson for the Presidency, Mr. Femi Adesina,

in a statement in Abuja, said: “Mr. President has approved the cancellation of the oil swap contracts. Mr. President has publicly expressed his displeasure over this oil swap deal.”

A source at NNPC, according to report obtained from Reuters, said the President cancelled contracts

for roughly half of the 445,000 barrels per day of crude earmarked for Nigeria’s refineries— the amount refiners use in the products swaps deals.

“Government may not have completely dumped the idea, but the aim is to re-evaluate the whole contracts terminated to extract some favourable terms,” the source said.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015—9

Buhari blames escalation of subsidies on past govts

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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NSE LISTING: From left— Aliko Dangote, President, Dangote Group; Oba Otudeko, Chairman, FBN Holdings Plc; Oscar Onyema, Director General/CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange, and Jim Ovia, Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc, at the NSE premium listing of top quoted companies in Lagos, yesterday.

FG to slash Federal lawmakers' salaries

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—CHAIRMAN of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, Mr. Elias Mbam, disclosed yesterday that the Commission had started the process of trimming down the pay packages of the President, Senators, members of the House of Representatives, governors and all the elected public officials to reflect current economic realities.

Speaking with journalists after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari, the RMAFC Chairman said that no federal lawmaker received N1 million monthly as salary, adding that their salaries would be pruned down to reflect the current economy status.

Asked whether the parliamentarians would give a nod to the idea, the Chairman said it was a constitutional mandate, which no one should argue about.

He said: “We are here to brief the President on the activities of the commission, the challenges and the way forward.

“The President advised us to ensure that we use all legitimate means to ensure all public office holders take home remuneration as determined by the commission and also block all leakages.

“We have done a lot in informing the public on the true position of the remuneration packages. It is on our website; it is clearly written there and we have published these remuneration packages in many national dailies several times.

“We have also had interactions

with the press at different fora.

“What we read on the pages of newspapers is not known to the commission because there is no member of the National Assembly, based on what we determined, who earns up to N1 million per month.

“Presently, we are reviewing the subsisting remuneration packages and it is going to reflect the socio-economic realities of today. We expect that before the end of next month, it will be ready.

“When I talk of packages, the responsibility of the commission is to determine the remuneration for political office holders, both elected and appointed, from the national level to the local government level.

“Of course, National Assembly members are elected. It will include them, it will include the judiciary, it will include the state

legislature, executive and of course, the local government will be included.

“Recently, the oil price dropped. Many government agencies, the states and local governments have not been able to pay their salaries.

These are some of the issues that made it necessarily to review it. It did not start with this administration; we started the review as far back as last year. It is not because of the present administration that we commenced it.

“They do not have a choice.

We are guided by the constitution and we are going to be guided by such laws that are provided for in the constitution and the oath they swore to obey the laws of the country.”

Mbam, who recounted the challenges of the Commission to include insufficient funding, urged the authorities to amend

the Act setting it up to grant its financial independence.

Asked when the new revenue sharing formula would be ready, the chairman said it was beyond his power to comment on.

He said: “One of the challenges is that the commission is not properly funded and we are saying that we expect that the commission should be one of the agencies of government that should have financial autonomy.

“The best way to do that is to include it as one of the agencies that will benefit from first line charge.

“The second is to give the commission the power of enforcement. They should review the Act establishing the commission so that it can have power of enforcement and sanctions on any of the defaulting MDAs.”

WITHDRAWAL OF OFFICERS FROM VIPs: Police deploy men

to airports, highways to enforce directive

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

BUJA—FOLLOWING President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive that the over 130,000 police personnel attached to unauthorised persons and VIPs in the country be withdrawn and deployed to confront the security challenges, Force Headquarters, in conjunction with the Police Service Commission, PSC, is set to commence the implementation.

Consequently, “the PSC, in collaboration with the Inspector General Police, has concluded arrangements to deploy a high level monitoring team to the nation’s airports,

highways and other public places to enforce the Presidential directive of immediate withdrawal of policemen from very important personalities, VIP, who are not entitled to their services”.

Chairman of PSC, Sir Mike Okiro, who confirmed this in Abuja yesterday, said: “The monitoring team will have the powers to stop VIPs on the highways, airports and so on, for confirmation of their status and that of the policemen attached to them.”

A statement by Ikechukwu Ani, Head of Information PSC, quotes Okiro as warning that “any erring VIP or policeman caught in such unauthorised beat, will be prosecuted.”

The PSC Chairman insisted that “the Commission and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force will enforce the presidential directive to the letter, stressing that henceforth only authorised government officials and VIPs will be entitled to police security.

Continuing, Okiro noted that the nation cannot be battling with an inadequate Police Force, while majority of these scarce officers are in the service of few privileged Nigerians, who ordinarily should have no need for them.

He said the Nigeria Police will now be “structured to do its primary duties.”

BUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, accused past administrations of allowing the infrastructure in the oil sector to collapse to enable their cronies steal by importing refined products.

The President, who made the accusation while speaking at a meeting with the Chairman and members of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, lamented “the current situation in which Nigeria is forced to spend billions of Naira annually on alleged subsidies for petroleum products.”

A statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, quoted the President as saying that “the escalation of petroleum subsidy payments over recent years was due to the deliberate neglect of the nation’s refineries, oil pipelines and other related infrastructure to allow the importation of petroleum products and corruption to thrive.”

According to the statement, the President restated his huge disappointment with the way Nigeria’s oil industry has been run since he left office as Petroleum Minister and Military Head of State, noting that he was convinced that if the development of the country ’s domestic refining capacity and petroleum products distribution network had kept pace with national demand, there would not have been any need for the huge subsidies currently being paid to importers.

“They allowed the infrastructure to collapse so that their cronies can steal by bringing in refined products from overseas,” President Buhari said.

He told the chairman and members of RMAFC, who availed him of their view on the vexed issued of petroleum subsidy payments, to go “back to the drawing board.”

10 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Ayobo residents apprehend 4 suspected robbers

By Esther Onyegbula

L

AGOS—FOUR suspected robbers, who allegedly invaded Ashipa area of Ayobo in the Ipaja-Ayobo Local Council Development Area, LCDA, were apprehended by the residents on Sunday.

It was gathered that the suspects stormed the area, at about 3am, armed with dangerous weapons like guns, cutlasses, knives, and charms.

Vanguard learned that they met their waterloo when the residents mobilised to fish out from the bush.

The residents also recovered guns, cutlasses, knives, and charms from the robbers who they handed over to Ipaja Police Division, where they were interrogated before they were transferred to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Lagos police headquarters in Ikeja.

VISA TO TERRORIST: Count me out, says ex-envoy L

AGOS—FORMER Nigerian ambassador to Lebanon, Amb. Oluwole Idowu, has refuted reports linking him with the alleged issuance of Nigerian visa to a wanted Lebanese terrorist, Ahmed Al Assir.

Idowu in a statement he issued in Lagos yesterday, described the reports as malicious and

defamatory, stressing that such were deficient in facts and professionalism.

He said he could not have been involved in the issuance of any Nigerian visa in Beirut in August 2015 after he had completed his tour of duty in Lebanon on April 6, 2015 and retired “meritoriously” from service on August 14, 2015.

The former envoy said that while

his lawyers were already taking up the issue with the concerned organisations, he considered these clarifications expedient because of the embarrassment which the publications had been causing him, his family, friends and associates.

Idowu pledged his loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari, his government and the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry to which, he said, he committed his entire work life as VISIT: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule presenting a souvenir on behalf of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to South Africa's Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mzwandile Masina, when the minister paid a courtesy call on the governor at his Alausa office.

Ambode raises concern over crime rate at regional ports

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

L

AGOS—GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday raised concern over the crime rate at Tin Can, Apapa and other West African Ports.

He therefore called for regional integration among West African countries to ensure adequate safety of lives and property within the coastal regions.

The governor who spoke at the opening session of the

Social media threatens 10-yr-old marriage men who are now her “man

By Rotimi Olaleye

A

D O - E K I T I — A businessman, Muyiwa Owolabi, has dragged his wife, Tinuola Owolabi, to an Ado Ekiti Customary Court to seek dissolution of their ten-year-old marriage over “serial adultery with several men” she met on social media Both the Petitioner and the Defendant agreed on the dissolution of the marriage over irreconcilable differences but the court is yet to resolve the custody of the two children, Folajimi (11) and Oluwatimilehin (7).

Muyiwa, the Petitioner, who told the court to dissolve the union claimed that he caught his wife with several men including his junior in secondary school.

Also, Muyiwa accused his wife of keeping prostitutes and wayward people as friends.

He said Tinuola uses the social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp to connect with many

friends and concubines.”

Muyiwa told the court that he had the printouts of the adulterous communication and pictures, including private ones where they recorded pictures of their private parts and other amorous messages.

In her response,Tinuola denied having legal marriage with the petitioner saying she only did ‘Introduction’ after which she moved into his house.

According to her, they started living together since 2004 and she voluntarily packed out of the house in March 2014 owing to constant quarrels, beating, starving and promiscuity.

She denied having extramarital affairs with them saying “ none of the men mentioned was my concubine or man friend as alleged by the Petitioner.”

The court president Ogunsemi adjourned the case to September 7, 2005 for further hearing.

Offshore Patrol Vessels, OPV in Africa, held in Lagos, said that the state concern on the level of criminal activities hinged on its status as the city hosting the busiest ports in the region.

Ambode, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule, lamented that the increase in crime rates poses threats to the effectiveness of the ports in the region, stressing “the maritime sector remains a critical factor towards achieving economic prosperity for the region” According to him “Nigeria as a country with the largest economy in Africa must take the lead and a launch a proactive measure to end these criminal activities. It is germane to our socio economic growth.

“We are aware of the strategic role Lagos State plays as harboring the largest port and maritime activities in the West African sub region. As a government, we are ready to partner and offer necessary support to put an end to this menace,” he added.

Ambode affirmed that unless there is a regional collaboration between stakeholders in the region, the full benefit and opportunities that abound in the sector cannot be achieved.

The governor however enjoined participants at the conference to proffer solutions that will end activities of criminals in the maritime sector.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete

Ekwe Ibas explained that the Offshore Patrol Vessel conference for Africa, the second in the series, is another platform created by stakeholders in the maritime industry to address the challenges and threats confronting the sector.

a diplomat and career ambassador.

He also urged the media to always respect the sanctity of their professional ethics by double-checking facts before going to press with issues bordering on citizens’ rights of fair hearing and national sensibilities.

Chamber inducts 300 new members

By Elizabeth Uwandu

L

AGOS—THE Chartered Institute of Administration, CIA, has inducted 300 new members, who sucessfully completed their professional examination.

The induction ceremony, held in Lagos, also witnessed the elevation of some inductees to the status of full membership.

Speaking at the event, President/Chairman of the institute Admiral Goddy Idaminabo, retd, urged the new members to bring their experience to bear in the task of nation building.

His words: ‘’The process leading to the qualification and admission into the professional membership of the institute is a rigorous one because the institute prides itself in excellence and professionalism.

“Our new members are people of exemplary conduct, skills, wealth of experience and high societal value. And we expect them to contribute to the national economy.’’

Hawker charged for attempted murder while attempting to

By Onozure Dania

L

AGOS—THE police yesterday charged a street hawker, Arinze Okemiri, before an EbuteMetta Chief Magistrate’s Court, over alleged attempted murder and arson.

The defendant, who has no fixed address is facing threecount charge bordering on arson, attempted murder and causing grievous harm.

The prosecutor, Emmanuel Ajayi, told the court that the defendant who hawks sun glasses had on July 20, at about 4p.m., attempted to burn down shop 19/21 Balogun street, in Lagos Island, belonging to one Malachi Ezeoke, by setting it on fire after wetting it with petrol.

Ajayi, further informed the court that the defendant

set ablaze the two shops, also caused bodily harm to the shop owner, Ezeoke, by setting fire on his two legs.

The offences according to the prosecutor, are punishable under sections 340(1)(2) 228(1)(2) and 234 of the criminal laws of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2011.

The defendant however pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

The defendant's lawyer, Mr. Oladele S. O. urged the court to admit him to bail in the most liberal term.

Consequently, Magistrate Olajuwon admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N400,000, with two sureties in like sum.

The magistrate also ordered that the addresses and means of livelihood of the sureties must be verified by the court’s prosecutor and adjourned the matter till September 23, for mention.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 11

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Ekwueme, Clark, Gbonigi tackle Buhari over appointments A

By Dayo Johnson

KURE—SOUTHERN leaders under the auspices of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNP, yesterday, slammed President Muhammadu Buhari over alleged lopsided appointments and selective fight against corruption.

Speaking at the meeting of the elders council in Akure, the Ondo state capital, they said that they were in support of President Buhari’s fight against corruption but kicked against its being selective.

The leaders include its chairman, Chief Edwin Clark, former Vice President Alex Ekuweme, leader of the South West Delegation, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Gbonigi, Senator Ngoji Denton West from South South, former Minister of Aviation, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Prof. Ikechukwu Madubuike, Kunle Olajide and former military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State, Ndongesit Nkanga.

Others in attendance at the meeting were Senator Tony Adefuye, Senator Femi Okunronmu, former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Kofoworola Akerele-Bucknor, Prof. Olu Agbi among others.

According to Chief Clark; “The resolve of President Buhari’s administration to wage a decisive war against corruption which is essential to put Nigeria on the global map of business friendly nations to earn the country prosperity is a most welcome development.

“However, it is important to

state unambiguously that the dialectics of corruption, as pervasive and as diverse, require a holistic fight to tame . Thus, it must not be seen to be selective and limited to some perceived political enemies and foes to score cheap political points for Nigeria to succeed in the war to eliminate the cancerous spread of this malaise.

“All those who contributed in one way or another to ruin the prospects of our great country and have brought us to this despicable position should be made to account for their actions.

“It is only when the battle against corruption is genuinely and seriously fought without fear or favour that endearing legacies

of a transformed country could be bequeathed to future generations."

He added that; “As Nigerians, we are all equal without regard to race, creed and tribe.

“It is therefore, my candid appeal to President Buhari to live his priceless mantra of ‘I belong to everybody, I belong to nobody’ in the manner the affairs of state are conducted regardless of who gave him 95 per cent votes and the five percent that did not give him votes.”

In his submission, Rev. Gbonigi appealed to the president to be total and non selective in the fight against corruption by going after corrupt persons in all the political parties, not sparing even his closest political associates.

The 85-year-old former Bishop of

the Akure Anglican diocese pointed out that justice and rule of law must reign supreme if the fight against corruption must be won.

On appointments, Bishop Gbonigi noted that the President should ensure that; “No section of the country is marginalized in appointments and sighting of development projects.

“Elections are over and President Buhari is President of Nigeria and Nigerians. No section of the country should be over patronized at the expense of others.

“It is therefore, our sincere hope that the lopsidedness in the appointment made by Mr President to date is not an indication of the trend of future appointments.”

CONFERENCE: From left: National President, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, Comrade Oladele Hunsu, Governor Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, and General Secretary, NUTGTWN, Comrade Issa Aremu, at the opening of the 27th NUTGTWN Annual Educational Conference in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Okowa inaugurates job, wealth creation scheme

A

Festus Ahon

SABA—AS part of efforts to alleviate the sufferings of Deltans, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, will today perform the official inauguration of the Job and Wealth Creation Scheme of the state government, two months after it was flagged off.

The inauguration ceremony which is to be performed at Songai-Delta in Amukpe, near Sapele, is the highlight of the orientation programme for 1,345 trainees drawn from the 25 local government areas of the state for the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme, YAGEP and Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme, STEP. The state government in a statement by the Chief Job Creation Officer of the state, Prof.

Eric Eboh, said: “The overall strategy of the job creation scheme is to equip unemployed youths with the technical know-how, vocational skills, values and resources to become self-

employed and employers of labour.”

According to the statement, the training module for the one-week orientation programme, include courses in personal effectiveness, leadership and problem-solving to give participants the requisite life skills and mind-set change essential for them to become successful entrepreneurs.

Eboh explained that the

“Curriculum is designed to expose participants to both theoretical instruction and hands-on experience in existing enterprises.

Training is based on standard fitfor-purpose modules for the enterprise or trade.”

He said that after the orientation programme, participants will further undergo apprenticeship training in select training centres after which they will proceed for

internship in existing businesses in their chosen field.

“The training will then be rounded up with an intensive course on entrepreneurship and business management at Songhai-Delta after which graduates will be given starter packs to start their businesses.

Depending on the enterprise, the duration for the training lasts from three to six months.”

Residents desert Adidi road over flood menace

By Godwin Oghre

S

APELE—RESIDENTS of Adidi Road, Sapele, Delta State, have raised alarm over constant flooding of their homes, blaming the development on poor drainage system and lack of good roads in the area.

They said that the trend has occasioned social and economic hardship on them as they called on the state government to come to their aid.

One of the residents and spokesperson of the area, Mr Ben Tobi, noted that the people staged a peaceful protest recently to draw the attention of the state government to their plight.

He said: “This area is consistently flooded during any heavy downpour. The road was to be rehabilitated during Blessing Okagbare’s marriage. The contractor poorly scrapped it and blocked the drainage with concrete, thereby stopping the flow of the

water. He promised to come back to site but since then we have not seen him despite several reminders to the state government.

“The flooding is tampering with the foundation of the houses in the area. All the mud homes of our fathers have collapsed and there is no guarantee that the block houses will not collapse in very short time because of the constant flooding."

Forum faults rating of Bayelsa gov aspirants

B

AYESA—NIGER Delta Leadership Forum, a Bayelsa-based peace advocacy group, yesterday, described as “shabby,” the recent poor rating by some political groups in the state of some governorship aspirants within the All Progressive Congress, APC, saying such rating does not reflect the true strength of character of political actors in the state.

According to the forum, though political groups and associations were entitled to their opinions and positions on issues of governance, the description of the immediate past Senator from the Bayelsa West senatorial district, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as “limited in strength” and “confrontational to constituted authority” is misplaced and a calculated attempt to alter the history of the state.

The forum in a statement by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Mathew Ayibakuro, said that the review of the political reach and performance rating of the governorship hopefuls was skewed to satisfy parochial interest.

RATTAWU suspends warning strike

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—RADIO, Television and Theatre Arts Workers in Bayelsa State, yesterday, suspended their three day warning strike following the intervention of the state government.

The aggrieved workers, however, threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if the state government fails to meet their demand within seven days.

The radio, television and theatre arts workers in the state had on Monday downed tools in protest over what they described as “the non payment of shortfall of weigh in allowance,” by the state government.

“That in view of the sufficient interest and commitment shown by government to resolve the impasse within seven days, the three day warning strike is hereby suspended."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 13

14—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Orubebe slams Oshiomhole over attack on Jonathan Says ‘you are a villa sycophant' A

By Chris Ochayi

BUJA—FORMER Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, yesterday, took a swipe at the Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, over his recent criticisms of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, describing him as a villa sycophant, who is willing to switch allegiance to whoever that was in power.

Orubebe who lambasted Oshiomhole, while speaking with select journalists in Abuja, berated the governor for speaking against former president, Dr. Jonathan who he said was a great leader.

He said, “Oshiomhole is an ingrate and a popular villa sycophant who is quick to switch allegiance to whomever is in power.”

Descending heavily on Oshomhole for what he described as “disrespecting the former President,” Orubebe advised President Muhammadu Buhari to watch out for the likes of the Edo State governor, who according to him, will choke Buhari with acclamations in a bid to have inroad and access to dip their hands into the nation’s cake.

Orubebe, who also accused Oshiomhole of being the problem

and major sycophant under the immediate past administration as the Chief Adviser on Economic and Labour Matters and particularly on subsidy removal to Jonathan, regretted that ‘Human memory is short,’ emphasising that ‘it’s unfortunate that Oshiomhole who should talk like a governor is today, biting the fingers (Jonathan) that fed him and seems to have forgotten in a hurry that he once cried around

the former president for assistance and recognition.

The former minister reiterated that 99 percent of Nigerians, particularly those in government are sycophants and declared that history had proven Edo State born Captain Hosa right, as he had earlier warned Jonathan that Nigerians will ultimately hold him responsible for whatever damage Oshomhole inflicts on the nation.

He said “Mr. President sir, I

want to attest to the fact that there is reasonable sanity in the villa, but I want you to be weary of popular Villa sycophants, this is because, Nigerian’s will hold you responsible for their atrocities and not these sycophants. Mr. President sir, I will unravelled more secrets in my about to be published book titled; ‘Presidency and Nigeria Sycophancy.’

W

ARRI—WEEKS after the Delta State House of Assembly, suspended Mr. Henry Baro, Chairman of Uvwie Local Government Area of the state, members of Uvwie Legislative Arm, have suspended the acting council Chairman, Mr. Stella Dabona over alleged violation of order.

The councillors reportedly elected Mr Raymond Ebimiwei as the council’s acting chairman.

The Councillors alleged that Mr Dabona had serially violated orders of the Uvwie Legislative standing rules on.

Meanwhile, the embattled action chairman of the council, Mrs. Daboner has cried out to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase to investigate series threat on her life by some unknown persons since her assumption of office following the

D

R. Jerry Grange, who retired as Chief Executive Officer of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi in December 1995 after many years of distinguished service as an orthopaedic surgeon, died in a hospital in Chicago, U.S.A, on Monday, August 24, 2015.

He attended St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London for his medical training and graduated in 1964. After working in Lagos for a couple of years he returned to the UK and trained to become an orthopaedic surgeon and qualified as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons.

Dr. Grange is survived by wife, Prof. Adenike Grange, three daughters and six grandchildren.”

DONATION: Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade (right), handing over keys to one of several operational vehicles to chairman of security outfit, "Operation Skolombo" Brig. Gen. Mannix Nyiam while the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, SSA, Mr. Jude Ngaji (left), and others watch in Calabar, yesterday.

Uvwie councillors suspend acting chairman

By Akpokona Omafuaire, Egufe Yafugborhi & Perez Brisibe

Dr Jerry Grange goes home

suspension of the council chairman, Baro.

Mr. Baro was suspended by the state House of Assembly on August 3 over allegation of financial misappropriation and breach of public peace within the council.

Mrs. Daboner in a petition sent to the police boss, said that since she assumed office on August 6, 2015, she has been receiving phone calls from unknown persons threatening her life if she fails to vacate office as the

council’s acting chairman.

Appealing for tight security around her, she stated that she narrowly escaped being attacked when her office was burgled on August 20 by some unknown assailants who carted away an unspecified amount of money and other valuables.

Meanwhile, indigenes in Uvwie council, yesterday, thronged major roads in the Effurun and Ekpan, protesting the continued suspension of Baro, the council chairman by the Delta State House

of Assembly.

The protesters, mostly women and youths on t-shirts with portrait of the suspended council chairman blocked major roads in the area, disrupting traffic with various placards condemning the suspension of Baro.

Oneoftheprotesters,said:“Wewant Baro,thecouncilchairmanweelected backinoffice.Welovehim.Hehasnot been found wanting of any substantiated wrongdoing and the suspensionwithimpunityissponsored and lacks merit."

UNIBEN VC tasks dons on research to create jobs for unemployed graduates in the unemployable by industries

B

By Simon Ebegbulem

ENIN CITY—VICEChancellor of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, Prof. Faraday Orumwense has charged university dons to adjust their research focus in order to make it industry driven so as to create jobs

country.

Orumwense said “The nation is currently faced with the onerous task of evolving new macroeconomics strategies that will among other things, provide the much needed jobs for teeming unemployed youths. Our graduates largely termed

make this task particularly more difficult, therefore, we must refocus our research in the interest of our nation.”

He spoke at a two-day Academia-Industry Engagement workshop organised by the University in collaboration with the Lancaster University, United Kingdom in Benin.

He stressed the need for university dons to key into the efforts by the administration of P r e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari to create jobs for Nigerians.

Late Dr. Jerry Grange

Okosu Mozimo loses mum aged 80

T

HE Mozimo and Bekeboh families of Okrika and Kpakaima in Delta State have announced the death of Mrs. Ladi Mozimo aged 80 years.

Late Mrs Ladi Mozimo was a trader and devout Christian.

Funeral arrangements will commence on Saturday, September 12, at her residence, No 38, Oduduwa Street, Aiyetoro Ajegunle, Apapa. The late Mrs. Mozimo is survived by brothers, four children and grand children, including Mr. Okosubide Mozimo, an executive of the Warri Industrial Park Project and a popular activist member of GovernmentCollegeUghelli,Old Boys Association.

Late Ladi Mozimo

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 15

16—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

DETENTION:

Enugu pastor blames police

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

E

NUGU— ONE of the pastors of the Voice of Freedom Christian Fellowship, VFCF, Enugu, Polycarp Ugwu, has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, accusing the police of complicity in his 23 days imprisonment at Enugu Prisons.

Ugwu, who was arraigned before an Enugu-North Magistrate Court on July 19, for attempted murder, preferred against him by one Jacob Ugwu, but was, however, discharged by the Attorney-General on August 11.

According to him: “My travail with Jacob over encroachment on my land at Alulu community in Enugu-East Local Government Area of Enugu State which led to my incarceration was greatly influenced by the Police. That is why the Attorney General of Enugu State, pursuant of section 252 of the Criminal Procedure Law Cap. 31 Vol.11 Laws of Enugu State 2004, concluded that the records of proof of evidence brought before him do not disclose sufficient evidence to sustain the charge of attempted murder against me.

This, he said, led to his discharge.

Mercy Nnaji dies at 91

C

HIEF MERCY Nnaji (Ezinne), is dead, aged 91.

Christian wake holds August 28, 2015, at her country home in Amuri, Nkanu West LGA, and interment follows the next day, at Nnaji’s country home in Enuagu-Amuri, after a Mass at St. Benedict Catholic Church, Amuri.

She is survived by children, grandchildren, and great grand children.

Late Chief Nnaji

UNPAID SALARIES: Civil servants,

pensioners paralyze Owerri

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—OWERRI, the Imo State capital, was virtually paralysed yesterday, as angry civil servants and pensioners trooped into the streets to protest months of unpaid salaries and allowances.

The protesting workers, and pensioner, who spotted black attire, also carried several placards with varying inscriptions, also sang derogatory songs against Governor Rochas Okorocha and his administration.

Some of the placards read: “Water have not been running in Imo since over 4 years; Imo Newspapers workers owed a total of 23 and half months, arrears of salaries; President Buhari come to the rescue of Imo State workers; Our children are

dying of hunger and disease; Stop this impunity and pay LGA workers; We say no to IMHA passing a bill on privatization of parastatals; and Families of unpaid dead retired workers cry for justice.”

The protesters’ first port of call was the State House of Assembly where they barricaded the gates and prevented the lawmakers from entering the premises.

There, they kicked against alleged planned passage of an obnoxious law to legalize and privatize all government parastatals in the state.

The Speaker, Mr. Acho Ihim, who barely managed to address the angry protsters, however dismissed the allegation as baseless.

Addressing the workers later at the Freedom Square, the state factional

Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Austin Chilakpu, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Chairman, Paul Akalazu, lamented the unpaid benefits.

After giving a breakdown of the unpaid salaries, they appealed to workers and pensioners to remain calm, and not to be intimidated by what they called “the dirty antics of the Head of Service, Mr. Callistus Ekenze, who allegedly compiled list of workers absent from their duty posts to participate in the protest.

Government’s reaction Reacting on behalf of Governor Okorocha, his media aide, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said “the labour leaders should be patriotic and avoid being tools in the hands of some elements”.

Police nab fake visa racketeer in Anambra

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

O

NITSHA—THE police in Anambra State have apprehended a 31 year-old man from Imo State who specialized in visa racketeering, providing his unsuspecting victims with fake Visa and other related travelling documents.

The suspect was said to have been tracked down by police detectives attached to Okpoko Police Division in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the State.

His arrest, according to the source, was sequel to a complaint lodged at Okpoko Police Station by one of the victims.

According to a police source, the suspected visa racketeer had allegedly lured his victim to Onitsha from his base in Abuja, through WhatsApp , one of the social media.

It was gathered that the suspect had about three years ago, allegedly obtained N150, 000 from the victim and bolted to unknown destination.

Luck, however ran out on him when the victim allegedly mounted serious man-hunt for him by extending the phone number of the suspect to one of his sisters who started chatting with him on WhatsApp. Having sighted the girl with her charming face, the suspected fake visa vendor drove himself from Abuja, to Onitsha aimed at having fun with her WhatsApp lady without knowing that it was a trap to arrest him.

When it was eventually established that he was coming to Onitsha, the victim contacted the police at Okpoko Police Division and he was ambushed.

It was learnt that in an attempt to arrest him, he made several efforts to escape but with the special assistance of the men of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC who were controlling traffic at the Niger Bridge-head, he was finally tracked down.

A police source who simply confirmed the arrest, told newsmen that the suspect had made a confessional statement to the effect that he actually collected money from his victim, adding that he had before the money was given to him, issued a man who introduced him to the victim with genuine visa and was not paid hence he seized the amount given to him in place of the first visa issued without pay.

“My brother, I am a drop out of Lagos State University, LASU, and I dropped-out at 300 level and I was studying Mass Communication before I and over 30 other students were expelled from the campus for our involvement in cultism. I have promised to balance them back and I have N50, 000 in my account. I will leave my car in the police

station and go to look for the remaining balance,” he pleaded.

Effort to speak with the Divisional Police Officer, DPO at the Division, proved abortive as he was said to have gone out on an urgent official engagement.

Onwuemeodo’s reaction reads “One had expected the leaders of the organized labour in the state to appreciate the concerted effort the state government has been making to totally deal with the issues of salary and pensions.

The labour leaders are also expected to show understanding knowing full well what the general situation is at the moment across the nation.

“The fact remains that the state government has been able, even without the much expected bailout fund, paid the civil servants, teachers and local government workers up to June salaries. The government had also repeatedly made its position known on some of the parastatals, while steps are also being taken to handle issues of salaries in the parastatals once the panels reviewing their cases finish their jobs. On the issue of pensioners, their verification had begun earlier before now and is about to be concluded. And once the verifications are over, the state government would begin to act to that effect since the desire of the governor and the government he superintends, is to see Imo people happy."

Sia Koroma ENAMING the “First Lady” the “Wife of the President” is a subtle change which shows a shift in the principles guiding public thinking. Indeed, “First Ladies” in Nigeria have previously wielded virtually as much power as their husbands if not more. The era of First Ladies allocating oil wells, shaming and insulting governors isn’t so far away.

However, Nigerians are glad to see the end of it, with a clear return to sanity: first ladies aren’t elected officials.

Plus, as Nigeria isn’t a monarchy, the president’s spouse can’t act as either her husband’s aide or replacement, in the way first ladies from Maryam Babangida, to Turai Yar’Adua or Patience Jonathan have done.

The “wife of the president” is something else entirely. Ironically, this new nomenclature conforms more to the Western and original idea of what a first lady should be: her husband’s support system, rather than a loose cannon, or free-agent. “The First Lady is, first of all, a wife”, Nancy Reagan famously said.

The office is extra-constitutional in most if not all countries, meaning the Constitution doesn’t outline any role for the first lady to play. There is no pay and no real power attached to the position, which can be filled by a niece, sister or daughter of the President if his wife is incapacitated or otherwise unable to fulfill her highly scrutinised duties. Unlike her Nigerian counterparts, the American first lady’s role is mostly ceremonial as she is chief hostess at state dinners and is meant to make the President’s official residence (it is also a tourist attraction) open and welcoming to guests, both high and low. Nigerian first ladies are very different.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 17

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Woman of the people Some might remember rumours of first ladies re-selling free donor vaccines to hospitals. Who can really say what became of Mrs. Babangida’s pet projects, or Mrs. Obasanjo’s? Is it possible to quantify their impact? Who were the beneficiaries? What is Mrs. Jonathan’s legacy as a first lady?

Who has she empowered?

Nigerians remain convinced that many first ladies merely use their pet projects as a means to appear effective while they engage in the very real business of laundering funds.

Beyond being a “woman of the people”, a “mother of the nation” with a ludicrous nickname (I am yet to understand why serious journalists indulged Patience Jonathan by calling her “Mama Peace”), or making donations to charitable causes seen as some sort of patronage (the channels via which non-governmental organisations and churches receive funds are too murky to be taken seriously or to be corruptionfree in Nigeria), as was done in the past, Mrs. Buhari must have a real impact. Let me start off by saying there is nothing wrong with her having an office.

It is what she does with it that matters. Typically, in politics,

tprincewill@yahoo.co.uk

What’s the point of a first lady?

•Maryam Babangida

•Patience Jonathan you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Hilary Clinton was a powerful and effective first lady, in the proud tradition of Eleanor Roosevelt, possibly one of America’s most famous first ladies due to her work during the poverty filled era of the Great Depression. Yet, many initially criticised Mrs. Clinton.

They criticised Laura Bush for not being outspoken enough on policy issues. Unlike their American counterparts, first ladies in Nigeria typically don't continue advocacy after their terms end: it is only a cover after all for more lucrative

This new nomenclature conforms more to the Western and original idea of what a first lady should be: her husband’s support system, rather than a loose cannon, or free-agent

•Turai Yar Adua (and illegal) activities. So, most Nigerians don’t know what they want from a first lady but undoubtedly, they want something different. Unlike in the US, how much of taxpayers’ money first ladies spend or what their family life is like, is unknown to Nigerians: they are far from the people, like queens and goddesses, they tower above the very people whose votes keep them comfortable. Mrs. Buhari

should humanise governance in Nigeria: that is, help make our elected officials accessible by promoting openness and putting people-oriented policy first.

For social progress to occur, both laws and mindsets must change and Mrs. Buhari should be at the forefront of that battle, pushing for more allocation of resources for education and healthcare, in order for us to change the way the Nigerian system operates, whereby the basic needs of the poor are not met.

How do we create more opportunities for people who deserve to have them? Social policy isn’t about handouts but enabling people to find dignity in labour. Nigeria is an unjust country, the land of the blind,

where the talented have no hope.

Mrs. Buhari must keep her husband grounded in the reality of daily life in Nigeria and offer an alternative to the testosteroneled minefield of Nigerian politics by enabling women rise and seek public office. I am worried by the Presidential spokesman’s pronouncements about her office not being funded by government.

Unfortunately, due to the past abuse of power, our answer in Nigeria is often to be draconian.

Mrs. Obama is given a budget to carry out her work because her projects are well monitored and defined.

US President Lyndon Johnson in the '60s declared a “War on Poverty”. For me, this is the next chapter for our war against indiscipline: our greed and corruption are the root cause of poverty in Nigeria. “Head Start”, an early learning programme for poor children, anchored by the President’s wife and the office of socio-economic opportunity, was jump-started by a White House tea hosted by the first lady: the programme’s initial 200,000 volunteers more than tripled.

Its educational activities, free meals and medical care have served over 32 million children.

No Nigerian first lady can boast of such an impact. Will Mrs. Buhari develop a comprehensive mother and child development programme to meet community needs? With over 10 million children out of school in the North alone, it is vital that she does.

With the help of experts and well-meaning Nigerians anxious for change, nothing is beyond her reach if she opens herself up to new, fresh voices and talents. Any activities she engages in should work towards breaking the cycle of poverty: education, we all know, plays a key role in doing so. So what is the role of our president’s wife? She is, quite simply, the bride of change, like many young women across Nigeria, who might seem unimportant to the powerful but are themselves “first ladies” in God’s eyes.

Special courts

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HE Federal Government is apparently setting up special courts to try corruption cases due to the long delays which have become typical of ordinary courts where the accused have a direct line to judges and visit them in the dead of night. Can the President find 36 incorruptible judges to do, not his bidding as the misguided opposition

calls it, but Nigeria’s? Is there anyone out there who isn’t corrupt? Like the President’s search for untainted ministers, this also amounts to looking for the Golden Fleece. But I (still) have faith in Nigerians. We know what is right: it just isn’t in some people’s interest. But their luck has run out, their time is over. As for those waiting for

Solomon Arase, IGP of Police

I

F he is able to carry out the Presidential directive reducing police officers permanently attached to private persons, it would be a big step in the direction of change. Do the rich deserve more security than the poor?

If they believe they do, let them hire guards from private firms rather than take from public resources which

belong to all, regardless of social class. We definitely

•Solomon Arase, IGP

judicial reforms which will fix the “regular” courts, capacity building, I’m sure, will be on the agenda as soon as ministers are announced. We just don’t have time for endless trials: funds must be recovered.

Moreover, everyone must answer their father’s name: let justice be done.

need to re-train ourselves in this country to regard all men as equal, then, change really will be here.

Tabia Princewill is a strategic communications consultant and public policy analyst. She is also the co-host and executive producer of a talk show, WALK THE TALK which airs on Channels TV.

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 THE National Peace Committee, led by former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, with the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah as its main engine room, played a very commendable role in helping to ensure we had a peaceful and successful transitional elections in 2015.

Made up of respected individuals, former national leaders, traditional rulers and religious chieftains, the Peace Committee was instrumental to the two peace accords which the two major presidential candidates in the election: Dr Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and retired General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) signed at the heat of the campaigns and elections.

The Peace Committee, buoyed by several eminent international statesmen, including Chief Emeka Anyaoku of Nigeria, former UN Secretary General, Dr Kofi Anan

Peace committee and anti-graft war and others, was very busy behind the scenes and helped to make it possible for the loser of the election to congratulate the winner, and thus spare the country of the imminent bloody consequences of a disputed poll.

Nigerians deeply appreciate that effort and treasure the Peace Committee’s role in ensuring Nigeria survived a major stress test of not just her democracy but national survival as well.

We will, therefore, not subscribe to the smear campaign which some members of that Committee have

been subjected to after their recent visit to President Buhari, based on the speculation that they might have gone to intercede for some individuals as the much anticipated anti-graft campaign revs to a start.

We however, want to register our strong support for the war on corruption. We support the present administration’s intention to go after those who might have run afoul of the laws of the land through criminal abuse of office and stealing or misappropriation of public funds and property in the past. We be-

lieve that all occupants of public office must render accounts of their stewardship.

However, we reiterate the need for the war on corruption to follow the due process of the law. We hope the anti-graft and law enforcement agencies would be fully empowered to carry out thorough investigation of suspects and confront them in court with cast-iron evidence to ensure conviction and recovery of stolen funds and property.

We do not subscribe to the notion of pinning the war on corruption to a definite date. Whenever credible evidence exists let it be pursued. The war on corruption must not be politicised in any way, and no one should be victimised or spared due to their station in society or relationship with anyone.

And no one or group should interfere, in any way, with the campaign to recover looted funds and restore the culture of probity in our public life.

OPINION Can the president govern with body language?

Then came the real clincher; “When a man is

By Emeka Odikpo

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HIEF Obafemi Awolowo S.A.N. was a man known for meticulous planning and attention to details. It is on record that he was the first man to propose a Federal system of governance for Nigeria and this he did as far back as 1947 in his work Path to Nigerian Freedom. It is remarkable that 68 years down the line, no better model has been proposed for the governance of this country. That seminal proposal had nothing to do with body language. Still on the self same Chief Awolowo.

I had the good fortune of watching the same sage on National Television as a pre-teen being interviewed during his campaign for the 1979 general elections. From the dredges of my preteen memory I recollect a question and answer session that went somewhat like this: Interviewer: “Chief, why do you believe that you are qualified to lead this Country?”

Chief Awolowo: “Thank you very much for that question. Firstly in 1961 I made economic proposals that ought to be used for the development of this country, ten years after, precisely in 1971 my proposal was more or less adopted as the 2nd National Development plan. My book Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution was published in 1966, detailing an agenda for a bicameral legislative structure at the Federal level and a unicameral structure at the state level.

This agenda was adopted more than a decade later as the very basis of Nigerian Constitution.”

C M Y K

ten years ahead of his compatriots, that man is not just qualified to be their leader, in fact he is already their leader.” The fact that Chief Awolowo was extremely qualified and had immense preparation and capacity to be Nigeria’s leader was never lost to even his biggest critics. This had nothing to do with body language.

Fast forward to Nigeria of 2015. A new and somewhat shocking language has been developed and is being actively promoted by the President’s biggest supporters and that is that the President is governing with body language. Governance world over is based essentially on planning, focus and adroit implementation. Leaders world over, including our last two Presidents usually start by acknowledging this truism; which was why President Yar Adua immediately came up with his seven point agenda immediately he was sworn into office.

President Goodluck Jonathan also came up with his Transformation Agenda once he assumed office. One of President Yar 'Adua’s seven point agenda was to secure peace in

Our President must stop listening to sycophants that now dot the entire Nigerian space

the Niger Delta; it is on record that with the active participation of the then Vice President, this agenda was fulfilled. Detailed planning, detailed proposals were made to the militants and peace was finally achieved. This had nothing to do with body language. President Jonathan had a more detailed transformation agenda. The road map to power that he launched, whilst Professor Bath Nnaji was still his Adviser on power was clearly incisive and had a clear sense of direction. The presence of DISCOS, GENCOS and even that of Manitoba did not happen by accident, they were a resultant effect of detailed planning and adroit implementation. This had nothing to do with body language. The dramatic increase in the production of local rice and the increase in our local milling capacity, which has now enabled the CBN to de-list rice from being entitled to foreign exchange for its import did not happen by accident, the projections were contained in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda. This had nothing to do with body language.

Our President must stop listening to sycophants that now dot the entire Nigerian space. So far the President has not rolled out a single plan on any area of our National life or on the multiform areas of governance.

Quite amazingly, even on corruption, which has been the constant basis of his public persona from 1984 till date, the President has not made a single proposal or laid out a single plan for tackling this tragedy. Without distinct, brilliant and concise plans, nothing will be achieved by this administration. The simulated press adulation and sycophantic praises of the President can quite easily continue for several years to come, but at the

end of the day, this administration will be known for having puffed and huffed and probably nothing else. This has nothing to do with body language.

Already, the absence of a general plan and sense of direction has rendered the National Assembly comatose. Executive bills are the bed rock of any Legislature. The bills indicate the direction, laws and regulations the government requires to function. Under our previous leaders, executive bills came in their numbers to the National Assembly.

Consequently, the gentlemen were quite busy debating and modifying the proposals of the executive. That is the core essence of a democracy. This has nothing to do with body language.

The effect of the total absence of a discernible plan or policy is also exacting its toll on the economy. Foreign direct investments are said to have declined by 48% over the last three months. The Central Bank Governor appears to be at his wits end to read the body language of the president on the direction the economy should be headed.

Policies are tumbling out from the Central Bank in a half hazard and somewhat confused manner. The prevailing policies on trade liberalisation are being stifled by the Central Bank, without concomitant directives from the Presidency on the fiscal policies that shall prevail during the tenure of the President. If this confusion continues, our economy will definitely suffer innumerable shocks and will further decline.

This has nothing to do with body language.

*Mr. Odikpo, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015—19 —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Power supply: NERC, DISCOs and the National Assembly

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HERE are not many things on which Nigerians agree as far as the achievements or nonachievements of the Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan governments are concerned. One of these contentious issues is about who should take credit for the observable improvement in power supply across the country in the last three months. While this remains a matter of debate for many, what has not been open to debate is the fact that there is an obvious and measurable improvement in power supply since the end of May. If there is anything like a consensus today regarding the state of our country, it is on this simple point. But in spite of the degree of partisanship that has characterised the question of where credit should go for the improved supply of power, what should and would ultimately be of concern to Nigerians is how to sustain and, hopefully, improve on the 6, 000 megawatts or thereabout that is presently being generated and is sending many Nigerians into rhapsodies of celebration. No matter how we look at it, even 10,000 megawatts would still fall far short of our energy needs given

our population should it be possible for us to generate that much this very moment.

The point needs to be underlined that we are yet far from where we should be with regards to power supply. More importantly, it is the sustainability of the present improvement over a long period of time that should matter to us all, not the gratification of our immediate needs. Which is to say that, it is only when Nigerians do not experience any shortfall in the supply of electricity over a long period of time, especially in the period of the dry season when water level drops- it is only then we can all begin to imagine a permanent and positive change in power supply. Otherwise, the present chest-thumping and praises being heaped on the supposed facilitator(s) of our improved fortune may be shortlived. This warning is more for Muhammadu Buhari than it is for anyone else, least of all Goodluck Jonathan who is no longer in office.

It is Buhari who still has something to prove to Nigerians.

It is his government that is being assessed- more or less on trial in the view of those who believe he is

not the right man for Nigeria.

Whatever credit anyone may crave for Jonathan, the truth of the matter is that he has had his opportunity and there cannot now be room for any kind of belated or ‘posthumous beatification’ of his administration. He cannot in my view take credit for what did not happen when he was in office.

Nor can he be blamed for too long for whatever happens thereafter. Those in power now must take responsibility for whatever happens under their watch. The simple explanation that the few positive changes that have recently happened were due to the perception that Buhari would have none of the kind of rubbish many did around Jonathan is too difficult for some to accept or comprehend. Buhari would however have to do more than hope that people would continue to ‘behave’ based on his no-nonsense reputation/ perception. Sooner than later, the people who did for Jonathan would get back to business.

They appear to be at work already, if one is to go by the greedy

The tragedy of the Nigerian system is that there are too few and limited protection available to consumers of goods and services

Orlu senatorial zone and limit of desperation

By Okechukwu Eze

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VEN among thieves, there is a limit to dishonour, so says Jeffery Archer, who actually titled one of his novels Honour Among Thieves. It follows that in every trade or business, including politics, there must be a limit to desperation and a limit to desperate antics. There must be honour. In other words, this norm of engagement in every human enterprise, both the vile and the virtuous, ought to be respected by any rational actor.

However, as rare as it may be, there are one in a million persons who by the virtue of their sheer inanity often break this golden rule of human engagement.

Senator Osita Izunaso appears to be one of such rare persons who have no limit to his level of desperation in politics. In 2011 when he lost the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries for Imo West Senatorial District to Senator Hope Uzodimma, Izunaso’s desperation to take the ticket from Uzodimma knew no bounds. The primaries were free, fair and transparent.

Izunaso, as incumbent Senator then, lost by a wide margin to Uzodimma. Yet, he battled to reclaim the party’s ticket and in the process made all efforts to achieve his goals without success. From nowhere, he came up with the story that Uzodimma, was not qualified to run for the elections, brandishing a disqualification claim by the PDP Primaries Appeal Panel.

Even when the PDP as his party said the Appeal Panel went out of its terms of reference and held that Uzodimma was ably qualified to run for the Senate elections, Izunaso went to court to challenge everybody. He pursued the matter up to the Supreme Court where

he was finally disgraced by the judgement of the apex court.

Typical of one whose desperation level knows no bounds, the Supreme Court judgement did not daunt him. He sponsored some characters to institute fresh cases in courts. He even attempted to go back to the Supreme Court.

Expectedly, all came to nullity.

Uzodimma served out his first tenure as Senator.

This year, 2015, Izunaso contested for Imo West Senatorial District on the banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and lost woefully to Senator Hope Uzodimma who contested on the platform of the PDP. It was clear from the results that the people of Orlu Senatorial District still preferred Senator Uzodimma as their Senator because they were convinced that he did very well in his first outing.

With over 100 projects attracted to Orlu zone by Uzodimma, ranging from roads, water and electricity, as well as rehabilitation/equipping of schools and hospitals, etc, the people were satisfied that Uzodimma was still their best bet in the Senate. Even the highly reputable Orlu Zone Elders Council, made up of highly respected statesmen and women from the 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Orlu came out boldly to endorse Uzodimma shortly before the elections.

They even went the extra mile to advice other candidates, including Izunaso, to

He must come to terms with the fact people of Orlu zone cannot go back to the days of infantile representation

and unconscionable conduct of the operators of the power distribution companies (DISCOs), and the way the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and the National Assembly appear to be turning a blind eye to their activities. The DISCOs look set to drag Nigeria back in its march toward improved power supply while both NERC and the National Assembly look on in bemused silence. These so-called representatives of the people in the National Assembly appear to be acquiescent, at least, if not conniving in the fleecing of Nigerians by the distribution companies. This for them is not new territory. They did it before when the mobile telephone companies first started operations and imposed cruel charges on Nigerians in the name of breaking even. Some of them claimed call rates could only be charged per minute even when the drop rate was abnormally high.

Rather than act for the people, members of the National Assembly with oversight role on the problem were content to enjoy the toll-free lines provided by the telecoms companies. This enabled them to talk for as long as they wanted without paying.

Now, probably as chair holders in the power distribution companies, they are playing deaf and dumb to the plight of Nigerians as they suffer in the hands of the distribution companies. Perhaps, no two issues have got Nigerians more agitated and exercised about the activities of the distribution companies than the issue of fixed charges and estimated billing, aside constant power outages in certain areas. Both cases amount to a rip-off of Nigerians and it is just curious that our so-called law

step down for Uzodimma, on the grounds that he (Uzodimma) was the best candidate for the election.

If all these were not enough ominous signals for Izunaso, the elections proper should have been. In the election, he was again, and predictably defeated. But he did not concede defeat.

Izunaso went to the Elections Petition Tribunal to challenge the elections results.

One must admit that this is his legitimate right and no one should begrudge him on that; that is if he keeps to the rules of the game.

But Izunaso, did not keep to the rules.

He will rather apply all the villainous tactics to see if he can gain any advantage.

It was therefore not surprising that he went to the press recently claiming that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were frustrating his matter at the Tribunal.

Common sense dictates that if one is in court and one has a lawyer representing one, the right place to complain in the event of any threat to the judicial process must be the court, which has the powers to enforce instant order. But for a desperate man the place to go is the press to unduly invoke public sympathy and perhaps blackmail and intimidate INEC officials.

But the climax of all this is to threaten the lawyer representing INEC on a matter before an Election Tribunal. Izunaso and his cohorts allegedly threatened the INEC lawyer on phone and asked him to backoff the case. This is of course the height of impetuosity. And the question to ask is whether there is really no limit to desperation.

This is the crux of the matter and it may not be inappropriate to remind Osita Izunaso that he should demonstrate through his conduct that he was once a Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who ought to know

makers in Abuja pretend to be helpless as to what to do. While NERC continues to change positions on the issue of fixed charges, one moment opposing it while supporting it in the next moment, the Nigerian Senate recently invited operators of the companies and other stakeholders apparently to address some of the complaints made by the public only to leave the issue hanging unresolved.

The tragedy of the Nigerian system is that there are too few and limited protection available to consumers of goods and services. Worse yet, there are limited avenues for remediation where cases of infraction have been established against some of the multinational companies that provide these services. Thus, these companies can choose to disconnect the phone lines of customers without warning or make unwarranted deductions from their credit balance while sending them unsolicited messages without fear of consequences.

The power distribution companies are yet to provide any coherent reasons for their extortionist ways but from available information, it is obvious that the companies are trying to make Nigerians pay for their incompetence by imposing outrageous bills on their customers or finding diverse ways to make them pay for services they don’t enjoy.

Nigerians have been told for example that the distribution companies use far less than the quantity of power generated and supplied to them even though they must pay for the excess generated.

Their own way of breaking even, it would seem, is therefore to employ different tricks to make the consumers pay for the unused

therefore that he ought to respect theat position. Yes, there must be a limit to desperation, particularly for one who has had the privilege of sitting in the red chambers of the National Assembly.

I refuse to agree with the argument in some quarters that because Izunaso is like an overfed baby who had fame thrust on him by the efforts of others, he is understandably desperate to reclaim the fame he never knew how it came about in the first place. Those who make this argument readily recall how the same Senator Hope Uzodimma made him Special Adviser (SA) Media to the then Senate President, Senator Evan Enwerem now late, and later SA Media to then Governor Achike Udenwa who later convinced the people Orlu Zone to send him to the Senate; or how Nze I.M.O Umunnah as the Secretary to the Imo State Government under Udenwa, single handedly gave him the PDP House of Representatives ticket in 2003 and how he later became a Senator by default.

They also recall how incumbent Senator Hope Uzodimma battled to secure the 2007 Senatorial ticket for him which Udenwa and other interests almost took away from him.

Those who adduce this argument insist that what he needs is pity and not condemnation.

But I disagree. The fact that one was breastfed with fame and power as an adult cannot justify a rabbit desperation to seek to acquire the same fame and power, when they depart him, against all odds and rational thinking. Such rare shower of benevolence should, on the contrary, make such a person more humane and Godfearing. Izunaso should adjust to the size of his own shoes. He must come to terms with the fact that our democracy is deepening by the day and the people of Orlu Zone cannot go back to the days of infantile and uneventful representation at the Senate.

•Mr. Eze, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Owerri, Imo State.

20 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY,, AUGUST 26, 2015

Unending intrigues in Delta over DESOPADEC •Lori-Ogbebor’s fury; Okowa’s olive branch

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, Warri

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HE Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, obviously knew what was at stake when he embarked on a troubleshooting mission to the palace of the Olu of Warri, HRM, Ogiama Atuwatse II, at the weekend.

His enterprise was to ask the respected monarch to prevail on one of his fiery subjects, the Igba of Warri Kingdom, Chief Rita LoriOgbebor, to drop her antagonism to the recently signed Amended law on the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC. The other was also for her to rescind her threat to drag the state government to court if he (Okowa) did not repeal the law within seven days.

Lori-Ogbebor’s antecedents: Anybody, who knows Chief LoriOgbebor well enough and her doggedness in matters she believes in can only agree that she is a hard nut to crack. Former Governors James Ibori and Emmanuel Uduaghan had bitter doses of her radicalism during their stints in power over what she felt was their anti-people stand on the policies of theirgovernments,including13per cent derivation to the oil communities.

She took Uduaghan to court over his plan to name a school on a disputed land in Okere after the Olu of Warri and rejected a Christmas gift from his government in 2013. Lori-Ogbebor had fought virtually every government in the state on where she felt bad and supported them when need be.

Okowa’s tactical move Governor Okowa, who had watched her exploits over the years from the sidelines, understood what it means to be at loggerheads with the “Iron Lady of Warri”.

The Olu of Warri, who Okowa rushed to for intervention, also recognised why he would not shave Lori-Ogbebor’s head in her absence.Asourcesaidthemonarch after listening to the Governor tactically advised him “not to undermine the Igba of Warri, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, in negotiating the interest of the Itsekiri as it affects DESOPADEC.” The Governor, accompanied by the member representing Warri Federal Constituency, Daniel Reyenieju, reportedly told the monarch that a palace chief has been slated for a top position in the soon-to-be constituted DESOPADEC Board, but the guarded traditional ruler C M Y K

*Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II responded that he did not know the nominee whose name the governor mentioned.

Last week Wednesday, Chief Lori-Ogbebor gave the Governor a seven-day ultimatum to reverse his position on the newly signed law. She argued that the law, which grants DESOPADEC 50 percent of the accrued 13 per cent derivation fund to the state was unconstitutional to the extent of its contradiction of the Nigerian Constitution, which, she said, supports 100 per cent of the derivation being used for the development of only oilproducing areas of the state.

Storm before the passage In fact, it was hostilities before the House of Assembly passed be bill for the new law, as a section of the host communities in the state, led by pioneer chair of DESOPADEC, Chief Wellington Okirika, rejected the amendment until their interests were included. The Ijaw and Urhobo oil communities had threatened to shut down oil facilities in their domains if Okowa did not listen to the demands.

Chief Okirika hailed the governor and the House of Assembly soon after he signed the amended bill, but the rejection of the same law by LoriOgbebor and her group suggested a fresh rumble among the leaders of the host communities.

Silence: Some leaders of the oil communitiesinthestatekeptsealed lips when contacted by Vanguard Metro on the matter.

MaikpobiknocksLori-Ogbebor: However, National Coordinator of Host Communities of Nigeria, HOSTCOM, Prince Okareme Maikpobi, slammed Chief Lori – Ogbebor over her seven-day ultimatum to the state government to abrogate the new law, saying it was impracticable.

Prince Maikpobi, who is also the

•Gov Ifeanyi Okowa national chair, Board of Trustees, Community Development Committee, CDC of Oil and Gas Producing Communities in the Niger-Delta, insisted: “The law has been signed, all we want is reflected in the law. Host communities are happy with the law as it is today. Areas of concern to us have been the timely release of fund and the governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has assured that he will implement the law to the letter.”

He said: “Chief Lori-Ogbebor’s call for repeal of the law is not realistic. We had canvassed this position before at the federal level; we took it up at the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal and Allocation Commission, RMFAC. However, their position is that oil communities are not part of the three tiers of government for the purpose of revenue sharing. We all know it is federal, state and local governments and the state created DESOPADEC to hold the 13 per cent derivation fund in trust for the oil communities. The ideal thing is to pay the total 13 per cent to the oil communities. That is our position, but frankly speaking, there is no approved structure for such dis-

There is the urgent need to insulate DESOPADEC from undue political interference by appointing credible technocrats to man the Commission so that the body can realise its mandate to the host communities

*Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor bursement without passing through the state government.”

Ikimi joins the fray: Warri-based lawyer and activist, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, also faulted Lori-Ogbebor’s decision to go to court, saying it was an exercise in futility. However, he agreed with her that the entire 13 per cent derivation fund belongs to the oil communities, according to Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Ikimi added: “Having said that, I make bold to say further and without holding brief for the Delta State Government or patronising her that any proposed litigation would be an ill -fated exercise.”

Consolidated revenues His words: “ This is because while Section 162(3) (4) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution provides for how monies standing to the credit of the federal, state and local governments in the Federation Account as consolidated revenues are to be managed by the three tiers of government. Section 162(2) of the same Constitution is silent on the way and manner 13 per cent derivation fund should be managed.”

Host communities can’t manage 13% derivation for now: “To this end the 13 per cent derivation fund, which constitutionally belongs to oil and gas producing communities cannot be managed directly by them in the absence of an administrative structure and an Act of the National Assembly empowering them to so do, as they are not a selfaccounting unit such as government ministries or extra ministerial departments.

“It is this gap that is created by the Constitution that has given the state governors in the Niger Delta region the latitude to manage the derivation fund on behalf of the oil and gas producing communities,” he posited Ikimi asserted: “The lacuna

created by the Constitution requires a political solution as opposed to a litigation that would do the host communities no good.”

Derivation Fund Commission: He said: “As a way of resolving the above lacunae politically, a Derivation Fund Commission established by an Act of parliament was proposed in recent past by some Niger Delta activists, having seen the fruitlessness in embarking on litigation.

“A board membership consisting of chairman, secretary and members to be drawn from the nine states within the region and a staff of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, was also suggested for the purpose of supervising the distribution of the 13 percent derivation fund in full to states with oil and gas producing commissions.

“While it manages in full the funds for those states within the region that are without such commissions. To drive home my above point that a political solution is the answer in the above regard as oppose to a litigation, the case of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria whose members went to courtfortheinterpretationofSection 162(9) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is very apt in this regard.

“The above provision of the constitution guaranteed the financial autonomy of the judiciary to the effect that any amount standing to thecreditoftheJudiciaryintheFederation Account shall be paid directly to the National Judicial Council for distribution to the heads of court.

Ineffectiveness of court action “ However, in January, 2014 an Abuja High Court delivered judgement in favour of the union, but till date, the said judgement has been largely unenforceable owing to the fact that the National Judicial Council, whose main functions are to ensure the rule of law and justice is not a self accounting unit,” he said.

Ikimi disclosed: “As such, an Act of the National Assembly is required to give the Accountant General of the Federation power to deduct funds due the judicial arm of government directly from the consolidated revenue in the Federation Account and pay same to the National Judicial Council for onward transmission to heads of court nationwide.

“Even with a valid judgment at the disposal of the union, members are at a dilemma as to the way and manner to enforce the said judgment and have resorted to strike action in a bid to further press home their demand.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 21

Global stocks, oil, dollar extend gains after China cuts rates

Nigeria to host the Africa $33bn RemitAfrica2015 summit

By Omoh Gabriel

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ORE than 200 delegates and 65 industry stakeholders from more than 25 countries are expected to attend the RemitAfrica2015 event in Lagos in December.

Remittance providers and stakeholders such as money transfer operators, financial services providers, financial technology providers, vendors, agent network operators, mobile financial services providers, regulators and stakeholders from the supply and demand side of the remittance industry will be meeting at the REMITAFRICA2015.

According to the organizers of the forum, MobileMoneyAfrica) Nigeria was selected to host the event being the top Africa remittance beneficiary in the last few years.

Financial expert say that the formal market for international and cross border money transfer to Africa is still young and faces typical emerging markets challenges when compared to more established markets.

According to them, a competitive market space is required to foster technology innovation, access and drive the expansion necessary to reduce cost and reach underserved areas.

According to a recent report by the World Bank, the growth of remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to slow to 0.9 per cent in 2015, amounting to $33 billion. Globally, it is expected to reach $586 billion in 2015, though at a slower growth

S

RECEPTION: From left, Victor Ezenwoko, Executive Director, Regional Business Lagos/ West, Diamond Bank Plc; High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, Mokgethi Samuel Monaisa, Uzoma Dozie, CEO, Diamond Bank Plc; Ayona Trimnell, Head, Corporate Communications, Diamond Bank Plc and Mzwandile Masina, South Africa’s Deputy Minister, Trade & Industry, at a dinner for the South African Business Delegation to Nigeria by Diamond Bank Plc. rate of 0.4 per cent due to economic conditions and is expected to accelerate again to reach an estimated $636 billion in 2017.

Africa has made great strides in mobile technology adoption and penetration. However, despite the pervasive coverage of such mobile networks across Africa, technological innovation has yet to drive down costs in remittance markets. The barriers to costreduction, challenges and

NNPC boss calls for diversification of power generation

By Ediri Ejoh

CURRENCY DOLLAR

$3,119.00

32.00

$10.64

0.25

$44.09

1.40

39.55

1.31

BUYING

CENTRAL

196 196.5 POUNDS 306.9948 307.778 EURO 219.1868 219.746 FRANC 203.2526 203.7748 YEN 1.5812 1.5852 CFA 0.3107 0.3207 WAUA 273.3478 274.0451 RENMINBI 30.6696 30.7483 RIYAL 52.2499 52.3832 SDR 275.2036 275.9057 KRONA 29.3677 29.4426

197 308.5611 220.3051 204.2933 1.5892 0.3307 274.7424 30.827 52.5165 276.6077 29.5175

CBN Exchange Rate as at 24/ 08 /15

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Africa has made great strides in mobile technology adoption and penetration

opportunities in the African remittance market, improving efficiency at the last mile, the role of non- bank financial institutions and the emergence of digital remittances such as mobile money, online transfers and crypto-currencies in lowering remittance cost for Africans are some of the subject matter areas to be considered at the conference being held at the prestigious Lagos Oriental hotel, Nigeria.

A

s part of measures to improve electricity supply across the country, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, the Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has called for the diversification of power generation in the country. He made this call at the Nigeria Association of Energy Correspondent, (NAEC) Conference 2015, held at Eko Hotel, Lagos recently.

Kachikwu revealed that Nigeria should be ready to extend its energy generation

beyond natural gas, hydro and oil sources to meet its power needs. He noted that apart from the percentage contribution of power estimated at natural gas- 39.8 percent, hydro- 35.6 percent and oil-24.2 percent, the country is endowed with the mix of other conventional energy reserves including coal , solar, wind , biomass and potential for nuclear.

“Diversification into available resources will reduce the country’s dependence on oil and gas, thereby setting the stage for sustainable development.

Reserves availability of the various energy sources include crude oil -36 billion bbls, natural gas-1.80 trillion standard cubic feet, coal and

lignite - 2.7 billion tones, tar sands- 31 billion boe, hydropower- 14,750 MegaWatt, solar -Abt 7.0kWh/sq meters per day, wind 2-4m/s at 10m height, biomass 320 million hectares and nuclear is yet to be quantified.

The NNPC boss further disclosed that all economies of the world require energy to power both industrial and residential activities.

According to him natural gas is increasingly becoming the fuel of choice for power generation, given the current power generation challenge confronting Nigeria and its huge untapped gas reserves.

He further cautioned that the country cannot be an exception to this ongoing gas to power revolution.

tocks, oil prices and safehaven bond yields rose as a tentative market rebound picked up pace after China cut interest rates and banks’ reserve requirements to kick-start its wavering economy Reuters reported yesterday.

The dollar appreciated against most major currencies, rising 1.4 per cent against the yen and 0.65 percent against its currency basket as the stimulus boost to the world’s number two economy gave impetus to the case for a near-term interest rate hike in its biggest.

Global markets were pummeled on Monday, with Chinese shares falling 8 percent, prompting investor calls for remedial action from authorities that grew louder overnight after the Shanghai Composite Index slumped a further 8 percent.

Economists said Tuesday’s response - a 25 basis point cut in key rates and 50 bps off the reserve requirement rate for large commercial banks - sent a clear signal that Beijing, which has stepped in several times this year to keep China’s high-powered growth on track, was still willing to intervene.

But as asset prices eased back following the initial euphoria, some questioned whether the measures would help.

“Investors have been waiting for them to act and they have,” said Kallum Pickering, senior economist at Berenberg. Is this sufficient? It might not be but it does set a precedent that they are engaged and looking to prevent any further declines.”

As the previous day’s rush for safety reversed, German Bund yields also rose with the 10-year benchmark up 11 basis points at 0.69 percent. Yields on safehaven U.S. Treasuries were also up.

Wall Street was indicated up 3.6 percent, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index gained 4.4 per cent and MSCI’s benchmark emerging stocks index rose 2.4 percent - its biggest jump in two years after seven days of back-to-back falls.

“The PBOC (central bank) is doing what it has to do but it is very likely it is not enough so more will have to be done,” said Wei Yao, China economist for Societe Generale in Paris.

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

If you are driving within Lagos State ...and law enforcement agents stop you to verify the authenticity and genuineness of your motor insurance certificate, please oblige them

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China blast: Insurance on hold as residents around site evacuated

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N response to the recent blast in China, various market sources have started to come up with insured loss estimates, but those estimates are subject to uncertainty as residents within three kilometres of the blast site have been evacuated.

Direct insurers and their policyholders are still not allowed to inspect on-site the extent of loss damage.

According to a report by A.M Best, titled, “Tianjin Losses Still Being Calculated; Risk Management Tools Come Into Play,” property damage claims will form the major part of overall insured loss, which includes property and content losses at and near the blast site, arising from mostly commercial property policies, as well as thousands of new motor vehicles parked near the site, which were damaged by fire or explosion. Business interruption loss forms a large part of the uncertainty surrounding the ultimate loss for the insurance industry in this incident.

Insurance industry On the marine cargo side, it will take time for claims arising from damaged shipping containers to be reported and inspected by insurance companies. Besides property, motor and marine cargo losses, to a lesser extent some liability, personal accident and life claims will arise from the incident.

The report stated that not only local insurers and reinsurers in China are impacted by the incident, but some regional insurers and reinsurers may also incur losses from this incident through inward reinsurance treaties and facultative placements.

According to the report, massive Tianjin warehouse explosion is just less than two years since the SK Hynix’s semiconductor factory fire disaster in September 2013, which caused over USD 1 billion insured losses (total loss is USD 900 million). Both direct and reinsurance premium rates will be hardened, and reinsurers will likely tighten their terms and conditions for large commercial risks.

The massive explosion at a toxic chemical warehouse in the port at Tianjin, about 200 kilometers from Beijing, China, on August 12, 2015, has caught worldwide attention. To date, over one hundred people died in the incident with the death toll likely to rise further.

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INSURAN Why you should allow verification of your vehicle insurance certificate Stories by Rosemary Onuoha

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enceforth, if you are driving within Lagos State and officials of the Ministry of Transportation or other law enforcement agents stop you to verify the authenticity and genuineness of your motor insurance certificate, please oblige them.

This is because the Nigeria Insurers Association, NIA, has handed over some motor insurance verification devices to officials of Lagos state government to check for genuine insurance on the platform of the Nigerian Insurance Industry Database, NIID. According to the NIA, the move is part of efforts aimed at getting more Nigerians into the insurance net and boosting the culture of insurance among citizens of Lagos State.

As a vehicle owner, you need to cooperate with these agents because the Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Sewedo Oluseyi Whenu promised that officials of the state vehicle inspection services would put the devices to effective use.

NIA Chairman, Mr. Godwin Wiggle said that it is regrettable that many motorists have failed to appreciate the

need to obtain genuine insurance documents from registered insurance companies and have kept the culture of patronising fake insurance documents dealers in spite of the dangers attached.

Wiggle said that the devices were configured to assist the vehicle inspection officers in the effective discharge of their duties, adding that with the right attitude, Nigerians will further appreciate the value of having genuine insurance documents instead of patronising touts.

Benefits of the NIID The NIID will provide protection to Nigerians against the dangerous activities of insurance fraudsters, particularly the third party

The database is one instrument that will become very handy in the control or fight towards the eradication of fake insurances in Nigeria

motor insurance certificate racketeers. The database, therefore, is one instrument that will become very handy in the control or fight towards the eradication of fake insurances in Nigeria. The database would facilitate easy collation and dissemination of statistical information relating to all classes of insurance in Nigeria and also serve as a platform for easy identification of genuine insurances by security agencies and other relevant authorities.

Experts’ opinion The NIID, according to experts, is a good step in the right direction to guard against forgeries and frauds in the insurance industry.

Recall that the NIID project was complimentary to NAICOM’s drive to enforce all relevant laws to rid the nation of fake insurers and insurances.

Over the past four years, NAICOM had embarked on various campaigns aimed at sanitizing and eradicating fake insurances from the system through its Market Development and Restructuring Initiative (MDRI) this is because of the menace of fake insurances in the country which has over the years deprived the nation of the socio-economic benefits inherent in genuine insurance transactions. The NIID is of great benefit to all stakeholders in the insurance industry.

Such

Global insurance rates decline further A

BUNDANT insurance and reinsurance market capacity, assisted by the influx of alternative capital,

coupled with a lack of large loss events, has contributed to a decline in global insurance rates for the ninth

COMMISSIONING: From left: Dr. Yeside Oyetayo, Rector, Centre for Insurance and Financial Management Studies (CIFMS); Mrs. Yetunde Ilori, CEO, AXA Mansard Insurance Plc; Lady Isioma Chukwuma, President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN); and Mr. Ndukwe Anagha, Divisional Director, Operations and Technology, AXA Mansard Insurance, at the official commissioning of the AXA Mansard E-Library donated to CIFMS.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

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CE & YOU

— 23

NIID will provide protection to Nigerians against the dangerous activities of insurance fraudsters, particularly the third party motor insurance certificate racketeers

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‘Private sector should manage more govt policies’

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SENDFORTH: From left: Ashish Desai, outgoing CEO of Wapic Insurance, receiving a parting gift from the DMD, Bode Ojeniyi, with Femi Obaleke, ED, in the middle at the send-forth party in Esai's honour. stakeholders include but not limited to the various government at all levels, policyholders, shareholders of insurance firms and would-be investors.

Former President of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurers Brokers (NCRIB), Mrs. Laide Osijo said, “NIID was borne out of the need to extend the frontiers of interaction between the insurance industry and strategic stake holders in the society.”

Managing Director of Lasaco Assurance Plc, Mr. Olusola LadipoAjayi said the NIID project was an information technology-based system that would facilitate easy collation and dissemination of statistical and other information relating to insurance on one hand, and also serves as a vehicle for easy identification of genuine insurance documents by relevant authorised persons.

Some of the benefits of the NIID

quarter running, according to analysts at Marsh.

“Competitive market conditions, characterised by an abundance of global capacity and a lack of large insured loss activity resulting in reported improved underwriting results with favourable combined ratios, helped account for the ninth consecutive quarter of rate decreases,” noted Marsh.

Commercial insurance rates decreased in various geographies and across the majority of large business lines during the second-quarter of 2015, as the competitive market environment continues to challenge firms’ profitability.

With pricing in the global property catastrophe reinsurance market remaining pressured owing to a lack of major loss events, a glut of capital and heightened competition, reinsurance market participants are increasingly seeking to access the returns of primary business lines.

As a result, notes Marsh; “Surplus levels typically remained at or near record levels, helping to drive the competitive marketplace during the

second quarter. Alternative capital continues to flow into the industry and is creating an additional source of risk transfer, fuelling competition, and helping to drive rates lower.”

Marsh Global Industry Specialties and Placement leader, Dean Klisura, also commented on the abundance of capital; “While there are some insurers exiting certain lines of business, overall market capacity remained abundant during the quarter.

Market capacity Aiding the market’s overall capacity has been the willingness of companies to consider capacity outside their regional geographies. This strengthens the global nature of the marketplace.”

The observation from Marsh regarding the inflow of alternative capital in the global commercial property and casualty (P&C) space isn’t surprising, with other industry analysts, including MarketScout and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW), noting the pressures on primary lines’ rates in recent times has been

include monitoring and authenticating insurance transaction documents; reducing red tape and corruption by integrating with the vehicle registration system of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), police and other relevant government agencies; ensuring easy access to statistical data for effective decision making.

Right now, policy holders whose vehicle insurance details have been uploaded can check their motor insurance status via SMS and the internet.

exacerbated by the flood of third-party reinsurance capital entering the sector.

Furthermore, the benign catastrophe loss trend, which exacerbates the surplus of capacity, has continued, “helping drive insurer profitability and removing near-term catalysts for increased rates,” notes marsh.

Underlining this point, Bowring Marsh Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Andrew Chester said; “Capacity in the international marketplace remains abundant and, in certain cases, there is an oversubscription of capacity for limits being purchased, both of which continue to drive a reduction in rates and provide additional limits of coverage.” Continuing to warn that it “is anticipated that, unless there is a major catastrophe in the region, the next 12 months will continue to bring favourable market conditions for clients.”

Despite the negative market commentary and outlook surrounding Global commercial P&C rates in Marsh’s Q2 2015 ‘Global Insurance Market Quarterly Briefing,’ emerging, specialty and niche business lines can offer market players with an additional, diversified source of revenue, should they be willing and able to take on the risk.

Marsh highlights this, stating that while rate decreases were experienced across most major business lines, “notable exceptions were seen in specialised coverages led by a firming cyber insurance market.”

he N4.9 trillion secured as pension assets in the new pension scheme represents the tremendous success that is possible when interpretation and translation of government policies is private- sector-driven under strict regulatory guidelines and supervision.

This was the view of Mr. Wilson Ideva, Managing Director of Premium Pension Limited.

According to Ideva, giant strides are being made by the entire pension industry in translating the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) into a huge success.

Ideva said, “It is the collective effort of the entire industry stakeholders that has resulted in the humongous amassment of pension assets in the country through the new Contributory Pension Scheme.”

Also, the Company’s Executive Director, Operations and Services, Mr. Kayode Akande stated that driving the CPS requires exemplary synergy among operators and cooperation among all stakeholders, especially in the area of generating public awareness on how the scheme runs. “There is practically nothing anybody can do alone in ensuring the success of the CPS. We all have to work together and we are already doing that,” he said.

Ideva however commended the National Pension Commission (PenCom) for their high sense of commitment and professionalism demonstrated from inception in the regulation and supervision of the pension industry. “By my own estimation, PenCom is the most effective regulatory body on the continent of Africa” he said.

Premium Pension Limited is one of the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) operating the Contributory Pension Scheme and currently manages over 600,000 Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs). Managing pension asset put at over N370 billion, the company has paid out more than N87.3 billion to 33,785 retirees or their Next-of-Kins since 2007. Pension enrollees under the company ’s management are spread over 1000 organisations across the country while the Company has consistently posted impressive returns.

Send comments & enquiries to insuranceandyou@yahoo.com

24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Recent journeys between Lagos and Osogbo, Osun State

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AWARD:From left: Dr. Clement Illoh, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity presents the 2015 National Productivity Order of Merit Award on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari to Mr. Taiye Williams, Managing Director, Lubcon Limited; Mr. Mohammed Umoru, Executive Director Business Development, Lubcon Limited while Mr. Ben Chukwu, General Manager, Commercial, Lubcon Limited displaying Lubcon Lubricant Oil at Abuja.

NSE flags-off Premium Board with Dangote Cement, Zenith Bank admission

By Nkiruka Nnorom & Bisola Ologunde

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HE Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, yesterday kicked off a new listing platform, Premium Board and the associated Premium Board Index, with the admission of Dangote Cement Plc, FBN Holdings Plc and Zenith Bank Plc’s shares.

Already, the NSE has two listing platforms –the Main Board and Alternative Securities Market (ASeM) through which companies seeking listing on the NSE can come on board the Exchange.

The launch of the Premium Board yesterday, therefore brought the total number of platforms available for prospective quoted companies to three.

Accordingly, 17.41 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each of Dangote Cement were migrated to the new board; 35.89 billion ordinary shares of FBN Holdings plc were also admitted, while 31.39 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each of Zenith Bank Plc were migrated.

The companies that qualified for the Premium Board Dangote Cement Plc, FBN Holdings, and Zenith Bank have capitalisation of N2.87 trillion, N277.70 billion and N587.43 billion respectively.

Speaking at the launch, the Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, explained that the new platform is for companies that have manifested excellent corporate governance structure over time and also met the NSE set standard.

He further stated that companies seeking to migrate

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from the Main Board to the prestigious Premium Board must score 70 per cent or above of the Exchange’s corporate governance rating, as well as have N200 billion or more in market capitalisation.

He added that such companies must pass the Exchange’s liquidity test, which is N40 billion or 20 per cent of their market capital, while each of the directors must scale through a fiduciary

awareness test.

“The Premium Board is one result of our commitment to place corporate governance front and centre as a way to improve the climate for doing business in Africa. We expect that companies on the Board will enjoy the highest levels of visibility and appeal to investors looking for large companies with the highest standards of corporate governance” Onyema said.

CBS plans strategic partnerships, grows profit by 13%

By Nkiruka Nnorom

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OURTEVILLE Business Solution, CBS Plc, has revealed its decision to seek business partnership and joint ventures with suitable local and international corporates in the course of the year in a bid to grow profitability.

This is even as the company’s profit before tax for the year ended December 31, 2014 rose by 13 per cent to N457.03 million from N403.03 million in the previous year.

Addressing shareholders at the 10th Annual general Meeting, AGM, in Lagos, the Chairman, Group Capt. M.O Salami, affirmed the Board and management’s commitment to intensify the expansion drive it commenced in the last financial year.

“Our company ’s business expansion initiative will receive greater impetus in the new financial year. While new mandates are being procured for the AutoReg product locally, the company is aggressively exploring new frontiers within

the African continent and the Caribbean with cutting edge products and services,” Salami said.

“Our company is unrelenting in its bid to have bouquet of cuttingedge products, particularly in the retail and consumer market sectors. We are poised to reducing the concentration risk on our flagship service, while more business development activities will be seen along this line in the new financial year,” he added.

On the financial performance for the period under review, Salami said that the company recorded five per cent growth in profit after tax to N323.18 million as against N307.81 million in 2013, while its basic earnings per share grew to 10.6 kobo from 8.67 kobo, indicating a 22 per cent increase.

Also, the revenue went up to N1.35 billion compared to N1.29 billion posted in 2013 financial year end. The company, therefore, proposed four kobo interim dividend, which was overwhelmingly approved by the shareholders.

have made a few journeys recently between Lagos and Osogbo, Osun State. The outward leg of the journey from Lagos has been on the Lagos to Ibadan expressway, the Ibadan to IleIfe expressway up to Gbongan, Osun State and then on the Gbongan to Osogbo road while the return leg of the journey has been in the reverse order. However, on one of the journeys, the outward leg was from Lagos to Ikorodu to Itoikin to Ijebu-Ode to Ijebu-Igbo. The journey then continued on the road from IjebuIgbo to Orile-Owu, Osun State and this road passes through a rural area and a forest reserve with a bridge across the River Osun. The journey was next from Orile-Owu to Apomu where we joined the Ibadan to Ile-Ife expressway and then onwards to Ikire, Gbongan and finally the Gbongan to Osogbo road.

The alternative route was chosen such that one could avoid any possible traffic delays on the Lagos to Ibadan expressway.

The journey on the alternative route took one hour more than the typical time spent on the primary route through the Lagos to Ibadan expressway. Once the reconstruction of the Lagos to Ibadan expressway commenced about two years ago, journey times between Lagos and Ibadan have been unpredictable and the typical time for completion of the journey between Lagos and Osogbo has been about five and a half hours. However, in recent times the contractor, Julius Berger Nigeria, for the Lagos to Sagamu portion of the Lagos to Ibadan expressway has stopped all work on the project. The contractor, Reynolds Construction Company, on the Sagamu to I have brought Ibadan portion has been carrying out limited these to our earthworks, concrete works for attention so that drainage and the crash barriers at the central road edge, we accept that it is placement of crushed stone within our means base and finishing the asphalt pavement on certain stretches. to provide some The contractors’ operations fly-over bridges have not given any cause for across the Lagos to delays and with the excellent surface on the completed Ibadan expressway road stretches, the journey time especially at the between Lagos and Osogbo Mowe/Redemption has been about four hours.

The alternative route has an Camp stretch excellent road surface from Mile 12, Lagos to the roundabout at the centre of Ikorodu as reconstruction of this road was completed last year. However, there are several failed portions of the Ikorodu to Itoikin road and the Itoikin to Ijebu-Ode road thus making for longer journey times on these roads. The current Ogun State Government has constructed a bridge at Ijebu-Ode across the Sagamu to Benin expressway making for safe passage into and out of Ijebu-Ode on the Itoikin to Ijebu-Ode road. The Ogun State Government also has urban renewal projects at Ijebu-Ode and Ijebu-Igbo and has completed or has under construction fly-over bridges to ease traffic movement at some road intersections in both towns.

I have brought these to our attention so that we accept that it is within our means to provide some fly-over bridges across the Lagos to Ibadan expressway especially at the Mowe/Redemption Camp stretch and closer to Lagos at the Ibafo/Arepo stretch.

Funding for the completion of the reconstruction works on the Lagos to Ibadan expressway appears uncertain at the moment.

We must find the funds for building these bridges now bearing in mind that there are consequential costs if we do not build them. The Federal Ministry of Works should bring to President Buhari’s attention the need to conclude all funding arrangements for the reconstruction of the Lagos to Ibadan expressway. In particular, an early decision should be made on whether tolls would be charged for the use after reconstruction of the expressway and on the levels of tolls to be charged.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015—25

DIARY The Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), A G M/ election Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi Lagos, August 28, 2015

Gartner Symposium/ ITxpo 2015 Cape Town, South Africa November 812, 2015

•Umar Danbatta, NCC, EVC......Let there be calm!

AS EMOTIONS RUN HIGH OVER DEACTIVATION OF SIM CARDS:

NCC appeals for understanding

Preview Pedometer walking stick puts you back to shape

F

OR anyone who needs a bit of help getting around and would also like to keep track of how far they have gone, the Pedometer Walking Stick is a very useful tool.

Anyone who is experiencing difficulty walking on their own or has recently injured their leg and would like to track their recovery should use this stick.

It is built from sturdy aluminum and keeps track of how many steps the user has taken based on how many times the rubber base hits the ground.

It also keeps track of distance and time and even has a calorie counter, making it a great tool for staying in shape.

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•Ineffective Sim registration.......at the centre of it all

•Deolu Ogubanjo, NATCOMS president. .......heading to court on behalf of subscribers

•Says national security supersedes personal emotions

By Prince Osuagwu

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T appears the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has began to feel the heat generated from the recent deactivation of improperly registered SIM cards in the country.

Although this exercise had been forewarned since two years ago, it actually dawned on the subscribers last week when the regulator ordered the immediate deactivation of SIM cards that did not follow the approved registration processes.

However, the impact was not funny and millions of angry subscribers affected by this action, as a result of the despondent feeling of a life without their phones, cried blue murder, took to the streets and stalled activities at different service centres of the mobile network operators in the country.

Beyond that, the subscribers under the umbrella of National Association of Telecom Subscribers, NATCOMS, has threatened to take their grievances to the law court, possibly to address the hurt of its members.

However, the regulator says that much as it is deeply concerned and feels the near unrest this action has given to the telecom sector in these few

days, the feeling of national security was so strong to reassure it the actions were to the best interest of all.

The commission says every Nigerian must rise above the emotions of the immediate impact of this current action, particularly when considering the collateral damage and

The commission says every Nigerian must rise above the emotions of the immediate impact of this current action

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injury everyone would sustain should anything go wrong as a result of the negligence of improper registration of SIMS. It reminded the subscribers of the growing world of phone related crimes, and appealed for deep understanding.

Spokesperson and Director Public Affairs of the commission, Mr. Tony Ojobo, has explained that the decision was actually taken for the good of country and its people. He also explained that what seems a sudden decision actually spans over two years within which period the Commission has appealed to the operators to do the right thing, with all the appeals being rebuffed.

“In every situation the Commission is aware of its tripod relationship with the

Developing unforgettable voice on social media PAGE 26

primary constituencies: the operators, the consumers and the government; and would always strive to ensure a balance without tilting to any one’s disadvantage.

This relationship is defined in the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

“However, the Act also charges us with the promotion of fair competition in the communications industry and the implementation of Government’s general policies on communications. The Act particularly charges us with the protection and promotion of the interest of consumers against unfair practices including but not limited to matters relating to tariffs and charges for and the availability and quality of communications services, equipment and facilities.

“Against this background it must really be a painful but very expedient necessity for the Commission, last week, to still come down heavily on the industry

Continues on page 27

‘Nigeria can fund digital switch over with spectrum auction PAGE 29

26—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Developing unforgettable voice on social media

By Agbolade Omowole

S

ocial media is gradually becoming part of lives.

Soon, the internet and social media will be something one cannot do without in a day.

Today, most millennial have their mobile phones with 6feet distance from them all through the time they are awake. The dominant activity on the mobile phone is social media oriented activities. If you want to become an authority on social media, here are some simple tips Give every post a focus: Talk about one major thing.

People have a lot of posts to read on their timeline. If your post does not talk about one

thing your readers would be put off.

Be controversial: Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of conflicting opinion or point of view. Experts have advised that you write something ‘dangerous’ on social media. Caution stifles you. It totally ruins your voice.

Throw some of your caution to the wind, and write something riskier that you normally would.

Write from the first person: Your friends on Facebook are interested in hearing what you have to say not what Barak Obama is saying. It is therefore

important to write from the first person. People don’t want to read what a corporation is saying. They want to read what you are saying. It is also a good idea to write your post the way you talk naturally.

Master the art of storytelling: The best way to get people glued to your status updates is to tell them a captivating story. Most people like a good story. Paint pictures to make the story real.

People find it easy to connect with stories.

Keep it Short and Simple: This is referred to as the KISS principle. Use simple words. Even when you are an advanced and sophisticated writer, you still need to learn how to connect with your readers.

Revise: To err is human, even expert authors make some mistakes in their first draft. Don’t be too much in a hurry to post on your timeline.

Experts have warned that the first draft of anything is garbage. You need to articulate your thoughts and write quickly, then edit slowly.

Think about your reader while you write: If you are writing what feels good, then you are writing for yourself only. Mind you, people don’t really care about you. They only care about reading posts that are interesting or connects to their fantasies.

How Twitter’s @, # concepts enhance Nigerian TV viewing experience

By Prince Osuagwu

Y

ears ago when the idea of interactive TV was first introduced, it seemed impossible that we could watch a TV programme and have a separate conversation with our friends all at the same time. In fact, most of us developed a culture of speaking through the ads and reverting to silence when the programme resumed or we would wait for the next day to go over last night's episode of@ScandalABC with our friends or colleagues.

But today, the same people you watched those early episodes with are the same people you connect with in real time on Twitter. What’s great is that you don't have to be real life friends to be part of the conversation because you can simply follow your favorite TV shows on Twitter.

If you enjoy watching #Nollywood films, you can tune in

to @AfricaMagicTV, which offers great local Nigerian content. Even if you’re not a fan but just enjoy being in the know about different television shows, you can follow the official hashtag, such as #AfricaMagic. Nigerians can not only watch most of these programmes from the comfort of their own homes, but can also watch these programs online through different vendors or official livestreaming product offerings.

For those that can't watch Nigerian films from their homes, there are a number of dedicated TV stations to fulfill their #Nollywood film needs.

Some of them include @ibakatv, @irokotv and @olekutv.

These, allow you to watch Nollywood movies from anywhere in the world. They also Tweet new release clips of upcoming movies on their twitter timelines Because there are so many TV channels and sporting

events to chose from, high volumes of tweets on a particular subject and #hashtag spark a Twitter Trend, which acts as a flag alerting people of popular topics on Twitter in real time.

•Mitchel Obama showing off the harshtag power

•LG Color prime TV

Is OLED actually taking TV into next generation?

By Prince Osuagwu

O

ver the years there have been many technological innovations that have impacted positively on humans; one of these inventions is the TV. TV has proven to be a veritable device that enable people relax, unwind and entertain friends in their homes. Going to the movie theatre can be expensive for many households, but with a TV, people are able to create a theatre type experience at home.

Just as the first televisions indicated the end of radio, the subsequent emergence of color television meant that the days of monochrome sets were numbered. So it may come as a surprise to those who were around when the first color TVs began to appear in the mid-1950’s that 60 years later the most exciting developments in television technology would again be happening on the black-andwhite spectrum.

Advances in TV technology exploded in the post CRT era. Once HD signals took over from their PAL and NTSC counterparts, TV technology had reason to improve to take advantage. Televisions were getting flatter, slimmer, better resolution, lighter and able to connect with a variety of devices. Image quality is also constantly improving.

LCD TVs gave way to LEDs in a matter of years. LED in turn gave rise to Quantum Dot, OLED and UHD. Now the buzz words are 4K and HDR the changes are coming at a more accelerated pace than ever before and the advances between one technology to its replacement are striking. Most of TV’s evolution in terms of image quality and design has taken place within this decade.

The recent advent of the first viable OLED TVs heralded the beginning of this revolution in television technology, bringing it back to its black-and-white roots. While previous televisions had been content with a color palette incapable of perfectly portraying black, OLED reinvents display technology in order to depict accurate blacks.

How Goggle’s AndroidOne lures Nigerians to the net

BY RICHARD UDOFIA

M

any Nigerians are online, but many more also needs to be. This is apparently the target Google needs to meet with the launch of its AndroidOne project in Nigeria recently. At the launch, Google, Vice President, Mr. Caesar Sengupta, said, AndroidOne is an initiative to make high-quality smartphone available to millions of people in Africa, Asia and other parts of the world.

He said that Nigeria is an important country affecting the growth of internet users around the world.

“Today over three billion people across the world are using the internet to live better, live richer and create opportunities for themselves and communities”, he said.

He claimed that In Nigeria, over 70 percent of online users access the web via their phones and the driving force behind the growth, particularly in Nigeria and many other African countries is the use of smartphones.

“This AndroidOne offers high quality mobile devices that are great to use and are also affordable too”, he added. The programme was launched with the infinix HOT2-X510, a smartphone with lollipop 5.1.1 version, which is the first device to run on AndroidOne in Africa.

Through Google play, AndroidOne phone users have access to over one million Apps with prime Goggle Apps including goggle pre-loaded on the phones. ‘’He also announced that in coming weeks much of YouTube and goggle maps will be available online in the African countries. This feature will allow users to store videos and map details in the YouTube and goggle maps Apps when they are on WiFi and use them later when they are not online. Nigeria is largest internet market in Africa and currently 8th largest in the world with 67million people online, while the country’s online users have grown by 30 Million in the last 5years”, he said.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015—27

StarTimes creates fun around Bundesliga for Nigerian viewers

‘You can’t satisfy TV appetite of Nigerians without huge R&D investment’ S amsung Electronics recently introduced the latest TV technology, the SUHDTV into the Nigerian market and at the launch, the company’s Director, Consumer Electronics, West Africa, Mr Sunil Kumar, stoutly claimed that Nigerians ’TV viewing experience can never be the same again as his product targets to redefine viewing experience.

So, after the event, Hi-Tech cornered him and sought to know more to that statement,

By Prince Osuagwu

ou just launched a Ynew TV model and

claimed it will redefine viewing experience. What sets it apart from other devices in today’s premium consumer electronics market?

For a start Samsung is the Global No.1 brand for 9 consecutive years in Television industry. As a leader on the industry, it is imperative that we set and lead the tone of technology in this category. True to our promise to Nigerian consumers, we are once again delivering a product that is cutting edge and best in class.

With the SUHD TV, Samsung has completely redefined TV, with an unprecedented breakthrough in picture quality and our consumers are billed to experience more colours than ever before. With the revolutionary nano crystal technology, which transforms and expands light to reveal more colours and brightness, pictures now come alive better. With 64 times colour expression, colour has more range,

delivering cinema-like experience to homes. With the Ultra high definition which is four times the resolution of full HD televisions, images have become even more vivid. We know you can’t service Nigerians better on this area if you can’t research, develop and innovate very well. So we are setting the standards. Some of the differences between this technology and others before it are the brightness, picture quality and complete immersive experience.

The challenge is always how to tailor products to suit every strata of the economy; is there anything in this product that can give the low income earner hope?

We understand the different strata of the market and accordingly position products to meet their demands. This product addresses the needs of the higher echelons of society who are always looking for the latest in technology and design. We believe that the SUHD TV will make a difference to this end of the market. We have been delivering on the best tech-

nologies; looking at the trend from smart TVs to curved TVs and now the SUHD TV. There are two new developments you said are helping the Samsung’s smart TV; leveraging the •Sunil Kumar Tizen platform and a newly UHD alliance; Can you shed more light on tent development. With the UHD alliance, the new these?

The Tizen Operating Sys- SUHD TVs will benefit tem, which is an open from premium Ultra High source platform, is faster Definition content.

Besides, Research and and easier to use, and has a very user friendly inter- design have always been face. Also, the new Oper- major part of our business ating System is packed with local insight as a key with groundbreaking fea- factor. This strategy will tures, as it is based on the continue to help us to unweb standards. Being an derstand interpret or anticopen source platform, Ti- ipate the needs of people. zen OS helps the developCan tell us your bencher community in local con- marks for 2015 We are very appreciative of the support that consumers have given our brand over the past few years. As I have Being an open said many times, the true source platmeasurement is when peoform, Tizen OS plevotewiththeirwalletsand in your products. Our helps the devel- invest goal for 2015 is to continue oper community to provide products that posin local content itively impact the lives of our consumers and through this, development retain our market leadership position.

I

t appears Digital Tv operator star times is doing everything possible to break the hold the English premier league seems to have among Nigerian TV viewers. As a result it has created fun around the Bundesliga league matches which it recently acquired sole rights to beam in Africa.

As a way of generating interest to the league, Star Times prepared a special viewing centre in Lagos where a live screening of kick off of the 53rd edition of Bundesliga league was beamed to the comfort of viewers last week.

Scores of Nigerians who thronged the Ikeja viewing centre experienced a different atmosphere to what is obtainable in today's viewing centres. In addition to the thrilling Bayern Munich versus Hamburg opening game, viewers were entertained with other side attractions including food and drinks, music, comedy, ball juggling and football commentary competition among other things.

•Ball juggler entertaining the crowd

Our products reflect theover huge R&D investment make As emotions run high deactivation of SIMwe cards: Continues from page 25

reeling out the following measures: *Service providers must commence immediate deactivation of any SIM card that does not generate any economic activity after 48 hours of registration as contained in the NCC directives. *The general public is hereby notified that selling, buying and use of pre-registered SIM card is illegal and is punishable under the NCC law. *Immediate deactivation of all SIM cards that are not properly registered or contain incomplete registration. However, subscribers who are so disconnected are advised to go back to their respective Service Providers to properly register their SIM cards. *Any Service Provider who fails to abide by these measures would be sanctioned, as this is considered an attempt to sabotage Government’s efforts to address security challenges in the country. *All subscribers are advised to

bear with the inconveniences that these measures may cause them as this is designed to safeguard lives and properties of all citizens”.

Ojobo appealed for understanding, saying the measures were taken after considering a lot of factors, including to prevent the telecoms industry from declining into an emergency situation; “to restore discipline and ensure the protection of life of the citizenry across the country; the need to have credible data base of phone users which prompted the SIM card registration in 2010”. He said that though the exercise ended in 2012 with 110million lines registered, registrations were still ongoing as new SIMs are added to the networks and data scrubbed and uploaded to ensure foolproof data base.

According to the commission, “in the last two years there have been several communications from us to the operators on the need to maintain scrupulous control on the SIM card registration exercise in order to achieve one of the cardinal aims of attaining a credible data base and in the process help solve security concerns in the country. While the appeals may

StarTimes also made its subscribers and dealers play a 5- aside match in a mini stadium created inside the live screening venue.

The operator said it was its own way of providing variety to Nigerian TV viewers cum sports lovers, adding that fun and entertainment is not exclusive to only one league.

A senior official of the digital Tv operator, who spoke to Hi-Tech, said that Nigerians would soon get to see the serious entertainment in the Bundesliga and Seria A leagues as StarTimes would do everything possible to highlight their rich contents to the Nigerian populace.

In addition to having acquired rights to show Seria A matches, StarTimes obtained exclusive broadcasting right of Bundesliga for the next five years from 2015 to 2019 and promised subscribers of exclusively entitled to view all 306 matches in style.

– Samsung operators and another N6.1bn by the

have fallen on deaf ears, worries are hitting frenetic heights about the activities of miscreants and other evilintentioned minds who continue to exploit the loopholes in the process to unleash havoc on unsuspecting Nigerians. This culminated in the meeting of August 4, 2015 between the office of the NSA, the regulator and the operators with the operators being given seven days within which to deactivate all pre-registered SIM cards.

“The guidelines on SIM card registration are very clear. Any card without economic activity in 48 hours should immediately be blocked. Now the pre-registered SIM card comes with a different hazard entirely. It is like a loaded gun. If it gets into the hands of the undesirable, the society will have a reason to worry. It is the worries that have goaded the NCC to take a very firm stand in order to help secure of the safety of the generality.

There have been media reports about the hefty amount of money spent on the SIM registration exercise, comprising N25bn by the

NCC. Some writers have gone to the conclusion that based on what is happening now all that money may have gone down the drain. Whatever amount spent is not lost at all as there is a huge data base that is permanently being enhanced. The standards are well defined. It is the registrations that fall short of standard that will immediately be addressed while the pre-registered SIMs, almost akin to man-made problems must also be dealt with immediately.

“But while we count the cost of the project, while we moan that we are unable to use our phones, some people are getting killed, others are facing danger and there are those who may never be able to make calls again or make money in their entire life. Each time somebody goes down for an action that should have been taken but not taken, each time there is a kidnap, each time money is stolen from the bank or in the extreme, each time a bomb explodes and the act is traceable to a phone that is not properly registered, our humaneness is not only attenuated and degraded but life stops to have functional meaning as those charged with responsibility to carry the burden of a corroding moral guilt”.

28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

C M Y K

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015—29

‘Nigeria can fund digital switch over with proceeds of spectrum auction’ •Available spectrum worth over N100bn’

•Digital broadcast studio

By Emmanuel Elebeke

T

he Secretary General of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization, Engr. Shola Tailor, says Nigeria can use proceeds from available spectrum auction to achieve a seamless transition from analogue to digital broadcasting in 2017.

Taylor stated this at the 23rd anniversary and first annual lecture of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) with the theme: New Media, Convergence and the Future of Broadcasting, held in Abuja.

He said there was no need for NBC to worry about raising the needed funds to execute the digital switch over project since it has in its pos-

session a number of spectrums that can earn it over N100 billion from auction.

He urged the NBC to focus on the process of auctioning all available broadcasting spectrums and plough the proceeds into its digitization programme so as to meet its new dateline.

The Commonwealth scribe, who underscored the role of spectrum management in relation to digital dividends, maintained that Nigeria has no reason not to meet the new deadline on digital switchover if government could reach an accord on the possible auctioning of spectrums to free the needed funds to execute the project in record time.

“The spectrum available, as a matter of fact, if auc-

tioned, the revenue accruable could be used to fund the digital transition.

“Spectrum which is allocated to NBC should be auctioned out of their own regulatory system just like NCC is doing in the telecom sector.

“If the spectrums are auctioned efficiently, the proceeds can be used to fund the transition programme. I am sure that will be receptive to both government and regulator.

“All these will translate to recommendations for NBC to take forward to government,” he explained.

Recall that the NBC has fixed 20th June, 2017 as a new dateline for analogue to digital transition.

Engr. Taylor also canvassed for a national dialogue on information and communication technology sector to fashion out a roadmap for the industry to thrive and be competitive.

While recommending US approach to liberalization of the sector, the Commonwealth scribe said liberalizing the sector will not only open up the sector but provide unhindered access to various application services to Nigerian consumers.

“I recommend that we start a national dialogue on whether we accept the kind of services we are currently receiving as part of liberalization.

OLX, Mandilas advance free vehicle valuation, diagnostic

By Richard Udofia nline classified plat Oform, OLX, recently es-

tablished a partnership deal with an automobile dealer, Mandilas to render free vehicle valuation and diagnostic services.

Country manager of OLX, Mrs. Lola Masha said that, “this collaboration with Mandilas validates the effectiveness of OLX as a platform with a wide range of vehicles where buyers can find great car deals and trade with trusted sellers”.

On the perception of the market, she claimed that Nigeria’s economy is robust and both companies are set to drive the country ’s e-commerce.

She claimed that the partnership is meant to promote more online transactions while also informing its numerous customers of the new and innovative services available for subscription.

“The partnership will offer eligible users who post their cars for sale on the OLX site, an

opportunity to have their cars screened and evaluated for free.

At the end of the screening, the user will get an evaluation certificate from Mandilas that will state the current market value of the car as well as the condi-

tion of each part of the car. This will benefit both the buyer who is worried about the worth and condition of the car they want to buy and the seller who is not sure of the monetary value of the car”, she added.

How Konga, Microsoft Lumia promo changed my life, by Obodo

By Emeka Aginam

A

PPARENTLY, the promo had kicked off without the usual buzz that preludes such epochal trade promotions.

Customers, who bought their Lumia smart phones on konga.com, did not know that they were entering into a venture that could give them a lifetime experience, an all-expense-paid trip to London.

Initially, they were asked to simply “Share a story describing how they intend to achieve more with their new Lumia device.”

However, in the first week of the promo, which had seven entrants, Kingsley Obodo emerged as the 1st of 5 win-

ners in the Konga-Microsoft Lumia competition spread which will run till the end of August 2015.

Obodo, a 200L, Public Administration student of Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu shared a story of how his Lumia phone will aid the achievement of his everyday goals.

“With my Lumia phone, the world is at my fingertips, as I can browse news all over the world without worrying about the battery life. Life needs to be captured everyday with the lens, no need of carrying bulky cameras because my Microsoft Lumia is just the perfect tool for me to expand my hobby that is photography.

30

C M Y K

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 31

C M Y K

32— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Nigerians in UCL: Musa, Onazi eye group stage tickets

•Onazi

A

stage.

Onazi and Lazio head to Germany to face Bayer Leverkusen with a 1-0 lead from the first leg in Rome.

Onazi, who started the first game and played for 53 minutes before being substituted, would look to make greater impact in today’s game at the Bay Arena.

The play-off winners will join up with the 22 teams already confirmed for Thursday’s draw.

HMED Musa, Ogenyi Onazi, Efe Ambrose and Nosa Igiebor will continue their chase for a spot in the group stage of the Uefa Champions League this week.

Musa’s CSKA Moscow will welcome Sporting Club of Portugal to Russia today after they lost 2-1 in the first leg last week.

The Nigerian, who has been in good scoring form this season, would hope to upturn the deficit in order to reach the round-robin

2017 AFCON Qualifier: Herculean task before Tanzania

T

he Tanzania Football Federation has every reason to ensure the national soccer team, Taifa Stars, are ready for their crunch match against visiting Super Eagles of Nigeria on the second day of the 2017 African Nations Cup qualifiers to be played at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam early next month.

Reports say the federation has shown serious intention to shape the team up for the encounter by going to the extent of pushing back the kick-off of the Mainland Premier Soccer League.

Taifa Stars kicked off the qualifying series with a June loss to The Pharaohs of Egypt, who have emerged champions seven times. Since the qualifier group is pretty tough, it is incumbent upon each team to collect maximum points in every match.

Stars are scheduled to play six

matches, half of them at home and the upcoming one against Nigeria being the second in the series. Home ground victory often proves crucial in qualifiers and this explains the importance of the upcoming duel with Nigeria.

Like the Super Eagles of Nigeria, the Taifa Stars have a new coach, Boniface Mkwassa, after the TFF parted ways with former Coach, Mart Nooij, though on a temporary basis.

Sunday’s nt times, the clubyimba, under Ogen a.

In rece no Pillars and En FC Tarab a from 25 United, K ottom-of-the-table Ogenyi said. h 22 points it w b ,” d t n e a o it t ti n si in po Bayelsa U in 19th po on “I’ve left result left the club er Solom ’s season aftrim capacity. y is th h Sunda c a third co ent in an inte m a tc h e s . became the club’somoh, who served fficial announcem to o ip u i n k y tr a n ake Oge Edere ay 26 ir match d is yet to m nd George Ogbeide aUnited’s hierarchy cement ahead of the Bayelsa exit and his repla i’s n o Ogeny iubah. y n a e FC If

Lazio to face Bayer Leverkusen without four Key Players captain Biglia stretched off the pitch.

L

•Tanzania National team

De Gea out of Man United’s Club Brugge Squad avid de Gea has been left out of Manchester United’s 18-man squad that flew across to Belgium for the second leg of their Champions League playoff tie against Club Brugge today.

The Spaniard, whose future at Old Trafford still remains unresolved, is still out of favour with Louis van Gaal, who is intent on sticking to his stance of not playing him while the transfer window is open.

Under normal circumstance, teams do carry three goalkeepers in their travelling party, but Manchester United have found space for only Sergio Romero and Sam Johnstone.

ays w t r a p d a Ut s ed ways l e y have part a , d e B it n , U i elsa side, Bay Ogeny was due to r League ie m re P art ways p lo G i. to y g n n n e io g li s. gg cis sO Stru wItithwagsaffreerelir,acEbelyvnat nghaothmeereddefethaatthtothadefeslldhoeawredstrupogingletsyrsi,a,bt Suhhtoaemrkarne ewditahsuArpkriwsea

Champions League:

•De Gea

D

•Musa

Antonio Valencia and Andreas Pereira have been left out of the squad which will look to secure the club’s passage into the Champions League group stage in Belgium tomorrow.

Memphis Depay’s match winning performance helped Manchester United to secure a 3-1 win over Club Brugge last Tuesday at Old Trafford, but the away goal is a ray of hope for the Belgians as they look to overturn the odds against the English giants at the Jan Breydel Stadium.

azio

face Bayer

Leverkusen in Germany in the second leg of the Champions League playoff with a place in the group stages at stake.

Lazio won the first leg in Rome 1-0 thanks to a marvellous goal by substitute striker Keita Balde. It was the first time that Lazio have managed to beat Bayer Leverkusen in their history.

The Italian side also won the first match of their Serie A campaign with a 2-1 win against newly promoted Bologna last Saturday night. First half goals from Lucas Biglia and Ricardo Kishna proved to be enough despite Matteo Mancosu’s late goal for the guests.

Stefano Pioli, however, saw his

The Argentinian international suffered a calf injury at the beginning of the second half on Saturday and is out for the next month.

West Brom reject Berahino’s request

W

•Berahino

est Bromwich Albion have rejected a transfer request from striker Saido Berahino, a target for Tottenham Hotspur, according to a statement on the club website.

The Baggies rejected an offer from Tottenham last week and manager Tony Pulis dropped the

22-year-old for their 3-2 home defeat against Chelsea on Sunday, saying the forward was not in the right frame of mind to play.

The Baggies, who signed strikers Rickie Lambert and Salomon Rondon during the close season, currently sit bottom of the league table with just one point from their three games so far.

Ojoto Indigenes at daggers-drawn over communal land, retrieved from Nnewi

How festivals hold Igbo communities together VOL. 1 NO 41

•Okija shrine skulls

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

•The mystery, fame, fiction

T

HE SLEEPY community of Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State came into limelight in August, 2004, when the media, both print and electronic, became awash with gory stories of goings-on inside Ogwugwu Akpu, one of the shrines in the area. Before then, Ogwugwu Akpu was just like any other shrine in Igbo land which served as checks against impunity and man’s inhumanity to man.

For instance, people who were aggrieved over the manner they were treated in business deals, land disputes, among other issues, took solace in Ogwugwu shrine, which they believed, was capable of delivering justice in favour of the down-trodden.

The existence of Ogwugwu Akpu and others like Ogwugwu C M Y K

•PAGES 3, 4 & 5

•Okija shrine

‘Okija Shrine: No longer a bee-hive of activities for politicians

By VINCENT UJUMADU

•PAGE 6

Isiula, Ogwugwu Mmili, among others, never affected the spread of Christianity, as Okija, which had produced over 30 Catholic and Anglican priests with about 10 parishes and three archdeaconries, and hosts the country’s first private faith-based university, the Madonna University, is one of the fastest developing communities in Anambra State.

It remained so until the emergence of the present democratic dispensation when politicians began to patronize the shrine during which the so-called political godfathers dragged political office seekers to the shrine to swear oath of allegiance to them if elected into the aspired offices.

South East Voice gathered that in the beginning, the priests of the shrine were very old people who occupied the position because the lot fell on them. They were also not demanding money before administering the oaths,

It was the visit of former Anambra governor, Dr. Chris Ngige to Okija shrine to swear an oath that brought the shrine into popularity. Caged by his political godfathers, Dr. Ngige was reportedly dragged to Okija shrine to swear an oath of allegiance to his polical godfathers to keep his side of agreement to them on winning the election.

•Skulls although the visitors could show appreciation if they wished.

Indeed, it was the visit of former Anambra governor, Dr. Chris Ngige to Okija shrine to swear an oath that brought the shrine into popularity. Caged by his political godfathers, Dr. Ngige was reportedly dragged to Okija shrine to swear an oath of allegiance to his politcal godfathers to keep his side of the agreement to them on winning the election.

Looking back, Ngige in an interview, told a national daily that, “I was a foundation member of the PDP, I was nominated to be a minister by Dr. Alex Ekwueme, but Obasanjo refused because they fought a bitter primary in Jos and I was in Ekwueme’s camp. So I was blacklisted. I was the Assistant National Secretary of the party before I came back to contest the primaries for Senate in 2002/2003.

"Then, I was begged by Chief Audu Ogbeh and others in the National Working Committee, NWC. Even the Ubas came to beg me as a last resort. Before then, members of Better Anambra Movement led by Ben Akabueze, Ben Okoye and Ausbeth Ajagu

from Lagos had screened people and rated me first from their interview and CV evaluation.

That they were my benefactors was because it was when they were begging me that I caved in to run. I gave conditions for going to run and the major condition was that I should be able to run the place unfettered and give good governance to my people in Anambra State.

"They were the people, who breached the agreement by asking me to sign money for them; by asking me to allow them to appoint all the commissioners, special assistants, aide de camp, chief security officer and personal assistants. We had no such agreement. They breached that agreement, so I said, 'okay, if you breach the agreement, then there is no agreement any more.'

"On the way, they noticed some resentment from me that showed that I was no longer happy with the journey. They said they needed loyalty. So, one of them suggested it (Okija) and they now formed themselves into a cabal. One night they said: “If you don’t go with us to Okija

Continues on page 2

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

‘Okija Shrine: No longer a bee-hive of activities for Nigerian politicians Continues from page 1 Shrine, we will shoot (you). It’s only a living general that can tell the history of a war. If I was shot dead, the story could have been distorted. I have to be alive to be telling you this story.

"I asked them: “What should I do?” They said: “Let us go to Okija Shrine and I said, 'okay, let’s go.'” I took my Bible with me and followed them. When we got there, I noticed they did not have guns; then I said I was not going in. One of them said he could swear for me, I said, 'go ahead,' so he did it for me. But I did not believe in what they were doing because I am a staunch Catholic. I am a knight of the Catholic Church; so I never listened to what they were saying. They were just fooling themselves.”

The Okija incident was one of the issues that Ngige battled as a governor, eventually leading to his ouster.

Besides, Dr. Ngige, other politicians also visited the shrine where they swore oaths of allegiance.

According to a native of Ubahuezike, one of the 30 villages in Okija, where the shrine is located, it was common to see Coaster buses filled with politicians driving into the area at the dead of night to swear oaths.

There was the story that those who were taken to the shrine for the oath–taking ceremony were not told their mission until they saw themselves at the shrine, at which time it was virtually impossible for them to back out.

As this happened, most natives of other 29 villages in the town were not aware of the happenings at Ogwugwu shrine such that it was indeed a strange story to them when the media started reporting developments in the shrine.

As time went on, many young men from Ubahuezike village who were naturally Ogwugwu priests by virtue of their place of birth, decided to exploit it, and turned it into a business–making venture.

These young men, most of who were trading in Lagos and other cities, but were finding life difficult, returned home and modernized the operations of Ogwugwu deity. They were to be joined later by some educated people in the area who introduced reforms into the

Ogwugwu shrine.

It was these youths that introduced a register of those that patronize Ogwugwu shrine and thereafter, began to charge money from those who patronize the shrine. Later, they introduced a system whereby Ogwugwu agents could travel to any part of the country to deliver summons to those sued at Ogwugwu shrine, and such people were given a date to appear before the shrine in person or be prepared for the dire consequences.

As the Ogwugwu became more popular, the young priests engaged the services of commercial motorcycle operators, who served as their agents. The Okada riders, who normally use the famous Okija junction as their base, would readily volunteer to take anybody visiting the shrine to his preferred client and by the time they would have completed the about 15 minutes ride, he (the Okada rider) would have convinced the visitor on the most powerful priest to visit.

That was why the commercial motorcycle operators would do anything possible to ensure that they were the ones to carry first time visitors to a priest of Ogwugwu shrine as he is also assured of a commission from the amount paid by the visitor.

It was not clear at what point the operators of the shrine began to demand for the corpses of those allegedly killed by Ogwugwu, but it became common knowledge that once somebody suspected to have been killed by Ogwugwu was buried in his compound, the priests of the deity would go to demand for the corpse the same day it was buried and the body would be exhumed and taken to the Ogwugwu forest and kept for ever.

The frightening sight is usually shown to those, who appear before the deity after they were summoned and this further instils more fear on such people, with the result that they would do the bidding of the priests to stay alive.

With the soaring popularity of Ogwugwu Akpu, the young men, who became full time priests suddenly had their lifestyles changed as they began to acquire expensive cars and started building mansions in the area. Then, the bubble burst as infighting began among them, leading to the people exposing one another on the level of their involvement in what was

•Okija shrine skulls beginning to dawn on outsiders that it was indeed ‘business’ and nothing more.

I

n August 2004, a petition was written to the then Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun over the happenings at Okija and the IGP ordered the then state police commissioner, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu, to investigate. The disagreement among the operators later led to the arrest

The police also found 10 registers containing names of prominent politicians, businessmen, apprentices, among others, from most parts of Igbo land and beyond, though the identities of those whose names were in the register had not been made public till date

of two chief priests and 30 other persons suspected to be agents of Ogwugwu shrine by the police, who were taken to Abuja for questioning.

The police also found 10 registers containing names of prominent politicians, businessmen, apprentices, among others, from most parts of Igbo land and beyond, though the identities of those whose names were in the register had not been made public till date One of the current chief priests of Ogwugwu said that it was the media that blew the happenings at the deity out of proportion. He said: "This deity is not associated with killing people, rituals or any form of death. Instead, the shrine’s main objective is to settle differences amicably and, should such move fail to resolve the crisis, the ultimate punishment is meted.

"The shrine seeks to create solution to problems, especially for people who have been cheated in one way or the other.

For instance, if someone is owing you and refuses to pay, or your land or property is forcefully taken from you, you can come to the shrine and state your case and the shrine will help in getting a settlement for you peacefully if the other party obeys our summons.”

According to him, even white men visit the shrine to summon their Nigerian business partners who they claim, cheated them in business.

After the police raid of the shrine in 2004, it was as if the popularity of the shrine had

waned, although recent happenings indicate that some people still believe in it, especially non-indigenes of Okija.

For instance, it was reported recently that a Reverend Father, Wence Madu, who is the Rector of the Imo State Polytechnic, was summoned to the Ogwugwu shrine. According to the report, the cleric received an invitation asking him to undo an alleged injustice he was accused of committing or appear at the shrine to prove his innocence.

Similarly, a female federal civil servant complained recently that her husband’s brothers summoned him to Okija shrine over their late father ’s landed property.

However, being a highly religious person, she discouraged her husband from going to Okija as that would mean exposing him to danger.

Also, a 28-year-old motor mechanic in Nnewi, Mr. Ifeanyi Ujah, was recently summoned to Ogwugwu for merely being a go-between in a car purchasing deal. He, however, reported the matter to his priest who, after prayers, urged him to ignore the summons.

As at today, Okija shrine has lost the glory it acquired through politicians who patronised it in the past.

A source told South East Voice: “Those days are gone.

The politicians do not come any more. It was the Ngige issue that caused the commotion of the past and the media hyped it.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 3

•Youth dancing at Aju festival •Youths dancing at the initiation to Aju festival.

How festivals hold Igbo communities together

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t’s different strokes for different folks and across Igbo communities and towns in South East Nigeria, there are different festivals that hold the people together, apart from the New Yam festival, which is common to all Igbo. What obtains in one place may be different elsewhere, but the same purpose is served as our correspondents report across the states.

Aju Festival: Where 19-year-olds are initiated into manhood

By FRANCIS IGATA

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NUGU—Thousands of Ugbo indigenes in Agwu Local Government Area of Enugu State, especially youths, converged at the community square to celebrate Aju festival, marking the transition from adolescence to manhood, which comes up once in three years.

The festival opens a new vista for all the boys between the ages of 19 and 21, from the three clans of Nabo, Okpala and Ngene, which make up Ugbo, to celebrate their attainment of manhood by participating in the Aju festival which puts them in a new age grade.

This year’s festival saw the initiation of up-to-age boys from the three clans under the age-grade name of Chigozie.

Poised to mark the day even though it drizzled all day, the young boys filed out from all corners of the community to dance to the community field, where the main event took place.

Apart from the initiation into manhood, members of the age grade undertake particular projects to embark on, geared towards developing the socioeconomic activities in the community.

The Ugbo community saw prominent personalities in the state coming to felicitate with

Hon. Toby Okechukwu, the member representing Awgu/ Aninri/Oji River Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, who had attracted a police division to the community and was using the occasion of the Aju Festival to commission it.

However, at about 2.30p.m., the occasion shifted to the Owelli Court Police Division. Speaking at the commissioning of the new Police station, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who was on hand to felicitate with his colleague at the lower chamber, and whose son took part in the initiation, noted that the police need the support of everybody not only the government He added that with the building of the police division, members of the community can now sleep with two eyes closed.

Ekweremadu also said that with the security of lives and property in the area, economic activities in the community would improve.

The Enugu State Police Commissioner, Mr. Mohammed Adamu agreed with Ekweremadu that the new police station would enhance the operations of his officers and men.

“With this type of police station, we will have more policemen posted to this place as we now have a safe place to keep our arms,” he said.

Also Hon. Okechukwu told his guests that his people gave out

So, this age grade ... is an instrument of development, an instrument with which you can discipline people. It is a kind of age group peer check, that you compare what the others are doing; if they are doing, it will motivate you. If they are doing badly you think you can drop. It is a way of checking any kind of misdemeanor or indiscipline in the community, an instrument of checks and balances.

the Owelli Court area for the purpose of a police station over 30 years ago, during the Alhaji Shehu Shagari administration.

He said that the station had remained with old structures that were not adequate from its

inception until he discussed with Senator Ekweremadu and they agreed to build a befitting place to enable the police do their work well in the community.

With the commissioning over, the dignitaries and other guests proceeded to the community field, where the boys were already dancing in their groups and entertaining their guests.

Hon. Okechukwu, who had earlier in a chat with newsmen at his residence, revealed that Aju Festival, is as old as the Ugbo community.

He said: ”This is the day we are concluding our Aju festival.

The Aju festival commenced about four days back, the first one involved the various communities, the villages, and on this last day it involves the entire community, we call it Ozurugborigbo, a situation where all the communities, all the boys that are participating in the Aju festival come together; we have Ugbo Nabo, Ugbo Okpala, and Ngene Ugbo, all their boys will come together on the last day.

“Aju festival is a time when the boys in the community have a rite of passage from adolescence to manhood. It is an event that takes place once in three years.

So, it is between people who are at the ages of 19 and 21. It signifies their passage into manhood from adolescence, and what it means for them is that prior to that time they were considered as children and at any point in time if they

committed any kind of misdemeanor, they will find out if you have participated in the Aju festival.

"If you had not, they will consider you as a minor, but once you have done the Aju festival or your age grade ceremony, it means you can now go and marry, you can also now begin to pay taxes, levies and contributions to the community.

The only thing that will excuse you from doing so is if you are a student or an apprentice. So, it happens once in every three years.

“Once an age-grade ceremony was performed, the members of the age-grade would identify a project that they would execute in the community.

“When I did my own age grade, which is called Uchechukwu Age Grade, we did the bus-stop which you passed.

Another age grade started the health centre, which you also passed when you were coming.

“So, this age grade (Chigozie) will identify what they want to do; so, it is an instrument of development, an instrument with which you can discipline people.

It is a kind of age group peer check, that you compare what the others are doing; if they are doing, it will motivate you. If they are doing badly you think you can drop. It is a way of checking any kind of misdemeanor or indiscipline in the community because your mates can easily call you to order.

“And it also helps in ensuring family values, for instance, people who maltreat their wives, your age mates can call you to order, that that is wrong; so it is an instrument of checks and balances in the community.

“My father, who ordinarily would have been a 100 and something years now did it, my grand-father did it. You know the age grade system historically is a form of organization, we use it as an instrument of organization. So, it is as old as Ugbo.”

He noted that it is an age-long festival that had not gone through noticeable improvement, but which the people had found convenient all the while.

Continues on page 4

4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Ikwa enyi, a festival celebrated once every 25 years by Abia communities

The changing pattern of Imo Awka festival

By VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA — Despite being the capital of Anambra State with the attendant fast urbanization that goes with it, Awka town has not lost touch with tradition. For the natives and even sojourners alike, the month of May is always looked forward to every year because that is when the famous Imo Awka is celebrated in the ancient city. And it is done with pomp and pageantry.

In this part of Igbo land, the people cherish Imo Awka more than any other festival, be it Christian or traditional. In fact, it is during Imo Awka that one sees a large number of Awka people in Diaspora returning home and spending quality period with their kith and kin. Though there were other traditional festivals in Awka, it is only Imo Awka that had been sustained to the admiration of the people.

The festival, which is celebrated at the beginning of the farming season, signifies the hope of the people that the deity will help to make their land fertile so as to yield bountiful crops. It is also seen as a period for the people to pray for their relations outside the town to prosper in whatever endeavours.

It is usually celebrated in two segments. The first is the visit to Umuokpu Awka by all the masquerades in Awka and the second is the visit of all the masquerades to Amaenyi section of the town, which is the headquarters for the masquerades and where the shrine is domiciled. The weeklong event normally starts with small masquerades parading the streets and harassing people, especially women and Okada riders because of the assumption that most of those operating commercial motorcycles are not

The Chief Priest of Imo Awka shrine, Mr. Chukwurah said the deity played the role of a guardian to the people of Awka during wars.

According to him, Awka people were known for their bravery as they recorded several victories in wars they fought with other communities, which were attributed to the protection and intervention of the shrine.

indigenes of Awka and so should give way when the owners of the land are celebrating.

The second segment and the main event is when the big masquerades accompanied by real men travel from Umuopku to Amaenyi through the famous Zik’s Avenue, with people lining the streets and eating and making merry.

One feature of Imo Awka festival is the booming business of cane purchased by almost every male, that is prepared to face others on the streets by flogging one another mercilessly.

During Imo Awka festival, various kinds of masquerades are showcased. While some look colourful, others look frightening and dangerous. The big masquerades are Agaba, Ijele, Okwonmma, Izaga, Ugo, Isiabaofia, Akum, among others, while the smaller ones are Ojionu, Adanma, Diochi, Osiasili, Atunma, among others.

Continues from page 5

By ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA — FOR the people of Umutowe community in Umuahia South Council of Abia State and adjoining communities, Ikwa Enyi, which literally translates to mean burial of an elephant, is a very big festival.

It is not a common festival as it is celebrated once in every 25 years.

Though it is a popular and a big ceremony, it is not celebrated by every person in that community. It is exclusively celebrated by members, a strong and dreaded fraternity. But noninitiates are allowed to witness some of the celebration, that is, only the aspects that do not expose what the initiates reserve for only the members.

Explaining how the Ikwa Enyi is celebrated in his Umutowe community, the monarch, Eze G. C. Onwuka said the community holds their inherited tradition and culture very dear.

According to him, “Ikwa Enyi in my community comes up every 25 years. There is another one, Okobi, which is celebrated every 50 years.

Some people may not witness it in their life time. Ikwa Enyi is O k o n k o affair. It is exclusive to t h e i r members.

They will bring the Enyi, you see it as if it is a r e a l elephant. You see it walking, dancing. It will appear at the market s q u a r e ,

dance round the market square. At the end of the day it will retire at a position, they normally retire at Amatumole, they will stay there for a day or two and the third day it will die.

"How they do it is purely, strictly an Okonko issue. But it is a festival that attracts our relations and friends. In fact, during that period you have prepared yourself because you will have a lot of visitors.

It is a festive mood. You see youths, very body rejoicing.

“Like I said, it is strictly and purely for Okonko members.

Whether there are mystics or no mystic, is not what we are going to talk about here.

“When the elephant dies, they bury it in a special way and it is purely a male and Okonko affair. You dare not take their photograph, if you do and they see you, for sure they will confiscate the camera.

"When the elephant retires after the public appearance, they would retire to a bush and the entire area is cordoned off against noninitiates. Non-initiates dare not go near the area.

“They would remain in that bush for one week, mourning the Enyi. For one week, they would stay in the bush, eat there, playing their music and whatever they do there. The community, non-initiates only celebrate with them the day it appears in the market square, and once it retires it becomes the exclusive affairs of the Okonko members.

“Before its public appearance, some gun shots are fired to announce its arrival and the community would rush to witness it. It is usually around 5p.m. And that day it would appear in the market square, all the big masquerades in our community would come out and perform, after that day, it becomes the exclusive celebration of Okonko initiates.”

•Masquerade at the festival

Aju Festival: Where 19-year-olds are initiated into manhood Continues from page 3 “My son is participating, he is 19. His name is Ikedi Okechukwu, he is actually in the university; my advice to them is that he has actually become a man, he has joined his mates; when they bring bill now, we will share it because he is supposed to act like a man. There should be a peer review mechanism for them, where you compare with your contemporaries, look at them; if they are marrying you are supposed to marry, if they are riding cars, you aspire to do so, and if they are getting Ph.Ds, you also do so. So, it is an opportunity for our people to develop themselves.

•Another masquerade group at Imo awka

Security Continuing, the legislator also spoke on

why he decided to embark on the police station project, saying: “ we are partners to the Nigerian police, they have developed this idea of community policing, we expect that whereas crime is rearing its head in other areas, we will create an enabling environment where they will be able to perform their duty well.

“Currently, we do not want them to continue to be quartered in temporary shelter. So, we partnered with them to ensure that the police division commenced and they can stay in conducive atmosphere to do their duties.

"They have been staying in temporary office, but today we have built a permanent office and we want to use this opportunity to hand it over to them.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 5

The changing pattern of Imo Awka festival Continues from page 4 As the masquerades perform, heavily drunk young men and women drive dangerously on the streets, with some openly smoking marijuana, which are all seen as part of Imo Awka celebration.

Families that could afford it also hire live bands to complement the appearance of hundreds of masquerades passing along the road. As is customary, the masquerades do not go out of their way to harass anybody on the big day following agreement reached between the people and leaders of Awka Kingdom.

Two mysteries that were associated with Imo Awka over the years were that death of human beings must occur and that there must be sudden rain fall during the big event.

However, the last few Imo Awka had neither recorded any death, not sudden rain during the festival. Story had it that it was a bad omen if there was no rain during Imo Awka, but nobody appears to worry about such things any longer as the main feature is entertainment of the people.

The origin of the Imo Awka festival could be traced back

to some centuries ago.

Though its main origin could not be ascertained, a school of thought had it that Imo Awka was a female deity imported into Awka from the present day Abia State, while another school traced its root to the culture of the Igala people in Kogi State.

The Chief Priest of Imo Awka shrine, Mr. Chukwurah said the deity played the role of a guardian to the people of Awka during wars. According to him, Awka people were known for their bravery as they recorded several victories in wars they fought with other communities, which were attributed to the protection and intervention of the shrine and its messengers.

Imo Awka shrine is represented by the unique white monkey, which is popularly revered and respected as the messengers of the shrine in Awka, which, perhaps, is why Awka people do not eat monkeys.

“The monkeys behave like human beings and are believed to be vessels of warnings of impending danger to the town and so, it is considered a taboo to shoot or eat monkeys in Awka,” the

‘Egbunwaje’: Time to tell all truths still reign in Ebonyi By PETER OKUTU By PETER OKUTU

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BAKALIKI — THERE are lots of beliefs and traditional practices across various communities in Ebonyi State.

The one that is common, especially at the rural setting, is the practice of ensuring that justice and fairness are meted out on the accused no matter his or her status in society.

It is apparent that there are usually crimes committed by some persons in various communities in the state ranging from stealing, adulter y, incest, arson, murder, among others.

Most times, the actual perpetrators of these heinous crimes are usually not found and if they are identified by witnesses, they often times deny their roles in the dastardly act.

Therefore, to ensure that no criminal goes scot-free in the community and to instil sanity into the administration of the area, any accused who refuses to confess to any

criminal act is usually taken to a ‘sacred’ location in the area to swear to an oath which has lot of dire consequences.

Such phenomenon is a common practice in most local government areas in the state, especially in Ezza South.

For instance, if a suspect refuses to confess to a crime despite persuasions from members of his community, he is taken to a sacred place called ‘Egbunwaje’ where serious oaths are administered on him by the elders of the community.

The implication of the oath is that if the accused is guilty as charged without confessing, he or she within a year would begin to experience lots of mishaps ranging from sicknesses, poverty, fruitlessness, loss of property and even death.

However, if the accused after a period stipulated did not witness any form of mishap, he is then cleared of all the allegations levelled against him or her.

chief priest said.

According to findings by South East Voice, a lot goes into the planning of Imo Awka, which usually starts in the month of April. As the festival gains intensity, the Awka people living in the main town choose one day to visit their brothers at Umuokpu to alert them that the time for the celebration was drawing near.

In the olden days young men were encouraged to come out and display their battle skills

during the festival and they were not done with dangerous weapons, as they were mainly for the entertainment of the audience, broken bottles, bows and arrows. In those days, it was discovered that nonindigenes mingled with the natives to instigate violence during the festival by brandishing guns, machetes and daggers while dancing, thereby instilling fear in the people.

However, all that have

changed following the intervention of the traditional ruler of Awka Kingdom, Obi Gibson Nwosu and the security agencies. An indigene of Awka, Mr. Joachim Nweke said that while it is good for the people to protect their culture and tradition, it should also be realized that this is era of Christianity and those celebrating Imo Awka should do it with decorum and respect the freedom of movement of the people.

Umuchigbo community cries out over abandoned Harmony Estate *Seeks autonomy

By FRANCIS IGATA

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NUGU — Twenty years on,Umuchigbo Iji-Nike community in Enugu-East Local Government Area of Enugu State, has cried out to Enugu State government to quickly complete the construction of Harmony Estate, abandoned over 20 years ago.

The 154 hectares of land donated to Enugu State government had been in decrepit condition since it was commissioned by former Vice President,Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

South East Voice checks revealed that the estate conceived to trigger socioeconomic activities along the flanks of the council area and beyond was abandoned by successive administrations, including Governor Sullivan

Chime's.

AUTONOMY This is even as the community called on the state government to accord autonomy to it, as a duly registered and enlisted community among the 472 communities in Enugu State.

A delegation of the community had during a courtesy visit to the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Edward Ubosi, who hails from the community, lamented that developmental strides had eluded them following its inability to be autonomous.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Mr. BelovedDan Anike regretted that although Enugu East Local Government Area controls 20 per cent of the state’s voting population and 75 per cent of the land mass, its indigences merely

•A two-bedroom flat abandoned at Harmony Estate.

contribute two per cent of the entire workforce in the state civil service. He, however, urged the Speaker, to quickly stem the tide.

According to Anike: ”We are appealing to you (Speaker) to use your good office to bring to the notice of government the abandonment of Harmony Estate workers village located in 154 hectares of land just three kilometres from Nike Lake Resort donated and acquired by Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, ENSHDC. “This clarion call is for the full recognition of Umuchigbo Iji-Nike community as an autonomous community in the state that will equip her to have her own traditional ruler to spur socio-cultural and socio-economic evolution of her people.”

6 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Ojoto Indigenes at daggers drawn over communal land, retrieved from Nnewi

By CHIMAOBI NWAIWU

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NEWI — THREE indigenes of Ojoto in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Mr. Nnamdi Okwuosa, Elder Berthram Okoro and Pastor John Nnachie have alleged that their lives are under threat by members of Ndiabor Community Development Forum, NCDF. They had, therefore, appealed to Governor Willie Obiano and the Inspector General of Police to intervene in the community and save them from NCDF, a group they alleged to be above the law in Ojoto community.

But in a swift reaction, 59-yearold Prince Eloka Adirika, who is the Chairman of NCDF, dismissed the allegations by Okwuosa, Okoro and Nnachie, describing them as land speculators who wanted to fraudulently grab and sell the land collectively owned by some Ndiabor indigenes.

Speaking with South East Voice, the trio said their problem with the NCDF members started when they went to survey their parcels of land jointly owned by Ndiabor community, but were prevented because the NCDF members were allegedly selling their lands and therefore, did not want them to enter into the place.

According to Mr. Okwuosa, “NCDF members are involved in land grabbing and selling of people's land in the name of securing the land. We went to our land to mark it for demarcation, but we were threatened with dangerous weapons by members of NCDF. There were about 30 young men who had been conscripted into the group led by Eloka Adirika, to protect the land they were grabbing.

“None of the members of the group own land in the area they are ravaging, but they organize themselves to harass, intimidate and maim innocent villagers, giving their buyers the impression they are above the whole town and the law,” he said.

Narrating his family’s ordeal in the hands of NCDF members, Mr. Okwuosa said that “on December 15, 2013, we, Messrs Isaiah and Mr. Emmanuel Okwuosa respectively went to

•Elder Berthram Okoro who alleged to have been beaten by NCDF men. our parcels of land at Udide farmland, which spread at different locations to MmiriOkpontu River axis, up to Okpontu stream, and we discovered that the land has been taken over by people yet to be identified.

“To our greatest surprise, beacons have been erected all over the parcels of land by unknown people, and on inquiry, we were told that a group of people led by Mr. Eloka Adirika are behind what has happened to the parcels of lands.

He listed December 18, 2013, January 28, 2014, March 3, 2014 and May 20, 2015 as different dates his family members attempted to enter the land to fence it with wire gauze, but were prevented by NCDF. “Even on May 20, 2015 when we went to carry out the demarcation with hired bulldozer, they ordered the man out and collected all the money he had on him. They did not only prevent us from entry, they also forced us to pay a fine of N25,000 for entering into the land without their permission.

“This deliberate and forceful act of dispossessing us and other people of their lands had been going on for about four years now, and we have made serious efforts to enter into our land but this group of lawless individuals have made it impossible for us,” he said.

His family, according to him, wrote to Ndiabor village led by Mr. Ikechukwu Okafor over the alleged intimidation and harassment and subsequent selling of their land, “but it took them up to three months to reply, we also wrote to Ojoto South Development Union, OSDU, but they could not do anything.

“It is painful to see young men who over the years could not achieve anything, and did not go to any school and all of a sudden, because they forcefully entered into people’s land, started selling and making millions. They now

own hotels, houses and ride in Sports Utility Vehicles, SUVs,” he said.

On his part, Elder Bertram Okeke, a 75year-old building contractor from Ngorogwugwu village Ojoto, alleged he narrowly escaped death in the hands of the group and was hospitalized for over one month because of the beating he

NCDF members are involved in land grabbing and selling of peoples land in the name of securing the land, we went to our land to mark it for demarcation, but we were threatened with dangerous weapons by members of NCDF

received from them.

Also narrating his ordeal, he said: “In 2012, I went to survey my land, with a surveyor, but we were accosted by some youths led

by Mr. Eloka Adirika and they started pushing us. Before we could utter a word, one Emeka Osondu pulled me down from the car.

“And Chukwudi Ezeimo held me, Uzodinma Adirika slapped me, I fell down and Chukwudi slapped me again, I fell down the second time, and they were jubilating and hailing themselves, singing songs that gave impression that they are above the law and should be dreaded.

“The same Chukwudi came and held me the third time and Uzodinma Adirika slapped me again, carried me up and hit me on the ground, ruled a line, and told me that if I crossed that line he would kill me, asking how we dared enter the territory, that anybody who wished should avoid the place, and when I discovered that they were ready to kill me, we turned back and left.

“While I was going home, I met John Nnachie, a pastor who told me to go and report the matter to Mr. Stephen Nnoli, a retired headmaster in the community, and later wrote to Ojoto South Development Union, but they did not do anything and I went to the police to report the matter.

“I was admitted in the hospital for three days as a result of the beating. I had prostate enlargement because of the beating. Eloka wanted me to sell the land to him earlier before the encounter, but I did not agree and because of that, he wanted to kill me,” he said.

He alleged the NCDF members co-opted boys from the three villages in Ojoto and bought things for them and they became their thugs, adding that they call their group “Onye bata Orijua afor” (if you come in, you feed well) and idle youths

embraced the group.

Pastor John Nnachie, a native of Iruebenebe Quarters in Ndiabor village, Ojoto, while narrating his own experience said that “for three to four years now, a group of people organized themselves and have been terrorizing the people of this village. Although they did not beat me or any member of my family, they threatened to kill me and members of my family if I dare come close to our land.

“When they started their NCDF initially, they said they wanted to build a boundary between Ojoto and Nnewi, but they used that ploy to take people's land forcefully, they did not inform land owners there. They teamed up with miscreants like them from Nnewi and took over the land belonging to people and divided them into two and gave one part to their Nnewi friends after collecting money from them.

“They took two plots each from the lands that fell into the Ojoto side of their purported boundary, as their own compensation for creating road, and at the communal land called Ala Oriego, they took ten plots to give the person they claim to have borrowed N2 million from to create the road.

“The villagers, who owned those lands were intimidated and harassed and some became afraid and decided to keep quiet.

They have a team they call task force, that collects N120,000 from those who want to develop the remaining of their land.

“The people in Ojoto, who could have resisted them have been compromised with money and land, so they cannot speak out because they have no moral justification to say anything against them. For me, I will not allow them intimidate my family.

The teaching hospital doctors who bought my family land are not finding it easy,” he said.

But reacting further, Prince Adirika said NCDF is not a youth group as alleged, neither does it beat people, sell lands and collect money from people, but a group of responsible elders most of whom are grand fathers and others above 45 years, selected by the Ndiabor community comprising Akabo, Iruebenebe and Ngorogwugwu to resolve boundary dispute with Nnewi people.

“After we resolved the problem with Nnewi people, our people felt that since we could achieve a peaceful resolution of the land dispute with Nnewi, we should protect the land to avoid fighting ourselves over it.

“That was how the issue of identifying your land with your boundary partners started. Our people introduced the policy to avoid clash between one another over boundary and the people that are complaining are land grabbers and speculators who want to cheat others but were resisted.

“What is wrong in asking a genuine land owner to allow people they have boundary with to be around before they can start building or farming on the land or demarcating and surveying as they claim if they have no hidden agenda? ” he asked

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 7

Quarry sites, farm land tear Abia, Ebonyi communities apart the NBC director general and two deputy governors was issued. Among the other things, the meeting agreed that three technical experts of both states, made up the Surveyos-General and two other persons should come to Abuja for the delineation of the boundary in accordance with already screened and accepted documents. The meeting would be between September 1st to 4th.

They also agreed that a Joint Field Team should be inaugurated on the 17th of November and that fieldwork in the disputed areas would commence at the Uru-Lokpanta axis and should be completed on or before December 18 2015. And unless this is resolved quickly the youths are still spoiling for war.

By ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA — BLLODBATH is looming large in the boundary communities of Abia and Ebonyi States. The neighbouring states presently have boundary issues in at least eight areas. They include Iyioji Akaeze, in Ivo council of Ebonyi and Item in Bende Council of Abia; Umuobor, Akaeze and Ugwueke; Amaeze, Ishiagu in Ivo council of Ebonyi and Uru Lokpanta in Umunneochi council of Abia; Amata, Ishiagu and Ukomi; Amata Isiagu and Lokpaukwu and Lekwesi in Umunneochi of Abia; Etiti Eda in Afikpo South of Ebonyi and Nkporo in Ohafia Council of Abia as well as Nguzu Edda also in Afikpo South and Okagwe in Ohafia council.

Over the years, there had been hostilities in these disputed boundary areas. From available records, there had been notable disturbances in these boundary areas. Among them were the Aganta massacre of 1987; the Uru-Lokpanta/Ishiagu clashes of 2004 and 2005; the UruLokpanta/Ishiagu violent clash of 1997; the Uru-Lokpaukwu Amanta clashes of 2007; the Lekwesi/Ishiagu clashes of 2003 and 2008 as well as the recent Uru-Ukomi Lokpa/Ivo clashes. In each of these hostilities, a lot of damages are incurred on both sides of the divide.

Incidentally, the primary cause of these disputes is unguided desire to own quarry sites and acquire more farm land. The recent hostility between the Amata and Ukomi youths was disagreement on the sharing formula of toll fees being collected from a quarry company operating in their boundary area.

It was learnt that the youths had initial agreement to share toll fees into three equal parts and Ukomi of Abia state would take two shares while Amata of Ebonyi would take one share.

The arrangement was said to have abided by the them until

THE TEAM

Editor: Emeka Mamah - Enugu (08033218645; email: emekemamah@yahoo.com) Anayo Okoli, Umuahia Vincent Ujumadu, Awka Austin Ogwuda, Awka Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri Peter Okutu , Abakaliki Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Nnewi

Francis Igata, Enugu Nwabueze Okonkwo, Onitsha

Ugochukwu Alaribe, Aba Enyim Enyim, Onitsha Chinoso Alozie, Owerri Obialunamma Nwadiogbu, Amawbia Eric Ugbor, Aba

•Top, Abia deputy governor, Ude Oko Chukwu exchanging copies of the communique with his Ebonyi counterpart, Eric Igwe. Below—Abia deputy governor , DG NBC and Ebonyi deputy governor signing the communique.

July this year when the Amata youths allegedly refused to collect a share and demaded for equal share with Ukomi. This triggered a fight which left some people wounded, with both sides going home to prepare for war.

The intervention of the Governments saves the situation as they ordered the deployment of policemen to the area. Some youths from both sides were arrested and detrained in Abia and Ebonyi police commands.

To resolve the perennial boundary hostilities between the

brother states, the National Boundary Commission recently convened a meeting in Umuahia, Abia State capital. Delegates from the states which include traditional rulers from the disputed areas, town union and youth leaders among others, were led by the deputy governors of the two states.

At the end of the meeting under the chairmanship of Dr. Mohammed Ahmad, the director-general of National Boundary Commission, a communiqué which was signed

While addressing the meeting, the NBC director general Dr. Mohammed Ahmad appealed to the traditional rulers, community leaders and youth leaders of the two communities to release whoever was still in the captive.

Ahmad also blamed State Governments in the slow pace of resolution of boundary disputes between states of the Federation, saying that States do not accord boundary issues the priority attention they require.

“The slow pace of the progress is blamed mainly on the part of the States because they do not accord boundary issues the required priority attention. When agreements are not implemented within a time frame, it becomes inevitable that the parties concerned would have to meet again to reach new agreements.

“There is the need for the State Boundary Committee and the Commission to interface and

strategize on practicable work plans on how to address the outstanding works on some of these boundaries”, Ahmad lamented.

Over the years, there had been hostilities in these disputed boundary areas, from available records, there had been notable disturbances in these boundary areas. Among them were the Aganta massacre of 1987; the Uru-Lokpanta/ Ishiagu clashes of 2004 and 2005; the Uru-Lokpanta/ Ishiagu violent clash of 1997; the UruLokpaukwu Amanta clashes of 2007; the Lekwesi/Ishiagu clashes of 2003 and 2008 as well as the recent Uru-Ukomi Lokpa/Ivo clashes

AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES: How Imo politicians are

getting rich

By CHINONSO ALOZIE

O

WERRI-IF nothing is done about the creation of autonomous communities in Imo state, it will turn out to be a conduit pipe for politicians in the state to enrich themselves.From 2007 to 2015 , it was learnt that the traditional institution has been involved in indiscriminate splitting of communities into “unqualified” autonomous communities for personal interests and extortion of money from communities before they were given autonomous status and “political” dethronement of traditional rulers among others.

Also going by reports, some traditional rulers have continued to be under pressure from politicians to act against their wish on constitutional requirements.

Some of these traditional rulers are not qualified to be heads of autonomous communities going

by their antecedents and behavioural conduct in their domain.

It would be recalled that during the regime of the immediate past government, under Governor Ikedi Ohakim, about 114 autonomous communities created by his (Ohakim) predecessor Chief Achike Udenwa alleged the Imo state House of Assembly led by Rt Hon. Goodluck Nana Opiah, the House committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters allegedly collected N150,000 each from these communities after attempt failed to proscribe them but the House of Assembly committee was not sincere because it claimed that it was going to recognize the autonomous communities earlier created but had only pencilled down not up to 50 Autonomous Communities to be recognized.

Reacting on the allegations, the then Imo state House of Assembly committee chairman on Local Government and

Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Larry Marcel Ajero representing Ideato South constituency, had dismissed the allegations that they used the exercise for their personal aggrandizement.

Also speaking, the Imo House of Assembly committee Chairman on Information, Due Process and Inter-Parliamentary Relation, Hon. Ray Emeana gave an assurance that the creation of autonomous communities would follow due process and be based on merit.

On assumption of office, in 2011, the present administration led by Governor Rochas Okorocha in his maiden broadcast after his victory at the poll said “ it is sad to note that some traditional rulers have left their stools to play politics. This will no longer be tolerated. We shall also review the staff of office issued to the recently created autonomous communities . A committee is already being constituted for this purpose.”

As if it was not enough, Gov

Okorocha had dissolved the leadership of the traditional institution in the state led by Eze Cletus Ilomuanya but according to reports, Ilomuanya had been reinstated by the supreme court.

Many traditional rulers had suffered several political interference and intimidation from 2007 to 2015.

It would be recalled that under the present administration of Governor Rochas Okorocha, many communities had issues.

Also, before the second term of Rochas Okorocha,the government denied collaborating with the state House of Assembly to collect money from communities in order to issue them with autonomous status.

Recently, the Imo State Government under Governor Rochas Okorocha had called on the communities who paid money to get autonomous status to go to the same source for a refund.

8 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Alleged illegal operation:

3 former security outfit commanders, and BoT trade words

By CHIMOBI NWAIWU

F

ormer National Commandant General of Gallant Community Protection and Safety Foundation, GAPCON, Dr Anthony Clarke and his Anambra and Imo State commanders, Dr. Alpha Justice and Deacon Sunday Ogonnaya, respectively are now trading words with the Board of Trustees, BOT of the organization over running of an illegal security outfit.

While Clarke, Justice and Ogbonnaya on one side are accusing GAPCON BOT members of running an illegal organization and using it to extort money from people, the members of the BOT of the organization said they were angry and peddling rumours of running an illegal organization because they were sacked for misconduct.

The BOT of GAPCON said their outfit is well recognized and not in any way illegal, having got all the approvals from the Federal Government agencies and Ministries that are in charge of giving approval for such

security outfit.

Addressing a joint press briefing in Onitsha, the three exGAPCON officers said they were deceived into joining the organization and incurring debt through renting office accommodations for the organization in Asaba, Onitsha and Owerri on the directive of the organization which, it did not pay for but instead the BOT members turned around to accuse them of a non-existent offence.

The ex-Anambra State Command, Dr. Justice and members of the BOT are also accusing each other of threat to their lives.

While Dr Justice who is the proprietor New World Computer Professional Institute Ltd, Onitsha, accused some members of the organization and the police as threatening his life following several arrests by police, a member of the GAPCON BOT Chief Donatus Ibe accused Dr Justice of inviting the police and the Army first into their matter.

Dr Justice recalled that one Pastor Michael Obierika approached him sometime in 2013 to join and support

•Right to Left, Dr Anthony Clarke Comandant General of GAPCON and his Anambra and Imo State Commanders, Dr Alpha Justice and Deacon Sunday Ogonnaya, including Mr Okwuchukwu Obi, a member of the organization also alleged to have been deceived into joining the group.

Addressing a joint press briefing in Onitsha, the three exGAPCON officers said they were deceived into joining the organization and incurring debts through renting offices for the organization in Asaba, Onitsha and Owerri on the directive of the organization which, it did not pay for but instead the BOT members turned around to accuse them of non-existent offence.

GAPCON financially. He said that by September 2014, he was appointed the Anambra State commandant, but without an identity card. Neither uniform nor any stipulated monthly allowance was given him.

He disclosed that he single handedly sourced for funds to buy furniture and equipped the Anambra state branch office, lamenting that no kobo was given to him, and he has not been refunded the money by the organization.

“Pastor Obierika was in charge of registration of new members, sale of forms and screening of members, and also collected all money for the organization, as well as employing staff who were accountable to him.

“When I discovered that the organization was not backed by the relevant authorities in Nigeria, I withdrew my membership by tendering my

resignation letter.

“Other reasons for my resignation were: the organization uses multifarious appellations such as Gallant Community Corps of Nigeria, Gallant Community Protection Corps of Nigeria, Gallant Community Protection and Safety Corps as opposed to the duly registered name; falsification of an approval letter Reff: NATIM/20/14432, dated, 11, January,2013, from Ministry of Trade and Investment, Abuja; the organization bearing of arms and ammunition, and uses combatant uniforms with guns crested on it without due approval. “ Dr. Justice said his ordeal in the hands of the BoT of the organization started since he handed over his resignation letter dated 2, March, 2015 to which the BOT rejected, and have since continued to persecute him.

FRSC inaugurates 70 clergymen among 318 Special Marshals

By CHIMAOBI NWAIWU, Nnewi

T

he Anambra State Federal Road Safety Corps Department of Special Marshal and Partnership R.S 53 has taken its safety campaign to the churches with over 70 clergy men from the Catholic, Anglican and Pentecostal churches in the state joining the fold.

This was disclosed by the Anambra State Coordinator of Special Marshal and Partnership of the State Sector Command of Federal Road Safety Corps FRSC, Mr. Ben Osaka in an interview with South East Voice shortly after the inauguration of the new Special Marshal and Partnership RS 5.3 Anambra State Sector Command, 2015, held at St Mary’s Catholic Church Hall Onitsha.

“The number of clergy men

who have joined the Special Marshal fold is increasing on daily basis, we have 30 Catholic priests, there are Bishops in our fold and there are other Pentecostal clergy men working with us, and we need them to carry that message to the Churches.

“We want more priests to join us, we encourage them to join

so that they can impact that knowledge. You know that the people obey their priests. That is why we encourage them to join to help us pass the information to their members and we believe that with this collaboration with priests, road safety campaign will be taken to the next level,” he said.

Some of the clergy men that

•Sub Dean of All saints Cathedral Onitsha, Ven Obiora Uzochukwu taking oath of allegiance

were inaugurated into the fold were, Sub Dean of All saints Cathedral Onitsha Ven. Obiora Uzochukwu, Ven. Obi Ubaka, Ven Ukpeke and Ven. Sam Adorao, and other senior priests from the Anglican Communion, Catholic and Pentecostal churches in the state.

Mr. Osaka, an Onitsha based legal practitioner also disclosed that his administration has put in place a formidable structure that will help in ensuring sustainable achievements of the Special Marshals in the state.

“One of the structures my administration has put in place for the sustenance of the achievements we have recorded over the years is ensuring that people of proven integrity are recruited into the fold, including those with new initiatives and good character for the onerous task of keeping the roads accident free and

safe,” he said.

He said that the newly inaugurated 318 members is not enough, for the State which he described as too large for such number, adding that Ekwulobia, Uga, Umunze, Agulu, Nanka are some of the towns that need Special Marshals presence to help make the roads safe.

He added that Uga and Umunze currently have only two Special Marshals,while Aguluzigbo has only one, and wondered what only such few numbers will be doing in such big and developing towns, saying that the state needs 200 more Special Marshals to go to the hinter lands.

He said that one of the problems militating against their activities in the state is lack of manpower, impatience from the people of the state who are eager to break the laws, and answering calls while driving.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 33

United look to confirm Champions League return M

anchester United are looking to complete the job over Club Brugge in their Champions League play-off second leg today while Italy ’s Lazio may have slightly more to do to secure a place in the group stages.

The English Premier League giants have a two-goal lead to take to Belgium after a 3-1 win at Old Trafford last Tuesday, while Lazio have a slender 1-0 advantage for their second leg against Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.

A 2-0 win for Brugge at the Jan Breydelstadion would be enough to take them through at United’s expense (on the away goals rule), but United - three-time winners of the Champions League - are confident after Marouane Fellaini’s late third goal in the first leg.

“It (Fellaini’s goal) makes a difference because 2-1 is a very difficult result,” said United boss Louis Van Gaal after the victory last Tuesday.

Brugge boss Michel Preud’homme, on the other hand, was less optimistic after conceding

•Depay

Neymar’s United link dismissed by Barca arcelona have brushed aside B speculation linking Neymar with Man Utd and say the club will soon offer the Brazilian star a contract extension.

Reports in England claimed United were prepared to spend £240 million - £130m on Neymar’s buyout clause and the remainder on tying the player to a long-term contract at Old Trafford - to acquire the 23-year-old.

“Those are just rumours and what people write but there is nothing to it,” Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said to Catalan radio station Catalunya Radio.

“Neymar is happy at Barca. We don’t want Neymar to leave at all.

“He is a young player that has an international football projection above the norm. He has helped us a lot in our recent successes.

“In a few months’ time we will dis-

West Ham target Adebayor swoop

W

est Ham hope to land Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor on a loan deal until the end of the season, Sky sources understand.

West Ham are in desperate need of reinforcements up front with three of their four main strikers – Andy Carroll, Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate – sidelined through injury.

And the Hammers are actively pursuing a deal to land Adebayor, who is inside the final year of his lucrative Tottenham contract.

The 31-year-old looked set to go on loan to Aston Villa in a move which would

have seen him reunited with former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood.

But the deal fell through after Adebayor had been given a tour of Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground, reportedly due to both parties being unable to agree terms.

West Ham reportedly failed in an attempt to lure Adebayor to Upton Park last January but have now returned to the negotiating table as they try and strengthen their depleted attack.

Former Arsenal and Manchester City striker Adebayor has not played for Spurs in pre-season and saw the No 10 shirt he wore last season handed to England international Harry Kane.

Balotelli: Milan always in my heart

•Neymar cuss his contract extension as he has three years left on his current deal.

“We want him to stay for many years, three, five, 10 or even 15 years more

with us.”

Neymar joined the European champions from Santos in June 2013.

He scored 29 goals and set up

Juventus seal Cuadrado deal

J

•Cuadrado

uventus have announced they have signed Chelsea winger Juan Cuadrado on a season-long loan deal until June 2016.

The Colombia international only joined the Blues from Fiorentina in January, but the club’s capture of Pedro from Barcelona means he is already surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge.

Cuadrado will instead form part of Massimiliano Allegri’s new-look Juve side, which has been weakened by the summer departures of Arturo Vidal, Carlos Tevez and Andrea Pirlo.

However, the winger is the latest of a host of new arrivals in Turin, with Sami Khedira, Mario Mandzukic, Alex Sandro and Paulo Dybala among 12 new faces at the club.

The 27-year-old could make his debut against Roma on August 30.

•Balotelli

L

iverpool flop Mario Balotelli said he has always had AC Milan in his heart after passing a medical ahead of rejoining the Serie A side.

Both clubs have yet to announce the deal, which will see the Italy international represent the San Siro side for the 2015-16 campaign.

A statement from Milan read: “Mario Balotelli has completed his medical.

“He is expected to arrive to Casa Milan at 13:30.”

AC Milan have thrown Balotelli a lifeline, with the 25-year-old having scored just four goals in his 29 appearances for the Reds since his £16million transfer from the Rossoneri last summer.

Balotelli, left out of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the Far East and Australia, is aware of how important this move is to revive his career.

“I’m happy to have returned,” Balotelli said on Milan’s website. “I have little to say, just that I’m looking forward to train and prove my worth.

34 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 35

You have to be different to stand out in business — Uhanan Mimi Musa Uhanan Musa is a social entrepreneur and the founder of Young Women’s Leadership Initiative and leadership development. She is also a selfimprovement blogger. She has a passion for change and leadership. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the American University of Cyprus, a Master’s in Business (MBA) from the University of Wales UK and a Project Management Certificate from Villanova University USA. In this interview, Uhana reveals how women can create a competitive edge in their businesses among other issues.

By Kehinde Ajose

W

HAT is your definition of a succeeding woman?

First off, Success is the fulfilment of your purpose and behind every successful woman is herself because she is the decision maker of her life. A succeeding woman is a woman of substance. A woman of substance is someone whose life has meaning and purpose.

She lives life with intention, love and passion. She epitomizes the meaning of “walking prosperity” because she is indeed blessed. A succeeding woman is a whole woman. A woman who has It all: - A career or a business, a marriage, a family, a good social circle or relationship and is able to manage it all simultaneously.

It’s very hard to achieve and strike that balance. The contemporary era requires women to successfully juggle work, business, marriage, family, service and play and this is very difficult to accomplish but by the grace of God, It is not impossible.

Succeeding woman The best description of a succeeding woman is the Proverbs 31 woman.

For women in business, how can they create a competitive edge for their brands?

You have to “Be Different” to stand out from your competitors. Anyone can offer a product or service in the market but you’ll have to be unique and different from the rest to be successful. I learnt this business strategy (Product Differentiation) from my MBA marketing course.

A good question to ask yourself is this: There are a lot of brands out there offering the same product and service, why should people pick mine?

Be Authentic. For women in business, there’s a lot of rivalry and unfair representation. Competitive rivals always try to imitate and steal business ideas and strategies but they forget they can’t steal execution or passion.

Don’t waste your time trying to imitate or duplicate someone else’s idea, venture or profession. You too have C M Y K

something unique and distinctive to offer and you do yourself and the world a dis-service when you take the short cut to success .Be genuine and stay true to your brand. Transparency and trust is essential.

And also Be well-Informed .To stay ahead of competition you need to keep yourself updated and in-touch with the latest trends in business. Nothing in life stays the same. Embrace change and welcome new strategies to implement and manage it. Thanks to the new social media and internet age that makes information easily accessible.

Finally, Be Excellent in all things. To have a competitive edge requires being your best self. Have faith. Faith will always push you in the right direction, be morally sound. You must stand and believe in something that cannot be compromised or wavered. Most of all, work hard. Nothing in life comes easy.

Why do you do what you do?

I think passion. I am very passionate about women and youth empowerment, leadership development, and motivating others to be their best. I also have a burning desire to make a difference, to use my opportunities and resources to give back and the other is my purpose.

I realized that I cannot run or hide from my God given purpose and I must do all that I can so at the end of the day every talent and skill that I have been blessed with will be used in a positive and impactful way. I a l s o understand that to

whom much is given, much is required.

What made you set up Young Women’s Leadership Initiative?

I felt a need for a revolution. Young Woman’s Leadership was founded in order to provide young women with the tips, tools and resources to live a meaningful, purposeful and impactful life. Our goal is to spread passion, raise awareness and offer solutions to and for

young women.

Young Woman’s leadership Initiative provides mentorship opportunities, women empowerment conferences, resources and opportunities to give back. I am passionate about women and youth empowerment.

As a woman I have a natural desire to see other women succeed and do better for themselves. I wanted to make sure that young women had chance especially young women in African countries. I am Nigerian and I feel like my responsibility to make sure that young girls are given the same opportunities I was afforded. This is my way of giving back to society.

How did your growing up prepare you for this?

While growing up I was fortunate to attend seminars and read books that motivated me. I never thought I will eventually take this up as career. I believe that from a young age the exposure to resources and opportunities engulfed me and shaped who I am. I realised quite early my passion for helping, serving humanity and being able to lead was a unique trait for me.

How can women become change agents in their societies?

In the words of Mahatma Ghandi “Be the change you want to see in the world”. People are more likely to change and be influenced by the attitude of others and the examples they set. To be a change agent one needs to keep an open mind, find a common ground and influence by example.

Source of inspiration Women play an extremely important role as change agents in their families and societies. As change agents, Women serve as a source of inspiration for other women. Their journey serves as a road map or guide for other younger women looking to make the same impact in the future.

It is the responsibility of women to give back and ensure that the next generation of women are smarter, greater public servants and more accomplished. That is why I created Young Women’s Leadership Initiative to Give Women in Leadership positions an opportunity mentor and empower young women.

I am who I am today because of women who made it their responsibility to guide and mentor me and I have to give back by doing the same.

What is the greatest price you have paid for your passion?

Leadership and entrepreneurship can be a lonely road but is well worth the journey. It is a selfless life in which the demands for the cause come before your own needs. I’ve made a lot of sacrifices to make my passion a reality. First I had to disengage myself rom distractions that interfere with my goals.

Then I made sure I had the necessary foundation required to be an expert in the field. I enrolled for a certificate course with London’s coaching academy.

I studied and was mentored by successful leaders in business. Most importantly, I believed in myself and surrounded myself with people who made it their business to see YWLI become a success What is that one quality you cherish most about yourself?

I thank the Lord for the gifts He has blessed me with. There is nothing as important as being focused. I have always known who I wanted to be and I could do this is because I know what I want. My passion is my drive and God’s unending support and favour have always made way for me.”

36—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

A

Stella Adadevoh T

he Nigerian blogosphere continued to celebrate late Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, as the one year anniversary of her death came round August 19. Dr. Stella was one of the hospital staff at First Consultants Hospital, Obalende, Lagos, that lost the battle for survival as a result of Ebola infection through primary contact with Sawyer.

On the 20th of July 2014, Nigeria’s Ebola patient “zero” or index case Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, had imported the Ebola virus into Nigeria, setting off a chain reaction.

Adadevoh’s last days were spent in isolation at the Ebola Operations Centre in Yaba, Lagos.

She was not the first or only Nigerian to succumb to the dreaded virus, but Adadevoh’s bravery and role in helping to contain the Ebola epidemic makes her a veritable modern day heroine.

Caroline Oriola

T

rending in the last week on the Nigerian blogosphere is the shocking news of the death of the Chief Matron of the Lagos State House of Assembly Clinic, Mrs. Caroline Oriola, who was found dead in her office on the Assembly premises by cleaners.

Available reports have it that Mrs. Oriola was in office on Saturday to get some drugs and was said to have switched on the air conditioner in the office and locked the door from behind.

The security men on duty were oblivious of the incident

though she signed the movement register before she picked the keys to the clinic.

The matron’s body was discovered two days later by a cleaner.

“It is indeed sad news; nobody expected that she would die when she did. We were told that she was in the clinic to pick some drugs only for her dead body to be found on the floor by a cleaner,” said a source.

Apparently, the deceased’s husband, who had waited for her to return home, had gone to check her in the Assembly,

Sia Koroma

O

UT of respect to Mrs. Buhari, the Sierra-Leonian First Lady, Mrs. SiaKoroma recently surrendered her position of head of Africa’s First Ladies to Mrs. Buhari, inviting her to take up the same seat which Mrs. Jonathan hurriedly handed over a few weeks to the handover of her husband’s government to President Buhari. Meanwhile C M Y K

reaction to allegations in some Nigerian media that the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari has moved into the First Lady’s office in the Aso Villa has been circulating blogosphere, describing the allegation as totally false and fictitious. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said that even though there was absolutely nothing wrong with Mrs. Buhari making use of the office space reserved for the First Lady, she had not done so in her capacity.

Shehu stated that under president Buhari, the era of First Ladies issuing oil wells and licenses was gone.

“President Buhari promised that there would be a clear difference between the role played by his wife during his tenure and that played by many previous First Ladies.

“All that ostentation, ubiquitousness and arrogance we have come to expect from the office are over and done with. Change has come.

“The ideal platform from which she will be useful to Nigeria’s women and children is still being thought out.

Once this has been concluded on, Mrs. Buhari’s role will become clearer to all Nigerians. There will be nothing shady or hidden about it. There will be no access to public funds. It will be purely private and voluntary ”, he said.

Aisha Buhari The presidential spokesman recalled that the time Mrs. Buhari had to make use of the office was at the beginning of the present administration.

He added that the meeting during which she hosted the wives of governors was held in a section of the Villa’s

banquet hall, not in the First Lady’s office. “Her only visit to that office was at the point of the take-over of the Villa by the incoming administration.

The office of the first lady is a waste of tax payers money!..It should be scrapped.

Bimpe Aboyade

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but said that he could not find her car in the park, adding that he was unaware that she parked at the lawmakers’ park.

Investigations are in progress.

writing in the Sierra Leone Telegraph in May, a columnist, said: But what is it with those who are in the corridors of power? Why is it so natural for them to compromise conscience and follow the social, religious or political fashion for the sake of gain or pleasure?

Why do they find it extremely difficult to sacrifice both on the altar of truth and duty? Mrs Koroma lacked the guts, the finesse and the capacity to pull out of the treachery that was glaringly on display.

It is a blatant case of double standards for Sia Koroma to accept willingly the headship of a group that is meant to be searching for peace, under the cloud of mistrust, suspicion and immorality, in which no ethical punctuation mark was in sight.I understand that even though Mrs. Aisha Buhari does not want to be dragged into the brouhaha surrounding the whole saga, the last has not been heard of Sia Koroma’s role in what is being seen in some quarters as modern immorality play and a betrayal of the spirit of truth, equity and justice.

There are no two ways to it. Sia Koroma’s decision to be a willing tool in the political intrigues smirks of nothing but lust for power, greed, indecency and moral bankruptcy. Sia cannot tell me that she is unaware of the antecedent of Patience Jonathan.

enior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and columnist Funke Aboyade has taken to social media to honour her mother, professor Bimpe Aboyade, who turned 80 this week, posting pictures of the celebrant with many women of substance such as Folake Solanke and Priscilla Kuye.

Herself an amazon, professor Aboyade is first female sub-Saharan African to achieve a PH.D in Literature in English.

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Florence Ita Giwa

lso in a celebratory mood is Senator Florence Ita Giwa, whose daughter, Koko had a baby boy last week in the United States. Florence Ita Giwa’s daughter Koko and her husband Chimaobi Shawcross Obioha, are reportedly overjoyed, but not nearly as much as the new grandmother, who is proudly announcing the wonderful news.

VANGU ARD, WEDNESD A Y, AUGUST 26, 2015 —37 ANGUARD, WEDNESDA Sia Koroma

The sister-in-law from hell!

Dear Bunmi, HEN MY brother ’s wife walked out on their marriage three years ago, I supported my brother and his two children because he was in the midst of a bitter separation. He seemed to be in a stupor while his wayward wife cheated on him and neglected the children.

In the end, our mother had to take over caring for the children and I’ve been helping by purchasing foodstuffs and clothes. Now I’m receiving harassing phone calls from my ungrateful sister-in-law. I want to be there for my nephews, but I can’t put up with this ungrateful sister-in-law any more.

Do I let my brother’s life fall apart, or do I compel him to be a man and file for divorce so his family could easily support him?

Dejare, by e-mail.

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I’m worried my wife’s friend will tell Dear Bunmi, WOMAN I had an affair with years ago has got back in touch and I’m scared our affair will come to light. I feel so ashamed when I think about it. At the time it happened, my wife was very ill and depressed and her sex drive was non-existent. But although I was frustrated, I never thought about looking elsewhere until this woman came to me.

She’s my wife’s friend and because her marriage was in trouble she’d flirt with any man she met. I thought it was a bit of fun, until one night when I met her at a birthday party for a colleague. My wife couldn’t face going out, but this woman was there and when she saw I was on my own, she made a play for me.

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She’s looking up all her old friends if she’s moving back to her old base. When you had an affair with her, she was unhappy and needy, but now she’s remarried she’s presumably content with her life. And she’s not about to upset her new-found happiness by raking up secrets from the past. The guilt you still feel is causing you to imagine the worst.

Say nothing and behave as though it never happened

lt was obvious she was drunk and started talking about sex, and how she wasn’t getting it.

She was all over me and when I tried to fend her off, she said

He’s turned into a sex fiend!

Dear Bunmi, OT TOO long ago, I started seeing a man who is handsome, loving, kind; in fact, everything I like in a man. I totally fell for him and was convinced we had a future together. We went out together and everything was fine. Nothing sexual happened between us in the first couple of dates, apart from a few kisses on the check and a hug. I was ready to take things a little further, but I wasn’t prepared for what happened the next time I saw him.

He parked the car at a quiet spot and begged me to give him oral sex. I was shocked. I told him I’d rather get to know him better as we’d only been seeing each other a few weeks, and he got annoyed and upset. I suggested we could do it another time, but

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now I’m not so sure. Do you think he’s trying to use me sexually?

Foluke, by e-mail Dear Foluke, It certainly sounds as though he is more interested in sex than in you as a person. Your reluctance to have your first intimate sexual encounter with him in the stuffy surrounding of a car is entirely understandable, especially as you hardly know the man.

Could he be married and not free to take you to his place? Cool things down by telling him that you don’t feel ready for ANY sort of sex with him yet. If he cannot accept that and is not prepared to build up an emotional relationship with you first, he’s not the man for you.

His daughter is out of control Dear Bunmi, LOST my husband a few years ago and have four teenage children. I started dating a widower at the beginning of the year and he has a daughter the same age as mine.

In fact, the girls have been friends for years. The problem is his extravagance with his child. He constantly takes her shopping and buys her everything she needs. She acts like the spoilt brat she is, she’s disrespectful and doesn’t take care of her things.

Her mother, whom I knew, didn’t spoil her this way. My boyfriend says he doesn’t know how to deal with her behaviour, so there are no consequences for

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her actions. I care for this man but I am not sure how to react.

My daughter is upset that she doesn’t get unlimited stuff too.

How can I prevent his lack of discipline from becoming a problem between us?

Joyce by e-mail.

Dear Joyce, You can’t, your boyfriend carries his parenting philosophy into your relationship and raising children with this kind of double standard isn’t going to work. The fact is, if you’ve got issues before marriage, they’re not going to go away once you say ‘I do.’ In fact, your problems are going to intensify when married.

we were only having fun and I needed to loosen up. I thought maybe I was being a bit uptight, so when she suggested I take her home, I agreed.

I should have backed off when she started pressing her body against mine in the car, but by then I was so overcome with lust that I didn’t say no when she asked me in and we had sex as soon as we were near the sofa. It was quick and it satisfied a need, nothing more.

We met a few more times for sex and I was relieved when she and her husband finally split up and she relocated abroad. That was 10 years ago.

A few weeks ago, my wife had an e-mail from her. She said she’s remarried and was moving back to Lagos and would visit as soon as she arrived.

I felt sick with worry when I heard that my wife is a lot better now but if she found out I’d been banging her friend when she was ill, she could have a relapse. I tried to persuade her to ignore the e-mail, but she said she was eager to see her friend again after all these years. I’m afraid this woman will say something. I’m wondering if I should contact her and ask her to keep quiet.

Jonpo, by e-mall Dear Jonpo, Why would she want to stir up trouble after all this time? It is understandable she’s looking up all her old friends if she’s moving back to her old base. When you had an affair with her, she was unhappy and needy, but now she’s remarried she’s presumably content with her life.

And she’s not about to upset her new-found happiness by raking up secrets from the past. The guilt you still feel is causing you to imagine the worst. Say nothing and behave as though it never happened and I suspect that she will too.

Dear Dejare, Your brother is letting you work harder than he is at managing his life because he sees that you’ll be there to take over. By cleaning up his

mess, paying his bills, feeding his children, and fulfilling all his major responsibilities, you’ve taught him that it’s okay to skip out on his duties.

One thing you need to realise is that you are not your brother’s keeper. You’re falling victim to what is termed an emotional extortion. Your brother knows you don’t want his children to suffer, that is why he manipulates you into doing what he ought to do himself.

Stop allowing that to happen and confront him. Let him know that his wife’s irresponsible conduct is no reason for him to shirk his responsibilities. In fact, her deficiencies make it all the more important that he should do everything that’s required of him; such as buying food and clothing and seeking for a proper divorce.

Your compassion is commendable, but you can’t act as a surrogate parent and let your brother exploit you.

No father worth his salt would fail to step up and protect his children.

You’re falling victim to what is termed an emotional extortion. Your brother knows you don’t want his children to suffer, that is why he manipulates you into doing what he ought to do himself.

Stop allowing that to happen and confront him. Let him know that his wife’s irresponsible conduct is no reason for him to shirk his responsibilities

Am I too small to please my women?

Dear Bunmi, AM in my mid-20's, quite tall, but a bit on the chubby side. I’m, however, not short of girl friends. What bothers me is my dick. I’ve compared it with other men’s and I’ve long realized that it's rather on the small side.

My girl-friends have not complained to my face. Are they afraid of hurting me? Do you think I can satisfy a woman in bed considering how small my dick is?

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A1bert, by e-mail.

Dear Albert, Men have always been obsessive about the size of their manhood. But they should realise that it is not the size that matters. In any case, penises are often different sizes when limp, but when erect become a similar size.

As to whether or not you satisfy women in bed, don’t ask me, ask your partners!

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

38—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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ERHAPS the Senate leadership assumed that it was partnering with President Muhammadu Buhari when it gave heed for an investigation of Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over allegations bordering on the misappropriation of N1 trillion recovered funds.

Given the increasing zeal with which the president is approaching the fight against corruption, such a collaboration some may have assumed, would have helped in bridging the well-known gap between Buhari and the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.

The president has been reported to be miffed at the way, and manner Saraki emerged as Senate President, and even worse, his alleged collaboration in the emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the Deputy Senate President.

However, any such suggestion that the probe of Lamorde would heal the relationship between the Senate and the presidency is now being swallowed up in the politics of selfpreservation.

The decision to probe Lamorde, in a remarkable twist of real politics, has unravelled the alliance between the Senate President and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Just after the decision became public knowledge, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio led PDP senators to decry the decision.

•Lamorde: In the eye of the storm

•Saraki: Senate President

SENATE PROBE:

Steps of a dirty dance

GIVEN the monstrous amount of money alleged to have been looted by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, it is not surprising that today’s planned Senate hearing on the allegedly mismanaged N1 trillion is stirring controversy. The political theatrics and thrust of today’s hearing are simply overwhelming.

Minority caucus The Senate minority caucus called for the postponement of the hearing because the probe was not a priority.

“The PDP leadership in the Senate is not against any committee of the Senate performing its oversight duties and or functions but we feel that this is not the appropriate time to embark on this most important assignment, particularly since this same action was mooted and has failed at previous plenary session,” the PDP caucus said in a statement late on Monday.

However, for enthusiasts of Senator Saraki, the probe of the EFCC could not be a higher priority given what many had alleged as the embarrassment the commission subjected the Senate President to when it summoned Senator Saraki’s

•Mrs Saraki flanked by senators at the EFCC office wife for questioning over allegations arising from her husband’s stay in office as

governor of Kwara State.

When Mrs. Saraki was invited by the commission for

questioning over allegations supposedly arising from her husband’s administration in Kwara more than four years ago, only a few doubted that the invitation was not political.

It came just after her husband had upturned permutations in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC to emerge as Senate President. It was the first time since the advent of the Fourth Republic that the wife of the country ’s number three citizen would be subjected to such an embarrassment.

The constitution of the Senate Committee on Ethics,

INSIGHTS •Senate

is on recess drawing suspicious to the timing

•Senator Saraki became the first Number Three citizen to have his wife grilled over corruption allegations •It took the EFCC more than four years to raise the issues against Mrs. Saraki •There are insinuations that the grilling of Mrs. Saraki was retribution for her husband’s emergence as Senate President •Could

the EFCC have grilled the wife of the country’s number three citizen without presidential approval?

Privileges and Public Petitions it was believed gave the camp of the Senate President the opportunity for a fight back.

The committee named in July ending has a rabid pro Saraki senator in the person of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as chairman.

Other members of the committee are almost all fully in the Saraki camp among whom are Senators Dino Melaye, Binta Garba; Peter Nwaboshi and Olaka Nwogu.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Anyanwu was the one who moved the motion of confidence in Senator Saraki and his deputy, Ekweremadu few weeks ago.

Very reliable sources in the Senate disclosed that the original aim of conscripting well known pro-Saraki senators into the committee was to help deal with “troublemakers” in the Ahmad Lawan camp.

The petition against Lamorde it was learnt was channelled through Senator Nwaoboshi, an unabashed enforcer in the Saraki camp.

Continues on page 35

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015—39

Why Jonathan should step in now to save PDP — SENATOR ANOSIKE THE crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party in the national leadership and Anambra State seem to be unending. In this interview, Senator Emma Anosike gave his views on the issues affecting the party at both the national and the state leves. Excerpts: The All Progressive Grand Alliance recently had its convention and elected a national chairman from the same Anambra State where the past national chairman, Victor Umeh comes from.

How do you see this development?

I want to put on record that myself, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, Arthur Eze and Chekwas Okorie met and made sure that APGA was registered. I was then in INEC committee in the House of Representatives and I made sure it was registered.

Chekwas convinced us on why it should be registered and when it was registered Chekwas said the compensation for me was to get a chairman from Anambra.

Ikechukwu Onyeabor was

By Enyim Enyim

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HAT is your position on the crisis in the state chapter of the PDP? A party is a collection of different individuals that come together to take power.

They have different objectives and interests that when not met, fall into crisis. That is what is happening in the national secretariat of the PDP. Our last presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan lost the election to President Muhammadu Buhari as a result of carelessness of some managers without political experience.

It behoves on him(Jonathan) to put his party, the PDP in order. It is embarrassing that the party, the largest in Africa will sit down and watch the baby to be thrown away with bath water.

Future elections The party should put its house in order. If the party puts its house in order, the party will bounce back and come victorious in future elections in this country.

But Jonathan is reported to have rejected the position of chairman of the PDP BoT? He rejected BoT chairmanship because he feels he has more role to play beyond advisory. We are waiting for him to call us together including present and past governors, present and past senators and other stakeholders to come together to fashion ways of moving the party forward.

What is your opinion on the continued crisis in the

brought by me to be the state chairman. We were looking at Okey Nwosu to be the governorship candidate but he was stopped by Peter Obi. Surprisingly at the end of Victor Umeh’s tenure I was thinking APGA will get a seasoned politician to pilot the affairs of the party as national chairman.

Whatever that is happening in APGA is also the small cousin of what is happening in PDP by the key politicians in APGA who also migrated from PDP. Therefore, I will appeal to the leadership of the party in Anambra and national leaders from the state to remember the dream of the founding fathers of APGA which I am also one.

What is your assessment of Governor Willie Obiano’s achievements so far?

I would rate him high in the sense that he inherited a very difficult burden without enough resources and there is nobody you hand over such problems that you will expect miracles from.

Administrators and advisers •Anosike: I feel ashamed with what is happening in Anambra PDP Anambra State chapter of the party?

I feel terribly ashamed with what is happening in Anambra PDP. It did not start today. I had felt that PDP losing Anambra to APGA would have brought sanity and would have taught us a great lesson. But it is unfortunate that the three

factions we now have are struggling to go to nowhere.

I had thought we could have come together to put our house in order. There are in fact four factions of PDP in Anambra, those who are neutral, the Eze faction, Tony Nwoye faction, Ogubego and Emeakayi factions.

It is embarrassing that the party, the largest in Africa will sit down and watch the baby to be thrown away with bath water. The party should put its house in order

SENATE PROBE: Steps of a dirty dance Continued from page 38 Given the channel of the petition and the fact that the petition did not pass through the Senate plenary session there are concerns that today’s hearing could be against the procedures of the Senate. Even the fact that Senate is on recess has also raised suspicions about the intent of the investigation.

However, the decision of the PDP Senate caucus to disown the move by one of their own, Senator Nwaoboshi has added another dimension to the

whole crisis.

Why the PDP would dodge an opportunity to embarrass the ruling party and its principal officers in government, was a puzzle to some yesterday.

The move by the Senator Akpabio led PDP Senate caucus, it was being alleged, may be an attempt by officers of the caucus to endear themselves to the commission and perhaps be a payback that would enable the commission be soft on them whenever

it is their own turn to face the scrutiny of the anti-graft commission.

Whatever, the move by the Senate to frontally confront the EFCC is coming against assertions of continued moves

by Senator Saraki to make peace with the president. While some may see this move as another confrontation by the Senate President, political practitioners with an eye to self-preservation say attack is the best form of defence.

Whether today’s attack will backfire is another matter.

There were a lot of projects awarded by Peter Obi that were not concluded. Many workers were employed by Obi but instead of sacking workers he (Obiano) increased their salaries.

My fear is that some people are surrounding him and not allowing him to actualize his dream. Some of our brothers from Anambra South and North are causing sabotage which I foresee in future and most of them are gallivanting in the Government House in the name of being good administrators and advisers.

Therefore, for us in Anambra North we know all such characters and we have been in the field with them before and if they want to sabotage the Obiano government they will fail.

What is your reaction to claims that Governor Obiano used state resources to th celebrate his 60 birthday?

It is unfortunate that people are complaining about Obiano’s birthday.

He was a wealthy man before he became governor and had been eating on the table.

40—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

BAYELSA: Why I'm standing behind Dickson — Ernest-Ikoli, former Sylva aide THE approach of an unseasonal governorship election in Bayelsa State has unearthed a number of surprises. Nearly a thousand former members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP stormed an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Yenagoa penultimate Saturday almost stumbling over each other in their haste to switch allegiance. However, conspicuously absent in the rush out of the PDP was one of the key figures around former Governor Timipre Sylva (the acknowledged leader of the drive to take over the state for the APC) was Anthony George-Ikoli who served as Attorney General in the Sylva administration. George-Ikoli, who has the honour of being the first Bayelsan lawyer to earn the prestigious Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title had sought but lost the Bayelsa East Senate ticket to show-business impresario Ben Murray-Bruce.

Unlike many others who lost out in the PDP primary contest, George-Ikoli chose not to defect from the PDP pledging to follow the principles carved out by his grandfather, Ernest Ikoli, the journalism icon and political activist who hailed from Brass.

Ernest-Ikoli who was in Yenogoa on the day of the defection spoke to Vanguard on his reasons for abiding in the PDP among other things. Excerpts:

By Lindsay Barret MANY people have assumed that because of your importance in the Sylva Administration you would have followed him into the APC; why haven’t you done so?

First and foremost Sylva is family. He is my brother and remains a dear friend and compatriot, but when I came to serve in his administration I did so in order to serve the people of Bayelsa State and not out of personal sentiment.

My membership of the PDP preceded my coming to Bayelsa State and the reasons behind my joining the party were based on my belief in its stated principles of equity, fairness, and good governance.

making his decision to cross carpet, because he was hounded out of the PDP by his opponents in his own state, but his circumstances are different from mine. I am still planning to serve the people of my ancestral home to the best of my ability, and nothing that has happened so far has convinced me that I cannot do so as a PDP member.

How do you see the forthcoming election playing out: and what advice would you give the PDP State Chapter as it prepares for battle?

This is no time to play the ostrich and bury our heads in the sand. As far as I can see now the PDP has an uphill

Good governance The APC may have achieved national spread now as result of its belated realisation that it needed to consolidate its membership across the nation, but the PDP was the only party that truly promoted that belief right from its inception. Over the decade and a half that the party was in the ascendancy there is no doubt that mistakes were made and many of the principles that we promoted were betrayed.

However what we need to do is to learn from the mistakes made while we were in power and provide a robust and effective alternative platform so that democracy can grow in our nation.

I have no doubt that Sylva had very good reasons for

The most important cause of the PDP’s downfall at the national level was the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan and his close allies appeared not to understand the dynamics of the process that had led to his emergence as President

•Lindsay Barrett (l) chats with George-Ikoli in Yenagoa struggle on its hands to hold on to the Government of Bayelsa State, especially since the challenge is being led by Timipre Sylva who has legitimate grievances, and a strong support base in the state.

In addition to this the PDP structure in the state has been decimated by the abdication and defections of a large group of turncoat members who have declared that their new allegiance is to the APC. In spite of these challenges the PDP still has the support of several people especially at the grassroots and for it to retain this support it must listen to the advice of the community leaders who have remained loyal to the traditional sympathies of the people.

Traditional sympathies The Governor and the party leaders in the state must reflect these sympathies in their actions as well as in their utterances.

The party leadership in particular must be transformed to reflect these sympathies effectively.

Since so many of the former leaders of the party have defected the existing party executive must be reformed quickly with the best and most experienced of those who have remained in the party being elevated to new positions of leadership so that they can convince the electorate to stand

firm on the electoral decision that they have taken to keep the party alive in the state.

The Governor must listen not only to his supporters but also to his critics and respond to the real demands of the people.

What are some of the causes of the PDP’s loss of the last election at the national level and how should the party remedy its mistakes in the future?

The most important cause of the PDP’s downfall at the national level was the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan and his close allies appeared not to understand the dynamics of the process that had led to his emergence as President.

As they say, they misread the political tea leaves and as a consequence they approached governance and the campaign for his second term without taking advice from those who had placed him on the path to the highest office in the land in the first place.

What role do you intend to play in the renewal of the party’s relevance and have you any electoral ambition?

My role in the party will be what it has always been. I have never been an office-seeker but rather I have tried to be a loyal member subscribing to the principles that are articulated in the party’s constitution and manifesto.

No, I do not have any electoral ambitions for now, even though I believe that if due process had been followed strictly in the primaries I would

have been the Senatorial candidate, but if circumstances arise in which I am called upon to throw my hat into the ring again I would first consider the issues at stake and the real consequences of the decision before accepting or rejecting the offer.

You have in the past spoken of the influence of your grandfather’s spirit in your life; what can modern politicians learn from the politics of the past?

The legacy of my grandfather Ernest Sisei Ikoli has been a constant inspiration to me right from childhood.

Constant inspiration Like him I was born in Brass but have spent most of my working life in Lagos but that has not dampened my attachment to my ancestral home.

Like him I regard the entire nation as my constituency. My grandfather established himself as an icon of the political ambitions of the times to an extent that surpassed the expectations of his sociopolitical background.

He proved that by dint of hard work and erudition an individual can overcome the most daunting obstacles in life.

This is a lesson that every generation must absorb. It is not simply a lesson for political conduct but a lesson for life!

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015—41

Emenike Ihekwaba: 3 years after

By Nzeribe Ihekwaba

Who else but Okowa as Delta celebrates 24

By Michael Tidi

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UGUST 27 every year on which we commemorate the creation of Delta State from the defunct Bendel State presents us with an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come as a people. It also affords us the opportunity to celebrate and thank God for yet another year of statehood.

Whereas from the indices of development, our state is no pushover in Nigeria, nevertheless, the state’s comparatively less than desired level of development visa-vis our abundant human and natural resources has occasioned gloomy anniversary commentaries over the years which in some quarters, unfortunately tend towards despondency about the Deltan condition. The dominant sentiment is often that we have little if nothing to celebrate; indeed that there is very little to show for more than two decades of independent statehood.

This assertion is clearly an exaggeration. Granted, our state’s journey since 1991 has been marked by heady hopes and dashed dreams; by steps forward followed frustratingly by steps backward. We have made both avoidable and inevitable mistakes as a people in the course of our very challenging journey to statehood. We have, however, learned crucial lessons through bitter experiences along the way.

We have learned that for democracy to deliver developmental gains, the people must be placed at the centre of policy design and must be its drivers.

Policy design Democracy, more than anything else, is a system that makes people the masters of their fate by making them the main actors in developing the policies that affect them. These lessons will stand us in good stead as we chart a course for a more sustainable future for our people.

We’ve come a long way: And so, contrary to the naysayers, we have come a long way. We have come from a time when internal colonialists in the guise of military dictatorships plundered our collective patrimony and debased our values, to an age in which our main concerns are deepening democracy and ensuring broadbased prosperity for all.

This transition is worth commemorating even though it is true that while the old is dying, the new is not yet fully born. Great sons and daughters of Delta State, both known and unknown have made tremendous sacrifices to bring us to this point. To them we owe a tremendous debt for the statehood we now enjoy. Our national anthem says that “the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain.” It would, therefore, be most unworthy of us to belittle the immense sacrifices of those who

Map of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa have gone before us by saying that Delta State has made no progress at all.

Tribute to illustrious sons/ daughters: As we bask in the euphoria of the 24th anniversary of the creation of our dear state, we must not fail to pay tribute to those illustrious sons and daughters of Delta; patriots who expended their energies in pursuit of a state we can all equally call our own in love and brotherhood. We remember them on this day and honour them. Even so, it is abundantly clear that we are not yet where we want to be as a state.

This anniversary which is coming just before the celebration of the 100 days in office of the Okowa administration is, therefore, an opportunity for us to examine how far we have come and our areas of focus going forward.

Anniversary day not only gives us an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come but also on how far we have to go.

However, the enormity of the distance to be covered towards achieving a functional state should not discourage us from taking the necessary first steps.

In this regard, it is significant that the commitment of our transformational Governor, Senator Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, to equity, justice and fairness in the governance of our state has been exemplified and reiterated these past months as has recently been echoed by key actors within the state and national level alike.

Deepening already existing ties: The recognition of the need to re-examine the fundamental pillars of our oneness is commendable. It is therefore now

This transition is worth commemorating even though it is true that while the old is dying, the new is not yet fully born

even more important that all ethnic groups in the state must concentrate on deepening already existing ties with their fellow Deltans while building bridges to those we may not necessarily feel very close to, as of now, due to the currency of the exaggerated differences keeping us apart.

Exaggerated differences While fiercely and unyieldingly protecting our various ethnic interests, we must remain committed to the far higher goal of fostering inter-ethnic harmony in Delta State where it has pleased God to make us brothers and sisters as we all forge ahead for the collective progress of our state in a Nigeria of equity and justice.

Achievements: There is obviously much work to be done but happily it has pleased God to give us a governor that provides a course for us to celebrate this anniversary. The governor has also risen to the occasion. The good doctor atop the Okowa administration is expanding the access to qualitative healthcare through the Executive Bill on Delta State Contributory Health Commission, which when passed into law, will trigger a robust health insurance scheme that gives access to affordable and quality health services.

The state government has also given Technical Education a boost with the approval for the procurement of educational equipment for technical colleges in Sapele, Ofagbe and Agbor.

Even the 130 Delta students that were almost stranded in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, because certain conditions were not hitherto met, have all been given respite with the approval of funds for the completion of their technical courses. Through Governor Okowa’s efforts to broaden opportunities, we are working to ensure that our children will enjoy a better quality of life than their forebearer and that by reason of our sacrifices now they will have the means to guarantee an even better life for their own children.

TIDI, Special Assistant on News Media to Governor Okowa, wrote from Asaba.

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MENIKE Ihekwaba is an adult Nigerian citizen from Imo State. He is not three years old as the title of this piece may confuse anyone who is not patient enough to read through this spirited request and intervention.

Quite contrary to any mistaken belief, it is rather that it has been three years since the government, to which the man served meritoriously for about twenty-eight years, and its various law enforcement agencies neglected their constitutional responsibility in resolving his fate.

The alleged inaction and sheer neglect of the powers that be in all tiers exemplify the persisting failure of the state, in its ramifications, to account for its missing subjects in parts of Nigeria. It is very shameful.

Imo State is the crime scene where this ranking governmental official reportedly went amiss in broad daylight and under the nose of the government he served. His immediate boss, Jude Agbaso was the then Deputy Governor, just as Anayo Rochas Okorocha was the Governor and Chief Security Officer, as he is still today. But under their watch, Emenike Ihekwaba, who toiled honestly in their offices, disappeared into thin air on August 26, 2012.

This puzzling make belief plot has been sold by many at several fora and platforms. But the behind the scenes denials have been tenuously stage-managed to no avail, publicly and privately in both low and high places, and to media outlets without success.

But the question remains unanswered: Where is Emenike Ihekwaba?

The disappearance of a loved one is excruciating in its intensity and pain but when the State is

Police IG, Arase suggestively abysmal in its law enforcement expectations, it becomes even more severe and agonizing to fathom. No one who lives or transacts official government business in the heartland of the South East will admit ignorance of the harm done to the person and family of Emenike Ihekwaba.

That is a fact. This man thought, quite fatally though, that honesty and playing by the books of lawful engagement, were basic expectations of a public official in Nigeria. How wrong and naïve his present plight suggests for anyone to toe a similar path, much as the very institution he served

dealt him an unjust devastating neglect.

Expectedly, Emenike’s case was reported to the highest echelon of government in Nigeria: the Presidency, Inspector General of Police, Department of State Service in Abuja and Owerri, as well as the Imo State Government.

Today, no one cares to provide status update on their investigation other than trying to point the family in the wrong direction. But Emenike remains a human being and not just that missing permanent secretary in the Imo State Government House.

Emenike personifies the fate that has befallen the honest Nigerian.

Unresolved abduction This particularly irksome and unresolved abduction of Emenike leaves a tell-tale in its predictable footprints of suspicion. It appears that not only the powerful masterminds or perpetrators of this abduction can unearth the whereabouts of Emenike Ihekwaba. The law can do so since its enforcement agencies are equipped to resolve seemingly intractable cases like this. Reportedly certain abductions like this one have powerful masterminds and may involve solicitation of illicit payoffs, or as a plot to ostensibly cover tracks. It is, therefore, plausible, consistent with rational thought, that perhaps those with an incentive to get Emenike out of their path may know a thing or two about his whereabouts.

Why is the State then not exploring such an obvious lead, instead of those two failed efforts to stage manage illicit confessions?

Again, the question posed by the victims family, thusly – Where is Emenike Ihekwaba?

- has been treated with disdain by the very entities constitutionally empowered to provide an answer. It has taken all of 36 months of overflowing emotions and doubtful faith in the government to receive a deafening, suggestive silence. It ought not to be this way. A real, caring government will respond to the cries of its citizens, who incidentally are the ultimate sovereign, without all the tenuous denials and disclaimers. In the case of Emenike Ihekwaba, it has been three solid years of solid indifference and callousness etched on the adamantine rock of impunity.

But time will tell whether the evil that was hewed out of the thoughtless viciousness will hatch forgiveness from the creator of the universe.

42—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Akwa Ibom govt flags off outfall drainage systems

12 council chairmen under Amaechi shun Wike's commission of inquiry

By Jimitota Onoyume

By Chioma Onuegbu

U

Y

O

—

DETERMINED to tackle the flood menace within Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Government has embarked on the construction of outfall drainage system in the state.

Flagging off the project, yesterday, on Oron Road along Nisikak Eduok Avenue, Governor Udom Emmanuel said that the quick take off of the drainage project confirms his administration’s determination and commitment to the plight of the people over flooding menace in the state.

Emmanuel who stressed that his government would ensure that the environment was made habitable for Akwa Ibom people, however, announced that the project will be completed within four months.

Beko launches new product in Asaba

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—THE General Manager (Business, Development and Marketing), Beko Smart Solutions Meet Generation, Mr Inderjit Singh, has assured customers of 100 per cent satisfaction with its after sale service technique.

Singh who gave the assurance during the product launch in Asaba, Delta State, said Beko products are continental and durable.

He said that the ultramodern showroom was about the 10th of its kind across Nigeria.

Declaring open the showroom on the popular Nnebisi Road in Asaba, the Managing Director, Isaac Funix, said Beko will not only quench customers’ thirst for quality products but boost their appetite with its “wide range and cuttingedge products that have rocked the world for decades."

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ORTHARCOURT— FORMER Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State loyalists yesterday shunned the Justice George Omereji Commission of Inquiry, sitting in Port Harcourt, forcing the panel to issue a summon for them to appear before it on Friday.

Addressing the commission, its counsel, Mr Zachaus Adangor, said former 12 Caretaker Committee Chairmen under the administration of former Governor Amaechi were invited over the N3 billion allegedly shared among cooperative societies where the 23 council chairmen served as presidents and chairmen respectively.

Adangor later urged the Chairman of the commission to issue a summon in line with the commission of inquiry law of the state on the 12 former council chairmen to appear before the body to testify.

“My lord, may I urge that in compliance with section 8 of the commission of inquiry law and in order to ensure effective service of the summons that you cause any officer of the Nigerian Police Force to serve the summons on the persons already mentioned. And in

default of, your lordship may wish to direct publication of the said summons in any local newspaper circulating within the jurisdiction of the commission of inquiry. That is my humble prayer,” he said.

Chairman of the commission, Justice Omereji in his ruling ordered that a publication be made in the state owned Nigerian Tide newspaper summoning the former council

chairmen to appear before it on Friday.

“All the persons mentioned above have failed to appear to give evidence or tender any document to enable the commission arrive at the truth of the matter. This commission is a disciplined commission and has decided not to involve the police yet in the service of the summons on the persons mentioned above. It is hereby

making the following orders: There shall be a publication in Nigerian Tide summoning all of them to appear before the commission on August 28, and this publication is to be taken as adequate notice to all the persons to appear before the commission,” he ordered.

Meantime,theformerCommissionerof Agriculture, Mr Emma Chinda has approached a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt to restrain the commissionfromsummoninghimbyany means to appear before it.

PROGRAMME: From left: Professor Abiodun Falodun, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), UNIBEN, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, DVC (Administration), Prof. Faraday Orumwense, Vice Chancellor, UNIBEN, Senator Effiong Dickson-Bob, Pro-Chancellor, UNIBEN, Prof. Kirk Semple, representative of the Vice Chancellor, Lancaster University, UK and Dr. A.O. Oshodin, Registrar, UNIBEN, at the Academia-Industry Engagement Programme held at UNIBEN, Benin City, yesterday.

DESOPADEC LAW: You can go to court, Maikpobi

tells Lori-Ogbebor

By Emma Amaize

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ARRI—NATIONAL Coordinator of Host Communities of Nigeria, HOSTCOM, Prince Okareme Maikpobi, yesterday, said that Niger-Delta activist, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, was at liberty to go to court over the new Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC law, as she threatened, last Wednesday.

Similarly, Executive Director of Centre for the Vulnerable and Underprivileged, Warri, Delta State, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, has lambasted Mr. Newuwumi Omolubi, a former Commissioner in the exGovernor Emmanuel Uduaghan administration, for undermining the interests of oil producing groups outside the Delta South senatorial district in the protest by the Itsekiri ethnic nationality in Warri against the passage of the law.

He described Omolubi’s position as “clannish and myopic.”

Speaking on phone to Vanguard, Maikpobi, said: “The position of host communities in Delta State is that the law is a good law. Going to court is a road we have all

traveled before, there is nothing new in what she is doing. It is a non issue; we already know the outcome of such a matter because we have handled the same cause in the past.

“There is no cause for panic, the law as it is cannot be stopped, leaders and members of the host communities across the state have been speaking to me on the matter. Our

concern for now is how to ensure that 50 per cent of 13 per cent derivation approved by the state House of Assembly for DESOPADEC is paid unhampered and unfettered by the state government monthly."

Dickson inaugurates 22 new perm secs, others

By Samuel Oyadongha

ENAGOA—GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has inaugurated the 22 newly appointed permanent secretaries to fill existing vacancies in the state civil service.

Dickson also reconstituted the management boards of some state agencies.

The boards are the Bayelsa

State Physical Planning and Development Board, Hospitals Management Board, Scholarships Board and the Post Primary Schools Board.

Speaking at the event at the Banquet Hall of Government House in Yenagoa, Governor Dickson noted that the new permanent secretaries were appointed strictly on merit and in recognition of their hard

PIPELINE VANDALISM:

Be agent of change, Nani urges

Y

Ughelli youths

By Godwin Oghre

U

GHELLI—WORRIED by the incessant oil pipe line vandalism in recent times across Ughelli and surrounding communities in Delta State, the state Commissioner for Environment, Mr John Nani, has tasked the youths of the area

to constitute themselves as agent of change, progress and innovation in order to make the area a better place to live , rather than getting themselves involved in unwarranted vandalism of oil facilities.

Mr Nani, who gave the charge at an environmental sensitization programme and launching of Young

work and contribution to the state public service over the years.

Congratulating them on their elevation, he described the selection process that threw them up as fair and competitive, stressing that, the appointments were devoid of political considerations, in line with his administration’s policy of depoliticising the civil service.

Environmentalists Club, YEC, in Afiesere and Adagwe Secondary Schools, both in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state, stressed the dangers of constant oil bunkering and vandalism in the area, including deforestation, air and soil contamination, which he said poses severe risk to agriculture, human and aquatic lives.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 43

2 Nollywood actors, others for Stream of Grace convention

COUNCIL POLL: Njikoka LG chairman goes to

Supreme Court against APGA winner, Okafor

By Enyim Enyim

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NITSHA—EMBATTLED Chairman of Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Chief Emeka Onuorah, has headed to the Supreme Court to challenge the judgment of the Enugu Court of Appeal that declared Col. Bude Okafor of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, winner of the last Council election in the state.

Onuorah in a suit No. SC/564/

2015 filed at the Supreme Court, Abuja, through his lawyer, Mr. Clems Ezika, is among other prayers, seeking a stay of execution of the judgment of the court of Appeal delivered on July 28, 2015 in appeal No. 640/2014 till the determination of the substantive suit pending in the court.

Also joined in the suit are Tony Nwazojie, APGA and the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, ANSIEC, Onuorah said he had to go to

the Supreme Court on the ground that the judgment of the Enugu Appeal Court had no consequential order mandating ANSIEC to issue a certificate of return to Okafor or, for him to vacate office and hand over to Okafor.

Part of the suit read: “That the 1st respondent (Bude) has started taking laws into his hands by going to the local government disturbing all the security men and the magistrate sitting at the local government

PDP BoT member may defect to APC with 40,000 others

By Anayo Okoli

U

M U A H I A — INDICATIONS have emerged that no fewer than 40, 000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State led by a member of the party’s board of trustee, BoT, Chief Tony Ukasonya, may dump the party for the All Progressives Congress, APC. Already, the aggrieved PDP members operating on the aegis of 'Concerned Abians for Good Governance' led by Ukasonya and Senator Onyeka Okoroafor, it was gathered, had held high level meetings with the leadership of the APC. Rising from one of the meetings in Umuahia, the group told the APC delegation that they would “give serious consideration to their request that the association join the party in the state and help in securing victory for the party in 2019 general elections.”

The group noted for its opposition against the PDP administration in the state, said it was out to “checkmate the

excesses being exhibited by PDP leadership in the state over the years."

Addressing the meeting, Ukasoanya said “time has gone when people keep quiet when whoever becomes the governor runs the state any how he likes."

According to him, the membership of the group which he claimed to be over “40, 000 and majority of whom are leaders and stakeholders of PDP in the state spreading across various wards and local government areas are prepared to move and help in

salvaging Abia State.”

They promised to boost APC in the state if they eventually joined the party.

Speaking, the APC delegation assured the group of equal opportunity, level playing ground and would jointly work together to salvage the state.

Among the leaders of the aggrieved PDP members at the meeting were Ukasoanya, Senator Onyeka Okoroafor, Chief Max Adindu, Ugochukwu Okeugo, former commissioners and elected council chairmen.

to swear him in. There is no order of the lower court to swear anybody in as that was not part of the judgment of the honourable court.”

Speaking on the matter, Onuorah’s lawyer, Ezika, citing section 141 of the electoral law 2010, as amended, said Okafor, who belonged to a faction of APGA led by Chief Maxi Okwu where he participated in primarires not recognized by ANSIEC did not participate in the processes of the election and had no locus standi to challenge the election of Obiorah.

According to him, Obiorah belonged to the Victor Umeh led APGA, recognized by ANSIEC, and participated in the electoral processes of the council poll.

Ezika said the High Court in Awka had dismissed the suit earlier filed by Okafor on ground that since it was an intra-party matter, it was only a political party that had the right to say, who its candidate was.

He added that the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Okafor on ground that the lower court was in error because it did not go into the merits of the case.

T

WO VETERAN Nollywood actors, Rev. Zack Orji and Mr. Charles Okafor, are among guest speakers at the first year anniversary convention, of 'The Stream of Grace' church, Lagos.

Besides the host pastor, Austin Elijah, Bishop Solomon Agbien, will also be ministering.

Taking place between today and Sunday, August 30, at the church premises at 12 Dasiver Street, off Abaranje/Ijegun Road, Car Wash Bus Stop, Ikotun, Lagos, with the theme, 'The Goodness of God.' A statement by the church, said Pastor Austin Elijah will use the occasion to launch his first book, titled “Living A Better Life.”

The launch which takes place on Sunday, August 30, has Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Temafunk Nigeria Limited, Tunji Ogunsaki, as Chairman/ Launcher, while Elder Philip Ogbonna, CEO of Chinex Investment, will be the Father of the Day.

OPU lauds Buhari, Okowa on Kachikwu, others

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SABA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari and the governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, have been commended for appointing three sons of Onicha-Ugbo community in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State into various political positions.

In a statement issued by the

Chairmen of Onicha-Ugbo Patriotic Union, OPU, Asaba Branch, Mr. Felix Monye, and that of Okpanam Branch, Mr. Augustine Onwaeze, they described the appointments of Dr. Ibe Kachikwu as the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Prof. Sylvester Monye as Special Advicer to the Governor on Monitoring Evaluation and Policy Matters as well as that of

Mr. Andrew Odum as the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Legal Matters, as positions well deserved.

They praised God for members of the union to have three sons of the community, who are also members of the OPU, elevated to such exalted positions.

They added that there was no doubt the appointees would

deliver and make the community, the state and country proud in the discharge of their various assignments.

OPU members in Asaba and Okpanam branches also appealed to all, irrespective of political differences, to rally round the present administration at federal and state levels to enable them attract more dividends of democracy to all.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On Buhari’s fight against corruption

G

ood! Those who want equity should come with clean hands.

Those who hav joined the train change should be above board. Anyone found guilty, will spend his entire life in jail. -Mr. Austin Emy, Student

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lease do not also forget oil subside file. Now Nigerians in leadership positions will learn how to balance forces when in power. Mr. President should fight corruption, and can force Boko Haram to its knees in less than six months. -Mr. Emeka Onuigbo, Engineer

L

et PMB fight corrup tion, irrespective of the status or party of anyone.

That’s when the change we are all shouting for can come to pass. Whoever that is called should defend himself before the anti corruption panel. -Miss Rose Okonta, Student

I

t will be a blow on the nation’s integrity, if we continue to have corrupt people more in the system as leaders. Such cleansing is needed and I give PMB kudos for not allowing himself to be distracted on this course. -Miss Nenye Anyambuba, Worker

T

he President should be very sincere in dealing with these corrupt bed fellows. A start is very necessary as it will divulge the secrets of so many corrupt politicians. Saraki will unveil the misdeeds of some of his colleagues including the President. -Mr. Adarerhi John Ese, Worker

L

et him among our politicians that have not stolen be the first to cast a stone. This is why I am glad to have Buhari as the President and feel the freshness of a good president and not all these contaminated and corrupt ones. -Mrs. Loveth Chekwube, Event Planner

44 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Ecological problem, threat to igalaland — LAWMAKER

By Kingsley Fanwo

T

HE lawmaker representing Ankpa Constituency in Kogi State House of Assembly, Rabiu Isiaka Alfa Momoh, has called on the Federal Government to save Igalaland from the ecological problem currently threatening it.

Momoh, who doubles as chairman of the House Committee on Environment and Physical Development, told Vanguard that if urgent measures were not taken, ecological problems were capable of cutting Igalaland from the rest of the nation.

He said it was imperative for government to ensure drastic measures were put in place to stem the tide.

According to the lawmaker, little publicity has been given to the ecological challenge in the state, a situation he said his committee will strive to redress.

He said from Ejule to Egume and Okpo, erosion had been been cutting many communities off.

Momoh also acknowledged the fact that the problem was all over the state.

“What we have in our hands in Kogi East is a case that requires the intervention of the Federal Government and even the international community. ‘’Though the state government is expected to continue to play its role, but we are not oblivious of the limitation of the state government in this case. ‘’Many communities have been cut-off by erosion and

By Peter Duru

M

A K U R D I — NIGERIA’S economic woes, after the slide in the prices of crude has worsened with the ban on exports from the country by the European Union, EU. The decision to embargo selected food crops and fish products from the country was taken four weeks ago by the EU. The Benue State Coordinator of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mr. Nanakaan Saave, made this known yesterday in Makurdi, Benue State, at a one day Awareness/Sensitization Workshop for Farmers, Agrochemical Dealers and Stakeholders on the Safe and Responsible Use of Disposal of Pesticides, organised by the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, and the West Africa Agrricultural Productivity Programme, WAAPP. Saave said the ban by the EU was a result of the wrongful application of pesticides and other agrochemical substances on exports from Nigeria.

He said: “We got an alert about four weeks ago from the European Union of their decision to ban the imports of beans, dried fish, malon and some other agricultural products from Nigeria due to the high residue of chemicals in the products.

“There decision was premised

T

HE Federal Government yesterday blamed the inability to properly safeguard the sea areas in Africa, especially the Gulf of Guinea on lack of enthusiasm by maritime stakeholders on the continent to information sharing.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Aliyu Ismaila, gave this position in his opening remarks, at the second Offshore Patrol Vessel, OPV African conference, organised by the Nigerian Navy in Lagos.

Noting that the Gulf of Guinea remained a potent maritime resource that would play a major role in Africa’s economic enhancement, Ismaila however, regretted that

HAJJ AIRLIFT: From left; The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III; The Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Iliyasu Bashir and the Emir of Birnin Gwari, Alhaji Zubairu Jibrin at the flagoff of this year Hajj airlift of intending pilgrims at Kaduna Int'l Air port. Photo: Olu Ajayi. on the fact the high degree of chemicals in the affected farm products have made them unsafe for human consumption.

“On our part as a Council, we had earlier identified these issues and accordingly sounded an early warning to farmers to strictly abide by the best practices in the application of chemicals on our farm products and we will continue to educate and train our farmers accordingly.

“We are not lying low on the issue because it will certainly affect the volume of export from our country and the inflow of foreign exchange into Nigeria.”

In his speech, the Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, who was represented by the Deputy Director Agrochemicals, Sikiru Olowo, explained that the exporters of banned products sidetracked the agency and failed to subject their products to NAFDAC

screening at the ports.

“The exporters of the affected products failed to pass through NAFDAC screening at the laboratories which we have at the ports and which are also supported by the EU and other western countries.”

“We will however continue to educate and train our farmers on the need to do the needful so as to avoid further clampdown on farm products from our country,’’ he said.

Save us from shylock oil marketers, Kogi residents appeal to DPR

By Kingsley Fanwo

R

ESIDENTS of Kogi State have appealed to the Directorate of Petroleum Resources, DPR, to rescue them from oil marketers who sell their products at exorbitant prices above the official rate.

Some of the residents of the state who spoke to Vanguard, expressed disappointment at the lackadaisical manner the agency

FG blames African maritime stakeholders over insecurity on seas

By Evelyn Usman

EU bans exports from Nigeria

the prospects were threatened by the common challenge of rising insecurity in the continent’s collective maritime domain.

The conference with the theme ‘Facilitating Cooperation Across Africa and Focusing on Naval Systems and Coastal Surveillance to Enhance Maritime Security’ according to him, was thoughtfully cast, as it centred on the centrality of Maritime Domain Awareness in maritime security administration.

He explained that Maritime Domain Awareness was critical to maritime security, since it was all about understanding anything associated with the maritime domain that could infringe on the security or safety economy or environment of a state.

was handling the massive disregard to the official rate for petroleum product in Kogi State, despite the fact that many of the marketers lift their products from Suleija Depot, close to the state.

A man, who simply identified himself as Mallam Abubakar, told Vanguard at Idah that the situation of oil market in the state was grim.

He said it was unfortunate that government that was supposed to protect the consumers of the product against the market arbitrariness of the marketers had turned a blind eye to the exploitation of the people.

He said: “When we voted for Buhari in March 2015, our hope was to have a government that will

properly regulate the oil industry and protect us against the arbitrariness of the oil marketers who are exploiting us daily. ‘’But to our disappointment, it has been business as usual. We buy PMS here for as high as N120 naira

CDS meets regional military chiefs to strengthen MNJTF

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI—THE Nigeria Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, has visited Chad Republic where he joined other regional military chiefs to deliberate on agreement

CIPM holds 47th Annual National people management decisions in Conference

By Tare Youdeowei

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BUJA—Human Resources, HR, experts in all industries and will converge at Abuja for the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, CIPM’s 47th Annual National Conference holding at the International Conference Centre, Abuja from 1416 October 2015.

At a press briefing, the President and Chairman of Council, Mr. Anthony Arabome, FCIPM, reiterated that from the various indices available, “It is clear that the HR profession has supported businesses in making effective

per litre. If this is the kind of change we voted for, then another change will surely come,” he said.

Another resident of Okene, Jimoh Ahmed, toldVanguard that fuel was considerably cheaper in the town.

managing the current economic realities.”

The theme for this year is all about consolidating the successes recorded from the last ANC and going beyond the improvements made to explore new territories.

The conference will feature four plenary and 10 masters’ series sessions to be handled by seasoned leaders and HR experts, including Dr. Yemi Kale, Statistician General of the Federation, Fela Durotoye, CEO, Gemstone Group, Thomas Weir, author and CEO, Emerging Markets Leadership Centre, Peter Cheese, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, UK.

to accelerate the deployment of the 8,700 strong Multi-National Joint Task Force, MNJTF. This was contained in a press statement by the Acting Director Defence Information, Colonel Rabe Abubakar.

“The Chiefs of Defence Staff from the Lake Chad Basin Commission, LCBC, member countries met in N’Djamena, the capital of Chad Republic, and finalised details of deployment of a joint force to fight Boko Haram which has sworn allegiance to ISIS and had killed hundreds of people through suicide bombings in the last three months.

“General Olonisakin has been working round the clock towards actualising the Presidential directive to end Boko Haram terrorists activities within three months. To this end, the meeting discussed modality for the deployment of joint force to two command posts in Nigeria and Cameroon. Also, officers seconded to the MNJTF in N’Djamena were ordered to report immediately to their post, as operation at the Force Headquarters has commenced.''

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015—45

VISIT: From left— Mr. Ayo Onikoyi, Entertainment Editor; Mr. Emeka Nkwocha, Advert Manager, both of Vanguard Newspapers; Miss Ifeoma Sharon Anya, Miss Tourism Nigeria 2015, and Mr. Eze Anaba, Deputy Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, during Miss Tourism's visit to Vanguard in Lagos.

PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

ENUGU GOVERNORSHIP:

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (holding mike left), addressing supporters at Government House, Enugu, after the state's Election Petition Tribunal ruling, which upheld his election against a petition filed by the APC candidate, Mr. Okey Ezea.

MEETING: From left— Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano State; Ban KiMoon, UN Secretary General; Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, and Governor Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa State, during a meeting with Ban in Abuja.

PDP MEETING: From left— Mr. Aniekan Uko, Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly; Obong Paul Ekpo, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, state Chairman; Senator Emmanuel Essien; Idongesit Nkanga, DG, Devine Mandate; Governor Udom Emmanuel; Senator Godswill Akpabio; Senator Effiong Bob and Senator Anietie Okon, at PDP's stakeholders meeting in Uyo.

Olaonipekun Okunowo, comedian; Senior Marketing Manager; and Mr. House Yangfufu, Country Manager, both of Consumer Business group, Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited, during the launch of Huawei P8 new smart phone in Lagos.

MORTEIN: From left— Mr. Oguzhan Silivrili, Marketing Director Mortein, RB West Africa; Dr. Diwe Ekweremadu, Senior Programme Officer, Global Find Malaria Project Elimination Programme, and Dr. Veronica Vaughan-Iwayemi, Reproductive Health Programme Officer, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, during a briefing on Mortein's Own a Community project on Malaria in Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamos.

VISIT: From left— Mr. Moses Adedokun, District Organiser, C&S Movement Church Worldwide, Ayo ni o Erin-Ile District, Orile-Igbon, Oyo State; Oba Abdul Ganiyu Ibrahim, Elerin of Erin-ile; and General Organiser, The Boys' Brigade Nigeria, C&S Movement Church Worldwide, Ayo ni o, during the courtesy visit to the Elerin to mark the commencement of the 35th Annual National Camp, Erinmoje 2015, in Abuduka, Orile-Igbon, Oyo State.

ANNIVERSARY: Members of the Youth Chapel of The African Church, St. Paul’s Parish, Ilupeju, Lagos, during their 3rd anniversary thanksgiving service at the Church premises, Sunday.

LAUNCH: From left— Mr. Kelechi Amadi, celebrity photographer; Mr.

46—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Call DSS, COAS to order, Rivers lawmakers tell Buhari

By Emman Ovuakporie

A

BUJA— LAWMAKERS from Rivers State in the National Assembly, yesterday, petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over alleged politicisation of Department of State Service, DSS, and the office of the Chief of Army Staff.

The lawmakers, under the aegis of Rivers State National Assembly Caucus comprising Senators and House of Representatives members (all of PDP extraction) alleged in the petition that “the All Progressives Congress, APC, Rivers State chapter in connivance with the Directorate of State Service, DSS, and the Nigeria Army have criminally perjured and corruptly subverted the course of justice using the might of their offices”.

A copy of the petition made available to reporters cited serious allegations on the Army under General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, the Auwal Musa Daura-led Department of State Service, DSS, as well as the Nigerian Police under Solomon Arase. The petition reads in part: “We hereby for ourselves and the entire people

of Rivers State draw Your Excellency’s attention to the surreptitious acts of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State Chapter, APC, in connivance with the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Army to criminally perjure and corruptly subvert the course of justice using the might of their offices”.

“Kindly recall our earlier petition to you dated July 23, 2015 against the Director State Security Services (SSS) who arrested and detained several staff of INEC based on a prearranged petition by the Governorship candidate of the APC , who is a petitioner before the Election Petition Tribunal. It took the intervention of the Senate to make the SSS realise that they were acting ‘ultra vires’ their powers under the National Security Agencies Act Cap. N74. They admitted and indeed under the enabling statute they have no business interfering into electoral matters, particularly when there is a pending litigation (a copy of the petition is attached for easy reference).

“The same issue has resurfaced as one Magnus Abbe an APC Senatorial Candidate and a

SEMINAR: L-r, Deputy governor of Benue State, Engr. Benson Abounu; deputy governor of Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Adebule; India High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. A. R. Ghanashyam and another official at the 2015 India show in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Gabriel Olawale petitioner in Petition No. EPT/ NASS/S/01/2005 whose main claim at the Tribunal is that there was no election in Rivers SouthEast Senatorial District on March 28, 2015 and prays the Tribunal to nullify the result that inured therefrom. Whilst, witnesses are already testifying at the Tribunal, the Petitioner caused another petition to the SSS on the same subject matter and the Director General, SSS has sent his men to Port-Harcourt to investigate whether election took place or not. The sole aim is to concoct a security report during the

pendency of litigation to the effect that election did not take place.

This is in the face of the fact that the same Magnus Abbey ’s senatorial District produced an APC House of Assembly seat in the State out of the same process.

The Director SSS should for the uptent time be called to order”, it said.

In what appear to be counter allegations against the nation’s security agencies from both parties in the State, the petition further reminded the President that: “three months ago, APC and its candidates filed petitions at

the Tribunals raising allegations against the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police and other Security and Para-Military Agencies.

Today, the party conniving with same agencies are procuring their security men to testify in Court as witnesses in the matter. Of particular note is the act of one Chidi Lloyd who earlier allegedly called some soldiers on phone soliciting that they accept some monetary benefits and give false evidence at the Tribunal that elections never held in Rivers State."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 47

48 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 CANCER: EVEN, if friends and others are helpful and pledging loyalty today, they may be forced and get on your nerve tomorrow when effects of full-moon’ll come to play.

LEO: WHATEVER can lead to avoidable trouble tomorrow, either at home or along your career/business lines, should be well taken care of today. Be very open.

VIRGO: YOUR best bet today is to seek important co-operation of influential people and that of your spouse/partner. The more legal conscious you are, the better for you.

LIBRA: IF others want you to conclude an important financial transactions that can possibly be done today, you’ll need to say no and go ahead as tomorrow may not be as conducive as today.

SCORPIO: IT’S important you don’t take things and people for granted now because they may not be as cooperative tomorrow as they are now. Be more loving.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

A

lady recently said to me - This weather is just not friendly. The sun is too much. Let the sun subside before I do it. And I looked at her and said, ‘Supposing it starts raining

The Weather now, what will you do?’ The truth is that the weather has never been friendly.

Of course, it is not the business of the weather to be friendly to you. But

TERROR MUDA

your duty is to do everything within your power to be able to use the weather as it is. Tell me, have you ever seen a perfect weather? Whether rain or sun, people

in “Never say goodbye”

have always complained. Yet, some people are making fortune from it, rain or sunshine. You too must do the same. For he that must succeed does not need to look at the weather.

By Lanre Kehinde

SAGITTARIUS: ALTHOUGH there seem to be an air of understanding within your working arena today, tomorrow’s full-moon may turn the whole thing the other way.

CAPRICORN: HERE is an exciting day that will climax tomorrow. After a long time, others will see how passionate you can be even in love. Don’t gamble, please.

AQUARIUS: IF your desire is to make money today, you will need to be less emotional and prepare for domestic challenges tomorrow. Enjoy your love life.

PISCES: GOOD relationship between the moon in Capricorn and lucky Jupiter in your star sign will bring you good opportunities. Be less argumentative.

ARIES: THIS is your day when things will go according to your plans. Financial success indicated but if you wait till tomorrow, opposition’ll bring disappointment.

TAURUS: THE Moon in your star sign that encourages you to be as assertive as you are will continue to it’s fire work. But you will need to be more friendly.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

GEMINI: HAPPENINGS within your working arena should be taken more seriously now or else, avoidable trouble would start tomorrow. Again, it’s important you are more practical about your health. Be more loving.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

WHAT’S MY IMMEDIATE FUTURE? Dear Joshua, I am interested in what you are doing.

Please tell me what I should expect concerning my immediate future. Would I succeed travelling abroad for business?

Jimoh, Lagos.

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Dear Jimoh, Few years back you have started a very longer (years) great cycle of success and happiness, and this year you will be moving closer to the peak of the said cycle; meaning that your 50nd year on earth will be much more better than all your previous ones on earth.

Visible signs of the positive things will physically manifest during your major first period of the year 2015 that will come between September 10 and 20, 2015.

Then because of transiting lucky Jupiter in Sagittarius – your Solar 9th house of travelling and distant affairs you can be successful at acquiring visa and have a fruitful foreign travels.

However that is not to say that there will not be any challenge during the year. Actually like it happened about six/seven months ago when work and accident related issues were the major challenges, there will be repeat of such when Lunar Eclipse of September, 2015 will hit the position it occurred around September last.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

50 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

S/Sudan soldiers rape children, burn people alive—UN

S

• Roman era temple which was destroyed by ISIS in Palmyra

Islamic State shows images of ancient Syrian temple destruction

I

SLAMIC State militants published photos on Tuesday purporting to show the destruction of a Roman-era temple in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, an act the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO has called a war crime.

Syria’s antiquities chief Maamoun Abdulkarim told Reuters the images did appear to show the destruction of the ancient Baal Shamin temple and correlated with descriptions given by residents of the explosion detonated there on Sunday.

Five photos were distributed on social media showing explosives being carried inside, being planted around the walls of the temple, a large blast and then rubble.

Abdulkarim said last week the group had beheaded Khaled alAsaad, 82-year-old Syrian archaeologist who had looked after Palmyra’s ruins for four decades, and

hung his body in public.

Islamic State has proclaimed a caliphate to rule over all Muslims from territory it holds in both Syria and Iraq. It has a history of carrying out mass killings in places it captures and of demolishing monuments it considers pagan and idolatrous.

Islamic State seized the desert city of Palmyra in May from government forces but initially left its

China cuts interest rates in latest bid to spur economy

C

HINA has cut interest rates for a fifth time in nine months in a new bid to shore up slowing economic growth, amid a further sharp drop of its stock market.

The central bank announced on Tuesday that the benchmark rate for a oneyear loan will be cut by 0.25 percentage point to 4.6 percent, and the one-year rate for deposits will fall by a similar margin to 1.75

S. Korea stops cross border broadcast

S

OUTH Korea has stopped broadcasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda on the border, in a deal with North Korea, allowing the two countries to pull back from the brink of a potential military conflict.

The move was part of a deal announced earlier on Tuesday following marathon talks. The broadcasts included news from South Korea, Korean pop songs as well as other materials deemed “harmful” to the North Korean state.

In a carefully crafted, though vague, piece of diplomacy, Pyongyang expressed “regret” on Tuesday that two South

historic sites undamaged.

It has killed people it accused of being government supporters in Palmyra’s ancient amphitheatre, according to activists.

Before the capture of the city, site of some of the world’s most extensive and best-preserved Roman-era ruins, Syrian officials said they had moved hundreds of ancient statues to safe locations.

Korean soldiers were maimed in a recent land mine blast Seoul blamed on the North.

While not an acknowledgement of responsibility, let alone the “definite apology” South Korea’s president had demanded, it allows Seoul to claim some measure of victory in holding the North to account.

The two countries also agreed to work towards a resumption next month of reunions for families separated by the 1950-53 KoreanWar,NationalSecurity Adviser Kim Kwan-jin, the South’s lead negotiator, told reporters.

percent.

It also increased the amount of money available for lending by reducing the minimum reserves banks are required to hold by 0.5 percentage point.

The move came as China’s main stock market, Shanghai Composite index, saw another bruising day of trading, closing Tuesday’s session down 7.6 percent at 2,964.97 points.

The cut in interest rates had been anticipated by financial analysts after exports, manufacturing and other economic indicators weakened by larger margins than expected.

Beijing reported economic growth held steady at seven percent in the latest quarter, but that was due to a stock market boom that pushed up the contribution from financial industries while other sectors weakened.

In a statement, the central bank cited “downward pressure” on the country’s economic growth rate and said it wanted to lower financing costs for Chinese companies.

The bank said the cut was to reduce “the social cost of financing to promote and support the sustainable and healthy developments of the real economy”.

OUTH Sudanese soldiers raped children, burned people alive in their homes and hunted others for days in swamps in an increasingly brutal war the government had hoped to win with an emergency $850 million military budget, U.N. experts said.

A panel of experts who monitor United Nations sanctions on South Sudan obtained a copy of the emergency budget for January to July 2014, but warned in a report made public on Tuesday that it did not mean South Sudan had acquired

everything it wanted.

South Sudan was plunged into a civil war in December 2013 when a political crisis sparked fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and rebels allied with his former deputy Riek Machar. The conflict has reopened ethnic fault lines that pit Kiir’s Dinka people against Machar’s ethnic Nuer people.

Kiir is expected to sign a peace deal on Wednesday to end the conflict. Machar signed the deal last week.

The U.N. experts found that a government offensive in oil-producing

Unity State between April and July this year had been “intent on rendering communal life unviable and prohibiting any return to normalcy following the violence.”

“The intensity and brutality of violence aimed at civilians is hitherto unseen, in what has been so far — without a doubt — an incredibly violent conflict, where civilians have been targeted by all parties to the conflict,” the experts wrote in the interim reported submitted to U.N. Security Council members.

Ghanaian joins Islami State mmilitants

A

25-YEAR-old man from Ghana is feared to have left the West African country to join the Islamic State (IS) group, his father says.

It is the first reported case of a Ghanaian joining IS. Abdul Latif Alema told the BBC that his son’s disappearance was “like someone in the family has died”.

Mohammad Nazir Nortei Alema sent him a

text message on 16 August to say that he was joining the group fighting in Syria and Iraq, he added.

He has not been seen since then, Mr Alema said.

Mr Alema said his son had earlier indicated that he wanted to live under Islamic rule.

“Nobody’s happy and as for his mum she keeps on crying and fasting and praying that her son returns,” he told the BBC. The government has not

yet reported on the apparent defection to IS. Ghana has a minority Muslim population and has not been affected by insurgency involving militant Islamists.

However, IS has established a presence in Africa, with militant groups in Nigeria, Egypt and Libya pledging allegiance to it and carrying out bombing campaigns in its name.

•Alema

Nelson Mandela grandson freed on bail after rape charge

A

SOUTH African court has granted bail to one of Nelson Mandela’s grandsons who has been charged with raping a 15year-oldgirlearlierthismonth.

His lawyers said he did not want to be tried as a “Mandela” but as a “normal person”.Hecannotbenamed

until he formally pleads to the charge.

MrMandelaachievedglobal fameforhisroleinfightingwhite minorityrule.

HebecameSouthAfrica’sfirst blackpresidentin1994,anddied in 2013 at the age of 91.

The 24-year old is accused of rapingtheteenagerinthetoilets

of a bar in Johannesburg.

His bail was set at $535 (£340) and he was ordered to surrender his passport.

During the hearing, his lawyers disputed the age of his accuser, arguing that she was 16 and that sex was consensual,AFPnewsagency reports.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 51

Afenifere, Mimiko call for acting INEC Chairman’s removal

By Dayo Johnson VISIT: Ogun State Governor, I b i k u n l e Amosun (right), presenting the state's plaque to the South African Consul General in Lagos, Nigeria, Ambassador Mokgethi Sam M o n a i s a , during the visit of the Consul General to the Governor's Office in Abeokuta.

A

KURE—AS criticism continued to trail the appointment of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

INEC Acting Chairman Mrs Amina Zakari, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State and Afenifere, the panYoruba social-political group yesterday called for her removal.

They spoke yesterday at different fora in Akure.

Governor Mimiko said the appointment of the INEC boss violated the existing arrangement where the chairman of INEC would not come from the same zone as that of the President.

According to him, the electoral umpire since inception has not produced a chairman that came from the same geo-political zone with the President.

He pointed out that since Zakari came from the same zone with the President, it would rob future elections in

the country of credibility.

The governor spoke at the meeting of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly held in Akure.

Rising from a three hour meeting held at the residence of its Chairman Pa Reuben Fasoranti in Akure, the Socio political group said the

appointment of Zakari is unknown to the constitution.

Its spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin while reading the communique said among other things that; ‘’The appointment of the INEC acting chairman is known to be controversial. ‘’ ThePresident is urged to

Controversy trails return of ex-Ekiti speaker to PDP

By Rotimi Olaleye

A

DO-EKITI—THE facilitator of former Ekiti State speaker and All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain, Mr Femi Bamisile's cross-over to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Bolaji Jeje, has faulted the claim of the former speaker that Governor Ayodele Fayose begged him to return to the ruling party.

Mr Jeje, a bossom friend of the former speaker, who brokered the meeting held with Governor Fayose in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, said Bamisile’s claim that it was Fayose that approached him was a blatant lie, saying it was Bamisile that contacted him to help arrange a meeting between him and the governor in his bid to return to the PDP. Bolaji Jeje, who hails from Efon Alaaye, disclosed that he and Bamisile met with Governor Fayose at Eko Hotel, Lagos on August 17 at about 12:30am.

He said he was disappointed that Bamisile who came to beg him to facilitate his return to the PDP could address the press to lie that Governor Fayose begged him to return to the PDP. He said; “As a friend, I feel very disappointed in Femi. Here is someone who came to me in Efon Alaaye to plead that I should facilitate his meeting with Governor Fayose.

“After we discussed at Efon Alaaye, I told Governor Fayose, who told me pointedly that Femi cannot be trusted, but because of the way he (Bamisile) spoke to me, I persuaded the governor to give him audience and we both met with the governor at Eko Hotel

on Monday, August 17.

“We were together in Eko Hotel till around 3am and I challenge Bamisile to deny these facts.

“It was at the Eko Hotel meeting that the meeting held on Sunday was agreed upon, with the governor insisting that traditional rulers must be part of the meeting and it must be made known to the press.

“Bamisile was the one who begged Governor Fayose at the Eko Hotel meeting and the agreement reached was for him (Bamisile) to return to PDP this week as he said he was going to travel abroad next week Monday.

“I am therefore shocked and disappointed that Bamisile could

go to town, lying that it was Governor Fayose that begged him to return to PDP.'' But Bamisile, while responding to the allegation said, Jeje was being used by Fayose to scandalize and rubbish his image.

“Though Jeje is my friend, but under this context, he is being used against me by the government”, he said.

He added: “I left the party when Jonathan was the president. This is almost a year that he got into office.

Those who wanted to contest or elected have virtually got everything. If I should join, what would he give me now?.

form full fledged government by appointing his ministers as stipulated by the 1999 constitution.

“There is no provision in the constitution to run the country as a sole administrator inclusiveness and consultation are necessary and vital ingredients of our democratic order.

“Meeting observed that the controversy generated over maintaining the INEC Chairman is unnecessary. We urged the President to set the necessary machinery in motion toward appointing acceptable INEC Chairman.

“Mr President should remember that Kogi Edo Bayelsa, Ekiti and Ondo governorship elections are around the corner as there is no enough time for anybody supervising the election to prepare.

“The constitution is clear that the role of the President is to nominate the INEC Chairman in consultation of the Council of State and forward the name to the Senate for clearance.

JUSTICE OLOYEDE: Civil Society cautions CJN

By Gbenga Olarinoye

O

SOGBO—CIVIL Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State, CSCEO, has cautioned the National Judicial Commission, NJC not to give room for politicians to dent its image going by the body’s involvement in Justice Folahanmi Oloyede’s marital matter.

The group, in a statement expressed shock that the Chairman of the judicial body, who is also the Chief Justice of the Federation, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed will in the first instance treated a petition sent to NJC by one Mrs. Emily Richard-Obire claiming that Justice Oloyede snatched her husband.

According to a statement in Osogbo yesterday by CSCEO Chairman and its Director of Mobilisation, Adeniyi Sulaiman and Rev. Theophilus Ayodeji respectively, the group said going by the query dated July 28, 2015 to Justice Oloyede, it appeared that the NJC was falling into the antics of politicians by turning the NJC into a customary court where marital issues are being settled.

“Is it not an irony that several serious issues and many petitions bordering on judicial misconducts against many judges across the country are before the NJC unattended to, yet, the NJC had all the time to intervene in a marital matter of Justice Oloyede.

“If this matter had been on with Justice Oloyede since 2011 as

claimed by Mrs Emily Obire, why was she coming out now in 2015 to send a petition to the NJC and at a time she was fighting this battle with Mr. Rauf Aregbesola?''

TUC president urges Amosun to pay workers’ deductions

A

B E O K U TA — T H E President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama has called on Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State to expedite action on payment of the outstanding deductions, noting that workers “depend on such funds for their individual projects.”

He was also quoted as lauding the unspecified worker-friendly policies of the governor.

According to him, the monthly reports across the state councils showed that the governor had the interest of workers on his mind and that the union had no reason to antagonise his government.

Kaigama spoke yesterday in Abeokuta when he led the leadership of the Trade Union Congress on a courtesy visit to the Governor’s Office.

Responding, Governor, Amosun reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to sustaining its cordial relationship with civil servants.

He described workers as engine of growth and stressed that his government was doing everything possible to offset the deductions in spite of dwindling revenue to the state.

According to Amosun, “We are consistent with payment of salary. The totality of the deductions owed workers is about one month salary of the workforce. But for the fact that we have to render services to other sectors that are equally beneficial to the workers, we should not even have been talking of any arrears of deductions despite the current financial challenges across the country.”

The governor promised to continue to improve the conditions of service of the workforce within the available resources and provide an enabling environment for business growth and development.

Ogun police parade 23 suspects, recover 10 stolen vehicles

By Daud Olatunji

A

BEOKUTA—THE Police in Ogun State have paraded 23 suspects for alleged cultism, robbery and murder.

They included four members of a gang of notorious car snatchers who have been terrorising the state.

Others paraded were 14 suspected cultists from Agbara axis and six from Ijebu-Ode area of the state.

Also, three suspects were also arrested and paraded in connection with the killing of an innocent citizen,during a bloody clash between two rival groups of hoodlums.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the suspected car snatchers were arrested upon series of complaints by members of the public on their activities.

52 — WEDNESDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 26, 2015

Truck driver, assistant disappear in Aba •Family familysends sendsSOS S to Police

By UGOCHUKWU ALARIBE, Aba

T

he family membersof Christopher Ogbuobulu, a trailer driver with Cobil Transport Company Limited, has been languishing in agony over the fate that befell them.

The family members, based in Aba, Abia state, lamented that since their kinman, Christopher, was assigned the duty of delivering a consignment of bottled drinks of Nigerian Breweries from th Aba to Umuahia on 16 July, 2015, which he carried out the following day, his whereabouts has remained a mystery.

Petition to CP In a petition by their lawyer, Charles Eduzor, the first son of the family, Onyekachi, cried out to the state Commissioner of Police, Habila Joshak, against men of the State Anti -Robbery Squad, SARS, at Obehie, Ukwa West Local Government and Cobil Transport Company Limited, over the missing breadwinner of the family. Onyekachi said his father could not embark on

OS to the PTheolsaid driver of Cobil and icdismissed e

the journey on the assigned day because it was already late when the consignment was ready and decided to move the drinks to Umuahia the following morning so as to enable him come back the same day.

According to him, his father left Aba for Umuahia with his his assistant (motor boy) on the morning of Friday, July 17, 2015, but both men have since then not been seen. The lawyer stated in the petition: “After waiting till Monday, July 20, 2015, and my clients did not see their father/ relation, they proceeded to the Nigerian Breweries factory in Aba where the staff initially said they were also looking for the vehicle and goods but later said they tracked the vehicle to Ofosu, presumably in Edo State, being driven by a dismissed driver of the said Cobil Transport company with the goods intact.

Vehicle recovered with goods “Later the vehicle, laden with goods was recovered with the assistance of the police and brought back to Abia State.

another staff of Nigerian Breweries Plc, described as a tracking manager, were handed over to the SARS at Obehie, but sadly, neither Mr. Christopher Ogbuobulu nor his conductor has been seen till today,” the petition read in part.

Onyekachi told Crime Alert that his family is worried at the manner in which police at Obehie allegedly released the vehicle and the consignment, alongside those arrested with them without bothering to find out what happened to their bread winner who was assigned the vehicle in the first place.

Accusation against police Fearing that police at Obehie were trying to shield the suspects, and that the company, having retrieved its vehicle and goods, was no longer interested in what happened to its missing staff, Onyekachi has therefore, urged the state  Christopber commissioner of police to take over in action. the matter so as to unravel the circumstance surrounding the whereabouts of his father.

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Abia State Command, Ezekiel Onyeke, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said he was not aware of the incident, but a senior police officer at the Obehie Division confirmed the incident.

Ogbuobulu: Missing

War against militancy, pirates IGP delivers surveillance helicopter to Zone 6, Calabar

BY EMMA NNADOZIE

A

s part of efforts to find a lasting solution to

reported cases of militancy and attacks by sea pirates in the South-South region of Nigeria, the Inspector-

•AIG Ogunsakin inspecting the new helicopter.

C M Y K

General of Police, Solomon Arase, has delivered a new surveillance helicopter to Zone Six Police Command,

Calabar, Cross Rivers State.

The Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police, Zone 6 Command, Tunde Ogunsakin, who took delivery of the helicopter stated that the Inspector-General of Police has scored a big point in the region by boosting effective security, the fight against militancy and kidnapping in the South-South region of the country.

Noting that the helicopter is fitted with modern communication gadgets to aid effective surveillance in the creeks, AIG Ogunshaki said it came on the heels of a recent pact by the command and sister security agencies within the zone to form

a security joint task force to checkmate security threats in the area.

He described the arrival of the helicopter as a welcome development and also applauded the Police boss over his commitment to ensure peace and security in the zone. Ogunsakin, who was visibly elated over the development promised to chase kidnappers out of the zone and emphasized the importance of a joint security operation in the area, He also assured that the security forces would deploy technologically-driven and actionable intelligence to actualize their common goals in policing the zone. The 5 seater capacity surveillance helicopter, according to him, will go a long way to reinforce the command’s war arsenal.

WEDNESDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 53

How Pastor connived with car dealer to defraud Bank

By ESTHER ONYEGBULA

D

etectives from the State Intelligence Bureau, SIB, is currently investigating how a pastor in his early 50’s connived with a renowned Lagos car dealer (names withheld) to falsify documents and defrauded a new generation Bank.

*The vehicle

Petition to CP Crime Alert learned that the bank wrote a petition to the Commissioner of Police to investigate the case of a vehicle loan facility given to one of their clients which was stolen at gunpoint. The case was later referred to State Intelligence Bureau for detailed investigation.

Collection of loan facility According to reports, sometime last year, Pastor Babatunde Olusegun, a customer of the bank collected a vehicle loan facility which he agreed to pay installmentally over a period of three years. Unfortunately, after paying for eight months, he stopped.

Trouble, as gathered, started when Olusegun could no longer service the car loan facility and the bank requested that he return the vehicle which he earlier claimed was stolen at

gunpoint unknown to him that the vehicle has a tracking device. While investigating the case, the police officers tracked the vehicle in question to a car mart (names withheld) located within Ikeja metropolis.

Strange bank customer emerges Crime Alert gathered that the operatives recovered the

...a new pattern of fraud in Lagos Toyota Corolla, 2008 model, from the car mart, and then invited the car dealer to the State police command. At the state police command, the car dealer revealed that it was his friend, one Mr. Taiwo, that brought the vehicle to him to

help him sell.

Eventually, Mr. Taiwo was invited for interrogation.

During the preliminary investigation, Mr. Taiwo revealed that Diamond Bank bought the vehicle for him via a car loan facility, two years

Drama as Police rescues toddler from insane woman in Festac

By ESTHER ONYEGBULA

T

he Police in Festac division, Lagos State, recently, rescued a toddler from an unidentified insane woman who was roaming the streets with the baby. The middle-aged woman was carrying two polythene bags and was seen with the toddler who was sometimes clothed and at other times, left naked.

It was learned that the woman who was wearing the apron of ‘Lord Chosen church’ was lying down with the malnourished toddler at the main road around Fagbems

filling statioin close to Mile 2 area when she was rescued by policemen.

Crime Alert gathered that when police officers took the woman to the Lord Chosen

When it became obvious that she wasn’t comfortable in the open office, as all attempts to keep her calm were futile, she left the premises abandoning the toddler

*The insane woman hidding under a tree. church at Ijesha, the church attendant rejected her and the

infant stating that she is not a member of their church even

ago, with documents to back up his claim.

Puzzle over tracking device Faced with the puzzle of unraveling how the tracking device of one bank was installed in a vehicle given to a client of another bank, detectives discovered that the suspect, Olusegun and Mr Taiwo were friends. It was learned that after paying N1.2m equity and meeting all necessary requirements for accessing the car loan from the bank, the bank sent Olusegun to their official car agent to pick up a Toyota Corolla worth N3.5m.

How the deal was struck Instead of picking up a new car, Olusegun took his friend Taiwo’s car to the car mart, he and the car dealer forged new documents and plate number in his name for the vehicle, to make the bank believe that he has picked up the vehicle.

He presented the falsified vehicle documents bearing his name to the bank which then paid the car dealer N3.5m that was shared between the dealer and Mr. Olusegun. He later returned the vehicle back to his friend.

Crime Alert gathered that when detectives went to Olusegun’s apartment to affect his arrest, he reportedly denied that he is not the one stating that the person with the name is his brother-in-law who has gone out.

The case is still being investigated by the police to determine the culpability of the car dealer and the bank staff in the fraud before charging the case to court.

though she was wearing their apron.

When efforts to get details about the woman turned futile as she could not provide any useful information about herself, the bewildered police officers brought them back to the station and kept her and the child in an open office. It was learned that at a point, the woman became very violent and attacked one of the female officers who was attending to the toddler. When it became obvious that she wasn’t comfortable in the open office, as all attempts to keep her calm were futile, she left the premises abandoning the toddler. The next morning, the toddler who is about a year old was taken to Juvenile and Women Center, Alakara.

When Crime Alert trailed the insane woman, she had relocated her base near a Church located at Alakija bus stop. She was naked but still had the church apron hanging on her shoulders while taking refuge against the scorching sun under a tree.

54—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

I've no plot against EFCC —SARAKI

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA—THE Senate President, Bukola Saraki, yesterday, denied alleged involvement in a petition against the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, by one George Uboh, which claimed that the anti-graft boss misappropriated some money recovered from financial crimes suspects.

Saraki, who was reacting to a media report that he was behind Mr Uboh, who wrote the Senate alleging misapplication of some money by the EFCC chairman, insisted that he had no hands in the petition neither did he have any relationship with the petitioner.

The Senate President, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Online Media, Bamikole Omisore, said he has “no relationship whatsoever with Mr Uboh in any capacity or in the course of his emergence as Senate President” and challenged anybody that has any proof of a relationship between him and the said Mr. Uboh to come out with it.

His denial came just as the Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Dino Melaye, exonerated him in the same allegation.

Melaye, in a statement, described as baseless and unfounded allegations that the invitation of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde, by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions was masterminded by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Omisore’s statement defending his principal read thus: “The attention of the media office of the President of the Senate, Sen. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has been drawn to a publication alleging that the Senate President hired one Uboh to smear the integrity of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC. “It is pertinent and with all sense of responsibility and commitment to state unequivocally that the story is far from the truth. A fabricated story that can not sell to dent the image of Senator Saraki."

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA—INSPITE of moves by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, senators to distance themselves from the invitation extended to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde the Senate has insisted on going ahead with its probe of Lamorde over alleged diversion of one trillion naira.

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions headed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo) has asked Lamorde to appear before it today over allegation that the EFCC fraudulently diverted over N1trillion proceeds of corruption it recovered.

Meanwhile, the Committee has also summoned the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Dr. William Fowler and the management of Customs Service to appear before it today over some petitions against FIRS and the Customs Service.

However, the PDP caucus led

by Sentor Godswill Akpabio, in a press statement on Monday said it would not be part of the Senate’s probe of Lamorde and asked the committee to suspend the action for now.

PDP senators' statement

The PDP senators in the statement signed by the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio; his deputy, Emmanuel Bwacha; Minority Whip, Philip Aduda; and his deputy, Biodun Olujimi, said: “It has come to the notice of the PDP leadership in the Senate that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions would begin a public hearing on Wednesday, August 26, 2015 and the committee has invited the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to appear before it.

“The PDP leadership in the Senate is not against any committee of the Senate performing its oversight duties and or functions but we feel that this is not the appropriate time to embark on the most important assignment, particularly since the same action was mooted and had failed at previous plenary session.

We therefore urge the committee to suspend its public hearing on this particular matter until further notice.

“The PDP senate leadership reassures the Nigerian public of its support for the war against corruption by the Federal Government of Nigeria but hastens to add that such fight against corruption should be total and not selective.’’

No going back on Lamorde's invitation

However, Anyanwu insisted, yesterday, that there is no going back on Lamorde’s invitation because the committee’s move is constitutional, adding that

INAUGURATION: From left: Head of Operations, Oando Marketing, Mr. Adeboye Temidayo, Head, Downstream, Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Mohammed Idris, Chief Operating Officer, Oando Marketing, Mrs. Olaposi Williams, Zonal Operation Controller, Department of Petroleum Resources, Abuja, Alhaji Mohammed Usman, and Dealer, Oando Filling Station Sector Centre, Abuja, Mr. Umar Faruk, during the inauguration of the Oando Filling Station Sector Centre in Abuja.

ALLEGED N1TRN DIVERSION: Senate

insists on Lamorde's probe As Senate summons FIRS, Customs to appear today Akpabio and some members of the PDP caucus were misinformed on the issue and misinformed Nigerians.

His words: “As the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, I am answerable to the Senate in the first instance. Two, this Committee attends to every petition that comes from the public. And the invitation to the EFCC boss is one of those petitions and the petitioner is going to appear before the Committee.

And if you look at the press statement by the Minority Leader of the party, Senator Akpabio, it was a misinformation. There was an amendment of a motion on the floor of the Senate where the CBN Governor was to be invited with the EFCC boss regarding money laundering and all that. But we stood it down. So, there was a misinformation. So, he thought that it was the same issue. But this is a petition against the person of the EFCC boss.”

Asked if the committee is going ahead with the probe, he said: “Of course, this is a standing committee of the Senate. It is not only the EFCC boss that was invited. There are other petitions over which we have invited the petitioners and those that were

petitioned against. We have FIRS and Comptroller General of Customs that are also coming tomorrow. So, I don’t know why this should be an issue. We are guided by the Senate Standing Rule and the 1999 Constitution to invite anybody when the matter arises.”

On comments by the EFCC spokesperson that the Senate did not follow due process in inviting the EFCC chairman, Senator Anyanwu said: “No, that is not correct. There are ways petitions can come to the Senate. A petitioner can write straight to the Senate President and the President would minute to the appropriate committee that is involved.”

Asked what the committee and the Senate would do if Lamorde did not honour the invitation, Senator Anyanwu said: “I cannot comment on that now because I will be pre-empting what is not available yet until tomorrow. He is not summoned, this is an invitation. There is a petition before the Committee and we have just invited the petitioner to come and substantiate his petition before the Committee.

“It is after the petitioner must

have come that we will now invite the person petitioned against.

Before we invite anybody, we normally send a copy of the petition to the person that is petitioned against so that the person will have a first-hand information about why he is invited by the Committee and that is what we have done and that is the normal procedure.”

No division in Senate, Akpabio has apologised

Senator Anyanwu who noted that there was no division in the Senate over the issue, said that Akpabio had called and felt sorry about the press statement. “He called and he felt sorry about that.

The issue has been clarified.

There is no divided house. It is just a misinformation.’’

On whether the Committee was on a vendetta mission against Lamorde because of EFCC’s probe of the Senate President’s wife he said: “The issue of invitation of Senate President’s wife has nothing to do with our job. It is not on that basis (motion) that we are inviting the EFCC boss. This committee is on a factfinding mission. Our job is that every petition that comes to this committee must be treated.”

Call NIMASA mgt to order, Southern professionals tell Buhari The group further alleged that Nigerian Seafarers Development

L

AGOS—A group, Southern Professionals has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to halt what it described as the frustration of South South technocrats, who are employees of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency ,NIMASA, by the agency’s current management.

It particularly frowned at recent redeployment in the agency, which it said resulted in the alleged replacement of professionals from the South-South geo-political zone with people of northern extraction.

the current management had abandoned the Nigerian Maritime University established by the previous administration, adding that the take off grant already approved for the school has been stopped.

Briefing newsmen yesterday in Lagos, the group’s President, Mr. Segun Adeyemi lamented that several laudable programmes of previous managements are being abandoned.

Chief amongst them, is the

Programme ,NSDP, which was initiated in 2008.

His words: “The NSDP is currently training over 2,500 young Nigerians carefully selected from over 20 states spread across the six geo-political zones of the country on scholarship.

The students are studying various maritime professional courses at degree levels in Marine Engineering, Nautical Science and Naval Architecture in reputable institutions across the world."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 55

Rising cases of cultism in Kogi higher institutions worry authorities

By Kingsley Fanwo

R

ECENT WAVE of cult activities in Kogi State higher institutions is said to be ruffling authorities in the affected schools.

Kogi State has a University in Anyigba, a College of Education in Ankpa and Polytechnic in Lokoja, with the institutions having satellite campuses at Otite, Osara and Kabba.

Sources informed Vanguard that cult-related incidents are fast finding their ways back to the institutions, a situation which is fast posing a threat to campus life in the state.

Recent attacks in Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, showed a clear case of attack against some lecturers by cultists. Also, a lecturer in the Economics Department of the State University, Anyigba, Mr. Alehile Kehinde, was recently shot by suspected cultist at his residence along Old Egume Road, on June 25, 2015. It has been reliably gathered that over the past two weeks, no fewer than three lecturers of the University have received threat from students.

The recent reported threat to a lecturer in the Economics Department of the University has raised more questions than answers. Three students were alleged to have threatened a lecturer in the department, Dr. Ilemona Adofu. The lecturer reported the threat to the school authorities, leading to the apprehension of the three

students in connection to the threat. The three students are: Attah Danladi (11EC1071), Solomon Idamarhare (13EC1082) and Oladele Adinoyi Bello (12EC1046).

In a letter addressed to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and signed by the Chief Security Coordinator (CSC) of the University, Major M.J. Adama

(rtd), it was stated that the students had threatened the lecturer to secure a good grade in one of the Economic courses taken by the lecturer.

The CSC in the letter claimed that the Economics Department has the highest cases of cultrelated cases off-campus, hence, the need to treat any threat case in the Department with utmost

urgency. He said the Security Unit is also planning a holistic investigation of the students and lecturers of the Department with a view to establishing more facts on why the Department has been notorious for cult issues. He said intelligence reports have shown some degree of collaboration between the lecturers and the students.

PRESENTATION: From left, Sales Manager Lagos, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Mr. Macpherson Oniyamah; winner of the Peak Reach for Millions Promo, Mr. Gregory Okpara, and Senior Brand Manager, Peak, Mrs. Omolara Banjoko, at the Peak Reach for Millions Promo Prize presentation, in Lagos, weekend.

Hitachi partners Mitsumi

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ITACHI DATA Systems, HDS, yesterday, entered into partnership with MITSUMI Distribution, one of the leading IT, consumer electronic and telecommunication distributors in Africa in a strategic relationship that reinforces the objective to expand HDS products and solutions reach in East and West Africa.

This arrangement is set to strengthen HDS’ market position, with coinvestment in technical support staff, sales and market activities. In addition, MITSUMI will recruit partners to work with the enterprise team to sell and support HDS solutions.

Managing Director of MITSUMI Distribution, Mitesh Shah, who explained details of the partnership in a statement,said: “There is immense potential in the African market. With new technologies constantly hitting our shores, we will see a lot of innovation within the distribution space."

Court restrains DISCO from operating bank meter account

By Etop Ekanem

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AGOS— JUSTICE Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday restrained Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) from further operating an account with Ecobank Plc through which the company collects payments for electric meters from consumers.

Justice Yunusa gave the order while ruling on an exparte application filed by two meter service providers, Momas Systems Limited and Momas Electricity Meter Manufacturing Company

Limited, against EKEDC, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Cuban Plc. The court also issued an order compelling the distribution company to direct electricity consumers in the areas exclusively assigned to the two service providers to pay fees for the supply and installation of meters into the Escrow CAPMI bank account controlled jointly by the applicants and the distribution company under the CAPMI scheme

called Momas/Eko Distribution CAPMI account with account No. 5712008231 domiciled with Ecobank.

Granting the application for interim injunction against the respondents pending the hearing and final determination of the originating summons in the suit, the judge declared that based on the motion paper, the facts deposed to and arguments canvassed before him on behalf of the applicants, he believed that

the matter was an urgent one deserving the intervention of the court.

He adjourned the matter till September 7, 2015 for report of compliance and hearing of the motion on notice in the suit.

Lead counsel to the applicants, Mr. Ahab Shiite, had pleaded earlier that the applicants, who had suffered grave injustice from the action of the respondents, faced the probability of irrecoverable loss without the court’s intervention.

Labour backs FG on corruption, insecurity, unemployment

By Victor AhiumaYoung

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A D U N A — N AT I O N A L Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, yesterday in Kaduna, threw its weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari stance that Nigeria had to break the vicious cycle of corruption, unemployment and insecurity in Nigeria before the country could make progress General Secretary of the union, Mr. Issa Aremu, at the opening ceremony of the Union’s National Education Conference, with the theme “Buhari Administration: Revival of

Textile Industry and Employment Creation”, said among others, that labour acknowledged the progress that had been made to address insurgency in parts of the

country.

He said “We commend the Federal government’s decision for relocation of command structure to Maidugiri and commend the Service Chiefs for their

loyalty and prompt compliance. We commend the new multinational force to fight insurgency in the region which Nigeria is playing the leading role.

Ambassador denies link with visa issuance to Lebanese terrorist

F

ORMER NIGERIAN ambassador to Lebanon, Ambassador Oluwole Idowu, has refuted reports in some Nigerian media linking him with the alleged issuance of Nigerian visa to a wanted Lebanese terrorist, Ahmed Al Assir.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday, Ambassador Idowu described as malicious and

defamatory such media reports which, he said were deficient in facts and professionalism.

He said, he could not have been involved in the issuance of any Nigerian visa in Beirut in August 2015 when he completed his tour of duty in Lebanon as the Nigerian ambassador on April 6, 2015 and ‘’meritoriously” retired from service after 35

years on August 14, 2015.

The former envoy said that while his lawyers were already taking up the issue of false and libelous publications with the concerned media organizations, he considered these clarifications most expedient because “of the embarrassment which the publications have been causing me, family, friends and associates."

56 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Publisher in court for alleged defamatory publication against Fidelity Bank MD

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AGOS—THE Police in Lagos, yesterday, arraigned a publisher of a news website, Naijahottestgist.com, before a Federal High Court, Lagos for allegedly publishing a defamatory story against the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc. The accused, Seun Oloketuyi, 39, is standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on defamation.

The prosecutor, Olakanmi Omisope, told the court that the accused committed the alleged offences sometime in June, in Lagos.

He said that the accused, knowingly and intentionally, published a defamatory story on the internet against one Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo, the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc. Omisope alleged that the accused published the said defamatory story in www.naijahottestgist.com, in order to insult Okonkwo.

The prosecutor also alleged that the accused knew that the information he published was false.

He said that the offences contravened Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention) Act, 2015, and Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, however, urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody pending trial.

Don’t negotiate with Boko Haram, ACF tells FG

By Agaju Madugba

K

ADUNA—THE Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has urged the Federal Government to shelve any plans to dialogue with the Boko Haram insurgent group, arguing that such efforts may be an exercise in futility.

According to former Inspector General of Police, who is also the ACF Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie, previous attempts at a peaceful resolution of the prolonged Boko Haram insurgency did not yield the desired results.

Coomasie, who spoke at a press conference in Kaduna yesterday, also chided Igbo elders and leaders for allegedly failing to condemn those promoting the revival of Biafra.

He said government should sustain its current onslaught against the insurgents, noting that, “so far, so good, things are going okay and very soon, we ‘ll finish with Boko Haram.

“If you recall, the Federal Government in the past proposed a dialogue and even set up a mediation group but the so-called dialogue collapsed.

“There had also been other issues, including a ceasefire agreement which the Boko Haram and even the Federal Government described as false.

“So, with the way things are happening, is it now we should talk of dialogue and who is asking for dialogue in the first place?

“During the last one year, the ACF has made concerted efforts aimed at bringing to the notice of both the northern states and the Federal Government, the killings and other atrocities being perpetrated by the Boko Haram and their collaborators.

“We had put pressure on both the Federal Government and the northern states governments, urging them to save the lives of our people by acting fast and decisively to stop the insurgency.”

EXHIBITION From left; Tani Fafunwa, MD, Resourcery Plc ; Engr. Gbenga A d e b a y o , Chairman ALTON and the Country Chair, BICSI Nigeria, Boye Oyerinde at the 2015 BICSI Nigeria Conference and Exhibition in Lagos.

The ACF leadership lashed out at elders from the south east over reported renewed agitations for the creation of the Biafra Republic.

According to Coomasie, “The ACF has observed with serious concern the continued agitation by some Ndigbo elements for the creation of Biafra Republic out of the present Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It is unfortunate that 45 years

after the civil war when Nigerians are now united in a democratic system of governance, some elements are busy drumming the idea of another war and secession, through Radio Biafra and MASSOB activities.

“The agitators for this unholy division are in their safe abode outside Nigeria where they are campaigning openly.

National ID card to complement voters card —BUHARI

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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B U J A— P R E S I D E N T Muhammdu Buhari has emphasised the importance of national identity card to all Nigerians of voting age, stating that it would in the future complement the voters card.

The president, who registered yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja to obtain his national identity card urged Nigerians to embrace the exercise.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after the registration that was supervised by Director-General of the National Identity Management

Commission, NIMC, Mr. Chris Onyemenam said for the purposes of credible elections, Nigerians should ensure that they get registered.

“I think this exercise is very important to confirm our population and those who are entitled to vote, that is those who are 18 years and above. It will complement the exercise of the permanent voters card.

“So, for those who want their votes to count, they should ensure that they and their families are properly captured”, he said.

Also speaking, the DG, Mr. Oyemenam stated that the exercise has come to stay.

Book on health insurance out

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“The most painful aspect of this agitation by some young Ndigbo elements is the deaf ear and silence from the elders who experienced the bitter pill of the secession attempt.

“The ACF expects Ndigbo leaders to come out and condemn such agitations just as they and others condemned and berated the Boko Haram insurgency in the north east region.''

ITING his bid to fill the knowledge gaps, because the practice of health insurance and managed care is a process of ensuring universal health coverage, Bimbo Banjoko, a Chartered Insurer, has written a 166-page book, titled; “Health Insurance Made Easy.”

Banjoko stated that funding is critical to any effective healthcare system and this usually borders on what premium is to be charged, what method of aggregating or clustering contributors, processes and means of providing the required care.

He also added that one of his reasons for writing the book, is the need to remove abuses and arbitrariness in bills and medical charges by providers, who already provide care on retainership basis to employers and employees, risk management processes of transferring healthcare risks to third parties, either to the insurer, HMO, Mutual Health Association or non-governmental

organisations, NGOs. According to him; “This book is put together for ‘students’ of healthcare, finance, health insurance and managed care for effective operations and modelling of contracts because managed care practice brings with it prospects of litigation, need for actuarial valuations and appropriate pricing mechanism.

Banjoko, who is the Managing Director of Expatcare Health Ltd, a HMO, explained that this was what led him to a private research in 1990 and the eventual practice of health insurance operations as a HMO in 1997.

He co-founded Clearline Int’l. Ltd (HMO) in 1997.

He is an associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, and served on the Council of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) from 2009 to 2011.

He hinted that about 7 million Nigerians have so far registered.

“On our data base, we have a record of seven million. In collaboration with other agencies, in the next three months or so, we hope to quadruple that number.

In the past, the private sector was expected to perform that role, so government did not focus on that.

“The almost seven million we have in our database is the product of the pilot scheme we embarked upon to demonstrate the value of the scheme.

“Now that the MDAs are going to step up the harmonisation, the data base will be populated in a matter of weeks.

“As a matter of fact, we are at the stage of migrating the data from the Bank Verification Number and that is about 20 million.

“We are truly on course and appreciate Mr. President for that recent directive that biometrics databases in government agencies should be expeditiously harmonised.

The DG also assured that designated centres were open for service to the people, stressing that efforts were being made to create outlets at the local government levels.

“This exercise is not a one-off thing in the sense that there is no time limit. It is a continuous exercise. So every enrolment centre that we have established remain open forever, they are like branches of banks.

“We are taking deliberate steps to ensure that enrolment centres are opened in each local government.''

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 57

STA: Liquidity crisis hits banks

By Jonah Nwokpoku with agency report

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ASH SHORTAGE has hit the banks as Federal Government begins to mop up its cash from the banking system, following President Muhammad Buhari’s directive for all federal government ministries, departments or agencies to start paying into a Treasury Single Account, TSA, of all government revenues, incomes and other receipts.

The cash shortage had resulted in overnight high lending rate in the banking system which was quoted as high as 100 per cent, yesterday, from 40 per cent the previous day, sending bond yields higher as commercial banks sold bonds to meet naira obligations.

Traders were quoting for rates at between 70 to 100 per cent as the overnight money market was experiencing low liquidity following the federal government’s directive.

Yields on the benchmark 2024 bond, which is also listed on the JP Morgan government bond index, opened at 15.87 per cent, yesterday, a level it closed at on Monday, up from 15.45 per cent on Friday.

This is even as Nigeria’s lender, the Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB said it would redeem its existing Eurobond at maturity and consider issuing a fresh one, its chief executive, Mr. Segun Agbaje said, yesterday.

He said: “We probably will redeem everything, but we might raise fresh bond, subject to

pricing, prevailing environment.”

Agbaje said he expected Nigeria to devalue its currency again by another 10 per cent owing to the persistent decline in crude oil prices which have spooked foreign investors and prompted them to exit nairadenominated assets.

Recall that President Buhari, to ensure transparency and accountability in the operations of public accountshad recently ordered the Ministries,

Departments or Agencies, MDAs, under the Federal Government to run a Treasury Single Account, TSA, which will be domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. A TSA is a unified structure of government bank accounts enabling consolidation and optimal utilization of government cash resources. It is a bank account or a set of linked bank accounts through which the government transacts all its

receipts and payments and gets a consolidated view of its cash position at any given time.

According to the directive, all revenues or other moneys raised or received by the Federation (not being revenues or other moneys payable under this Constitution or any Act of the National Assembly into any other public fund of the Federation established for a specific purpose) shall be paid into and form one Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

VISIT: From left, Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru; Protocol Assistant, United States Consulate General, Lagos, Mary-Anne Onwuchekwa; Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State; Political/ Economic Chief, US Consulate General, Thomas Hines; Ebonyi Deputy Governor, Kelechi Igwe; Political/ Economic Assistant, US Consulate General, Danielle Grigsby, and SSG, Ebonyi State, Prof. Bernard Odoh, during a visit by the US officials to Governor Umahi in Abakaliki, yesterday.

IMO WEST SENATORIAL SEAT: Tribunal upholds

Uzodimma’s election

By Abdulateef Ligali

T

HE NATIONAL/STATE House of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Owerri, Imo State, has upheld the election of Senator Hope Uzodimma, as the duly elected Senator for the Imo West

Senatorial District in the April 11, 2015 National Assembly Election.

Ruling on a petition brought before it by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the election, Osita Izunaso, the Tribunal’s Panel one, headed by Justice A. Y. Sanya, held that Uzodimma emerged the overall winner of the election with the

valid and lawful votes cast.

Other grounds, the Tribunal relied on to dismiss the application were non-payment of filling fees and non-payment of prescribed filing fees by the respondents for the issuance of pre-hearing notice.

The respondents, led by Okey Amaechi (SAN) had sought

FG warns Nigerians of impending flood

By Funmi Olasupo

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S PART of moves to checkmate a repeat of devastating flooding experienced in the country in 2012 , which claimed several lives and property, the Federal Government, has warned Nigerians of impending flooding across the country.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Fatima Mede, who gave the warning in Abuja, said Nigerians must be prepared as it became imperative to sound the warning to sensitize the general public of this year’s impending flooding.

Mrs. Mede explained that the

flooding would be occasioned by the gradual release of excess water from the LAGDO Dam by Nigeria’s neighboring country, Cameroon, which could happen anytime from now.

According to her, “The impending flooding across the country will be occasioned by the gradual release of excess of water from the LAGDO Dam by our neighbouring country; Cameroon which they have hinted could take place anytime soon and the massive rains in the coming months. The states that are likely to be affected are, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Benue and Kogi States.”

“Massive rains are also expected to cause flooding in the

following states, Sokoto, Niger, and Anambra states respectively.

Coastal flooding resulting from rise in sea level and tidal surges are likely to occur in Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Lagos States, while flash flooding could possibly be experienced in some urban locations such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Birin Kebbi, Ibadan and other towns along the country’s coastline.The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had earlier in the year predicted that the rains were most likely to come late and when would be massive and likely to be disastrous in terms of environmental impact such as flooding with its attendant consequences.

leave of the Tribunal to quash Uzodimma’s election on the following grounds: That Senator Hope Uzodimma was not lawfully elected by the majority of the lawful votes cast at the election; That the First Petitioner (Izunaso) scored the majority of the lawful votes; That the Tribunal should declare Osita Izunaso winner of the election; That the Tribunal should nullify the election of Uzodimma as invalid by reason of non-compliance of the Electoral Act; and that the Election was marred by corrupt practices.

However, the Respondent (Uzodimma)’s legal team led by Chief Chris Uche (SAN),Martins Aguda and five others, argued that the respondent’s grounds of argument were not tenable and that Uzodimma followed the electoral process during the election and was duly returned elected with majority votes.

The lawyer for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. L. M. Alozie, corroborated the argument of the defense counsel which the Tribunal upheld.

Consequently, the Tribunal struck out the matter and awarded the sum of N50, 000 against the respondents.

NDLEA declares suspected drug baron wanted in Anambra

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—T H E National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in Anambra State has declared a suspected leader of a drug syndicate, (name withheld) wanted.

The state commander of NDLEA, Mr. Sule Momodu, at a briefing in Awka yesterday, described the wanted man as the highest distributor of cannabis sativa in Anambra and its environs.

According to Momodu, the wanted man had a warehouse at the Onitsha Main Market where he allegedly syndicated cannabis sativa, claiming that he escaped arrest on August 20, 2015 when the command raided the market.

He said the command had arrested one of the agents, who is also an inlaw to the fleeing drug syndicate.

The NDLEA commander said, he hailed from Okwe in Onuimo Local Government area of Imo State.

He claimed 109.8 kg of cannabis sativa was recovered from him at the time of his arrest, saying he would soon be arraigned in court.

Sacked telecoms workers protest

BY Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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NEWI—SACKED workers of two telecommunication service providers, IHS Nigeria Plc and INT Towers Limited, yesterday, stormed Nnewi, Anambra State offices of some national newspapers, protesting against what they called injustice meted out to them by the two companies.

The sacked workers while narrating their ordeals to newsmen, appealed to the National Assembly and the Bureau of Public Complaints Commission to save their jobs.

They claimed their appointments were terminated without notice or payment of their entitlements.

58 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY 5 WEDNESDAY,, AUGUST 26, 201 2015

•School children...targets of the abductors

B.E.W.A.R.E: Child abductors on the prowl ...Their mode of operation

By Charles Kumolu

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ITH her poise and sense of dressing, Sayo Adeolu comes across as being elegant even though her looks can’t be described as charming. Her appearance can also lead one to assume that she works with one of the reputable companies in Lagos. But Adeolu is neither a graduate of any tertiary institution nor had she worked in any corporate environment.

Her fashion sense was inherited from her late mum who, she told VanguardFeatures,VF, was a prosperous Alhaja at Jibowu.

Obviously, being so chic attracted her to one Mr. Joe Ebie (not real name), another classy young man who she had a baby boy for. Though not married to Ebie, both lived together in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State. Their joy was, however, cut short recently following the sudden disappearance of their two-year-old son.

The disappearance of the love-child at the premises of Adeolu’s hair dressing and beauty salon in Satellite Town, had left the 23-

year-old indigene of Igbotako in Ondo State distraught.

Disappearance of love child While narrating her story to VF, Adeolu was full of regret and selfindictment, as she explained that she could have prevented the incident from occurring.

Till date, the memories of that day, which was a Friday in July, still haunt the young mother. And this was evident from the number of times she betrayed emotion while telling VF her story.

Betrayal of emotion ‘’My Typical day starts and ends in this salon, which I operate with my elder sister. I was busy attending to a customer who had come for pedicure, while my son and other children played outside. I had no inkling that danger was lurking around as the kids were outside, because it was usual for them to do that,” she stated. ‘’The children often played in any of the shops here because all of us here live in peace. My son can play in my neigbour’s

shop. That was the situation until I felt it was time to feed him.

Behold, when I went outside to fetch him, I did not see him or the other kids. Upon checking further, I realised that other children had gone to their respective shops. ‘’I did not suspect anything at that time because I thought he may have followed my immediate neighbour, who is a carpenter.

I waited for a while for my neighbour to return only to discover that Dolapo did not go out with him. It was at that point that it struck me that my son may have gone missing. I raised alarmed which prompted my neighbours to mobilise for a search.”

Body language of two ladies: ‘’As the search went on, minutes turned to hours, while the day eventually ended with my son still missing. We reported the incident to the police division in our area. That day was the longest in my life because sleep was the least I could think of.”

Asked if she suspected anyone, her response was an emphatic no.

However, she explained that the body language of the two ladies who visited her on the day of the incident was suspicious.

She said that one of the girls claimed to be a relative of her boy friend. “The indifference of the girls made me to report them as suspects. Our search continued to be fruitless as the main suspect denied knowing the whereabouts of my son,” Adeolu stated, adding: ‘’After a while we could no longer reach her on phone. It was at this point that a manhunt was declared for her. After a few

weeks, she was apprehended in Navy Town where she had gone to visit her boy friend. On being questioned, she confessed to the crime. She confessed that she took the child to her mother who resides at Oko Afo area close to Badagry.”

The good news is that Adeola has since been reunited with her son, while the suspect was handed over to men of Agboju Police Station for investigation and prosecution.

Other cases of child theft: The incident is one out of many as the Nigerian media is awash with stories relating to incidents of child theft across the country.

From Sokoto to Calabar, Enugu to Bauchi, are daily reports of stolen children, with the situation said to have attained an alarming level.

Alarming level

As the search went on, minutes turned to our hours, while the day eventually ended with my son still missing; we reported the incident to the police division in our area; that day was the longest in my life

From January 2015 till date, VF findings reveal that no fewer than 20 cases of child theft had been reported.

Early this month, the Police in Enugu recovered two babies that were stolen by a 25-year-old woman in Gboko, Benue State.

The lady, who is a known personality in Adekaa area in Gboko, was arrested while trying to sell her sibling’s two-year-old son in Enugu after she earlier sold her one-month-old baby.

In the last week of July, a 20month-old child, Opeyemi Ogundele, was reported stolen during a naming ceremony in Abeokuta. The incident happened at Mile 2, Iyana Continues on page 59

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY 5 — 59 WEDNESDAY,, AUGUST 26, 201 2015

•Child abductors’ mode of operation Continued from page 58 Concord, Akorede Estate, Ilugun Inukosegba Community in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of the state.

Elizabeth Ogundele, 26, mother of the toddler, who narrated her ordeal, said she was getting ready for her niece’s naming ceremony when she discovered her son was missing.

She said that she had gone to celebrate with her brother, Olusola Osunleke, when the incident happened.

“I was helping my brother’s wife get ready for the ceremony when I noticed that my son was missing,” she noted.

Two-month old baby girl sold for N625,000 Similarly, the Police had in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, arrested four women for alleged involvement in stealing, selling and buying a two-monthold baby girl for N625,000. The Police said the baby was stolen from her mother at Nnewi by three of the suspects who sold her to one of the suspects.

The suspected seller, who was said to be an Enugu-based woman (names withheld), had stolen the baby from her mother and sold her to the buyer who claimed to be in desperate need of a baby girl because she needed a female child.

Arrest of a nurse On August 7, 2015 the rural village of Arogun in Ogun State nearly lost its peace following the arrest of a nurse for alleged child theft. The nurse, who owns a private hospital in Arogun, allegedly took the baby away after delivery before the mother could recover from the pangs of childbirth and told the mother that she had a stillbirth.

Churches, schools and other public places: The incident happened on June 13, 2015, but policemen from the Ewekoro Division arrested the suspect a few weeks later. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the arrest, said the people in the community became suspicious when they suddenly saw her with a baby.

The mother of the baby got information that her baby did not die, but was with the nurse.

Similar cases exist, suggesting that child theft is becoming a daily occurrence. Investigations showed that it usually happens in churches, schools and other public places. The modus operandi of the abductors, VF learnt, entails luring the victims away, while claiming to have been sent to fetch them.

Method of operation: As a result of this rising menace, there is an atmosphere of fear among parents in the country, especially

*The Orekoyas after the release of their children, who were abducted by a nanny. (Inset: The nanny) against the backdrop of the belief that no one is immune against the act. A private school proprietor in Oriade Local Council Development Area, Mr. John Afuberoh, who does not want the name of his school in print, regretted that the phenomenon is trending, adding that private schools are the worst hit. ‘’On daily basis children are being stolen from schools and other public places. This should be a matter of concern for everyone; it should not be seen a sideline problem. This is a national challenge. It affected the rate of attendance during our summer school because parents are scared. We recorded an all time low attendance and who knows if some parents would decide to withdraw their children when school resumes,’’ he told VF.

Serious challenge His frustration was also reechoed by another proprietor in same area, Mr. Romanus Elozonachi, who, without mincing words, lamented that child theft poses a serious challenge to them.

Private school operators lament: ‘’As we look forward to resumption in September, our greatest challenge is how to protect children against child thieves because they are everywhere. Parents had expressed concern at the last PTA meeting we had during the break. Much as we are coming up with extra measures on how to face the situation, I will admit that we have become helpless,’’ he stated.

With this disturbing rise, many are forced to question what could have led to the increase despite the fact some suspects are often apprehended by law enforcement agents.

Investigation by VF in that respect showed that the act is

often motivated by pecuniary interest and ritual purposes.

For instance, out of every five cases of child theft, three are always connected to ritual purposes, while two could be for other reasons.

A testimony to that could be found in the recent confession of a woman identified as Chioma Anoruo who was arrested by the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, in Owerri after she confessed to selling about 19 children to ritualists.

19 babies sold to ritualists Anoruo was arrested a few weeks ago by the Orlu community local vigilante group while the husband, Emeka, escaped. She was forced to open their doors where the victims were found inside a room in captivity.

About five children, including a new-born baby, already kidnapped for sale, were rescued from her house, while a Sports Utility Vehicle, SUV, belonging to Emeka, was recovered along with an undisclosed sum of money.

She also confessed that they had sold more than 19 children and the remaining five were waiting

The criminal justice system in the country should be the major focus here because sometimes when they are charged to court lawyers come up with interpretations after which the suspects may be granted bail

to be sold to their customers.

Anoruo confessed that her job specification was to keep the victims while her husband would contact buyers and sell them, adding that human merchandise had been their family business for years.

The vigilance group, however, handed over the suspect and the rescued victims to the Police for further investigation.

The suspect may have been charged to court, but there are worries that the punishment for such such crime is not punitive enough in Nigeria—a situation that was seen as one of the reasons why the menace is on the rise.

Serial child abductors: ‘’Without indicting the law enforcement agents who had often apprehended the suspects, it is also safe to say that our laws are not harsh enough against these heartless elements. That is why some of them have become serial child abductors.

Serial child abductors It is shocking to know that they get slaps on the wrist instead of hard knocks,’’ Founder, Save the Lost Foundation, STLF, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemo said.

She, however, came down hard on law enforcement agents, saying: ‘’Do you know that the security officers instead of charging some of such cases to court, release the suspects on bail. Tell me, is that supposed to be a bailable offence? It is a serious crime and they know it because the right of the child is being infringed upon.’’

Her allegation was however disputed by the Force Public Relations Officer, PRO, Mr. Emma Ojukwu, who told VF thus: “That is not true. Any established case of kidnapping or child theft is often charged to court by the Police in every part of the country. It is wrong to blame the police for the rise or

to accuse the force of not charging suspects to court.”

Challenges of prosecuting suspects Ojukwu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, further said: ‘’People should stop blaming the police. The criminal justice system in the country should be the major focus here because sometimes when they are charged to court lawyers come up with interpretations after which the suspects may be granted bail.’’

Disclosing the challenges encountered when prosecuting such cases, he said: ‘’In prosecuting such cases, sometimes witnesses don’t turn up. That frustrates the process of prosecution. Even in some states, some courts stay up to three months without sitting, thereby making prosecution of cases difficult. ‘’Of course it is a bailable offence. The Police don’t make the laws of this country, we only enforce. Therefore, I can’t say whether the penalty for the crime is punitive enough or not. If Nigerians want stiffer penalties for child abductors, they should bring it to the attention of the National Assembly.

Prevalence of the crime The prevalence of the crime has nothing to do with the Police; something is wrong with the value to life in this country.’’

Indeed, checks showed that the Police had successfully prosecuted some suspects across the country. For instance an Osogbo Chief Magistrate Court had in 2014 sentenced a 38-yearold housewife, Khadijat Ajisefini, to five years imprisonment for stealing a 21-day-old baby.

The Chief Magistrate, Adebayo Lasisi, who did not give the convict an option of fine, said that the prosecution proved the case against her beyond reasonable doubt.

60 — Vanguard, WDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Super Eagles, Tanzania match to start 2.30pm Nigeria time T

HE Tanzania Football Federation has confirmed that the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the Taifa Stars and Super Eagles of Nigeria will come up at the National Stadium, Dar es Salaam on Saturday, September 5.

A mail from TFF President Jamal Malinzi also confirmed that the National Stadium has natural grass, and that the match will kick off at 4.30pm Tanzania time (2.30pm in Nigeria).

Nigeria’ Super Eagles share joint top –place with the Pharaohs of Egypt in Group G of the qualifying series, having beaten Chad 2-0 in Kaduna in June’s Matchday 1, but the North Africans have one goal advantage having beaten the Taifa Stars 3-0 the same weekend.

Coach Sunday Oliseh has 19 home –based professionals in camp in Abuja, and has also called 18 overseas –based players, led by Eagles’ goalkeeper and skipper Vincent Enyeama.

The Nigeria Football Federation has also confirmed that it has finalized all arrangements with regards to the Super Eagles’ movement into and out of Dar es Salaam, as well as accommodation for the delegation in the Tanzanian capital.

Sources further confirmed that while the delegation will fly out from Abuja, the chartered aircraft will fly the delegation to Port Harcourt on return, where the Super Eagles tackle the Mena of Niger Republic in an international friendly on Tuesday, September 8.

says Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC),Al-Hassan Yakmut.

Buhari had on Monday given the NSC the marching orders to go to Congo and conquer Africa. He gave the directive when Yakmut led the NSC delegation to brief him on the activities of the Commission.

Among the issues discussed was Team Nigeria’s preparation for Congo 2015 All Africa Games, which hold from September 4-19.

A contingent of 550 athletes and officials will begin their journey to Congo on August 30 for the Games. Team Nigeria’s advanced party left the country for Congo on Sunday to prepare ground.

Yakmut said yesterday that the first batch of Nigerian athletes, coaches and officials will depart on August 30. But the nation’s second batch, comprising athletics and wrestling

•Alli backs African sprint queen to shine

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•Maria Sharapova joined by a host of fellow tennis stars on the streets of New York on Monday to recreate Nike’s famous 90s advert

LESSING Okagbare said she is ready to make amends for her dismal showing in the women 100 m as she prepares to run the 200m heats today at the IAAF World Championships.

Okagbare, had a miserable start on Monday and she was left to struggle from the blocks. Prior to the race, she had the third best time of the season a 10.80 seconds, but she could only manage 11.02 in a very and competitive race won by Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce at 10.79 seconds.

She said that she has shaken off the cobwebs, adding that her aim is to win a medal just like

Sharapova, Federer, Serena on streets of New York for Nike

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ARIA Sharapova was joined by a host of fellow tennis stars in New York as Nike hosted a new edition of Nike Street Tennis in New York.

The Russian teamed up with Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal on Monday to celebrate the start of the US Open.

Eugenie Bouchard, Madison Keys and Nick Kyrgios were in attendance with tennis legends Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and John McEnroe also involved.

Sharapova’s former boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov, whom she split from recently,

was also on the set.

Tweeting a picture of the star-studded cast, Sharpova said: ‘Lets be honest, only Nike can make this happen...’ The eleven stars of tennis past, present and future - worth an estimated $1.1billion - were pictured sat and stood around a yellow taxi cab harking back to Nike’s classic 90s commercial.

Taking part in some rallies during the Nike event, the players appeared in relaxed mood ahead of the US Open which begins on August 31, while McEnroe took to the umpire’s chair.

The gathering in Green-

Depart for Congo continues from B/P

Okagbare to redeem self in 200m

will have to continue their training back home till September 13. Their event at the All Africa Games won’t commence until September 16.

“The athletics team and our wrestlers make up the second batch, and they will have to continue with their training in Nigeria until their events begin on September 16. This request is at the instance of both the AFN and NWF because they want to give their athletes the best of training for the Games,” Yakmut said yesterday.

Speaking on NSC presentation at the Villa on Monday, Yakmut said: “Mr. President has said we must make sure we beat South Africa and Egypt this time in Congo. It is a Presidential directive that we have to implement.( We briefed Mr. President on sports development in Nigeria and its retinue of social economic values.( “Mr. President was impressed with the presentation,

but he raised observation on the need for us to rekindle the exploitation of the medals available in swimming to make Team Nigeria top theAllAfrica Games table in future.

Part of the NSC’s brief to President Buhari was that the Sports Commission has seven departments and six units with a total of 1,113 staff and less than 35% as professionals in sports administration and other relevant disciplines.

The brief also revealed that the NSC has six zonal offices, a liaison office and 42 Sports Federations. Two parastatals are under the supervision of the Commission, the National Institute for Sports (NIS) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

“Funding remains a big issue, but the Commission is working out modalities to address this, but would need Mr President’s support and directives,” Yakmut said.

wich Village was a look back to the famous advert which saw Agassi and Sampras jump out of a cab before setting up a net across a busy New York street.

The duo, two of the best players in the world at the time, began a match as huge crowds gathered only for a New York bus to halt proceedings and plough

2013 in Moscow. “”I will regroup and get ready for the 200m which starts on Wednesday.

“You work hard, train hard, put your best foot forward and go out there to proudly represent your country.

“Sometimes it all comes together for you, and on other days like today (Monday August 24, 2015), it doesn’t,”Okagbare posted on her social media forum.

Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) technical manager, Yussuf Alli posited that the African and Commonwealth sprint champion will bounce back.

Okagbare, based on her performance this season was tipped to make a podium appearance in the Alli a former captain of Team Nigeria said the athletics world was shocked that Okagbare did not medal in the 100m.

England beat Nigeria to Ibe

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IGERIA may have lost out in her battle with England for the serv-

ices of several Anglo-Nigerian youngsters, particularly, Liverpool winger,

Today’s Fixtures Sharks Ifeanyi Uba Giwa Shooting Stars

v v v v

Lobi Akwa Utd Rangers Nasarawa

Gombe

continues from B/P ravaging Ebola Virus Disease in the West African country.

All matches involving Sierra Leone in recent time are being played at neighboring cities in the region and this time Nigeria decided to host.

Gara Gombe said: “I was shocked that the NFF came out to tell Nigerians that the decision was taken after securing clearance from the World Health Organisation. It is funny because we all knew the tension in the country when we were dealing with Ebola.

“This time, a decision was taken as if we do not have government. Our borders are so porous and it is likely their fans will come to Lagos for the match. That is too risky.”

On the League Management Committee, Gara-Gombe stated that the body should be scrapped for lacking

4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm

accountability and transparency.

“A referee will collect N75,000 for a match and officials who travel out on jamboree will collect N150,000 for every match.

Only few people are running that place. They were supposed to stay for a year but decided to continue because they have what they are gaining from the league,” he noted.

Gara Gombe also frowned at the employment process of Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh.

“He was hurriedly employed. The former coach was sacked at about 12 midnight and 9am the next day the photograph of NFF President negotiating with Oliseh was online. He was given three months salary even before the start of the job and I wonder when that kind of situation began in Nigeria. people just do anything and get away with it.”

Jordon Ibe who has been formally approached by Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh with a view to playing for the Super Eagles.

England U21 coach Gareth Southgate called several Nigeria born players led by Liverpool ace Jordon Ibe to a training camp ahead of a friendly against USA U23 team on September 3 and a Euro U21 Championship qualifier against Norway four days later.

Team Nigeria 400m with an improvement in her profile; a personal best of 50.76 seconds in the race won by Christine Ohurougu with 50.16 seconds. USA’s Allyson Felix ran the fastest semi-final time a 49.89 seconds, which was rivalled by 50.12 seconds, done byShunae Miller of the Bahamas. The final comes up this afternoon.

Odele, who came into national limelight, when he won the 200m at the All Nigeria Championships in Warri, terminated his debut world championships appearance in the heats.

He did 20.49 seconds. The semi-final of the event will be decided today with Justin Gatlin and Usain Bolt in contention for the gold.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 61

Transfer...Transfer...Transfer...Transfer...Transfer...Transfer...

Stones hands in transfer request to Everton E

VERTON defender John Stones has handed in a transfer request in an attempt to force through a move to Chelsea.

After three failed bids - the last in excess of £30million - from the Stamford Bridge club, Press Association Sport understands the England international has now taken matters into his own hands and formally expressed his desire to leave.

Everton have been resolute in their determination to hang on to the highly-rated 21-year-old and manager Roberto Martinez has insisted throughout the saga the centre-back is not for sale.

Martinez, who is becoming increasingly weary of having to field questions about Stones, refused to even discuss what the club’s response would be should the player hand in a transfer request when he was asked about it on Tuesday. “There is nothing to comment on that,” he said.

•Stones

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I V E R P O O L’ S Mario Balotelli says he ‘always hoped to r e t u r n t o M i l a n ’ ahead of completing a loan move to the Rossoneri.

The striker only left the San Siro outfit last s u m m e r, b u t t o l d MilanNews.it that he is in good shape and ‘always had Milan in my heart’.

“I’m happy to be back, now I’m only waiting to start training,” he said after completing the first stage of his medical.

“Physically I feel pretty good, I just have to train with the

Balotelli: I wanted to return home team. I have so much motivation.

“I don’t have much to say, as I need to not talk and just work hard.

“Did I imagine returning to Milan?

Ye s , I a l w a y s h a d Milan in my heart and I always hoped to come back.

“Will I finish my career at Milan? I have to work hard and do well this year, then I’ll think about that.”

Man U, Arsenal on alert for Blaszczykowski

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AKUB Blaszczykowski could be set for a move to the Premier League amid reports he’s unsettled at Borussia Dortmund.

According to newspaper Bild, the 29year-old is a target for Spanish club Real Betis, although his £1.8million salary could price them out of a deal. TalkSPORT report that Arsenal and Manchester United have both been alerted by the newsand will enquire about his availability.

•Balotelli

“Costa wanted to return to Atletico”

Bayern back for De Bruyne

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AYERN Munich are back in the race to sign Manchester City target Kevin De Bruyne.

The Belgian international has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester City, who are prepared to meet Wolfsburg’s asking price of around £50million.

And the Telegraph are reporting that Bayern, who have been long-term admirers of the player, will now make a move for the

•Bruyne

midfielder at the end of the season, after their president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge held talks with Wolfsburg.

The move will happen at the end of the season because even though De Bruyne is understood to be ready to leave, he is not prepared to force his transfer, leaving the current Bundesliga champions free to take the player from under Manchester City’s nose.

•Costa

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•Blaszczykowski

Joaquin ‘waiting for Betis and Viola’

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OAQUIN’S agent said “ now we are waiting for Real Betis to take action and Fiorentina to be understanding.”

The Spaniard has expressed his desire to go “home” to his old club, but the Viola slammed the door unless there’s a €5m transfer fee.

“Joaquin is in a complex situation,” agent Eduardo Espejo told Cadena Cope.

“He publicly confirmed what he wants.

There is huge affection from the Fiorentina fans, but in Italy they do not realise what Betis means to Joaquin.

“The Viola have their

reasons, but my job is to defend Joaquin. I tried to resolve the issue in Florence, taking into account that Joaquin has already left his mark as a player and a man, so cannot do more than he already has.

“Now it’s up to Betis and Fiorentina. We don’t want to pressure anyone, but will express what the player wants. I am optimistic, but to be honest the reality of the situation tells me something else.

“I repeat, Joaquin has done all he could. Now we are waiting for Betis to take action and Fiorentina to be understanding.”

•Joaquin

IEGO Costa and Miguel Angel Gil allegedly met up in Ibiza this summer shortly after the Chelsea striker revealed he’d welcome a return to Atletico Madrid.

Marca say Atleti were already close to signing Jackson Martinez and Luciano Vietto and that, combined with Chelsea’s reluctance to sell the Spain international meant a move back to Vicente Calderon was never likely.

The meeting between Costa and Atleti chief executive Gil was a co-incidence, the report adds, but when Gil heard Costa would leave Stamford Bridge for the Calderon, he spoke to agent Jorge Mendes about the situation.

Mendes downplayed Costa’s comments and confirmed Chelsea’s intention to keep Costa for the foreseeable future.

62 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015 — 63

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015

Ebola: Gombe raises alarm over S/Leone, CIV match in Lagos

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to reverse the decision taken by the Nigeria Football Federation to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Sierra Leone

and Cote d’Ivoire in Nigeria.

A sports administrator, Shaibu Gara-Gombe, who stated this on Tuesday in Lagos said there was a great danger in the decision taken by the NFF.

The Confederation of Africa Football suspended all home matches of Sierra Leone indefinitely due to the Continues on Page 60

CRASH: Panama’s Rolanda Bell falls heavily into the water in the heats of the Women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships.

Beijing 2015 Worlds:

Team Nigeria’s nightmare continues

BY BEN EFE

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IGERIAN athletes’ nightmare at the IAAF World Championships, on-going in Beijing, China continued yesterday when Women

THE BIG CHASE: Nigeria's Patience Okon-George and British Christine Ohuruogu compete in the women 400m.

400m hopeful, Patience Okon-George and men 200m runner, Tega Odele bowed out of the contest.

Okon-George reached her last bus stop in the semi-final of the women

Super Eagles, Tanzania match to start 2.30pm Nigeria time — Pg.60

••• Depart for Congo August 30

T

HE directive by P r e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari that Team Nigeria must do everything possible to top South Africa and Egypt at the end of the 11th All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville will be fully implemented, Continues on Page 60

•Yakmut

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S PUZZLE

FRIDAY'S ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Poke (4) 4 Mat (3) 6 Stuff (4) 9 Record (3) 10 Sixfold (8) 11 Revise (4) 14 Friend (3) 16 Command (5) 19 Strived (8) 21 Spree (5) 23 Beaten (8) 24 Roost (5) 27 Colour (3) 31 Silent (4) 33 Impertinence (8) 34 Rabbit (3) 35 Retain (4) 36 Counter (3) 37 Soil (4)

DOWN 2 Smell (4) 3 Obligation (4) 4 Reiterated (8) 5 Increased (4) 6 Transparent (5) 7 Wand (3) 8 Nimble (5) 12 Fragment (5) 13 Daub (5) 14 Through (3) 15 Prise (5) 17 Demise (5) 18 Noisy (5) 20 Guard (8) 22 Guided (3) 25 Ooze (5) 26 Crawl (5) 28 Meat (4) 29 Tart (4) 30 Agitate (4) 32 Foot-digit (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS: 1, Scare 8, Launched 9, Loom 10, Ass 12, Gross 15, Sag 17, Tea 18, Eel 19, Spa 20, Pagan 21, Eke 22, Tee 23, Sip 24, Tie 26 Dunce 29, Tan 33, Pair 34, Tactless35, Fetter 38, Emblem.

DOWN: 2, Class 3, Ring 4, Ether 5, Hades 6, Bold 7, Aroma 10, Asset 11, State 12, Gaped 13, Organ 14, Sense 15, Slept 16, Green 25, Irate 27, Utter 28, Cache 30, Aisle 31, Grit 32, Club.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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