35 killed as soldiers, Islamic sect clash

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SALLAH: Let’s unite against terror — Jonathan P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has asked Nigerians not to throw up their hands in helplessness and despair as a result of the activities of terrorists but to remain unwaveringly committed to showing solidarity with their armed forces and security agencies as they prosecute the war against terrorism.

In his Sallah message, Jonathan spoke on the commitment of his administration to ensuring that terrorism is stamped out of the c o u n t r y .

He expressed the hope that the lessons and blessings of fasting will permeate into all, and positively influence the attitudes of Nigerians towards their fellow countrymen and women, irrespective of religion or places of origin; and promote greater commitment to the peace, unity and stability of the nation.

The lesson of fasting Fayemi In his own message, Ekiti State Governor Fayemi felicitated with Muslim faithful on the occasion of the Eid-el-Fitri.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, expressed joy on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast. He explained that witnessing an-

other Eid-el-Fitri is a special privilege from Allah who has control over the destiny of man.

Fayemi said the 30-day spiritual exercise has drawn the faithful closer to Allah, urging them to keep on practising the lessons learnt from the holy month in their relationship with their Maker and fellow human beings.

The governor, who urged citizens to be vigilant and remain security conscious even as they celebrate, said the recent spate of bomb attacks and general insecurity in the country has made it imperative for Muslims and adherents of other religious to seek the face of God in prayer for divine intervention in the affairs of the country.

We need prayers – Atiku Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, in his message, stressed the need for fervent prayers if the present security challenge in the country could be nipped in the bud.

Atiku pleaded with Muslims to pray for the end of the spectre of insecurity currently haunting the country.

The former Vice President, who regretted that terrorists have shed so much blood in the name of religion, however, urged, Muslims to pray to God to defeat and destroy the evil doers masquerading

behind the name of religion.

No blame trading - Mark SENATE President, Senator David Mark, also in his message, called on Nigerians to unite in the fight against terrorism in the collective interest of the country.

The Senate President noted that the prevailing situation in the country did not warrant accusing figures at a person or group rather collective efforts.

“The prevailing situation does not call for blame game but a collective action of all citizens against the terrorists. We should have confidence on our security operatives and encourage them to do more”, he said. ”The unfolding scenario clearly indicates that the terrorists have declared open war on every body and there seems to be no safe heaven any more. This is a challenge we must unite to tackle. ”One way out of this quagmire is to have a common approach against terrorists irrespective of political , ethnic or religious affiliation. What is paramount now is our collective survival as a people and nation.

This is our fatherland. We have a collective responsibility to protect our common destiny”.

By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

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Division, Nigerian Army has said that

no vehicle, motorcycle, tricycle or any other vehicular movement will be allowed in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, and environs including Jere local government area.

This warning was contained in a press statement by the spokesman of the Division, Colonel Muhammed Dole.

“The report at the disposal of the security agencies reveals that terrorists have perfected plans to launch multiple

SALLAH: Military restricts movement in Maiduguri bomb explosions in Maiduguri metropolis”, the statement said.

“Their main targets include sallah praying grounds, markets and other public places by using vehicles such as Volkswagen Golf, pick up vans, Keke NAPEP, motorcycles and bicycles.

“In view of this, all vehicular movement within the Maiduguri city is banned from Monday, 28th to Wednesday, 30th July, 2014. Members of the general public are

2015 election: IYC woos Odogwu

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

I in Tuomo Clan of Burutu Local GovernJAW Youth Council, IYC,

ment Area of Delta has urged Hon. Godspower Tam Odogwu to run for the Burutu II Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly in 2015, saying they have “ u t m o s t faith” in him to make the difference.

Secretary, IYC Tuomo Western Zone, Comrade Jackson Agbor who expressed the youths’ con-

cern, described Odogwu as dogged and vigorous, recalling that his efforts as lead facilitator in the third phase of the Federal Government Amnesty Programme made meaning to many lives, among other contributions to the development of Burutu area. ”We have confidence in his capacity to transform our people. No doubt, he is the man the cap fits at a time Burutu is in desperate search for credible leaders”, Agbor stated.

advised to perform their Eid-El Fitri prayer at prayer grounds nearest to their residences.

While necessary security measures are being put in place, people are requested to comply fully with this ban as defaulters will be severely sanctioned”.

Akinola, PFN Admin Secretary, is 50

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astor Oluwadami lare Akinwale Akinola, the Administrative Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), turned 50 yesterday.

Activities lined up to mark the golden jubilee kicked off yesterday with an occasion dedicated to less privileged children.

The golden jubilee celebrations will be rounded off on Sunday, August 3 with a thanksgiving/reception at Appealing Grace Assembly (APGA) International Cathedral, off Deeper Life IBTC, Onikanga, Akobo, Lagos.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014 — PAGE 5

35 killed as soldiers, Islamic sect clash Shiites were said have defied the shots and surged forward while throwing stones at the soldiers.

However, addressing journalists, yesterday, on the incident, El-Zakzaky said, “I am appealing to my followers to be patient and remain calm. After the burial of those killed, we will decide what action to take. I have communicated with the authorities, and they are all claiming not to be aware of the operation. It is my belief that the operation was ordered from Abuja”.

Kaduna State police spokesperson, SP Aminu Lawan, said on phone that

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

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MID the tension cre ated by terror attacks in some parts of the North, members of the Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky-led Islamist Movement of Nigeria, the Shiites, yesterday, clashed with soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna State. 35 persons were feared dead in the incident.

The incident happened barely three days after twin bomb attacks in Kaduna metropolis, Kaduna State, targetted a former head of state, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), and another Sheikh.

The Shiites were on a procession to celebrate what they called Quds day, as well as demonstrating against military operations against Palestinians in Gaza by Israeli forces.

Eyewitnesses said there was shooting between soldiers and members of the Shiites from late Friday afternoon when the protest started till the early hours of yesterday, resulting in the arrest and killing of the Islamist sect members.

Sources said, out of the 35 persons killed, three of them were the sons of ElZakzaky, adding that many of the sect members arrested by the soldiers were still in a military detention camp.

At press time, the situation around the PZ, Sabon Gari area of Zaria was tense, just as more soldiers were said to have been deployed in the area to curtail more trouble.

Trouble started, according to Sunday Vanguard sources, when the sect members, on approaching a military check- point, were ordered by the soldiers there to take another route in view of the insecurity challenge in Kaduna State. It was said that the Shiite group rebuffed the order and, in the process, a standoff ensued between the protesters and the soldiers.

This development, according to eyewitnesses, resulted in soldiers firing warning shots into the air to scare the protesters. The J

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HE ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) clashed, weekend, over the bomb blast which targeted a former head of state, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), in Kaduna.

Buhari, a top member of the APC, escaped by the whiskers, when his convoy was hit by the blast on Wednesday.

Another blast targeted a Muslim cleric, also in Kaduna, moments earlier.

The two explosions left scores dead and several others injured.

The PDP leadership, yesterday, said the APC could not exonerate itself from insurgency incidents in some parts of the country.

An APC senator, Professor Olusola Adeyeye, was blunt in declaring that the PDP should take responsibility for what he called “the assassination attempt”on Buhari.

Ex-Niger-Delta militant leader, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, in a curious twist, pooh-poohed the alleged assassination attempt, saying it was stage-

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From left: Ex-Super Eagles Goalie and ARS Technical Adviser, Peter Rufai, Airtel Regional Operations Director, Lagos, Femi Oshinlaja, Olympic Gold Medalist and ARS Technical Adviser, Chioma Ajunwa-Oparah, Vice President, Brand and Marketing, Obinna Aniche, National Secretary, YSFON, Patrick Okpavuerhe and Ex-Super Falcons Goalie and Technical Adviser, Ann Chiejinne at the Match Fixtures Draw for ARS 4 National Finals in Lagos.Photo;Joe Akintola;Photo Editor.

Attack on Buhari’s convoy: PDP, APC clash

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the incident had nothing to do with the police, saying, “I advise you to reach the Nigerian Army if you can.”

Meanwhile, the army said, yesterday, it was investigating the incident.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. – Gen. Olajide Laleye, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by telephone that the investigation would establish what happened.

“However, what is already clear is that Nigerian Army troops did not initiate firing and only acted in self-defence after being fired upon,” Laleye said.

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managed by the former head of state.

In the meantime, the Primate of the Anglican Church, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, said the attack on Buhari was an indication that nobody in the country was free from bombings by the Islamist Boko Haram group.

‘APC is culpable’

The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metah, said the APC had been promoting insurgency through the actions of some of its leaders on the grounds that the insurgents were after President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP, adding: “If the APC leaders had joined other well-meaning Nigerians in condemning acts of terrorism at the early stage, those behind them would not have been bold enough to get to the current alarming level.”

The ruling party described as laughable and lame the attempts by the APC to use the Kaduna bomb attacks to absolve itself of blame for encouraging insurgency in the country.

According to PDP, the statements by the APC and its governors were failed attempts at image laundering. It claimed that APC’s true identity as a party supportive of violence and disunity in the country was already well known.

It said, “Nigerians will recall that when the news of the attack broke out, the PDP took the high moral ground of condemning the development and sympathized with General Muhammadu Buhari while at the same time calling for a thorough investigation to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

“We are therefore shocked, disappointed and disgusted that the APC leaders chose to use the ugly development to embark on image laundering. Howev-

er, their hasty attempts to indict the Presidency and our great party while exonerating themselves from the widely held notion that they have been promoting insurgency have raised issues regarding what really happened, especially now that a suspect has been arrested.

“Nigerians now ponder; they ask, was the attack a setup aimed at scoring some political points? If indeed it was an assassination attempt, was it engineered by internal frictions and crisis of ambition within the APC? Has it to do with some other presidential aspirants in the APC seeing General Buhari as a threat and obstacle to their ambitions? Or could it be APC’s desperate strategy of trying to disentangle itself from the internationally acknowledged link with terrorists and possibly undermine the planned probe of their involvement by the United Kingdom?

“These questions have become completely pertinent considering the fact that General Buhari poses no threat whatsoever to any candidate that the PDP might project. He lost three times to our great party in Presidential elections and will lose the fourth time if he emerges the candidate of the APC. Our advice to APC is that they might as well consider looking inwards if they believe it was an assassination attempt. ”The PDP reaffirmed its commitment to peace and the welfare of all Nigerians and its leader, President Goodluck Jonathan remains a peace-loving, godly and humble man who has continued to reiterate that no political ambition is worth shedding of blood.”

Responsibility for bomb attack

Asking the PDP to accept responsibility for the attack on Buhari, the APC Senator representing Osun Central, Adeyeye said, yester-

day, that no one else could have been responsible for the attack but the ruling party.

Speaking with newsmen in Osogbo, Osun State capital, Adeyeye, the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, stated: “Boko Haram has not claimed responsibility for the attack on Buhari. From all indications, Muslims were not the ones who attacked him, neither were they Christians. I am sure those who attacked Buhari were sponsored by the PDP.” He added: “Anyone who knows Buhari will know that he is a devout Muslim.

So, Muslims could not have launched any attack against him. He was not attacked by Christians too.

The only people that could be suspected are the PDP..”

Commenting on the killing of an APC member in Ilesa, Adeyeye, who is the Director General, Aregbesola Campaign Organization, alleged that some political thugs working for the PDP killed the APC member.

his motorcade started recently which confirmed his stand.

‘Nobody is safe’ Primate of the Anglican Church, Okoh, who also spoke on the bomb attack on Buhari, yesterday, said it was an indication that nobody was free from Boko Haram attacks.

Addressing the third session of the second Synod of Anglican Church, Diocese of Kubwa, he said the “attempt on the life of General Buhari sends signal of serious insecurity in the country.”

He added: “Again, it sends a signal which I think has an aspect of it that is positive.

That is to say, let everybody, whether from the East, the West, the North and South, Christian, Moslem, African traditional religionist, put hands together and stop this terrorism. ”Nobody is spared, nobody is free and nobody is safe.”

‘Buhari masterminded bombing’

Militant leader, DokuboAsari, who is also the leader of Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Force, NDPSF, yesterday, exploded, saying Buhari masterminded the attack on himself.

He lashed out at the former head of state, saying he plotted to kill many innocent Nigerians in the explosion.

The former President of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, of the Niger Delta region, who spoke to journalists in Abuja, said Buhari and his group would fail in their conspiracy and desperation to take over power from President Goodluck Jonathan.

Claiming he knew the erstwhile Nigerian leader so well, the former militant leader said Buhari was not known to be driven in a bullet-proof car prior to the incident, alleging that the use of an armoured jeep in

Fidau prayers for Prince Adeosun

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he eighth-day Fi dau prayers for the Late Prince Kehinde Bashir Adeosun holds today, at the Eko Club, off Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos at 12 noon.

Late Prince Adeosun

PAGE 6—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014

Appeal Court affirms Obiano’s election as Anambra Gov

•Dismisses four petitions for lacking merit

BY TONY EDIKE

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five-man panel of Appeal Court Justices in Enugu, yesterday, dismissed all the four appeals filed against the judgment of Anambra State Election Petition Tribunal which upheld the election of Dr Willie Obiano as duly elected governor of Anambra State, a declarartion made by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the November 16 governorship election.

The presiding Justice, Mohammed Lawal Garba, while delivering lead judgment on the appeal filed

by All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Sen Chris Ngige, resolved the 11 issues sought against the appellant and subsequently dismissed the appeal for incompetence and lack of merit and awarded N50,000 cost against the appellant.

On the second appeal filed

by the Peoples Democratic Party ’s (PDP) candidate, Tony Nwoye, against INEC and Governor Willie Obiano, another member of the panel, Justice Ejembi Eko, dismissed the appeal for lack of. Merit and awarded N50, 000 cost in favour of the respondent.

The third appeal filed by PDP suffered the same fate of dismissal as Justice Akeju I. O, in his lead judgment, awarded N30, 000 cost against appellant.

On the fourth appeal filed

by Chike Obidigbo of All Progressives Grand Alliance, Justice Tijani Abubakar, in his lead judgment dismissed the petition for not being meritorious and awarded N50, 000 cost against the appellant.

The five-man panel was unanimous in the four judgments, thereby affirming the ruling of the Justice Ishaq Bello-led Anambra Election Petition Tribunal, delivered on 24th June, 2014.

In a quick reaction, the National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, who led other chieftains of the party to court, expressed happiness and praised the judiciary, saying over 95 percent of judicial officers in Nigeria have decided to uphold the principle of the law, which the ruling represents. ”We were not in any doubt that the petitions will be dismissed because our candidate, Chief Willie Obiano, won that election with landslide. We also said during the announcement of the result that the election was peaceful and fair.”

While sympathising with the petitioners, he advised them to congratulate Obiano and join hands with him in developing Anambra which he is already doing.

He expressed confidence that the party will still win should the appellants decide to approach Supreme court following favourable judgments by the two lower courts.

•The Knights of Saint Mulumba (KSM) Nigeria, Maryland Sub-Council, visited Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye L.G.A of Lagos State in continuation of its state wide Pro-Life rally. In this picture, Grand Knight Bernard Nkwo in a warm handshake with Mr. Saheed Shonubi, H.O.D, Education, while Mrs. Fasetire Adeola, Deputy HOD Education, Mrs. Jumoke Abudullahi, Education Department Staff all of Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye L.G.A and Mrs. Joy Nwabuko, President, Ladies of Saint Mulumba (LSM), Maryland Sub-Council, watch in admiration.

VIGIL DISASTER

One dies, 15 in coma ...as pregnant woman, 3 others are crushed to death in Aba

BY ERIC UGBOR , Aba

Body of Ebola victim cremated A in Lagos

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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HE body of the first victim of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria, who died in Lagos on Friday, has been cremated.

Details of the cremation were not available at press time but Sunday Vanguard gathered that the eveny was witnessed by officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, led by its Project Director, Professor Abdulsalam Nasidi, among others.

The decision to cremate the body of the victim, it was further gathered, may not be unconnected with the deadly nature of the Ebola Virus which is known to be easily transmissible from human to human during handling of corpses of victims.

The World Health Organisation recommends that in communities where there is an outbreak of Ebola, appropriate containment measures including burial of the dead should be properly handled.

While stating that people who die from Ebola should be promptly and safely buried, WHO? notes that cremation, which is the application of high temperature to reduce bodies to basic chemical components (ashes),? is ideal for safe disposal of bodies of persons who die during outbreaks of highly infectious diseases such as Ebola Virus in order to minimise further transmission.

In 2013 the Lagos State Government introduced its Voluntary Cremation Law under which a person may signify interest to be cremated at death or a deceased’s family members

who must attain the age of 18 years, can decide to have the corpse cremated.

Under the law the state government can also

cremate unclaimed corpses in its mortuaries after a period of time and the ashes disposed after a 14-day notice with approval of the Commissioner for Health.

PREGNANT woman and three others were crushed to death in Aba, Abia State, while fifteen others sustained serious injuries when an articulated vehicle lost control last Friday smashing over 10 vehicles, including tricycles, in the process.

In another tragic develop-

Edo 2016: Ex-General, five others battle for PDP ticket

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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HE battle for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State may not be an easy one, as six persons may have perfected plans to join the race to succeed Governor Adams Oshiomhole in 2016.

Meanwhile, the third term ambition of National Assembly members in the PDP in Edo Central is tearing the party apart in the district as some members of the party have threatened to dump the party for the APC if the leadership of the party in the area does not endorse their ambition.

Those who may have

indicated interest to run for the 2016 governorship race under the PDP include Gen.Charles Airhiavbere, who was the PDP’s candidate in 2012; his cousin, Senator Ehigie Uzamere; Kenneth Imasuagbon, Engr.Chris Ogienwonyi, Arch.Mike Onolemenmen, current Minister of Works and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

But the PDP seems confused as to where to cede the governorship ticket either to the South or Central senatorial districts.

Oshiomhole is from Edo North, so none of the parties seems to think in that direction. Airhiavbere, Uzamere, Ize-Iyamu and

Ogienwonyi are from the South senatorial district.

Imasuagbon and Onolemenmen hail from the Central where Chief Tony Anenih, the Chairman, BOT of the PDP, hails from.

It is being rumoured that Anenih may back Onolemenmen who is doing well as Minister of Works, while Imasuagbon is being backed by youths in the area. But it was learnt that the Edo South leaders of the PDP are insisting that the Onolemenmen candidacy may be a disastrous move due to the fact that the Binis who are more in population, may not want to vote a nonBini as governor after Oshiomhole in 2016.

National Social Welfare Bill: Hon. Akinlaja raises hope for vulnerable groups

BY EMMANUEL AJIBULU

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member of the House of Representatives representing Ondo East/West Federal Constituency, Hon Joseph Akinlaja, is leaving no stone unturned to pursue the success of a bill for an act to establish the National Social Welfare Board of Nigeria for the purpose of planning, implementing and overseeing the national social security and welfare scheme and for other connected purposes.

Akinlaja, who doubles as Deputy National Chairman of Labour Party claimed that the prevalent of social and economic difficulties faced by

the aged, physically-challenged and indigent citizens in Nigeria, informed the conceptualization of this bill.

“The bill is seeking for the establishment of a National Social Welfare Board of Nigeria, aimed at providing a veritable platform, through which federal government will make conscious and concrete efforts at ameliorating the suffering of this special group of citizens,” Akinlaja explained.

He explained that the bill is not in conflict with existing Acts (such as the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund Act), but complement them, with specific emphasis on the ‘’helpless and voiceless’’ in the society.

“The National Social Welfare

Board of Nigeria (in this act referred to as the Board) shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and may sue and be sued in its corporate name,” lawmakers said.

“The board’s headquarter shall be situated in the Federal Capital Territory and it may establish offices in all the states of the federation. The governing council shall consist of a chairman, a representative of each of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Labour/Productivity, Women & Social Development, Education, Youth Development, Civil Society Organizations, a representative of Labour organizations, and a youth of not more than 30 years.”

ment, 15 persons collapsed as a result of suffocation caused by fumes from a generator during an inter-denominational fellowship at the Young Peoples Christian Fellowship located along Eziukwu, by Milverton road Aba, Abia State.

The victims of the fellowship are said to be all indigenes of Arochukwu Local Government Area in the state.

It was gathered that the vehicle with registration number Rivers: BER 27 XA, with the inscription, Kirby Farms, was coming from the Akwa Ibom State end of the ever busy Ikot Ekpene Road when the accident happened around 7pm.

The accident occurred when it was descending the Ogbor Hill slope, developed faulty brake system and as the driver lost control, the vehicle which was loaded with stone chippings, smashed over 10 vehicles and tricycles before veering off the other side of the road where it used two commuter buses as wedge.

An eye witness who narrated the incident blamed the accident on the presence of police checkpoint on the Aba River Bridge popularly known as waterside.

One of the accident victims, the pregnant woman whose husband cried uncontrollably at the scene of the incident, was said to have gone to a nearby market to buy some food items for the weekend when on her way back, she was hit by the trailer and died instantly.

It was gathered that immediately the accident occurred, policemen at the checkpoint vamoosed into thin air, leaving only the personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and passersby to battle for over four hours to bring out bodies trapped under the trailer.

Emenike Kalu, an Ababased legal practitioner, had God to thank as eight members of his family including four kids who were involved in the accident, all came out unhurt.

When contacted, the Aba

unit commander of FRSC, Akachukwu Chika, who led his men to rescue the accident victims, blamed it on the rickety nature of the truck.

A report has it that out of the 16 persons inside the hall of the fellowship, 15 who were in various hospitals receiving medical attention as at the time of this report are responding positively to medical attention, while a boy of 6 years, a child to one of the victims, was already dead before police could gain entrance into the scene of the incident.

11 persons were currently receiving medical attention at Austine Grace Hospitals while 4 were also admitted at Goodness and Mercies hospital at Faulks Road, Aba. Dr. Mark Iwuagwu, a medical doctor at one of the hospitals were the victims were rushed to for immediate medical attention (Austine – Grace Hospitals located at Okigwe road) speaking to reporters at the end of the Abia State Deputy Governor’s visit to his hospital, attributed the cause of the incident to suffocation as a result of carbon mono-oxide poison they inhaled from a generator set outside the hall where the tarry night was hosted.

According to him, “When I was invited to the place by the police, the generator they used as their source of power supply was still on, but the glasses to the hall were all locked. It was police that came and opened the place with metal equipment. It was one of the victim’s brothers that alerted the police after efforts to reach his sister he said he escorted to the fellowship failed to yield any result.”

No member of the fellowship could speak to the press as at the time of the report, but the GeneralSecretary of pastors from Arochukwu, Dr. Phillip Richard and Senior Pastor Word Alive Assembly, Aba confirmed that the victims were all from Ututu, Arochukwu.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 7

The promise of death in Akwa Ibom --1

You should not honour men more than truth — Plato Oh, what a tangled web we weave...when first we practice to deceive.” -- Walter Scott, T is often said that a day is a long time in politics. And it seems that the tide turned for Jonathan this week when he, at last, met with most of the families of the missing Chibok girls and those that had escaped the evil clutches of Boko Haram.

This meeting has been long time coming and I am sure that he realises that the gesture and words of comfort was not as complicated and or painful as he first thought. In fact, it must be quite cathartic. So should we be rehashing old grounds? Yes, we should.

The delay to meet with the families should be a future lesson to all that it is important to reach out to those suffering such loss; is the only decent thing to do.

Politics aside, we should always show compassion; it is the key to being a decent human being. I know that some may feel that he has put right the wrong by finally meeting with the distraught parents of the missing girls. But, we should not forget that the girls went missing in April and

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he did not meet with them until last Tuesday .

The spin doctors and Jona were slow to act, that is a fact. No matter all protestations and promises aside, they should have acted sooner rather than later.

The Tuesday’s meeting in Abuja between the president and Chibok residents only came about at the behest and the impassioned plea from Malala Yousafzai.

The families of the abducted were right to insist that all the families of the missing girls met with the president and some of the selected few. It was very crass of the spin doctors to have described the reluctance of the families or the national #BringBackOurGirls movement as “psychological terrorists”, accusing them of using the crisis to score political points. We should leave politics out of this and understand that there is always the right time to do the right thing. This government didn't, not until now.

Of course, any right thinking person will know that the families have the right to seek the safe return of their children. The campaign at home and abroad have been very effective as

bris of the worst kind.

This statement, unless amended or withdrawn, had taken impunity to another level unknown in Nigerian history. A Governor, at inauguration, swears to uphold the constitution of Nigeria, chief

Let me remind the governor that, he can get the war started any time he chooses. But, once the victims take up arms to protect themselves, he cannot determine when and how it will end

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among which is the protection of lives – without which other rights are meaningless. Strictly speaking, that statement amounts to Governor Akpabio openly threatening to violate the constitution which he swore to uphold. Surely, no governor, in any state in the United States, whose constitution we copied, would dare announce such a threat to his peo-

sentence, obviously without a trial. Then, he should also tell us, who determined which is the “front door ” and when and where was the announcement made for all politicians to know where such “doors” are located in the political space.

As things stand, right now, Akpabio has opened himself to intended and unintended consequences of his un-

it kept the call for the search of the missing girls at the fore front of the national and international attention that it truly deserves.

Once again, the media circus was there to capture the historic meeting as the FG’s Spin doctor Reuben Abati was proud to announce to waiting national and international journalists that the “event” was “a very successful event.” This was not an event. The PR machine it seems, as usual, was looking for a face-saving angle and this was one cheap one at that. The

the impression that we are aloof and that we are not doing what we are supposed to do to get the girls out is not being truthful,” . There is only one truth and no one so would believe their version of the truth in the face of any substantial evidence to the contrary.

The tirade of the court minister’s tone is incredulous and smacks of arrogance and self-importance as he continues that on behalf of the president, using the royal we:“Our commitment is not just to get the girls out, it is also to rout

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pabio. But, threat of death for those he described as “politicians seeking power through backdoor ”, whatever that means, was not one of them. I had also hoped that Akpabio through his spokespersons or directly to the public would disclaim the statement credited to him. “I was misquoted” has, after all become the standard cry of politicians who realize that they have said something better left unsaid.

But, three days had passed and there had been no denial. Are we then supposed to understand that a governor in the democratic Federal Republic of Nigeria is declaring death on people who have not been tried for any crime warranting a death sentence?

Certainly, “seeking power through the back door ” is a strange sort of crime and totally alien to Nigeria. Governor Akpabio, a lawyer, should be the first to know that. So, this is not a case of ignorance of the law but hu-

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“Those who want to take power through the back door will die and the PDP will continue.”

Governor Godswill Akpabio, quoted in PUNCH, Thursday, July 17, 2014, p 19.

“Either one respects due process of law and the right of every citizen to a trial, or we live in a lawless jungle where one of us might be the victim of a mad executive…In a civilized society, you do not kill a man because you think him..to be a bad man.”

John Marshall, 17551835, Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, 1801-1835. had prepared, for publication, anoth er article titled OPEN SEASON ON AKPABIO IN AKWA IBOM on account of the avalanche of attacks aimed at the Governor of Akwa Ibom State – incidentally, by people, who a few months ago, were full of praises for the same man. How times have changed! I expected a response from Ak-

ple generally and remain in office for long.

As it turned out, most of those publishing advertorials had accused Akpabio of being implicated or master-minding several murders which had occurred in the state since 2009. Granted, most of the accusations were based on circumstantial evidence, instead of proof beyond reasonable doubt. But, a person accused of violent crimes does not help his own case by threatening fire and brimstone on those who behave in ways he does not like. Perhaps, the place to start is to ask Akpabio what he considers the “back door ” to seeking political power which deserves the death

Some people in Nigeria tend to take everything as a religious and tribal conspiracy. It's about time we looked within and question our morals and conscience. We have lost our compassion as a people

meeting should have been a sombre and conciliatory tone. The spin master took to his twitter account and posted pictures of the “event” It seem that the president has assured the families that the authorities were doing everything possible to rescue the abducted girls. Well, we have heard that baloney many times before and yet, the girls are missing and no evidence that tangible evidence has been done to rescue the girls or those that were abducted after them.

So goes the PR impresario: “The president called for patience, cooperation and understanding” and that “anyone who gives you

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Boko Haram completely from Nigeria," And that.

"But we are very, very mindful of the safety of the girls.

We want to return them all alive to their parents. If they are killed in any rescue effort, then we have achieved nothing.” Okay, really what have we achieved so far, other than more slaughter and displacement of people?

Abati said: “it was not appropriate to discuss publicly what steps authorities were taking”. So we should take his word as gospel and do nothing until the slothful government delivers on his promise months and months down the line.

In the meantime, over

fortunate utterances. Let us examine the unfortunate and unintended consequences first. But, before we do, it must be pointed out to Akpabio that a Chief Security Officer who threatens people with death has invited those who feel threatened to resort to selfhelp. Where are they supposed to obtain justice when the would be killer controls the judiciary and the police? He would be making the greatest mistake of his life if he thinks that potential victims will willingly and passively wait to be slaughtered without putting up a fight. Nobody, in Nigeria today, can claim a monopoly of violence – unless others don’t want to arm themselves. The United Nations Organisation agency on firearms estimates that there are about 10 million illegal firearms in private hands in the ECOWAS region; 60% of them are suspected to be in Nigeria.

That is 6 million arms; clearly, anybody or group wanting to obtain arms desperately can get them. So can Akpabio’s intended victims. He should take this into consideration before he starts a war in Akwa Ibom – if war is not what he intended with that declaration. But, that is what he will likely get.

Lastly, at least for now, let me remind the governor that, he can get the war started any time he chooses. But, once the victims take up arms to protect themselves, he cannot determine when and how it will end. And, if the murders

are perceived to assume ethnic cleansing in nature, then, “the only battle that counts is the last battle.”

(Richard Neustadt, in POWER AND PRESIDENTS).

That last battle might take years to end. A word is sufficient for the wise on that one…

NO ROADS IN ABIA STATE? THEN READ THIS “Some of the roads constructed by the present government in Abia South Senatorial zone since 2007 include Timber Market International Road, Uratta, Aba/ Owerri, Aba/Portharcourt, Faulks Road, Brass Road…Azikiwe Road, Milverton Avenue… Also completed in Ukwa East Council area are UmuibeOhandu Road, OhansoObunku Road, ..Eti-Onanku Road, DFRI Road…Roads that have been constructed and rehabilitated in Abia Central Zone include Ntiga-Mbawsi Road, ..Isieke-OkwutaAhiaeke Road..and OsoroObowo Street.

Courtesy: Dr Romanus Uwa, living in Aba, VANGUARD, July 4, 2014.

Altogether Dr Uwa listed at least 60 roads completed since 2007 in that article sent to VANGUARD. What can one do with unrepentant liars?

I know for a fact that it is impossible for even a blind man to stay in Aba for two months without passing through Milverton or Faulks or Azikiwe Road.

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

2,000 people have been killed since the abduction of the girls in April and it had spread untold insecurity and panic around parts of our country. There have been lies and many untruths printed arrests of protesters and flexing of official attempts to suppress the truth and intimidation to discredit, besmirch and discredit the campaigners and families of the missing girls over the last couple of months.

Unfortunately, some people in Nigeria tend to take everything as a religious and tribal conspiracy. It's about time we looked within and question our morals and conscience. We have lost our compassion as people and we are Nigerians.

After all, what happens to one, really does happen to all. This is not about building our separate empire here, his is truly a humanitarian disaster and we can ill afford not to face the truth. We cannot afford to settle for less, we deserve better and Nigerians should demand better. We cannot sit back and be fed more of the same drivel of conspiracy theories, half-truths and paranoia.

The staged grand fanfare of concern is a little too late and such farce coming from our head of state at this time of the disaster, is a disgrace. I will leave it at that.

Common sense prevails at last Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.”

-- Mahatma Gandhi It is nice to hear that love triumphs over evil as Merriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag, the Sudanese women, who was sentenced for apostasy and scheduled to hang by the Sudanese court. She has been freed due to global outrage for renouncing Islam. She was raised by her Christian mother and says she has never been Muslim.

So according to Sudan's version of Islamic law she is also Muslim and cannot convert. Mrs Ibrahim's husband, Daniel Wani, a Christian, is from South Sudan and has US nationality.

Their daughter Maya was born in prison in May. She would have been hanged if not for worldwide attention and diplomatic campaign to win her freedom and subsequent exit out of Sudan in June. It is comforting to know that there are people out there who value humanity and sanctity of human life. The family has been reunited and Mrs Ibrahim had travelled on a Sudanese passport she received at the last minute. Her lawyer explained that Mrs Ibrahim was “unhappy to leave Sudan. She loves Sudan very much. It's the country she was born and grew up in,” but her “life is in danger so she feels she has to leave.

And that “Just two days ago a group called Hamza made a statement that they would kill her and everyone who helps her,” We can ill afford to go the way of Sudan. We are tolerant of other each other’s religion and tribal difference. We are Nigerians no matter we are.

PAGE 8—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014

merely stepped into the shoes of the whitemen only to turn the people into objects instead of the main subject of governance. Media attack on them facilitated the intervention of the military. By the time the latter jeopardized public liberty, it was the Media too that employed guerilla jour-

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HE role the Media played in the strug gle for Nigeria’s independence can never be undermined. Analysts who give much of the credit to politicians for leading the nationalist movements-the umbrella body that piloted the struggles, often forget that such political leaders were first and foremost professional journalists, Nnamdi Azikiwe for instance had served as the Editor of the Accra based ‘Morning Post’ before establishing the ‘West African Pilot’ in 1949 as a tool for fighting colonialism in Nigeria. Other political leaders that may not be described as Journalists were Media owners. For instance, Obafemi Awolowo set up the ‘Nigerian Tribune’ and the first Television in Africa as channels for fighting for self-government. Thus the Media deserves its pride of place as precursor of social change in Nigeria.

After independence, the first indigenous government had problems with the Media because the leaders

plies with Section 22 of our constitution which mandates the media to compel all those in authority to be accountable to the people.

The Media has been strategic in the pressure on the present administration to bring back the abducted Chibok girls using jingles, posters, features, documentaries etc.; effectively for the assignment. The Media is right in providing such veritable platforms to all those who have the courage to ask government to do its

It is also important for the Media to mobilize the nation to follow the Chibok story and indeed the unending insurgency. What is presently being done is reporting what people say without the aspect of investigative journalism that illuminates the tales

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nalism to bring military rule to an end. Since 1999 when democracy returned, the Nigerian Media has used adversarial journalism to serve as the unofficial opposition to every administration. The posture is patriotic because as it com-

primary duty-the welfare and security of the citizenry. In the past few days however, it is becoming obvious that the Media is being blackmailed to veer off the track. Many Journalists are now part of those who openly attack a group

PhD, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos,

Understanding the role of emotional intelligence in corporate success (2)

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O explicate the role of EI in the quest for corporate success, we shall use the insurance industry as an illustration.

This is because an overwhelming percentage of Nigerians, including the educated ones, are yet to embrace the practice of insuring themselves, their loved ones and their belongings.

Secondly, since insurance is typically concerned with compensation for every form of damage or loss incurred by the insured, the emotional factor plays a preeminent in insurance.

The questions that naturally rise at this point are, what is insurance? What are the core functions of insurance companies? Taking a cue from A.O. Isimoya, insurance is defined here as “a social scheme which provides financial compensation for the effects of misfortune.”

Of course, the financial compensation derives from the pool of accumulated contributions of individuals or corporate organisations participating in the scheme. Those participating in the scheme are policyholders or the insured.

The contribution they make to the pool is the premium, whereas the various risks they insure against are insured events. Risk, tech-

nically speaking, is “the possibility of an unfortunate occurrence,” the “chance of loss” or “uncertainty as to the occurrence of an economic loss.” Risk and risk-taking is part of life; the certainty of uncertainty propels insurance as a carefully designed social institution for managing risk. Therefore, risk is the epicentre of insurance business, for without the uncertainties and negative outcomes associated with risk there will be no need or motivation for insurance.

Insurance business thrives on calculated or measured optimism, because any loss incurred, which is a negative event, can be quantified and ameliorated or remedied. Although Individuals and corporate organisations are exposed to risk all the time, different individuals and business enterprises face different risks. Thus, technicians and engineers working in an oilrig located far out in the sea, fire fighters working hard to quench a raging inferno in a large building, and police officers battling wellarmed robbers face greater risks than an insurance sales person trying to convince a potential client to pick up an insurance policy from her firm. Factors that determine the level of

risk for individuals and corporate bodies include age, physical fitness, occupation, geographical location, the nature of the business and operating conditions.

Risk identification and calculation is a very cardinal aspect of insurance. It involves rigorous scientific investigation into causes of the loss incurred by an individual or firm. Risk analysts systematically analyse the losses suffered by the insured, identify the proximate causes of such losses, and methodically assess other underlying causes and their consequences. An individual can lose his property due to theft, fire and natural disaster. He may also suffer loss of income because of death, accidental injury, loss of employment, and sickness. Similarly, a corporate body may incur property risk, personnel risk in the form of death or accidental injury of a key member of staff, liability risks stemming from legal liabilities involving injury to third parties or damage to their property, and pecuniary risks arising from theft by employees, fraud, and default by debtors.

Insurance companies are corporate organisations that specialise in all types of insurance business, and

girls. Politicians who are materially induced to impeach certain office holders should get no space in the media especially as they hardly ever comply with the appropriate legal procedure. Issues like changing Speakers at 6am; operating dual Houses of Assembly in the same state; cooking-up stories to instigate the impeachment of deputy governors and disobedience of court orders should at this point in time receive minimal attention because the perpetrators are distracting us from our main concern and toying with our hard earned democracy.

It is also important for the Media to mobilize the nation to follow the Chibok story and indeed the unending insurgency. What is presently being done is reporting what people say without the aspect of investigative journalism that illuminates the tales. The other day for example, there was a story that insurgents had taken over a specified location and had allegedly hoisted a flag there as evidence of their effective occupation. I doubt if Nigerians saw the location or the flag. The only follow up was a story credited to the military that it would not tolerate the annexation of any portion of Nigeria.

To that, many citizens who believe every negative official story but doubt every positive one would remain cynics.

The establishment of a national information centre is good, but unfortu-

nately government has remained unduly defensive. If the public media had shown the hoisting of a rebel flag and followed it with its removal by government forces, it would have been easier for the public to imagine that our government is capable after all.

The elusive style of avoiding an issue for security reasons is dysfunctional.

Instead, the government media should its media to also put the opposition on the hot seat through wellcrafted questions that seek to identify the specific roles they have played in the interest of the masses to repel insurgency. Before the camera, opposition leaders would be conscious that if such questions are not patriotically answered it might establish that to criticize is easier than to act.

The argument that the opposition is incapacitated because it is not in power would be weak for two reasons. First, they have fair enough resources as heads of most state governments in the affected region. Second, the opposition leaders can no longer claim to have no stake because they too are now targets of attack.

Opposition leaders should therefore be put in check especially with respect to reckless comments rather than the unending sermon of calling on all to stand behind the government-a call that would naturally fall on the deaf ears of those making it now if the reverse was the case in our convoluted political system where the winner takes all.

constitute an essential component of the global economic system. Chris Obisi defines a corporate organisation as a legal entity or well-defined system and structure through which individuals collectively work and relate for the attainment of stated objectives.

Every corporate organisation established as a business outfit, irrespective of its size, geographical location and organisational structure, is expected to make profit for the owners by providing goods and services, as the case may be, to its customers. Insurance companies in Nigeria are no exception in this regard.

Modern insurance practice in the country began

The Insurance Act of 2003.

Insurance companies in Nigeria, like their counterparts in other parts of the world, perform different functions. These include spreading the financial losses of policyholders over the entire insuring public, creating a common pool from where compensation are paid for claims, and providing security for companies so that their management can focus more effectively on business transactions without worrying so much about the risks and uncertainties associated with daily operations An interesting aspect of insurance business is reinsurance. Reinsurance is a type of insurance “ where-

charged, aggregate claims cost exceed the amount reserved, and administrative costs and other charges escalate above expected levels. Moreover, fluctuations in portfolio size, large individual risks, and interdependent exposure units also make reinsurance necessary in insurance business.

A corporate organisation is successful to the extent that it actualises its vision and mission statement.

Now, since, as already indicated, profit motive is the fundamental driving force for the establishment of any business, an insurance company aims to be profitable by providing good quality and reliable services to its customers. Because of the crucial role of insurance firms in contemporary societies as risk bearers for both individuals and business organisations, it is imperative that key players in the industry must be knowledgeable in the principles of EI and endeavour to apply them in their professional and personal lives.

The importance of EI in enhancing insurance practice can be looked at from two interrelated perspectives. First, one has to consider how staff or employees of insurance companies relate to potential customers and current policyholders. Second, there is need to examine critically the relationship between top management staff and their subordinates in the workplace.

In her book, Emotional Intelligence, Emily A. Sterrett addresses these issues by developing personal and social models of basic EI skills required for corporate success generally.

TO BE CONCLUDED.

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Chibok Girls: What the Media is yet to do

like the ‘#Bring Back our girls’ team with the rather weak argument that the group is sponsored by the political opposition. Assuming the allegation is true, how does it stop the government from rescuing the girls? Who sponsored people like Akwa Ibom Governor Akpabio and his wife to also commemorate 100 days of the abduction?

Is it because the #Bring Back our Girls group is stationed in an open field that its role is offensive?

At the commemoration of 100 days of the abduction, the United Nations’ Secretary General Ban Ki Moon issued a statement saying “ I stand in solidarity with all those taking part in vigils to demonstrate that the world has not forgotten the girls who were so cruelly abducted from their school 100 days ago in Chibok, Nigeria”. If the Media cannot identify who is sponsoring Ban Ki moon against our government, then the path of honour is to focus on the subject more so as our government reiterated a few days back through Minister Jumoke Akinjide that the subject is officially the nation’s “priority number one”.

The Media should thus remain steadfast. It should de-emphasize all the mundane issues currently overwhelming our collective number one priority. Using its gate-keeping approach, it should down-play stories about political rascals which are presently competing for visibility with the prime issue of the Chibok

Risk is the epicentre of insurance business, for without the uncertainties and negative outcomes associated with risk there will be no need or motivation for insurance

around the early 1920s. At that time, the British colonial administration did not regulate insurance business probably because it felt that since the pioneer insurance companies in Nigeria operated under the supervision of insurance firms in Britain, they were subject to the same laws regulating insurance there. In 1945, the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act was enacted for the first time, followed by the Marine Insurance Act of 1961. Since then, several regulations have been formulated to strengthen all aspects of insurance, the latest being

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by an underwriter or a direct insurer can transfer to another insurer (the reinsurer) all or part of the risks or liabilities already insured under the contract of insurance that he writes.”

In other words, insurance companies themselves need insurance. Typically, an insurance firm charges its policyholders an amount, which, in conjunction with investment earnings on the insurance funds, would adequately cover potential claims and make profit for the company.

However, this objective may be derailed if competition lowers the premium

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 9

Time for the liquidation of Boko Haram following the pattern of operations that we may after all be misreading the long term strategic aim of what we now glibly describe as the Boko Haram insurgency all along. The daring attack on General Muhammadu Buhari also adds a new dimension to this fact, and to the significance of the on-going violence in the north.

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digest it at incredible speeds! Well a couple of years ago, my grey matter went on a prolonged strike!! I simply could not pick up a book and any time tried I just lost interest! After a while I just assumed I had acquired too much junk information and deserved a breather. Along the line I still kept on getting books as presents and I kept quiet about the “strike”; it’s a bit weird to say you don’t read when you write so much!

For the first time in close to four years I woke up looking for a book, I was longing for a book by the same man who had touched my life incredibly in the year 1991. I still remember that morning, walking along the Fountain at Tinubu square when I noticed the book on the floor. Back then booksellers in Marina (the wall street of Lagos) were allowed to display their books on the sidewalks and people could peruse at their leisure and buy! The book was an altogether not new copy of Norman Vincent Peale’s “Power of Positive Thinking” and buying it opened a new chapter in

group, who in the end was unable to secure the General and Supreme Commander of the Army, General Johnson Ironsi. The rest is now all part of our blood-filled history: in retaliation against the killing of mostly Northern officers and politicians, a group of Northern officers, led by Gowon, Theophilus Danjuma and Murtala Muhammed, executed Ironsi and mostly Eastern officers, and set the stage for the devastating three-year civil war. This, it seems to me, was the aim in the attempt to assassinate General Buhari – to unleash a bloodfilled tide.

It would have been a perfect excuse. The sad thing is that, from its current performance, the Nigerian security services could never have contained it. The world blames President Jonathan for inaction – for being too slow - because, quite rightly the so-called buck stops at his table. It is about time he does something: he owes this country the obligation of doing two quick things: present a plan before the national Assembly to reform the Ministry of Internal Affairs and equip it with newer operational capacity to deal with issues of domestic terrorism, and two, commission a massive reform of the Nigerian police Services, place it under the Ministry of Justice, and establish newer forensic and first grade operational capacity to deal with, and contain this ferocious enemy called Boko Haram and other insurgencies once and for all.

It is about time for this nonsense to stop.

10: 3-4. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds!!” Most Christians are familiar with the quote but I got more enlightened as someone took the time to explain it. It was the second service and a pastor was leading us in prayers when he explained why strongholds were such an important point. He

ceived strongholds as something of a place of war in the ilk of the walls of Jericho and it never actually occurred to me that they were actually within me, around me.

Something of a self sabotage mechanism that we all have acquired either consciously or otherwise!

The human mind remains the most fascinating piece of creation for me; it is the seat of the soul and residence of the Divine and I know for certain it holds all the

of belief; this means to believe in the way your mind works, to believe in belief itself ”. Very simply put, you are what you think you are; you can achieve what you think you can achieve; first step in success is faith that you are able to do it, faith in yourself, faith in the divine; next step is doing it and guess what?

You can!

One of my favourite books is by Gary Zukav “Soul Stories” and it tells a most interesting story.

The creator of the universe gathered all of creation together. He wanted to hide something from all humans, until they were ready for the knowledge; the profound truth that they create their own reality! The salmon volunteered to hide it at the bottom of the ocean but he said no “they will one day go to that bottom and find it”.

The bear volunteered to bury it deep into the mountain and once again he said no” they will dig into it someday and find it”. The eagle volunteered to fly it to the moon, he said no “they will one day go to the moon and find it. Grandmother mole rose up and everyone became quiet; they expected her to volunteer to bury it deep under the earth’s surface but she being blind and using only spiritual eyes gave the clearest and only acceptable answer!” put it inside them, it is the one place they will never look”.

There is clear evidence that human intelligence gathering capacity of the Nigerian Security services is weak. It is equally evident that whoever is the power behind Boko Haram, has long term aims

The attack on Buhari happened within the hour of a large scale attack on the city of Kaduna. A suicide bomber we are told launched the attack against the convoy in which the General, Nigeria’s former military head of state was travelling. The reports say he escaped unscathed, even though some in his convoy were treated for injuries.

General Buhari quickly assessed the situation, and in addressing the press, said he believed he was the main target of an assassination

Breaking Strongholds (1) t’s often a light bulb moment for me when someone casts a deeper understanding into phrases or situations I have hitherto ignored or just never really truly contemplated! I believe everyone has had such a moment where you suddenly get clarity and understand something that has never been clear before; it’s like being in the dark and someone suddenly puts on the light! That illumination or understanding is what I call a light bulb moment! So I got a light bulb moment last week and it pulled together a lot of things that had been accumulating around me! I spent a lot of time alone growing up and I developed a voracious appetite for books, I can read and understand so fast that most people often believe that there are some books I must have read before as it’s almost impossible to believe my rate of assimilation! People who read a lot will back me up and confirm that the more you read the easier it is to get assimilated into a plot and as such it’s possible to

The government would not only spend its time distracted in defence of itself, but would be hard put on stemming the street violence by well sponsored street gangs in the North, who would embark on another massacre of the scale of the 1966 pogrom. Buhari was thus a guinea-pig in the long term goals of the masters of the insurgency. Let Nigerians be thus aware, that the failure of this bid gives this country one more respite. We must think back to the events of 1965-1966.

In December 1965, the Western Regional elections had been disputed, and the violence that ensued was a culmination of three years of repressed anger and hope in a population where political differences had also led to assassinations and assassination bids, and street violence of the variety that became known as “ wetie.” Western Nigeria had been rendered ungovernable and immobile; the Federal Parliament had authorized the Prime Minister to declare an emergency earlier in 1962; but in 1965, with the earlier disputes from the 1964 census results, the Federal government was broken, incoherent, and unwilling or perhaps even unable to stem the massive violence that had engulfed and convulsed Western Nigeria, much like today ’s Boko Haram stirs the North. The upshot was the January 15, 1966 coup led by one of Nigeria’s most colourful Army officers, Major Emmanuel Arinze Ifeajuna, alongside four other Majors, including Chukwuma Nzeogwu, who manned the Kaduna or Northern end of the coup.

The Prime Minister, Balewa, died of heart failure on the road to Ibadan, and the powerful Premier of the North and leader of the NPC, Ahmadu Bello as well as this ally in the West, the premier Ladoke Akintola, was executed by the putchists. A rival group of coupists, including the Brigadiers Maimalari and Ademulegun, the Colonels Ralph Shodeinde, James Pam, Abogo Lagema, and Arthur Unegbe, were all eliminated by the Ifeajuna

the life of the twenty one year old I was back then!

I can’t tell you how many copies of the book I have bought since and I continue to buy as I don’t believe in libraries!! I believe such life changing nuggets ought to go round and most of my books have long queues of people waiting to be blessed by them! A great book is one you often crave for and reading it again and again offers new insight every time!

It’s almost impossible to describe how I felt at the restoration of my love for books and I started searching the entire house for the book. I eventually found a spinoff of the original and it did the trick!! “The power of the Plus factor” is another book by Norman Vincent Peale and I was not even halfway before my mind was revitalised and I was totally invigorated by truths so deep a lot of my strongholds were loosed!!

Strongholds are not necessarily a very strong point for me and I am familiar with them because of 2 particular verses of scripture. 2 Corinthians

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Haram seems to have all the initiative. They strike at will and disappear quickly into the crowd. They choose their targets and seem to have the luxury of long term planning that enables them to select and execute their targets while the Nigerian Security agencies – the Police, the Department of State Security, the various Directorates of Military Intelligence in the Army, Navy and the Airforce – seem reactionary and flatfooted. Their response time is too slow. They react rather than anticipate outcomes. There is clearly emerging from these domestic terrorist attacks in the north, very unpalatable evidence of the failure of intelligence.

There is clear evidence that human intelligence gathering capacity of the Nigerian Security services is weak. It is equally evident that whoever is the power behind Boko Haram, has long term aims; is better organized than we currently think, and is far better funded by sources from within and outside, too powerful and too invisible – but who have the patience of the vulture and lie in wait. It seems almost clear to me and to any careful and thoughtful observer

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MAGINE this scenar io: Boko Haram grows more sophisticated; more daring, recruits wider, establishes better training facilities, acquires deadlier arms and more potent military capacity, enough to subdue and carve out a wide swath of Nigeria from the Chad basin, to the Adamawa hills.

It secures swaths of land from parts of Chad, parts of Cameroon, and parts of the Central African Republic, and it creates an effective new country in the very heart of Central West Africa. This scenario is not too far-fetched, and ought to worry Nigeria’s security analysts, because it seems to me that we have a new scale of a vast and unthinkable problem shaping from this insurgency.

I still think that the Boko Haram insurgency is a smokescreen and on its own will quickly be exhausted once the Nigerian security services and the Ministry of Home or Internal Affairs gets its act together. Internal Affairs has to be more properly established to deal with these kinds of domestic terrorism. However, because Nigeria’s national security administration seems currently ill-organized and ill-equipped, Boko

attempt.

Now, it has come to this?

That a former Nigerian Head of state could now be the target of a brazen assassination bid on Nigerian soil, and can no longer be guaranteed his safety?

This is an outrage. No matter what you might think of Buhari, his politics or his person, there is that symbolic boundary that ought not be crossed, and which when crossed conveys the symbolic failure of the Nigerian state. And that for me is the basis of this essay: the assassination of General Buhari would have unleashed a powerful wave of violence and acrimony in the land. The fingers would have pointed to the Jonathan government, and nothing it says would have mattered.

The human mind remains the most fascinating piece of creation for me; it is the seat of the soul and residence of the Divine and I know for certain it holds all the answers!

said that they were they were the negative mindsets and perceptions that mitigated against success. Words that had been spoken to our psyche and affected growth in every area of life! I am sure quite a lot of people already knew this but I wasn’t one of them! To be sure of his point I took the time to check out the meaning in the dictionary and confirmed that a stronghold was defined as a place where a particular group, activity, or set of opinions is concentrated; a place that is fortified or that can easily be defended. I had per-

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answers! What I haven’t figured out is how to best use it and given that most ninety year olds haven’t either, I safely assume it is a quest that transcends life as we know it into eternity! I recently discovered another book by Dr Joseph Murphy and it pays particular attention to the state of the mind, its strength and the power of suggestions. The book is titled “The Power of the subconscious mind’ and is a must read for anyone with a quest for knowledge! In the first chapter you learn that “The law of your mind is the law

PAGE 10—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014 sameyoboka@yahoo.com

08023145567 (sms only)

Trouble in Catholic Church ...Ahiara Diocesan Clergy, Laity reject bishop

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By SEBASTINE OBASI VER three years after the death of Bishop Victor Chikwe of the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara, Mbaise, Imo State, tension has continued to mount over the appointment of a replacement. The development is currently tearing the Catholic Church apart.

Trouble started May 21, 2013, when Fr. Peter Okpaleke, from the Diocese of Awka, Anambra State was consecrated bishop for the Ahiara Diocese, but Clergy and Laity of the diocese rejected the appointment. The two groups opted for an indigenous priest to be made bishop of the diocese.

Their argument is premised on the fact that Ahiara has the highest number of Catholic priests in Africa who are eminently qualified to be made bishop.

They contend that Awka, with a small number of priests, has more than six bishops, allegedly because of the influence of Francis Cardinal Arinze at the Vatican. They therefore decried what they termed the subtle colonization by Awka, whose bishops have taken over most dioceses in Imo and Abia states.

The furore generated by the rejection of Okpaleke, Sunday Vanguard learnt, got to the ears of Pope Francis who promptly appointed John Cardinal Onaiyekan as Apostolic administrator of Ahiara Diocese, with the mandate to get a bishop acceptable to the people and the Catholic Church. Onaiyekan appointed Fr. Louis Asiegbu, a professor, as the Vicar General to oversee the dayto-day running of the diocese pending the appointment of a bishop.

Nine months after his appointment, Asiegbu resigned, allegedly because he didn't have a smooth relationship with the cardinal. There were allegations that Onaiyekan neglected and rebuffed all his advice. The diocesan priests, as a result, accused Onaiyekan of having a personal agenda, as he has completely abandoned his pastoral and spiritual responsibilities to the flock of the diocese, such as the ordination of deacons and priests, religious professions and confirmation.

They reason that the cardinal is deliberately pressuring the diocese to submit to his planned installation of the rejected Bishop Okpalaeke; but they are unrelenting. The Cardinal in November last year, told the people that he had reached a dead end and had nothing more to do apart from installing the bishop. He recently appointed Fr. Clement Ebii, his protégé, as the new Vicar General, which has also been rejected by the diocesan clergy and the laity.

To further show their displeasure, the people gathered on June 21, at St. Brigid's Catholic Church, Nnarambia, Ahiara in Ahiazu Mbaise, for a prayer rally against what they described as injustice to the church and people by Nigerian church leaders.

*Father Benedict Ogu

*John Cardinal Onaiyekan

*Father Austin Ekechukwu

Our people started asking the question: if we have up to 600 priests, is it conceivable that none of them is qualified to be a bishop?

Speaking at the event, the parish priest of St. Gregory’s Parish, Ihitteafoukwu, Fr. David Iheanacho said the Ahiara Catholic Diocese parades over 600 priests and 500,000 faithful, noting that before the imposition of Okpaleke, the late Bishop Chikwe, an indigene, spent 23 years and 10 months in the diocese and produced several priests adjudged to be amongst the best in Africa.

“Before his death also, he (Chikwe) sent over 21 names of worthy priests to be considered at his demise. The process of making a bishop is very clear in the Canon law,” he said, explaining that bishopric selection begins from the local people (priests), and thereon to the Papal Nuncio who is expected to forward his choice candidates to Rome out of which one would be appointed bishop. But in the case of Ahiara Diocese, the process was neglected.

Iheanacho argued that the church hierarchy went into all manner of things to manufacture an excuse for an imposition of a pre-ordained person chosen from Awka in Onitsha Province.

“Our people started asking the question: if we have up to 600 priests, is it conceivable that none of them is qualified to be a bishop? If we have that number of indigenous priests and they are seen as unqualified to be appointed bishop, have they not succeeded in destroying the credibility of those priests before the people?" he asked, maintaining that the appointment of Bishop Okpaleke to Ahiara Diocese contradicts natural justice.

“I say this because the Pontiff cannot knowingly recommend what is unjust.

Pope Benedict, under whose pontificate, Okpaleke was appointed, is perhaps misled into regarding Ahiara Diocese as not having competent priests to be appointed bishops. That is to say that

we are nincompoops or good for nothing people. We have been asking the Pope to send down some impartial observers to look into our agitation,” Iheanacho added.

On the way forward, he said he had told the Nigerian Catholic Bishops Conference, when they came to Ahiara to stop pushing Bishop Okpaleke to the diocese. “Let Okpaleke remain where he is while they go ahead to give us what we want. The church has many options," he noted, recounting a similar incidence that happened in Enugu in 1978, the first time there was a resistance over an elected bishop.

“Fr. Albert Obiefuna (then Rector of Bigard Memorial Seminary) was nominated to become the bishop of Enugu but the people refused because they said Fr. Obiefuna is from Onitsha Province. Instead of causing trouble in the Church of God, Catholic Bishops immediately (with approval of Rome) created Awka Diocese without any preparation and fanfare and appointed Obiefuna as the bishop, while Eneja (son of the soil), was made the bishop of the already existing Enugu Diocese”.

He noted that if they (present Catholic Bishops) had handled the case of Ahiara like their predecessors did in 1978, Okpaleke would have been a bishop somewhere, while Ahiara Diocese would have been in peace and the Church of God booming.

Also speaking, the parish priest of St. Joseph’s Catholic Parish, Otulu in Ahiazu Mbaise and president, Ahiara Diocesan Priests Association, Fr. Austin Ekechukwu emphasised the need for Ahiara Diocese to have a bishop from among the indigenous priests in the diocese. “My impression is that all these troubles are the handiwork of some senior ecclesiastical persons, who have

vested interests in denying Ahiara Diocese their rights and privileges. No due process could have produced Okpaleke in the midst of Ahiara presbyterium in particular and Owerri Province at large.

"What has happened is a conspiracy for which, according to him, certain eminent personalities within the church should be investigated and brought to book," he stated.

On the impact of crisis to the diocese, the parish priest of St. Paul’s Catholic Parish, Egbelu Umuhu Enyiogugu, Fr. Benedict Ogu said the inability of the hierarchy to proffer immediate solution to the problem has caused much harm than good, stressing that the crisis is adversely affecting seminarians and the entire church in Ahiara Diocese.

According to him, the impasse is prolonged because Cardinal Onaiyekan refused to perform his pastoral responsibilities including ordination of priests, administering sacrament of confirmation and other sacramental functions.

“He reasons that by so doing Ahiara people would succumb and accept the injustice. One thing is clear: As it is negatively affecting the diocese, it is also affecting the Holy Spirit, because biblically it is said that as you are persecuting My Church, you are also persecuting Me. This therefore brings to fore the question: 'Should the people of Ahiara Diocese be punished because they rejected an imposed bishop on them?” he questioned.

He further said that before Ahiara people rejected Okpaleke, he was already rejected by his people and fellow priests in his bid to become the sitting bishop of Awka Diocese, “Since he was rejected by his people and insisted that he must be made a bishop, they packaged him for a place they think they can maneuver,” Ogu added.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 11

I

Doctoring the Scriptures Hebrews specialises in rewriting and falsifying the biblical record. David says: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire; MY EARS YOU HAVE OPENED.” (Psalm 40:6). This quote is changed in Hebrews to: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME.” (Hebrews 10:5). How can such blatant distortion still be construed as the word of God? Hebrews says: “It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.”

(Hebrews 10:4). This is pure fabrication. Ezekiel says: “The prince is to provide a bull as a sin offering for himself and for all the people of the land.

Every day during the seven days of the Feast he is to provide seven bulls and seven rams without defect as a burnt offering to the LORD, and a male goat for a sin offering.”

(Ezekiel 45:22-23). Therefore, the efficacy of the sacrifice of bulls for atonement is in the scriptures.

Hebrews then contradicts itself by saying: “ without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22).

This statement is an outright lie. Nevertheless, Christians persist in referring to it. It is not necessary to shed blood in order to receive forgiveness.

For example, money can be used for atonement: “You shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the

THE FALSEHOOD IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS tabernacle of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves.” (Exodus 30:16). Money is without blood.

Fine flour could be used to atone for sin: “If, however, he cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, he is to bring as an offering for his sin a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering.” (Leviticus 5:11).

Flour is without blood. Jewelry was also used to atone for sin: “We have brought as an offering to the LORD the gold articles each of us acquired---armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces---to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.” (Numbers 31:50). Jewelry is without blood.

Unnecessary sacrifices As a matter of fact, sacrifices are only required in the few cases where the sin is unintentional: “When anyone sins UNINTENTIONALLY and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands---if the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.” (Leviticus 4:2-3).

Where the sin is intentional, sacrifices are unacceptable: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD.” (Proverbs 15:8).

Time and time again, the prophets preached repentance and obedience, placing them

,

N the debate about sacri fices, Christians put great reliance on the book of Hebrews. However, Hebrews is very unreliable. It is one of those books in the bible that is full of falsehood. As a matter of fact, there is more falsehood in Hebrews than in any other book in the bible except Romans.

The fact that a book is in the bible does not mean everything in it is true

,

above sacrifice. Accordingly, God says in Hosea: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6).

Even praise worship is better than sacrifice. The psalmist says: “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves.”

(Psalm 69:30-31).

Indeed, Hosea says: “The children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice.”

(Hosea 3:4). How can they “abide many days without sacrifice” if “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness?” Since sacrifices are only permissible in the Jerusalem temple, how can they receive forgiveness for their sins while in captivity in Babylon, which soon had more Jews than Palestine?

The answer is simple. Forgiveness can be obtained solely through repentance and prayer, for the simple reason that: “In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity.”

(Proverbs 16:6). God says: “If my people who are called by my name will humble them-

selves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

(II Chronicles 7:14). This means forgiveness is obtainable without blood sacrifice.

Concatenation of falsehood Hebrews says: “By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.” (Hebrews 11:11).

This is not true. Sarah doubted and did not believe. The Ishmael option came from her.

Hebrews says the Law was given by angels. (Hebrews 2:2).

This is false. Moses says God gave it to him. (Exodus 33:11).

Hebrews says Jesus tasted death “for everybody.” (Hebrews 2:9). This is false. All men continue to die. Hebrews says Jesus was not perfect but was made perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10).

This is false. Jesus was perfect: he did not become perfect. (1 Peter 2:22). Hebrews says: “God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” (Hebrews 4:4). This is false. Jesus says God has never stopped working. (John 5:17).

Hebrews says: “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27). This is false. Some men, like Lazarus, die twice.

Hebrews says: “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for

your souls.” (Hebrews 13:17).

This is rubbish. No man watches over another man’s soul. Jesus is the only Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. (1 Peter 2:25).

Hebrews says Melchizedec is a priest forever like Jesus because he is: “Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life.” (Hebrews 7:3). This is false. Jesus has a genealogical record. We know his father and mother.

Falsifying the New Covenant Hebrews says: “When there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law.” (Hebrews 7:12). This is false. The new covenant does not imply a change of the law. God says: “I will put my law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

(Jeremiah 31:33). It is a new covenant but the same old law.

Moreover, the priesthood does not determine the law.

Hebrews talks about a change of priesthood. But Moses talks about an everlasting priesthood. (Exodus 40:13-15). In truth, the priesthood does not change because Jesus is a descendant of Levi. Mary, Jesus’ mother, was a cousin to Elizabeth, who was “of the daughters of Aaron.” (Luke 1:5).

This means Mary’s mother was either a sister or aunt to Elizabeth, making her a pure bred “daughter of Aaron.” This makes Mary herself to be from both the tribes of Judah and Levi. Mary’s mother was from the tribe of Aaron, but her father, Heli, was from Judah.

(Luke 3:23). In effect, Jesus is also of the tribe of Levi. Hebrews is wrong in talking about a change of priesthood.

Do not be deceived. The fact that a book is in the bible does not mean everything in it is true.

RCCG celebrates convention of the Holy Spirit

By SAM EYOBOKA & OLAYINKA LATONA

T

HE Redeemed Chris tian Church of God, RCCG, has assured Nigerians and people from all walks of life that the current security cha llenges in the

country will not affect the church's 62nd annual convention scheduled to begin on Monday, August 4.

It also hinted that adequate arrangements have been put in place to ensure smooth flow of traffic on the busy LagosIbadan Expressway as well as all other access roads leading to the sprawling Redemption Camp along the expressway, the slow pace of rehabilitation work on the road notwithstanding.

Addressing newsmen at the new Holy Ghost Congress office at the Camp, the Head of the church's Media and Public Relations, Pastor Segun Adegbiji who was flanked by head, Christ Redeemers' Min-

From left, Head, Christ Redeemers' Ministry, Pastor Tunji Adigun, Head, Media and Public Relations, Pastor Segun Adegbiji and Head, Maintenance, Pastor Dapo Adesina all of Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, at a press conference to announce the forthcoming 62nd Annual Convention of the church. istry, Pastor Tunji Adigun and head of Maintenance, Pastor Dapo Adesina, said arrangements have been completed for a hitch-free convention.

The theme of this year's weeklong convention is; "The Holy Spirit."

According to Pastor Adegbiji,

security of persons and property before, during and after the convention has been of top priority to the organisers of the programme, pointing out that "security will be adequate with support from different formations of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, Nigeria Security

Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and several other para-military forces including the inhouse Redeemers' Volunteers who will assist the regular forces to maintain peace inside the camp and outside.

The spokesman refused to be dragged to specifics but, there will be nothing less than 8,000 policemen drawn from Ogun and Lagos states to maintain law and other at the annual spiritual gathering expected to attract hundreds of thousands from across the globe.

He, however, maintained that there will also be aerial monitoring of activities on the camp throughout the convention, just as he assured that there will be an uninterrupted power as well as water supply.

Adegbiji quoted the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye as saying that "the theme makes this year's convention more than any other one, the convention of the Holy Spirit

Himself. Pastor Adeboye described the Holy Spirit as a 'Divine Helper, a Teacher and a Comforter'. This convention is for those who need divine help and comfort in their lives."

The spokesman maintained that plennary sessions during the convention will feature insights and depths to 'By their fruits', 'rivers of living water', 'living above the natural', 'the Seal of God', and 'the Yoke destroyer' to mention a few.

According to him, Pastor Adeboye who will be ministering alongside other anointed men of God from home and abroad, had assured all participants that they "will return home with help and counsel that will make you a new person".

He noted that the church is now in 180 nations of the world, adding "in Nigeria, there are 18 regions with varying number of provinces

spread across the country."

PAGE 12 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

RED ALERT AT SALLAH

Tight security in Abuja

•Residents shun markets; traders lament

By Favour Nnabugwu, Fatimah Kareem & Retna Tohomdet Ahead Eid-El-Fitri celebrations and amid terror alert, security was, at the weekend, tightened in Abuja, the FCT. Sunday Vanguard investigations revealed that the water-tight security was provided by the anti-bomb squad from the army, the police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIO, the State Security Services, SSS, and the Join Task Force, JTF. The officers were deployed on Monday and are to remain in strategic places during and after the Sallah.

The move was an indication of how badly security has deteriorated in the northern and central Nigeria, where Boko Haram has been blamed for more than 12,000 deaths since 2010.

Already, the Federal Government has declared tomorrow and Tuesday as public holidays to mark the Sallah.

Movements within the city are also being strictly monitored by security forces whilst the army has directed some hot spots markets, recreation centres and worship places and hotels in Abuja to comply with counter-improvised explosive devices, IEDs, measures or be shut down.

In the aftermath of the Banex Plaza bombing, which claimed scores of lives and damaged property, security agencies in the FCT had directed business concerns, plazas, markets and shopping centres to put in place counter terror measures.

Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier-General Olajide Laleye, said: “The Nigerian Army conducted a vulnerability survey of the Federal Capital Territory and asked certain high risk spots to emplace a series of counter-IED measures.

“They are to comply and if they refused, they will be shut until they comply. You will notice that Banex and Emab Plazas have complied and are opened”.

Security agencies, penultimate week, uncovered plans by insurgents to attack busy spots in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). According to security

•Soldiers on Abuja streets. sources, the terror targets were Utako Market, Area 1 Shopping Centre, DeiDei Market, Garki Market, Wuse Market, Farmers Market, Maitama, Area 3 Motor and Kubwa Market, among others.

Intelligence also revealed that some insurgents planned to infiltrate major markets in Abuja disguising as petty traders, wheel barrow pushers, butchers, and cab drivers. Sunday Vanguard went to some of those major markets and indeed there was red-alert and apprehension as the main gates were shut while only the gates to the car parks were left open and those going in scanned.

The chairman of Igbo traders at Utako Market, Nelson Ewemodu, said the usual festivity mood associated with Sallah was absent as people were afraid of trooping to markets for shopping.

He said, “We don’t know that there is Sallah. The only thing now is that God should intervene on the issue of Boko Haram..

“Our prayers is for customers to come because everybody is running away from the markets due to fear of Boko Haram.

As things are now, rather for prices of

Intelligence also revealed that some insurgents planned to infiltrate major markets in Abuja disguising as petty traders, wheel barrow pushers, butchers, and cab drivers goods to go up, they are coming down because we need to sell our goods.

“There are threats of Boko Haram everywhere in the markets and everyone is vigilant”.

Also, a woman fish seller in the same market, Hajia Salamotu, said traders do not have rest of mind because of the fear

of Bomo Haram. “We are scared of bomb.

You can see security people everywhere in this market, yet traders and customers are afraid” In Garki International Market, the story is not different. Suleiman, a legal officer in the market, said the market is tightly secured with security officers all and around the market.

“The fear of bombing markets caused so much anxiety amongst Abuja residents and since no one knows when and where the terrorists would strike next, the best option is to tread with caution”, she said.

“As you can see, if you are entering the market, we have converted the joint entrance and exit gates into separate entrance and exits. It is one of the security measures taken by the management.

“We have rules on ground. The market opens by 7 am and closes by 6 pm; so the issue on ground that once it is the market closing time, no one is allowed in. If you are in the market, you can leave, but no one is allowed to go in after 6pm”.

In the old Garki Market, Baba Aminu, an IT consultant, said security equipment was in place for the checking of traders and customers.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar, has directed all Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Command Commissioners of Police to ensure increased security surveillance, patrols and tactical police presence on major highways, places of worship, recreation parks and other sensitive, strategic and vulnerable places within their areas of responsibility during Sallah.

He directed commissioners of Police in the state to adequately deploy their personnel to guarantee free-flow of traffic and safe passage for travelers and other road users. Highway patrol teams, working in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies, were directed to take adequate measures in preventing road accidents and rendering assistance to travelers particularly those in distress.

BLASTS THAT TARGETTED BUHARI, SHEIKH BAUCHI

The sun set at noon in Kaduna EVERY year, members of the Tijjaniya Muslim sect look to the day Sheik Dahiru Bauchi would deliver his Ramadan Tafsir (sermon) at the expansive Murtala Muhammed Square, in the heart of Kaduna city.

This forms part of their profound experience in their spiritual revival few days to the end of the Muslim fasting season.

So it did happen last Wednesday.

At the end of the sermon, a huge crowd surged out of the square heading to different directions, on foot, bicycles, motorcycles and all kinds of vehicles filled with inspiration and looking ahead to happy Sallah celebrations.

The Sheik was being escorted home by a

motorcade that may be over a kilometer long. The security around his car was heavy, because a bomb, ostensibly aimed for him, had detonated close to his home at Eskolayi, a densely populated Muslim part of Kaduna. Two persons were hurt.

That informed the tight security he was given that afternoon. But, as the convoy approached a critical intersection on Isa Kaita Road, off Ali Akilu Road, a standoff ensued between his body guards and a man carrying a some strange luggage, according to an eye witness.

One Isa Saidu, 23, gave his own account thus: “I was at the Murtala Muhammed Square where Sheik Dahiru preached to us. I was also in the convoy carrying him

back home. It was a long convoy. I was at the rear. I saw a man on a motorcycle carrying a sack or bag. He was driving very roughly and defied our vigilante who wanted him to slow down. Then he came close to the car conveying the Sheikh. But his security guards did not allow him too near. As he insisted, they pushed him off and he fell into a ditch. The man or the bag he was carrying exploded. Sheik Dahiru Bauchi body was covered in blood, but it was the blood of those who were protecting him. I can swear by Alah that I personally counted 41 bodies. It is the most terrible thing of my life”.

“It was like a part of the mountains of heaven came crashing down”, Labaran

Awalu, 25, from Trikania Kaduna, told Sunday Vanguard at the gate of Lugard Hall close to where the violence happened.

“I cannot hear you, please, louder”, he said. The explosion may have affected his hearing. “ I am searching for my two brothers”.

He looked dazed and confused like about 100 others who were close to the scene of the violence.

It was gathered that Sheikh Bauchi was unhurt. The police said 25 people were killed, and 14 injured, sharply in con-

Continiues on page 13

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014 — PAGE 13

The sun set at noon in Kaduna

Continued from page 12 trast to eye witness accounts which put the casualty at about 40 deaths.

The bombing of the sheik, who had always attacked the brand of violent Islam pursued by Boko Haram, set Kaduna town on edge, shutting out part of the shutters that allowed in a common sunshine over a town where Muslims and Christians have managed to keep a steady balance of terror when the conditions are rife.

Residents were working their phones asking about the location of friends and relatives, pleading that they returned home. Christians could take on Muslims and vice versa if any dared attack the other

first.

In that state of tension, calls came in that a more serious blast targetted Gen. Muhammdu Buhari (rtd) – a towering opposition figure in camp of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Buhari’s convoy was said to have been pursued by a suicide bomber in a car. His security aide managed to shield him from a direct hit. The bomber detonated his ware of death close a busy intersection by the Kawo overhead bridge. As Buhari later confirmed in a press statement, his three security aides were hurt and their cars mangled. Buhari’s Prado jep was also hit, but he came out unscathed.

Even in the “Praise to Allah” that his

Within hours, the busy streets were deserted, as the police and military deployed to the streets to enforce the order.

Thus Kaduna was forced to sleep at noon on Wednesday friends and foes alike said with a sigh of relief, the sun set for scores of innocent people. The police said 14 persons were killed, four injured. 22 cars were either burnt or damaged.

Moments after, Muslim youths around the scene of the blast that targetted Buhari stones and sticks and were spoiling for action. At the Christian dominated southern part of the town, youths became alert on hearing the brewing skirmishes north

of river Kaduna. Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero slammed a 24 hour curfew over Kaduna town around 3pm.

Within hours, the busy streets were deserted, as the police and military deployed to the streets to enforce the order.

Thus Kaduna was forced to sleep at noon on Wednesday.

The streets were empty. After a security meeting on Thursday, government announced the lifting of the curfew to return life to the troubled city.

PAGE 14—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014

FALLOUT FROM EKITI GUBER

Rumpus in INEC over posting of RECs

BY JIDE AJANI

W

hat was the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, thinking about when it set out to appoint monitors for last month’s governorship election in Ekiti State?

This question becomes very pertinent against the backdrop of the avowed determination of Professor Attahiru Jega, INEC’s Chairman, to consistently deliver free and fair elections to Nigeria.

And whereas political pundits have attempted to analyse why and how Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the state governor, lost, INEC almost introduced muddle into the entire exercise. But for the seeming determination of majority of the voting public in the state – at least based on the result of the election as declared – any other result may have thrown the whole exercise into a kilter.

Apart from the obvious presence of Nigeria’s military on the day of election, almost making the election appear like a war-time event, the general consensus is that the election went well.

However, the decision of INEC to send 10 Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, from some states other than the ones contiguous to Ekiti is raising some concerns even within the Commission.

Sunday Vanguard was told

by INEC insiders that the usual practice in elections past was to appoint RECs from states that are contiguous to the state where the electoral event would hold.

*Jega: It is not true *Lessons before Osun election

But in the case of Ekiti State governorship election, not only were RECs from far flung states appointed to participate in the election, Sunday Vanguard discovered that there were no RECs fronm the South East or the South South geopolitical zones.

This development, Sunday Vanguard has been made to understand, is causing ripples within INEC. To support the latter claim, sources in INEC pointed out that the Ekiti mission was fraught with many internal dissensions and inconsistencies. They refer to instances of animosities between some national The following are the names Commissioners particof the RECs and their state of ularly two close assignment: Yobe - Sadiq Abubakar Musa commissioners with almost the same Nasarawa - Ahmad Makama temperament and Zamfara - Jibrin Ibrahim attitude who resented Zarewa the overbearing Kogi- Olusegun Agbaje attitude of one national Ondo - Akin Orebiyi Commissioner who has Ogun - Sam Olumekun elevated himself with Oyo - Nasir Ayilara the apparent blessing Osun - Rufus Akeju of the Chairman, to the Ekiti - Hussaini Halilu Pai status of a “SuperLagos - Adekunle Ogunmola National Commission-

C M Y K

Professor Attahiru Jega,

posed to be impartial and professional irrespective of their states or zones of origin, the source claimed that irrespective of how professional the posted Electoral Commissioners were, it was the norm to ensure regional balancing in such postings to mitigate suspicion and build trust on the part of stakeholders.

It was further observed that there was no memo informing selected participants, prior to the election posting, and insist that it is a matter of fact that there was no formal consultations between the national commissioners to compile a list based on set criteria that would depoliticize and depersonalize such a list.

According to inside sources in INEC, the previous practice under successive leadership of the Commission even as recent as under Professor Maurice Iwu, with respect to such isolated elections like the Ekiti election, was that a meeting of the Commission will be convened to do a

To disguise this obvious act, two national commissioners inside source in INEC described as unserious and one of whom had never made independent and useful contribution at any meeting since appointed were asked to be part of the exercise for mere semblance of representation er”. To buttress this claim, audit of all those selected for the election showed that all electoral officers and 10 Resident Commissioners that were posted to the Ekiti elections were all exclusively from north and South West. To disguise this obvious act, two national commissioners inside source in INEC described as unserious and one of whom had never made independent and useful contribution at any meeting since appointed were asked to be part of the exercise for mere semblance of representation. When asked why this should be done given that the Electoral Commissioners were sup-

scenario analysis of the election location, in order to determine the choice of personnel deployment; such deployment list will be reviewed in a formal meeting and observations will be made to point out inconsistencies and issues that may have political salience but which may have been ignored.

Moreover, there are concerns whether Prof Jega can withstand the pressure from some vested interests from the northern political establishment to claim political power by hook or crook.

There were also unconfirmed reports that some of those posted to oversee the

elections may not have been remunerated equally, thereby fueling further suspicion that all may not be well.

But Kayode Idowu, Chief Press Secretary to Professor Jega, dismissed the insinuations.

In a chat with Sunday Vanguard, Idowu said it is sometimes ridiculous “why Nigerians like to read needless meanings into things INEC does. The Commission selects officials for assignment based on their capabilities and their availability. The Commission is very dispassionate about its activities and it is not interested in where people come from or do not come from”.

No matter. That an election is being held in a South West state and all the RECs appointed for the exercise are from the North and the same South West sends the wrong signal. This is accentuated by the fact that the political thinking of the then Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in merging with the All Peoples Party, APP, and the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, is that a political forced forged in the furnace of South West and the North would be unbeatable.

Had the incumbent won the Ekiti election, INEC would have been at pains to explain away why the appointments of RECs totally shunned those of the South South and South East.

Observers insist that on the part of INEC the outcome was serendipity - a success that occurred because fate smiled on the Commission rather than from its own exertions.

To be fair, Jega continues to maintain his dignity. One of the very positive outcomes of the Ekiti election was his resolute stance that the Permanent Voter Card, PVC, would be used. He withstood pressure from many quarters to reverse the decision to go ahead.

This has set a tone for future elections. The Osun governorship election which holds next week would present another test for Jega’s INEC. It is hoped that he would again succeed.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 15

We must design a winning model for Jonathan — Dagogo-Jack *’Why I want to be Rivers gov.’

Reynolds Beks Dagogo— Jack, a PDP chieftain in Rivers State, speaks on the 2015 general elections and the chances of President Goodluck Jonathan. Dagogo Jack also sheds light on his ambition to become the governor of his state. here are speculations and even poster evi dence that you are in the gubernatorial race in Rivers State. Is this true?

For the record, I was just as surprised to see those unsolicited posters as anyone else.

Indeed I had to put out a disclaimer of sorts to forestall anyone capitalising on the act for political mischief. I also want to say that it is perfectly possible for some wellwishers to do this as this is fast becoming part of our culture in politics . And to you question , yes, I am an aspirant waiting to progress to being a candidate of the PDP for the 2015 gubernatorial race. Now don’t forget that I still have a job to which I am fully committed. I am convinced to prepare for the race in order to enrich the field. You know the peculiarities of our state being very strategic to the national economy and, in the face of the needless acts of political rebellion, our party cannot afford to make tactical mistakes ahead of the main elections which we stand a very good chance of winning landslide.

Rivers State remains a PDP state at all levels . Rivers people are waiting to massively vote PDP in all the elections especially the presidential and the gubernatorial polls.

All current pretension to the contrary is mere grandstanding and shall fizzle out in due course.

What are your core political interests?

People say there are no permanent enemies in politics but only permanent interests.

Even then, interests are bound to shift based on circumstances. My interest in the foreseeable future is not to do or be involved in any activity which can pose even the remotest threat to the re-election of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the 2015 election.

Every other political consideration must be fully subjected to this paramount goal. Once all plans , choices and actions fully align with this goal, any secondary interest can queue behind this.

What motivated you to come out?

My first motivation is to enrich the field knowing that,

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• Dangogo-Jack over the years, I have received the preparation required for a high public office like the governorship of our state. On a personal level, I am motivated to offer a credible alternative to the regime of conflict, suspicion and exclusionbased politics which have dominated our political landscape for over a decade now.

It will surprise many to learn that the Rivers State GDP is larger than that of Gabon or Senegal. We have what it takes to perform as a country yet we live like beggars in the midst of plenty because we allow ourselves to be misgoverned.

My strongest motivation is my personal conviction that our President desires to leave enduring developmental achievements especially in the Niger Delta in order to fully resolve the restiveness in the region and this can only be successfully delivered when the states are governed by adequately prepared, humble and committed transformational leaders who would work to earn the trust and followership of the people. I believe that if we get development right in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta , Akwa Ibom & Cross Rivers, we can create a momentum of economic opportunities which could cascade across the country with far reaching nationwide impact. In this sense therefore, I share the view that the decades of mismanagement of the economy

My strongest motivation is my personal conviction that our President desires to leave enduring developmental achievements especially in the Niger Delta in order to fully resolve the restiveness in the region of the oil bearing states has been not only a disservice to the people of the region but also to Nigeria as a whole. I am motivated to present myself as a committed agent of change who would see the state and our neighbours as a huge economic asset to be optimally exploited for the full benefit our people and Nigeria at large. The challenges shall be significant in view of decades of practicing wrong politics and to deliver this change shall require discipline, tenacity and exemplary leadership. It will require ability to set clear targets and secure the buy-in of critical stakeholders ; it will require transparency and accountability in governance . It will require capacity to build consensus. I am well armed for the challenge.

From information available to us, the Minister of State Education, Nyesom Wike, is also a candidate and he has the state and national party structures fully secured to his interest. Why do you think you can compete fairly at the primaries under such a situation?

I have seen different groups filing out in newspapers and mini rallies endorsing Mr Wike for the ticket. Indeed there is even news of the state party chair openly canvassing for him. Yet I have yet to hear him say he is running; so it will be improper to speculate too widely. I can only adduce that going by the current brand of politics which has failed to serve the people for decades, I will not be surprised if indeed it is restless political jobbers, incurable

dependants and hangers-on who are piling the pressure on him for what they can corner for themselves now and in the future. I believe all prospective candidates for governorship should fully respect the facts that political interests are both interconnected and hierarchical. By this I mean we must first design a winning model for the President’s reelection and avoid placing our interests ahead of his own thereby putting his victory prospects under any undue and unnecessary stress in the state. As members of the same political family which has the sitting President, we must be ready to make any sacrifice required for his re-election.

Unless subsequent events indicate differently I want to give all interested candidates, including Mr Wike when he declares publicly, the maximum benefit of doubt on this.

Again you know very well that the primaries are meant to be a family affair. I strongly believe that our party would conduct the primaries , produce a flag bearer and still remain united for the main election ahead.

Do you think rotation of key political offices should come before the capacity of a candidate?

I do not think the two elements are mutually exclusive.

We are 165 million people in Nigeria with around five million in State. In Rivers, we have well known ethnic nationalities which unfortunately denote our political groupings for now . I make bold to state that each of the groups is richly blessed with prepared and experienced leadership materials who most often get crowded out by the more desperate power mongers in our midst. To suggest that we should at this vulnerable stage of our political evolution pretend we do not know that once a particular group gets elected into power it can manipulate the dynamics to perpetrate its kind in office on the basis of a jaundiced “capacity & qualification” argument is to my mind self serving and deceitful. No group has the monopoly of capacity and experience. The compelling arguments in favour of rotating executive offices amongst the constituent groupings is well known chief of which is equity, fairness & trust which are the irreducible requirements for sustainable peace & development. Now if a group cannot trust others to govern over them , tell me what gives them the right to govern over others. It is as fundamental as that. A time shall come when we shall transcend such proclivities and collapse the ethnic boundaries into better integrated social classes which shall then predicate our political process. Until then let honesty and integrity prevail.

In this context, how do you explain the unprecedented

Continues on page 45

PAGE 16, SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014

Abia 2015: The story of zoning to Abia South, by Amuta

BY ERIC UGBOR Dr. Gershon Amuta is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and member of Abia Stakeholders’ Forum. A foremost educationalist and businessman, Amuta was actively involved in the old Imo politics during which he represented the old IsialaNgwa constituency in Imo State House of Assembly. He contested the governorship ticket of the National Republican Convention( NRC) shortly after the creation of Abia State but lost.

In this interview, he bares his mind on the zoning of the Abia governorship by the ruling PDP to Abia South Senatorial Zone to ensure that an Ukwa-Ngwa man succeeds Governor T. A Orji. Excerpts: s a stakeholder in the PDP in Abia, what is your assessment of the present administration in the state?

The governor ’s performance has been excellent; he is the face of the new Abia. He brought back Abia from worshipping idol where the practice was that you could never assume any position without going to Okija shrine. I want to tell you that these people who are now running for positions in 2015 will not be taken to Okija as it was in the past. They will be accountable to Abia people and God. They will serve Abia people; not an individual. This is a big plus for our governor. Again, PDP is a mammoth party, there was a time we were scattered and working at cross purposes and Abia was worse for it. Today, he has brought everybody together; there is unity in PDP. We now have one party and we thank Gov. Theodore Orji for it. He has been a very accommodating person; he does not witch-hunt. He has laid a good foundation for his successor.

Controversy has trailed the recent zoning of the governorship position of your state by the PDP caucus to Abia South Senatorial Zone in 2015. What is your take on this?

We had a stakeholders meeting

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unanimously endorsing the decision to zone the governorship position to Abia South in 2015.

The party, after consultation with the elders, decided to zone the governorship position to Abia South. We thought it fair to do so. We also endorsed the way the governor has been going about his duties. But even before the state party caucus took the decision, I read some newspaper interviews by some of our brothers who have become a little bit hasty in trying to determine what will happen in PDP. I don’t know if they were talking for the PDP or the Ngwa people in Abia Central.

I want to assume that they were talking for themselves, but pretending to be talking for Ngwa people in Abia Central for their selfish ends. What we are playing is party politics; not a village meeting or a tussle for ezeship.

In party politics, you have the parties; their rules and Constitution. If the party does what is best for it to win election, you must abide by that. We don’t know what APC, APGA or other parties will do, but we know what is best for own party; the PDP. Don’t forget that the governor has his own opinion, but he still waited for the party to take a decision on it. The zoning of the governorship position to Abia South was a decision of the party having considered what will make us to win.

The party thought it best to allow the Ngwa people from the South to produce the candidate.

Parties are run on senatorial districts; not on a divide or two. Parties are also run on structures at the ward, LGA, zonal, state and national levels. These are also the basis of sharing political offices and representations. So, I fully support the decision of the Abia PDP caucus to zone the governorship seat to Abia South in 2015.

Don’t you see this as an infringement on the right of the three Ngwa local governments in Abia Central; Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South and Osisioma Ngwa to produce the governor? Again what is the party doing to get the confidence

Dr. Gershon Amuta of the aspirants who earlier declared interest believing that it was for the entire Ukwa/Ngwa bloc?

What we are talking about is the issue of Abia governor of Ukwa/ Ngwa extraction. The Ngwa people are one; they are not divided whether they are from Osisioma, Isiala Ngwa, Obingwa, Ugwunagbo or Aba. We have a common ancestry. Many aspirants may have made assumptions about contesting the elections and winning, but it is a normal situation. There will be only one governor in this state coming from only one party. There can’t be two governors at a time. The decision to zone the governorship position to Abia South does not stop anybody who feels he is popular to defect to another party and run. We won’t quarrel with that. However our party is always magnanimous. If you don’t get elected or appointed into an office, you must be patient. I want to inform you that I have not been elected into any office since I lost the election to be governor under the NRC in 1991/1992; I am still alive. I have never been a minister or a commissioner. I have assisted people to become commissioners, local government chairmen and other positions but I have not died. I have remained a faithful party person.

There is no way that somebody from Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala

If you don’t get elected or appointed into an office, you must be patient. I want to inform you that I have not been elected into any office since I lost the election to be governor under the NRC in 1991/ 1992; I am still alive Ngwa South and Osisioma Ngwa will not be part of the incoming administration. Abia South cannot take all the available positions. If they are patient, the party will ensure they are involved in the coming government. Zoning is rotational, today it has gone to the Ukwa and Ngwa people in Abia South but we don’t know who is going to emerge governor, whether from Ngwa or Ukwa. After eight years, it will move to another zone.

How do you look at a situation where the aspirants from the three Ngwa local government areas in Abia Central insist on running in defiance to the zoning of the seat to Abia South?

How would the party take care of aggrieved aspirants to ensure unity?

I have not seen anybody who said he is aggrieved over the decision. There is something about party politics; nobody wants to be on the losing side. I have never seen anybody who says he wants to lose. My advice to all the aspirants is to do the right thing and be loyal party members. If you don’t get the position you are aspiring for, you can ask for other ones or compensation from the party. You will be given consideration. The party needs money and I assure the forms are not going to be cheap. The party leadership has taken their deci-

sion, if they think they contest and win, they are free to do so.

There is this report that the state chairman of the party, Senator Emma Nwaka as well as the National Assembly members from the state shunned the meeting where the decision was taken. Does this not invalidate the decision? Again, it has been alleged that majority of stakeholders who attended the meeting hail from Abia South?

These are non-issues. Yes, the state party chairman was not at the meeting, but it does not in any way affect the decision of the party caucus. If the governor of a state is not around and handed over power to the deputy to stand in for him in his absence, the deputy acts on behalf of the governor. The state party chairman has been away for five days. In the Constitution of my party, this why you have a deputy chairman; not assistant chairman, it wasn’t a zonal chairman that presided over the meeting. It was not a zonal chairman for Abia Central, North or South; the state deputy chairman constitutionally sat over the meeting because he has such powers. The governor who is the leader of the party was present as well as other party functionaries and party elders. Everybody who was supposed to be legally seated at the meeting was there.

With the situation, can we say that the Abia Charter of Equity which provided for a power sharing arrangement between the Old Bende and Ukwa/ Ngwa zones as made by the founding fathers of the state, is now dead and buried?

Have you seen the Abia Charter of Equity document? Is it a legal document? The legal document that I know of is the Constitution of the PDP. It is on the strength of the PDP Constitution that we made the decision. The PDP Constitution empowers the state caucus of the party to take such decision. This is what concerns us, not what our brothers gathered and wrote something that has never favoured the Ukwa/ Ngwa bloc.

’Why I want to be Rivers gov.’

Continued from page 43 and unimaginable victory of Mr Fayose against the incumbent in Ekiti State?

The Fayose victory shall remain a political case study for some time in the annals of contemporary history , yet I see the twin elements of capacity and equity at play here . Without doubt the incumbent Governor Fayemi took far more for granted than he should. Not taking anything away from Fayose, he seemed to have resonated well with the mood of the people. On one hand, he enjoyed an overflow of emotional redress from the injustice of his forced displacement by the Obasanjo government. There was also the factor of public repulsion with expansionist politics, etc. I know some people are desperately drawing a parallel to justify endorsing one candidate but quite honestly the two cases are fundamentally wide apart relative to the states, the opposition quality , the imperative for maintaining equity and even the respective profiles of the candi-

I am a very credible alternative which can be used to change the destructive direction of our politics to make significant improvements in all socio-economic indices dates at play. In politics as in real life it is very unhelpful to compare oranges with apples.

We have heard people say you are a well respected technocrat, and you are really not a politician; can you take on Governor Amaechi’s (APC) candidate as well as Wike, the Minister of State for Education?

Again I want to really avoid

being presented as the Minister’s bitter rival for whatever reasons because I am not. He is my younger brother . I have a lot of respect and admiration for him.

He is a very strong politician and we both have a duty to work together and retain Rivers as a PDP state it has always been. I repeat, it is not so much about us as it is about our boss political calculations which guarantees a winwin for both of us who are the President’s aides. Talking of being a technocrat, I fail to see that as a liability. Politics is a people and contact game which can be likened to football in its simplest form. An all defenders and no strikers line up cannot make a good team & vice versa. The potency of my candidacy is not anchored entirely on my skills, muscles and orientation, but its rather a coming together of several socio-political like minds and interests who share a common set of core values and have agreed to rally support behind a single point of leadership.

What are your strengths as a candidate?

I am a very credible alterna-

tive which can be used to change the destructive direction of our politics to make significant improvements in all socio-economic indices including health, education, industry, employment, business, quality of life , etc. Of course I have other strengths but it is a bit too early in the game to let them out of the bag.

What specific values will you bring to the process as the governor of Rivers State?

Strong and clear vision ; discipline and robust work ethic ; transparency and accountability; I shall do everything in my power to restore peace and security to the State and set the State on the path of irreversible growth into being the destination of first choice by investors and tourists during my tenure .

If you become the PDP flagbearer, how would you rate your chances against the APC candidate in Rivers State?

I have not the foggiest idea who the APC candidate would be . I told you Rivers State has no business with APC. I will always show respect to my opponent but I sincerely doubt it if the APC in

Rivers State can boast of the kind of the candidate line up from the PDP and, even if this remotely happens, Rivers people will be the last to allow a former governor of another state in competition with our state to come in from the back door to continue the recolonisation of our state as they have done in recent years.

You know it is all about the electorate. Rivers people do not know APC. What is your message to the PDP faithful in Rivers State as primaries draw nearer?

The party leadership in the state should fully align with the paramount political calculation which is the re-election of Mr President. Whatever choice results from that primary strategic calculation should be embraced by all. The party leadership should commence and sustain grassroots engagement to galvanize the people to stay faithful to their PDP origin. They should really avoid promoting any one candidate at this stage which can inflict mortal wounds on the party and render us vulnerable to opposition attack.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 17

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Pet names Naija Divas call themselves and why

My husband named me Omosexy

A ‘pet’ name is defined by most dictionaries as a name only a loved one would use to call a loved one while nickname is one that anyone would use, even people who are unfamiliar with that person.

However, in the practical world the two go hand in glove and are often so difficult to separate.

But where are most interesting pet names to be found if not in the make-believe world of entertainment. For your reading pleasure, here are some of the pet names Nigeiran entertainment divas call themselves and why.

— Omotola Jalade Ekeinde

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hen CNN dubbed superstar actress Omotola Jalade Ekeinde ‘Queen of Nollywood’ the Cable News Network people knew exactly what they were talking about. With more than 300 movies to her name; being mentioned by Time magazine as one of the Most Influential People in the world alongside Michelle Obama, Beyonce and others, and currently holding the honour of having appeared in the most grossing film in West Africa ‘Last Flight to Abuja, beating American blockbuster movies like Spiderman, Ice Age and others, Omotola stands head above her peers and rightly deserves her place as the ‘Queen of Nollywood’.

Omotola told Potpourri that her popular nickname was actually a pet name given to her by her husband of almost twenty years.

“That’s my husband’s pet name for me,” she says, “and the fans love it and now people call me Omosexy almost more than Omotola’. Explaining what ‘Omosexy’ means the mother of four and social activist said the name is self-explanatory. “You can judge easily from the name. I must be sexy, at least, to my husband to have warranted the name” she says. Omotola, no doubt remains one of the most curvaceous women ever to grace the African cinema screen.

They call me Swaggerlicious Osas or Olori Asiwaju Toh Bad — Mercy Aigbe

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TYLISH and beautiful Mercy Aigbe was born of Edo descent but found life and livelihood as a Yoruba actress of class and immense talent. Mercy is known for her versatility, a gift, which has seen her interpreting diverse roles with uncanny perfection even though she isn’t of any Yoruba bloodline. “ I’m known as Swaggerlicious Osas. That’s a name I got from one of my most popular films ‘Osas’. Some people also call me Mummy J, The Diva but one of the most common ones is Olori Asiwaju Toh Bad. They call me that because my husband is called Asiwaju” she says of her pet names. Mercy Aigbe is happily married to Lanre Gentry, a successful hotelier.

They call me r e H d e l l a I’m c y or Gentle Lover Sexcellenc’t Lie – Angel Christopher Hips DonOkeowo oluptuous Angel Christopher, — Biodun

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urvaceous actress, Biodun Okeowo, who hit the limelight in the flick, Tolani Oshirin, is one of the glamorous actresses rocking the Yoruba movie sector at the moment with her uncommon talent and irresistible sex appeal. She has featured in over 50 movies and has produced a handful of her own.

“I’m called Her Sexcellency or Hips Don’t Lie. I don’t know how the name came about, most of my friends call me that and it has stuck. It’s probably because of my shape” she told Potpourri.

C M Y K

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an actress, model and scriptwriter, from Imo State has been in Nollywood for a while, rubbing shoulders with the very best in the trade. Some of her most notable films include;The Victim, Gallant Babes, Thanks For Coming, Money Riot, Clash of Madness, Regent King, Business Center, Nemesis You Sow, Holy Criminal, Church Mafians, The Punisher, Battle of Queens, to name but a few.

Angel said she is known as a Gentle Lover because she hurts easily in relationships and love to be petted.

“I love surprises too. I’ m called Gentle Lover by my frieds because I love gently and don’t like to be hurt” she says. She also boldly has on her Blackberry the personal message “when you are happy you enjoy the music but when you are sad, you understand the lyrics”, which could very well mean Angels places high premium on romantic relations.

I was named Mimi, after my dad’s mum — Ini Edo

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niobong Edo Ekim who graduated from University of Calabar, Cross Rivers State and actually started acting in 2000 is no doubt a screen goddess who has a large fans base on account of her beauty and talent. She was voted as the first runner-up, behind Genevieve Nnaji, during the maiden edition of Vangaurd’s Sexiest Woman in Nollyoood in 2008.

Ini Edo says of her pet name: “ I’m called Mimi, meaning mummy. I was named after my dad’s mum. So, everyone back home calls me Mimi”.

PAGE 18 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014

Pet names Naija Divas call themselves and why

I’m Lady Boss because I work very hard

I’m Mimi 007 — Mimi Orjiekwe

— Emma Nyra

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ffervescent and fun-loving Mimi Orjiekwe is still very much in the news over the beach birthday bash organised for her by her model/actor fiance, Charles Billion last week. Mimi is a popular face in Nollywood who operates from Enugu base of the movie industry.

Taking about her pet name Mimi said she is called Mimi 007, a kind of female James Bond, who is smart and sharp. “I’m called Mimi 007 because I tend to move fast,, smart and sharp” she said. The Tinsel actor, Charles Billion and Mimi got engaged on July 2013 in far away Zanzibar, Tanzania and hoping to get married any time soon.

•Emma Nyra

EMMA Chukwugoziam Obi was born and raised in Texas, USA by her parents who both hail from Delta State. She attended Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas on a full volleyball scholarship where she completed her studies with a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration and a minor in Public Affairs.

Singing her way to stardom in the music industry through her three unforgetable singles“Ur Waist” “Ori Mi Wu” and “Everything I Do” Emma once said she intends to make her mark and to be the solution to a lack of strong voice coming from the femaleside. Down the line, it seems the Texan-Nigerian singer and rapper is keeping her word. On her pet names she said she gave herself the name “Lady Boss”. “ I call myself Lady Boss because I work hard to set my own goals and I work hard everyday” she offered.

They call me Sunshine because I’m always happy — Seyi Shay

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sk lovers of Nigerian music today to mention the top five female singers ruling the music scene right now and see if Seyi Shay’s name doesn’t pop up.

Born Deborah Oluwaseyi Joshua in London to Nigerian parents, Seyi started her professional career in 2005 by producing three songs for the soundtrack to the Konami’s video game Crime Life: Gang Wars and recently took the Nigerian music scene by storm with her smash hits “Irawo”, “Ragga Ragga”, and “Chairman”.

Concerning her pet names, Seyi told Potpourri she has several

•Maureen Cyril

•Mimi Orjiekwe

I call myself Screen Diva because I’m one – Doris Simeon D

My pet name is Spanish for sugar — Maureen Cyril

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AUREEN Cyril has got some thing going for herself in the movie industry. Apart from her dropdead beauty, Maureen also has an uncommon talent that has kept her name going on the lips of top producers who have continually showered her with movie roles.

She’s rising fast and her acting skill needs to be seen to be believed.

Her most popular films include Lady Gaga, Console My Son, Clap of Thunders and many others.

When Potpourri asked her what her pet name is, the sultry actress replied that it’s Spanish for sugar, saying her friends call her Mausucre. “ My name is Maureen and Mau is the short form of Maureen and my friends call me Mau or Sucre which means sugar in English. So, they mixed it up to become Mausucre” she explained.

names she goes by, for different reasons.

“The first one is Sunshine. The person that calls me that says it’s because I’m always happy and I am warm to others. There is ‘Irawo’ after my hit single ‘Irawo’ but my very first pet name is SeySeyi. My sister still calls my name twice like that till today ” she says.

Doris Simeon

oris Simeon who became popular after featuring in Wale Adenuga’s Papa Ajasco is a beautiful Yoruba and English actress who knows her onions when it comes to her job. She broke a Nollywood record in Modupe Temi, a two-starcast movie which starred only her and Saidi Balogun. A single mother of one, Doris has many awards to her credit. “ Well, I will say my pet name or what people call me is actually Mama D and it’s because I am Doris and my son’s name is David. But I also call myself Screen Diva because I know I am one” she told Potpourri when she was asked what her pet names are.

•Seyi Shay

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 19

TU-BABA ALBUM LAUNCH TITBITS

2face changes name from ‘2face’ to ‘Tu-baba’

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op singer, Innocent Idibia has finally dropped his stage name, 2face, saying that after ascending with the release of his sixth album, he has decided to change his name to Tu-baba.

The legendary singer officially made this known, while performing songs from his new album, The Ascension at ‘The industry Nite’,on Thursday, at Spice Route Club, Victoria Island, Lagos.

According to the former Plantashun Boiz singer, he would no longer be known as 2face Idibia on his next album, but simply as Tubaba. ”2face has been in the industry for 17 years, and still is growing stronger.

I am holding a send forth party for 2face, and after tonight’s event, I will now be known as Tubaba, the African Queen crooner said.

The industry Nite, sponsored by MTV had a lot of celebrities who thronged the event venue to support one of their own. Among them were, Olisa Adibua, Dr Sid, Timaya, Dammy Krane, Ill Bliss, Chidinma, Bizzle, Mode Nine, Bassey, Orezi, Oriste Femi, Solid Star and others.

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he saying that you are what you do couldn’t have rung truer for Nollywood actor, Pope Odonwodo and actress wife, Jennifer Okpuno, who tied the nuptial knot yesterday as the newest couple in Nollywood brought their make-belief trade to fore in everything they did.

Before the d-day yesterday, the couple had a prewedding photoshoot session which was

BENJAMIN NJOKU

Actor, Pope Odonwodo, wife take acting to the altar pretty much like a short film with a village theme. The story of the shoot was clear enough and it was telling a lovestory in simple term: Back off home breakers, these two are in love and taken!

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ollywood super actress, Stephanie Okereke-Linus who has been in the United States for weeks now, on set of a Hollywood western movie ‘Bonville Redemption’ has made available to Potpourri some footages from the film. The film, which is set in the year 1906 has Stephanie playing the role of a housemaid ‘Doris’, a second generation slave, whose parents came from Nigeria.

.... And Presh goes incognito

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o say that Precious John a.k.a Presh of the defunct KC Presh group is still battling to re-establish his presence in the nation’s music scene after his break-up with his partner, Kcee is not to say the least understatement.

This fact became obvious, Thursday night at the Industry Nite, when he was seen standing with a friend, looking ignored, rejected and unrecognised at the event.

While most of the artistes in attendance mounted the stage to show off the stuff they were made of, Presh was nowhere to be found. Even when the host of the event was busy recognising the notable artistes in the house, his name was missing on the list.

Instead, Presh who staged a comeback into the music fold after the release of his single, International Lady preferred to stay back-stage. Throughout the event, only few guests knew Presh was in attendance.

Quincy open new Abuja of fice

According to the delectable Managing Director and World Health Organization igeria’s acclaimed best (WHO) Expert on Natural , ider natural slimmer prov icine, the new office is Quincy Herbal Slimmers has again Medegically located, spastrat h reac and expanded its tentacles cious and enriched with by opening a new Ultra Modern modern facilities to the ital office in the Federal Cap (WHO) standard. The foreTerritory, Abuja in a bid to serve most Natural Herbal Slimmore customers. s home has also imJust like the offices in Lagos, sited mer ed on its social media prov e, offic new in Opebi and Ikoyi , the presence by upgrading its centrally located in the heart of website through which is ja Abu 1, e FCT Darioa, Wuse Zon customers can shop online. easily accessible to customers.

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Stephanie Okereke releases footages from Hollywood movie C M Y K

PAGE 20 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014

ELLA MARTINS- GENEVIEVE NNAJI LESBIANISM SAGA

Everyone now calls me Genny’s wife back home — Ella Martins The story that Beninoise actress/musician, Ella Martins and Nollywood superstar, Genevieve Nnaji, are lesbians was actually broken by an online magazine last year and it created a big buzz. Though both Ella Martins and Geneiveve reportedly, swiftly reacted to squash it all but it would seem the echoes are still being heard as Ella revealed in this chat that she is still being haunted by the scandalous story.

When she was chatting with Potpourri recently through the Whatsapp social platform, the actress who would talk of no issue other than the allegation of lesbianism involving her and Genevieve, said she has known no peace since the story broke. Listen to her story: What are you working on now?

My new album and my new single is Baby Chocolate. It is my fourth album as an artiste.

Is there anything bothering you?

I wanted to have an interview especialy after the allegation of lesbianism between me and Genevieve Nnaji You became popular in Nigeria after that allegation of lesbianism between you and Genevieve. How did that little scandal affect you and your career?

Yes, it has affected my emotional life, because everybody now believes I am in a relationship with Genny and my family is not happy about it. It has really affected my career and image at home.

Have you had any similar issue back home before then?

I have never been tagged that before.

It is something that is completely new to me. There has never been a time I was accused of being a lesbian. One little thing happened about me and Genevieve Nnaji and everyone now believes I am a lesbian. It is very touching and depressing.

What actually happened between you and Genny that sparked the allegation?

Hmm, you know I speak more of French than English, so, it is a little hard for me to express myself fully. What happened is that Genny and I were in a club in Lagos and her phone got missing. Later, I think a paparazzi or the online magazine showed Genevieve someone got hold of it and started and I kissing, I am surprised and don’t sharing some contents about me and know where they got those pictures Genny online. I don’t see anything from. abnormal in the pictures but people o, you and Genevieve were never started talking that we must be kissing each other in any pictures lesbians and all.

What kind of pictures are you talk- you took together?

We kissed, but it was nothing exing about?

As normal persons and friends, we traordinary, it was normal kiss do take normal pictures at home and between girls. I mean girls do kiss each in other places but I don’t know why

“I am actually dating a President but I prefer to keep it secret. In my country, everybody once accused me of dating former President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria”.

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C M Y K

other normally, even guys do too. When I was dating Fally Ipupa we used to kiss and now that we are separated and are good friends we still continue kissing like we used to. My fear is I receive strange calls saying that in a few days’ time they will be releasing more pictures about us.

You still received calls over the incident?

I am a very popular figure in my country and a lot of people are jealous of me. So many of them would like to see

me go down and this may be a good excuse for them to start something.

When they call you on phone, do they ask for anything or sound like blackmailers?

No, just to say they will expose our dirty secret and I don’t have any dirty secret.

If you have no dirty secret why are you now scared?

You don’t understand, even the pictures they released online was worked on, adulterated to make it look different from the actual pictures. We kissed as normal girls, not as romantically or sexually as they projected in the pictures posted online.

What is the relationship between you and Genevieve Nnaji?

We have been good friends since 2004. We met when Kenis Music organised an award and since then we have been good friends. We talk often and whenever I am in Lagos we meet up and have fun as frineds. I have had no peace since the pictures leaked online. Everybody now calls me Genny’s wife back home.

Sincerely, are you and Genevieve Nnaji sexually involved?

No, never. I am neither a lesbian nor is Genevieve. We are just two close friends, showing profound emotions for each other by kissing.

You said you once dated Fally Ipupa, or is it that you are heterosexual?

Please, please, I don’t know what you are talking about.

How could I have dated Fally Ipupa and still be a lesbian. It just doesn’t add up. Ask Fally, I am very straight. If I am a lesbian, why hasn’t the story come out before?

Why is it coming out now when it involves Genevieve? Don’t you see the handiwork of the devil in the whole business?

Do you also have a man you are currently dating?

Hmm. I am actually dating a President, but I prefer to keep it secret. In my country everybody once accused me of dating former President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria.

Did you?

No, but they believe it 100 percent You are very sexy. How do men generally react to your sexy figure?

People are crazy about me ! Many men are in love with me and dying to have me as a lover. Everybody loves me and they show it everyday. People just can’t get enough of Ella. They think they have seen all of me but there is more to show. I just came back from the United States of America where I attended a UNAIDS programme with the First Lady of Niger.

Have you ever done a show in Nigeria?

Yes, I did with Kennis Music. I have also acted alongside Tonto Dikeh, Shan George and Rita Dominic So you act too?

Yes Which films have you done?

Lost Paradise with Rita Dominic and Tricia Esiegbe. Gods Are Still not to Blame with Seun Akindele and others.

So, what do you want to tell your fans?

I want to use this medium to tell them that Ella Martins is not a lesbian. Please believe me. I’m a straight woman.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 21

Why you must make love

By Yetunde Arebi

S

EX has no barrier. No matter the differences be tween the partners involved, race, colour, age, or class, sex dissolves them instantly. It needs no interpreter as sex speaks a universal language and aims to achieve same goal anywhere in the world. And no matter what name we want to call it, or our psychological disposition towards it, the fact is, sex is a beautiful and natural part of adult relationships which science and research has continued to reveal its benefits and importance to the human race. If you are one of those with a negative attitude to sex, I have listed a couple of reasons why you must drop them right away and improve your sex life.

And if you are already enjoying the fun of it, now it is time to explore sex for the great benefits you can derive from it because a good sexual health can improve your physical health, putting you in a positive frame of mind.

Sex reduces risk of heart attack and stroke Most of us would have come across those shocking and sometimes scary headlines: man collapses after sex romp with undergraduate; or, man dies in hotel room after sex with prostitute, more embarrassing than being caught going out commando style. However, scientific research has shown sex does not cause heart attack, rather it reduces the risk of one developing a heart attack.

Though a fast heartbeat is one of the signs of a heart attack, a faster heartbeat during sex may actually lower the risk of a heart attack by nearly half. According to Scientists at the New England Research Institute, men who had sex twice a week were up to 45 percent less likely to have heart attacks than men who had sex once a month or less.

Another study showed that men

who reported having three or more orgasms per week experienced 50 percent fewer heart attacks and strokes as compared to those who had less frequent orgasms. Sex has also been proven to reduce instances of heart disease. What this means is that when we get aroused, blood starts to pump at a quicker rate increasing blood flow to our brain and heart, thereby improving our performance in and out of bed.

Though the reasons are not very clear yet, a study published in the British Medical Journal discovered that men who had sex less than once per month were twice

released into the body and this increases the more aroused we get until we reach orgasm. A steady rise in oxytocin causes the release of endorphins (hormonelike chemicals that bear a close functional resemblance to morphine) in the brain and this helps in relieving pain and stress as well.

Also, a study at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, reported that people who have sex two times a week are likely to have a higher amount of antibody immunoglobin, which is the main defense against colds and the flu.

So, rather than turn your part-

Sex has been discovered to be one of the cheapest therapies available to man in the treatment of a whole range of symptoms, including arthritis, menstrual cramps, muscle spasms, general body pains, stress and cold symptoms. as likely to die in the next 10 years than those who had sex once per week while women who claimed to enjoy their sex lives lived seven to eight years longer than women who were indifferent to sex!

ner down because you are experiencing some kind of discomfort, a good roll under the sheets might just be all you need to get better.

having plenty of fun. The average couple engages in sex for approximately 25 minutes a session and if you do this three times a week, it means you are taking off about 450 calories of your weight. More than average couples will therefore burn off more, while those who have longer sessions and strenuous sex positions will also fair better.

Sexual intercourse stimulates the mind and body which makes skin smooth and beautiful by releasing hormones and toxins that help improve skin smoothness thereby making you look younger.

In a long term study of 3,500 people aged between 30 and 101 conducted by researchers at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Scotland, it was discovered that having regular sex may shave between four to seven years off your physical appearance.

When pictures of subjects were presented to an impartial panel of judges who were asked to guess their ages, it was discovered that those who engaged in more sex appeared to look younger than their biological ages. This was attributed to the fact that sex increases the production of human growth hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) which is known to give the skin a more youthful appearance.

means that the more sex you have with your partner, the closer and more intimate you become, further cementing your relationship.

Married couples are therefore advised to have sexual intercourse often in order to have a healthy and pleasurable lifestyle.

Sex promotes healthier sexual organs Studies have shown that men who have five or more ejaculations per week while in their 20s cut their risk of prostate cancer by a third. Also, 21 or more ejaculations per month are linked to a lower risk of this cancer in older men, compared to men who have only four to seven ejaculations per month.

Sexual activity increases the flow of blood to male and female genitalia, causing it to function better and maintain a healthier condition. Women's vaginal muscles also stretch and contract during sex, which makes them stronger. For the woman, getting down and dirty could actually help our reproductive health. The more sex we have, the more we produce hormones that help to increase sexual desire, thus wanting more sex.

More sex increases the level of Estrogen in women which helps protect against osteoporosis, alzheimer's, prevent endometriosis, regulates menstrual cycles and even help to trigger the onset of labour and speed up delivery in pregnant women. Sex can help reduce the risk of breast cancer for women who have never given birth.

A study showed that if a female increases the frequency of sex, she decreases the risks of breast cancer. Also, lovemaking strengthens the pelvic floor muscles that control the flow of urine, improving bladder control.

The DHEA also helps to increase our response to sexual excitement and orgasm just as it helps to boost our immune system, repair tissue, improve cognition, and even work as antidepressant. Thus, another health benefit of sex if you keep the orgasms coming, is potentially a longer life. Again, people who have sex regularly do not experience difficulties in sleeping. And this have very little to do with strenuous sex positions but the release of Oxytocin. This sex chemical helps promote sleep. So, now can you guess why guys fall asleep after sex and many women will find it difficult to?

Sex helps to build increased intimacy between couples, promoting trust, affection and bond. This

Remember that you may reach me via e-mail address: inthelovezone@yahoo.com for more tips and counseling on relationship issues. Do have a lovely Sunday!

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08029575539, 08064645970 Dear readers, please note that we neither operate, nor are we an affiliate of any match–making agency in •Olumide, a corporate Photograor outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with any one claiming to be our agent does pher, resides in Lagos, needs a very decent and God fearing lady, that so at his/her own risk. Our mission is only to provide a platform for social networking. is ready to settle for marriage withAlso note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of in six months. 08066333603, requests which may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public. We therefore 08038002670, 07055606411 request that text must be sent through at least one of the numbers for contact. This notice is necessary to •Gabriel, 41, resides man in Laenable us serve you better in our refreshingly different style. You can send your requests to 33055. For gos, needs a lady, aged 30-33, for marriage, in Lagos.08077244619 enquiries, text or call 08026651636

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Sex relieves pain, headaches, stress and cold symptoms Sex has been discovered to be one of the cheapest therapies available to man in the treatment of a whole range of symptoms, including arthritis, menstrual cramps, muscle spasms, general body pains, stress and cold symptoms. According to a study from the university of Munster in Germany, sexual activity can lead to "partial or complete relief" from migraines and they attribute this to the release of endorphins during sex.

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DISCLAIMER!

But wait, there is a cache here.

The sex is not likely to do you much good if it does not result in the big "O". Chances are that it might actually increase your headache and this happens more with women. So, guys, be patient enough to help out if you must, rather than add to!

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P AGE 22—SUND AY Vanguard , JUL Y 27 , 2014 SUNDA JULY

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

08056180152,

SMS only

Foods you can eat long after their sell-by dates

H

AVE you ever eaten foods that were past their sell-by dates? Some months ago, leading super-market executives from Britain’s Sainsbury ’s, Waitrose and the Co-operative admitted they regularly ignore expiry dates at home. According to one of them, “The rule is: smell it.” Food is often edible past its sell-by date. You just need to exercise common sense and use your eyes, hands and nose to determine how far you can go. To save you tons of money, here are tips given by food experts on how to tell if food is still fresh enough to eat...

Tomatoes: For ripeness, you can’t beat a tomato a week or two past its bestbefore date. The softer and wrinkler the better; unlike most vegetables, tomatoes get sweeter rather than starchier with time. Even if the fleshy insides look dark rather than yellow-orange, they are fine. Avoid them only if they become watery, grow mould or have a whiff of alcohol.

Fish Fillets: Filleted raw fish such as cod, salmon and haddock, stays edible up to four weeks after catching, provided it is kept refridgerated below five degrees. It stays safe, but will not taste good. Fish can take up to three weeks to get from the sea to the supermarket and because the date it’s caught doesn’t appear on the packaging, it’s important to take care.

White fish should look translucant with glossy skin, no smell and the fish should stay springy but firm when pressed. If

make things better. When you’re communicating and feel happier together, sex naturallv improves.

the fish looks cloudy, leaves an indentation when pressed or smells of soap, chukc it. The stale amonia smell comes from lactic acid in disintegrating flesh. If the fish looks green, avoid it like the plague.

Ring The Changes: When sex is predictable, boredom follows. Go to bed earlier, get frisky on the sofa or in the kitchen - anywhere there’s a different to your usual. Experiment with sexual positions that’ll make your orgasm easier. Look at Netdoctor.co.uk for ideas ...

Ice Cream: Even if kept in the freezer, ice cream has a surprisingly short shelf life. This is because it has a high fat content thanks to all the double cream - so never fully freezes. It will lose its fresh flavour within three months. If ice cream darkens, tastes sour or of yoghurt or cream cheese, it’s time to bin it.

Eggs: Consumers have been known to eat eggs up to five weeks after buying, but mostly, it is wise to use them within three weeks of their bestbefore date. To test, drop the egg into a glass of water. If it floats, it’s gone off because as it ages, more air gets inside the shell through microscopic holes. At the same time, the moisture content begins to evaporate, so the egg dries out.

If it sinks, it’s fine to eat.

Yoghurt: This can be eaten up to two months after the sell-by date.

When it is made, it undergoes a lactic fermentation process, a preservation method that stabilises fresh milk to make it last.

Throw away if you spot the faintest speck of mould - which on yoghurt can come in all colours of the rainbow. But if it looks clean and fresh, and tastes good, you should be fine.

Beef: Well-hung beef can taste fantastic after as long as five weeks and is quite safe if cooked well.

You can easily stretch the best-before date by a few days. But if rotten and putrid smelling, then it’s a sign that red meat has gone off. Beef could really be eaten even if it has a few mouldy spots. Take a clean cloth and wipe it with vinegar to remove bacteria before cooking.

Roast it at a high heat and the outer layer, which has the most pathogenic potential, will be well cooked and the bacteria killed. Cook until it is well done all the way through (which you alwlays need to do if it’s past it’s best-before date) and there will be little or no bacteria.

Flour And Spices: Grouped spices such as chili powder, paprika and cayenne can last for more than six mouths if they are labelled as ‘steam pasteurised’, ‘funigated

with chemical gases’ or ‘radiated’ - which means they’ve been sterillised to kill off mites. These microscopic insects live in dry foods such as flour and spices. You won’t be able to see them, but you might notice tiny pock marks where they ’ve been burrowing down into food. Mites spread fungal spores and can cause rashes and itches, so bin anything you see with poke marks.

Chicken: Unlike fish, chicken deteriorates quickly. The faintest whiff· of rotting flesh or sour milk means it needs chucking, but give it a rinse under cool water before smelling to double-check the smell isn’t coming from the packaging. Generally, don’t risk eating chicken more than a day or two after its useby date. Often, after

personal problems. Baby, I just want you to know how happy I am to have you in my life and I thank God for that. Thank you for the love and the joy you bring. You've changed my life, Baby!

Y

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

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

Sweet heart

Thanks for being there when I needed a shoulder to lean on, for patiently listeningto my

CENT OBAMA +2348061379003

Love beyond measure

In all my life you are the only love essay I have written in my heart and nothing will take it away because it was written within the core enclaves of my heart. Books indeed will be written to capture the entire gamut of my love for you because it is beyond measure.

Akachukwu Ferdinand.

slaughter, the chicken is made easier to pluck by putting it in a simmering water bath to loosen the feathers, which accelerates the growth of bacteria.

When Your Sex Life Needs A Boost In any relationship, there are times when sex goes off the boil, assure experts. And allthough passion may have dulled, it doesn’t mean it’s gone forever. These ideas they believe, should make sex intense and thrilling again:Be Honest: A lack of sexual desire often stems from a hidden problem in the relationship. So if you feel taken for granted, over-whelmed by housework or anxious about paying the bills, talk frankly to your partner about how to

Build Anticipation: This is a well-tested technique to revive your sex life. You and your partner agree not to have sex for a week. Instead, kiss and hold each other, and gradually move on to touching and stroking each other, and perhaps oral sex or masturbation - whatever feels right. But don’t allow orgasm. By the end of the week you’ll both be desperate for one.

Try The to-Minute Rule: Even if you think you don’t want sex, give yourself 10 minutes to make sure. Hug your man, as this produces oxytocin, the hormone that facilitates trust and sexual connection. And nuzzle his neck. Its scent is often an aphrodisiac.

Pleasure Yourself: Masturbation can work wonders for your sex life. Explore your body and the way it reacts, then tell your partner exactly what turns you on.

Sexercise!: Testosterone is not just a male hormone - we produce it in the ovaries too, and it’s essential for our sex drive. Levels drop after our 20s, but exercise increases it. So swim, run or get to the gym.

08063819314

IF YOU FALL IN LOVE

If you fall in love because someone makes you laugh, what happens when you no longer find him funny?

If you fall in love because someone is beautiful, what happens when that beauty fades?

If you fall in love because someone can provide for you, what happens when he loses the wealth?

Real love defies all reasons. When you truly love someone, you do not look for reasons, you see beyond reasons, because true love have all reasons.

Chris Onunaku dekris4real@gmail.com 08032988826/08184844015.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 23

08112662589

The affair that cost more than he bargained for

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T was supposed to be one of these com mon-place flings that married men have all of the time but when Banky embarked on his a few years ago, it changed the course of his life, and his family’s for ever. According to him: “I was one of the early casualties of the so-called current economic crunch. I lost my job when the small company I worked for pruned its staff members to just six. I was the accountant and I guess a modern computer would do just fine as my replacement. My misfortune happened just about when the bi-annual rent of our flat was due and I couldn’t pay up. In the end my parents-in-law agreed to house us and our children in their home until I found a job.

“My father-in-law eventually found a job for me in one of these quiet sophisticated hotels on the Island.

The owner happens to be his very good friend and I was to double as personnel manager along with my accounting job. I often mingled with other members of staff at the bar during our less busy periods and became friendly with one of the waitresses. She’s a bubbly and pretty girl with a fantastic body that I couldn’t help being attracted to her. She was so caring that I found myself

telling her about my problems, and she seemed to instinctively understand.

When she had her birthday, she invited a few of us to her place for an impromptu party. We sneaked in a few booze and snacks from the hotel and we found ourselves kissing and cuddling. When everyone else left, she asked me to stay and we spent the next few hours having the hottest sex I’d ever experienced.

“From then on, we took every opportunity we could to have sex - at work in one of the free rooms, in the car, or back at her place if I could get away with it.

Then this girl started talking about ‘our’ future. I’d told her I didn’t want to break up my marriage, but she seemed to resent my wife and kept asking when I was going to leave her. I didn’t tell her I had no intention of doing that because I didn’t want the sex to stop ... One night when I arrived home, my parentsin-law met me at the door looking like they wanted to strangle me. They told me frostily that my lover had phoned the house, telling my wife about our affair, and my wife never wanted to see me again. They threw a couple of suitcases at me and told me they didn’t want me in their house any more. I was so stunned I couldn’t say a word.

“I’m currently staying at my lover ’s boys-quarters apartment because I have nowhere else to go. Only I hate her now for what she did to my marriage and and plan to dump her as soon as I find somewhere to live. I love my wife and our two children and want them back, but she won’t answer my texts and her paqrents won’t let me near her”.

As Banky bobbled on about how betrayed he felt by his mistress, I asked what responsibility he’s prepared to take for the breakup of his marriage? The fact he hadn’t even been kicked out of the job his inlaws helped him to secure shows they might not be aversed to the marriage being resuscitated. But

what chance of a come back does he have if he still lives with his mistress - and works in the same premises with her. “Stop playing the part of a victim here and grow up. If you want your wife back, you need to find a completely different job and a temporary accommodation;’ I warned him.

“Friends warned me I shouldn’t accept favours from my in-laws”, he whined. “I’m sure if I were the owner of the flat we lived in, my wife would be the one moving out.” Typical male thoughts if you ask me but I’d already given him a piece of my mind.

Jobs might be a bit thin on the ground but they’re not impossible to find. In the meantime, why didn’t he

write to his wife, since she wasn’t picking his calls, and ask for forgiveness? He should forget about giving excuses and let her know how much his family means to him.

When next I saw Banky a few months later, he was a new man and back with his wife. “I didn’t take your advice of course,” he told me.

“I thought it wasn’t the macho thing to do snivelling to my wife and begging her to take me back. But Fade, my mistress took the decision right out of my hands. She’d gone to work and forgot to take her phone. A message bleep alerted me to the phone and when I opened the message out of curiosity, I was shocked to find it was from a lover and other messages attested to the fact they’d been sleeping together long before she even called my wife to tell her about us.

“I fumed all the way to work and when I confronted her with messages on her phone, she told me she was sick and tired of my stringing her along with lies of a permanent relationship. If I didn’t mind she was sick and tired of me being under her feet all the time and I should find somewhere else to live!

Shock couldn’t really describe how I felt. Within days, I was out of her pocky apartment and living with my younger brother and his family. It was my brother’s

wife who went to see my wife without even telling me. How she persuaded her to see me was a miracle.

“To my shame I burst into tears when I saw her”. l guess I was just re-acting to the shock of the slap-inthe-face treatment I got from my mistress. I missed my wife and children and I begged her to take me back - all thoughts of pride flying out of the window. She didn’t agree right away but she agreed to keep an open mind until I found a place for us to stay and another job. Thanks to the experience I had at my oid place of work, I was able to find a job, again through my sister-in-law and she helped me look for a modest apartment.

“With time my wife’s resolve thawed and she grudgingly moved in with our children. I will be deceiving myself if I expect her to fall back into my arms as if nothing happened. But we’re gradually picking up the pieces of our broken marriage. For those of you enjoying the heady sensation of a fling, be careful! Never underestimate how a desperate spoiler of a lover could wreck every thing for you. Don’t learn the hard way like I did!”

08052201867(Text Only)

M

odern medical science now sees the tremendous sense it makes in keeping the body internally clean.

Indra Devi in her book ‘Yoga For You, Philip Rice and his book Oxygenmaster of Cancer”. Dr. Rice entertains the opinion that cancer is caused by oxygen deficiency in diseased cells that start multiplying in order to get sufficient Oxygen. But this is not what attracts India Devi. What catches her fancy is that the ideas expressed by Dr. Rice in cancer prevention closely resemble the Yoga principles of diet, breathing, exercising and hygiene.

Just like the yogis, he believes it is of paramount importance to keep the body internally clean by drinking enough waterone glass to every 14 Ibs of body weight on a daily basis and eating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and salads. And cleansing the colon by taking enema about twice monthly to rid the system of accumulated poisons that are the cause of most of our ailments. I shall return to the subject of enema pretty soon.

See, we know the world is of two thirds water and a

Internal cleansing third land. The human body is built on almost the same ratio of liquid to solid. With this in mind, it sure makes sense to assume that the greater bulk of the food we eat should rather be from the vegetable kingdom to ensure that the food items, therefore, give us enough fluid for the proper maintenance of our bodies.

I am not preaching absolute vegetarianism here.

I am only pointing out the necessity of eating sufficient vegetables and fruits.

I simply will not do to fill the belly with so much meat and white bread both of which contain no fibre. This lack of fibre presents a herculean task to the perislatic waves moving the digested food along the alimentary canal. Bowel movement is hampered and in the end constipation ensures. With constipation poison accumulates and we become heirs to otherwise avoidable ailments.

So what do we do?

Simply eat well.

Before we have gone far in the yoga exercises, I have thought it imperative to discuss the internal environment. Once we keep our insides clean and watch what we eat, performing the exercises will then bring about great improvement quickly in our well being.

Now back to the business of taking enema.

Let it be known that there are various types but we shall for our purpose here concern ourselves with one of the simplest, namely honey enema.

Dissolve three table spoonfuls of honey in a quart of water, preferably boiled first and then allowed to cool down to room temperature. Assume a knee-chest position projecting the buttocks in the air and keeping the head, down then administer.

In this position gravity helps the flow of enema through the descending colon across the transverse into the ascending colon.

For very effective cleans-

ing, the complete filling of the colon is absolutely essential.

The enema must be held within for 10 to 15 minutes before dislodging the contents of the bowels.

For exercise we shall

consider the twist posture.

This posture belongs to the group of basic yoga postures as does the head to knee, the how and others.

To assume the twist posture sit up straight with both legs out stretched.

Place the right heel under the left thigh with the right leg lying horizontally on the floor. Turning the chest to the left, place the right arm infront of the left knee

which is vertically erect and hold the left ankle with the left turning the head in the same direction. The left hand should be placed midway across the back at an angle of 90 degree. Change legs for the other way round.

On each side of the posture breathe with an even rhythm for as long as comfortable.

The benefits of the twist posture are that spiral deformities are over come and the nerves are strengthened. The qualities of self-confidence and determination are also imparted by the twist.

For those who may not be able to execute the posture as described, they may try to do the modified version which is as follows; arrange legs as already described. Place right hand over the left knee but instead of holding the left ankle simply clasp the side of the left thigh with the left hand down behind the back on the floor for support and then wist left ward.

Change legs and perform the other way round.

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

P AGE 24—SUND AY Vanguard , JUL Y 27 , 2014 SUNDA JULY

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 25

PAGE 26—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014

AMID AUTO POLICY FEARS

How strategy will deliver affordable new cars to Nigerians, by Trade Minister Aganga · Says not all imported vehicles will attract 70% duty · ‘Michelin, Dunlop to return’

BY JIMOH BABATUNDE The Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, played host to the Netherland’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation in Lagos. Aganga, in this interview, speaks on the meeting and the Jonathan administration’s auto policy among other issues in the economy.

On the meeting was in the Netherlands about a year and a half ago where I met with the minister and we talked about how we can deepen our trade relationships and the issues we need to address. We talked about the impact of a new growth fund that Netherlands was setting up for the Dutch and also some countries to befit from.

Netherlands is a very strong strategic partner of Nigeria. In fact, it is number one non-oil trading partner of Nigeria. We do a lot of export of cocoa basement where most of our processing takes place. And, of course, we export a lot of other number of things to them.

This meeting was different in the sense that the international trade minister was here with us with 30 entrepreneurs from the Netherlands. What we are trying to promote is trade but also investment.

We are trying to promote joint venture relationship between the entrepreneurs in Nigeria and those of Netherlands.

They needed to do some matchmaking. But what is special about it is that the Netherlands have put together a fund of about 700million Euro. It is a revolving fund and the idea is that the Dutch and countries like Nigeria can actually benefit from that fund.

So Nigerians want to submit a bankable business plan through the normal procedure which will be made public very soon which they should use to access such funds. It is very different from what we had in the past but this is part of the innovative and creative ways different countries have put in place to make sure that they work very closely with Nigeria which is number one economy in Africa today.

I

Is Nigeria making any headway in its investment drive in spite of the security challenges?

Security challenge will and have curtailed what we could achieve. It makes it even a bit much more difficult. But the level of interest in the country is unprecedented despite those challenges.

For example, I have been to more than 50 countries, Nigeria story is so easy to tell and is very compelling because we are in a place today that we have never been in our history. If you look at the last five

weeks, if you speak with different people, they will tell you they have heard about the Chibok girls’ abduction; which is a major challenge and which we are taking very seriously and addressing.

But what is interesting is that even in this period, we have had the Chinese Premier visiting Nigeria with more than a hundred business men from China.

We also had the President of Kenya visiting Nigeria with about 75 business men and women. We received as well the economic minister from Switzerland with about 25 business men and women. I was in Lagos to receive the US Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker. She came in with more than 23 business men and women. And she said there are more than a hundred Americans interested in investing in the power sector.

Penny was extremely excited about the country and was asking what she could do to support the industrial revolution here. Again, President Obama is inviting African leaders in August to organize an investors’ forum so that they can speak with the American people. Again, within this period, we have received the economic minister from Germany with a trade delegation. We received the President of Pakistan with a trade delegation of about 68 people. The visits we had in the five weeks, you never get that in a year. Now we are inundated. There is a lot of interest. When you talk about all these challenges, what they tell us is extremely comforting.

And when you look at the level of investments that are going to different sectors, whether it is the industries, the sugar plants, the auto plants, the petro-chemical sector, the power sector, it is unprecedented.

On what is driving investments interest in the country A number of things are driving this. Our micro economic environment has never been stronger compared to the rest of the world. So we are talking about the country today that has the average growth rate of about 7% over the last 1012 years.

If you get 2% in the developed economies, you will be celebrated.

We have stable exchange rate, single digit inflation, one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

The micro-economic environment is very strong.

Now under the transformation agenda of this President, we have now opened up the economy with so many different policies, transformation strategies and ideas that are actually opening the doors for investors to come into the country.

By privatizing power generation and distribution, which is the first time any government will do that in 53 years history of the country, we have seen significant investment into the power sector. And not just

Dr. Olusegun Aganga.... If you become so heavily dependent on importation, the balance of payment goes against you completely

By the end of this year, we should be able to produce or have the capacity to produce 39 million metric tons and should have the largest or one of the largest cement production plants in the world about power generation and transmission or distribution, we have seen that across the value chain.

We have seen people producing meters, a Nigerian company is partnering with the number one transmission company in India and in the United States to do transformers in the country. So we have seen a lot of investment across.

On the industrial revolution plan The President launched the program on February 11. The Industrial Revolution Plan is the first and most comprehensive industrial strategy this country has ever put together.

It focuses on areas where Nigeria has competitive and comparative advantage as well as where Nigeria can be number one in Africa and over time top 10 globally. It starts with the premise that, history tells us that no nation has managed to move from being poor to becoming rich by relying entirely on exporting raw materials as we did without a strong industrial and services sector. United Kingdom started that in 1485. Every country you have seen has gone through that process.

The second features is that, when you say one of the top ten, we have done it successfully in the area of

cement, for example, where in 2000 we had the capacity to produce 2 million metric tons of cement and, last year, we had the capacity to produce 28.5 metric tons and for the first time ever, we exported cement from this country.

By the end of this year, we should be able to produce or have the capacity to produce 39 million metric tons and should have the largest or one of the largest cement producing plants in the world.

The second point is that it looks across the value chain. So when I’m talking about automotive development, for example, I’m not stuck with just making cars. I want to produce parts that can be used locally and exported. I want to go from iron ore to steel because a lot of parts are made from steel. We want to go from rubber to tyres.

On the need to need to revive the tyre sector as Dunlop and Michelin no longer operate in the country The issue is that we lost everything we gained because of the wrong policies that were put in place. That is what we are now bringing back.

So, the likes of Dunlop and Michelin are coming back. We are meeting with the management of Dunlop soon.

But there are other new players that are coming. The interesting thing about the auto policy is that it took us about two years to develop. We had to consult heavily with local manufacturers of cars and the international players to ensure that we have a case for it.

Auto development goes with growth, goes with development of every nation. It is a key manufacturing sector; locally it employs about 9million people and accounts for about 5% of manufacturing.

In South Africa today, it accounts for about 5-10% of their GDP and 12% of their exports and it is the second largest employer of labour.

Now, of the most populous nations in the world, the top 10, there were only two countries that did not have a robust auto program; Bangladesh and Nigeria.

There is a reason heavily populated countries and big economies do this; it is an economic issue more than anything else because of the balance of payment issue. If you become so heavily dependent on importation, the balance of payment goes against you completely.

And for a country with a large population, a growing middle class of more than 40 million where everyone will aspire to own cars, if you allow importation without producing part of that locally, balance of payment will be completely against you. It will curtail your development and growth in terms of the economy.

That is why we were spending more than 3.5 billion dollars importing cars and used cars into the country and enriching other economies. Apart from the job creating part of the policy, in a car there are about 2,000 parts to be produced.

So it is even more striking because we are able to do most of it here.

Because if you look at a car, it is made up of steel, plastic and rubber, and you said, rubber for tyres, gas for plastic and iron ore for steel.

So part of this policy looks at a whole value chain. So the case is very clear in terms of job creation.

What is different about this industrial revolution plan and this policy, which is the third feature, is that we look at the needs for industrialization and we identified several enablers. So it is not all about tariff which was what used to be the old strategy.

Now we go beyond tariff and look across several enablers, you are talking about access to affordable finance, you are talking about industrial skills for that sector, you are talking about infrastructure, power and other things, you are talking about linking innovations to industries, you are talking about standards, you are talking about business climate for that particular sector and you are talking about the local content development.

Continues on page 27

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 27

Ramadan celebration: Massive rice seizures hit Oyo .Customs intercepts 21 vehicles, suspects in custody

BY UDEME CLEMENT

llegal rice smuggling across the borders in Ni geria has taken a new dimension following the Ramadan celebration nationwide. This was evidence in the massive seizures of rice recorded by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/Osun Command. This is coming few weeks after the same Command intercepted trucks of rice smuggled into the area and concealed with veterinary chemical products.

Two suspects were also arrested during the operations, which took place at different locations within Saki-Iseyin road in Kajola local government area and Alaraba village in Atiba council of Oyo State.

When Sunday Vanguard visited the Command, it was observed that the huge seizures of rice and the vehicles used for conveyance were displayed in the open, at Customs Barrack, Ijokodo, Ibadan. It was also observed that the government warehouse in the Command was filled with seizures, mostly rice. The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the 2,446 bags of rice was put at over N29million.

In a chat with Sunday VanI

guard, the Customs Area Controller, CAC, of the Command, Mr. Oteri Richard, condemned in strong terms the tempo of rice smuggling in the State, warning that suspects caught in illegal border trade will be made to face the full weight of the law.

He said, “We wish to reiterate the resolve of the Comptroller General of Customs, to deal decisively with any act capable of impeding the success of the on-going drive of the Federal Government towards being among the top 20 economies in 2020. The N29million rice seizures represent a huge loss for the saboteurs, even as jail terms await them. In the face of challenging security situation in the nation, NCS has stepped up its security function in the area of policing our borders in such a way that those who do not wish our economy well will not have their way.”

The CAC went on, “We are alert as some saboteurs have continued to engage in the unpatriotic act of smuggling.

In the last two weeks, the Command re-sharpened its intelligence network, which led to the seizures of 21 vehicles loaded with imported rice, one Volvo truck and another Daf truck, all loaded with rice”.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Oyo/Osun Command, Mr. Oteri Richard (right) with the Deputy National Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Attah Joseph, inspecting massive seizures of rice, intercepted by the Command during operations, in Ibadan

‘How strategy will deliver affordable new cars to Nigerians’ Continued from page 26 So when you are talking about affordable finance, we have involved the banking sector. In South Africa today, a bank actually finances one in three cars produced. That bank is already here in Nigeria. The NSE is already talking to them and they are going to come out with a vehicle financing scheme.

Are there no Nigerian banks that can take up vehicle financing?

There are. But the bank we are talking about is used to it because it has done it for decades in South Africa and doing it in concert with local banks. And they are also based here. That is one example; there is also one of the assemblers which has a scheme with First Bank for its cars.

In those days when I started working more than 40 years ago, I got a loan to buy my first car easily. Once you have a job you buy a car and pay in 3-4-5 years, not a cash economy and that curtailed that market here and made it difficult and made it for people to rely on second hand market. Now we have a vehicle financing scheme. And when that is launched, we hope it will be a single digit facility.

When you talk about industrial skills, we are approaching it in a different way. We are working with the Nigerian Universities Commission, to come up with a syllabus or curriculum for automobile engineering in University of Ibadan, Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi and Elizade University

In addition to that, we have worked with Senile in Brazil. We are developing auto skills and components development centres in three parts of the country where we will be training them and we have done that for the mechanics as well.

Why shouldn’t government wait for the cars to be assembled first and flood the markets before imposing 70% tariff from 20%?

Let me correct that again. There is a lot of misunderstanding. Anyone who comes with a policy in Nigeria must be a very strong man because there will always be opposing views. You need to be forward looking. You need to have a strong rationale for the greater good of the society and the economy of this country. And you must consult heavily but you must be very determined to get that through. That is normal.

I’m delighted to say that most of these people who had reservations and voiced it were mainly importers of cars and that was natural.

Those people were of course unhappy about it but that is where they make their money. We expected that but I’m delighted to say most of those people are now involved and signed to this new auto policy. They have now acquired land and are in the process of constructing their assembly plants in the country.

The second point is that we have not moved from 20-70% tariff. The real policy in place is that we work with other countries that have initiated this, that have successful programs. We work with them to de-

It is in their own interest that they do that because if you want to take the second hand market out and increase the local demand to a minimum of about 1 million cars per year, you need to have affordable cars velop ours. We did not re-invent it.

We borrowed the model and are trying to localize it. And we work with local and international stakeholders to get us to where we are today.

So you bring in your SKDs (semi knocked downs) because you have to go through phases until you develop a local content. You bring in your Completely Knocked Downs (CKDs) at 0%. You bring in your SKDs1 at 5%; SKDs 2 at about 10%.

That is just about the difference.

One is a completely knocked down parts. The other one is semi knocked down parts. So the completely knocked down parts, you have to assemble everything. Semi knocked down part, maybe one part of it has paintings and you bring it

in and all that. For those who are assembling, creating jobs in our economy, and also participating in our local content development, which produce as many parts of cars as possible; those ones can import cars at 35% tariff.

The 35% tariff on what they import is tied to the level of production locally. This is very similar to what we did in cement. Very similar to what we are doing in sugar but adapted differently.

But if you are not producing, if you are not creating jobs in the economy, if you are not helping us conserve our foreign reserve, if you are not helping us to create skills locally, that will benefit Nigerians, if you are not helping in the development of the economy of this country, by assembling these cars into this country, you can import at 70%.

The whole idea is to create a level playing ground for everybody because it is the person that is assembling, manufacturing, is investing a lot of money to get that done, an importer doesn’t have to get that done.

Do you think an average Nigerian will be able to buy a car with the new policy?

Let me answer your earlier question which is about having the cars on the roads before the policy. It doesn’t work that way; it is the policy or the tariff you have that attracts investments into it. One has to come before the other to protect investment and encouraging more investors to come. So it has to be there; otherwise you will not attract investments there.

Nissan’s SUV, which is the first in Nigeria to be assembled locally, is a comfortable vehicle which I drive now. That car, when you compare it with others, is about 16.9 million naira.

The point I’m making is that it is cheaper. But the point you are making is about affordability; that is why this program encourages and gives incentives to companies that are producing cars that are affordable.

And it is in their own interest that they do that because if you want to take the second hand market out and increase the demand to a minimum of about 1 million cars per year, you need to have affordable cars.

Are there affordable cars for Nigerians outside Nissan and Innoson produced vehicles?

All of them should be aspiring to do that. I speak about Nissan because they have done something already, the saloon car which has just been produced costs between N1.7 million and N2.3 million. In fact when the FCDA saw it, they are willing to patronize it and use it as taxi in the FCT. There is more coming from Nissan in that region. They launched one in India recently. Hyundai is coming with a car in July that is going to be priced around 1.6-1.7 million.

Peugeot will be assembling theirs this year. The specific brand they choose to make is to meet the needs of that group of people. So what we are doing is to make sure that we focus and for commercial reasons focus on affordable cars.

PAGE 28—SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014 japhdave@yahoo.com 08066625505

Music stars emerge at MTNF MUSON graduation concert

By ANOZIE

EGOLE

MUSIC

T

•The graduands displaying some the skills during the event French Composer admired for his outstanding operas and colourful music which had powerful influence

,

he Agip Recital Hall, MUSON centre, venue for this year ’s graduation party of MTNF MUSON school of music was filled to capacity with enthusiastic guests made up of music lovers, friends and relatives of the graduating students. Those who could not find seats in the hall jostled to get a feel of the performance from the aisles and the entrances all for the sake of watching the graduands, exhibit their mastery of musical instruments and vocal renditions.

It was indeed a very good opportunity for the graduands to demonstrate to the audience, some of the dexterous skills they have acquired after the rigorous music training for the past two years and they did not disappoint their teachers and parents as they set the entire guests scamping with their scintillating tones.

The show came alive with the performance of Chukwunomnso Diali, who specialized in Voice and Guitar at the music school. He performed Smile originally put together by a famous English actor, comedian and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin for his feature movie Modern Times. Chukwunomnso could not have chosen a better song as the very next morning he won the MTN Foundation’s award for overall best student at the graduation ceremony to his own amazement. His performance on the night brought him intermittent applause from the audience as he sang like Barry White in the frame of Michael Jackson.

The duo of Salome Ogbuani and Tolulope Onakpoya who were both voice major in the music school took to the stage and their rendition, “Lovely Night” which was originally composed

by Jacques Offenbach, a German-born

Chairman, MTN Foundation, Hamzat Ahmadu said; “Music is an integral part of Nigerian culture and it has

The musical concert itself is a tradition started by the first graduating set of the beneficiaries of the foundation’s music scholarship

on latter day composers of the operetta genre. The audience were held spellbound not just by the vocals, but also by the near perfect rendition of the lyrics of the song.

The musical concert itself is a tradition started by the first graduating set of the beneficiaries of the Foundation’s music scholarship. The MTN Foundation scholarship to the students covers their tuition and text books, transportation, among others.

,

power to unite our people just like football does. In addition to funding the activities of the Foundation, MTN Nigeria is an active supporter and promoter of the music and entertainment industry. Through the MTN Callertunez service for example, MTN has become the biggest distributor of music content in Nigeria. Callertunez has helped to reduce the impact of piracy by providing our artistes with credible means of monetizing their content. Dear students, there is plenty of

Biodun Omolayo’s Young at Art celebrates 10 in style

By JAPHET ALAKM VISUAL

P

oised with the mission to engage the best human and material resources to develop a happy creative well motivated and culturally sound child who is appreciative of self, and others creativity, environment and cultures, Biodun Omolayo ten years ago took off with a project called Young @ Art children creative workshop.

Founded in 2004 by Biodun Omolayo as a platform for the development of the creative potential of the children and young adults within the age range of 4 and 19, the workshop has touched the lives of many.

According to the ex- banker turned artist, the main purpose of Young @ Art is to expose the young ones to the joy and fun of creativity while engaging their minds and hands to produce creative works that will add value, beauty and colour to their lives, in a child-friendly, non academic and non formal environment where they create and recreate. Ever since inception it has been one improvement after the other without losing focus of the original vision, which is to develop the creative potential of the child now for future societal benefits.

•Participating Children during one of the p r e v i o u s workshops

Though, it has been challenging but looking at the years before and now, one can say that it is a success story.

As The Young @ art children creative workshop marks its 10th year anniversary this year, Omolayo reflects on how it has been all these years.

According to him, it has been a success story, as the workshop which started in a very humble way at Specifics Gallery 43, Ogunlowo Street off Obafemi Awolowo way Ikeja Lagos with only three (3) children, 2 boys and a girl who happened to be the children of the founder is now household

name. The workshop has become a rallying point for children from all states of Nigeria and abroad.

Since inception in 2004 to date the workshop has been running consistently with the help of Young, dynamic and committed facilitators.

Young @Art has been socially responsible in organising the annual May 27th Children Day Free Art Workshops especially for children from public schools, orphanages and the physically challenged ones.

In addition, Young @ Art has provided employment opportunities for undergraduates and graduates on permanent

room for the growth and opportunity in the music business and we look forward to watching some of you grow to become superstars.”. He said.

In the same vain, Director of the MUSON School of Music Mrs. Marion Akpata has this to say, “Music demands all skills from fields like engineering, law and medicine, among others. It starts from being able to read textbooks with accurate and precise comprehension to music reading with all its symbols and terms, which must be mastered at the early stages. Our trained musicians must understand the maths behind musical rhythms and the science behind the production of a musical sound both instrumentally and vocally. In addition to the training, there must be a God-given talent. That talent, can neither be taught nor can it be subject to exam malpractices, but could be nurtured and developed”.

and part time basis.

The quarterly publications of Young @ Art –“THE YOUNG @ ART EXPRESS” are distributed free to schools, colleges, organisation and missions in Nigeria.

Other projects of Young @ Art, as an institution operating through Biodun Omolayo Art Gallery is a consultant to the British Council Lagos .As such, it has facilitated a –one week art workshops “YOUNG ART @ 100” for teachers of junior and senior secondary schools in Nigeria sponsored by the British Council, to celebrate Nigeria centenary.

The workshop programmes of Young @ Art cover the, visual, literary and performing art. Within a minimum period of 4 weeks, the children are exposed to the basic s of visual, literary and performing arts, under the tutelage of professional facilitators from different disciplines aside the arts.

Since the focus of the workshop is on the development of the creative potential of the child and creativity is not limited to drawing, painting and sculpting, the children are engaged in such a way that their creativity is stretched and expanded.

In Young @ Art Workshop, the subject includes drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, origami, paper construction and development, card making, cross stitch, bead & jewellery art, textile art and fashion illustration, Creative writing, English diction, French Language, music, dance, drama and Creative Thinking Techniques.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 29

BY VINCENT UJUMADU, .

Awka

W

hen the administration of the immediate past governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, took the decision to demolish houses built with proceeds from kidnapping and those used as kidnappers hideouts, the thinking was that the end of abductions and similar crimes would soon come to an end in the state.

More than one year after the houses belonging to suspected kidnappers were demolished at Oraifite in Ekwusigo local government area and Uli in Ihiala local government area, to commence the government action in various parts of the state, the ‘business’, however, appears to be thriving.

Also, barely one week after assuming office, Obi’s successor, Chief Willie Obiano, literally, relocated to the commercial city of Onitsha to begin a battle against hoodlums who had, over the years, put fears in the residents and those passing through the city. His first action was to set up a special task force comprising the police, the army and the navy to handle the issue of ensuring security in the state.

The task force immediately swung into action forcing hoodlums in Onitsha to relocate to neighbouring towns of Obosi, Nkpor, Oba, while others fled to Asaba in Delta State.

The governor’s next action was to rid the state of kidnappers and the first port of call was his home town, Aguleri, where three buildings allegedly built by suspected kidnappers were destroyed.

More demolitions were to take place at Azia in Ihiala local government area, Ogidi in Idemili North local government area and Ojoto in Idemili South local government area.

Only last week, there were similar demolitions at Okija in Ihiala local government area and Nnewi in Nnewi North local government area.

So far, no fewer than 50 suspected criminals have been paraded by the Special AntiRobbery Squad, SARS, in Awkuzu in Oyi local government area, while about 11 houses have been demolished by the Obiano administration. Similarly, over 200 kidnapping incidents reportedly took place in Anambra in the last two years and over N1 billion allegedly paid as ransom by family members of kidnapped victims.

But as efforts are made to curb

C M Y K

*All suspects

ANAMBRA AND DEFIANT ABDUCTORS

200 kidnappings and the N1 billion ransom *Two monarchs missing, months after *The high profile cases The royal father’s kidnappers demanded N100million, but no member of the family is willing to say how much ransom was eventually paid before the monarch regained his freedom the incidence of kidnapping and other crimes, especially in the light of the kidnappers’

houses demolition measure, more youths engage in it, thereby posing more challenges

to government and security operatives.

Often times, relations of the rich are the targets, apparently to extort a fortune. Among those that had had the misfortune of falling into the trap of kidnappers are the traditional ruler of Ukpo in Dunukofia local government area of Anambra State, Igwe Robert Eze, who is the younger brother of the billionaire oil magnet and businessman, Prince Arthur Eze. Igwe Eze was kidnapped by a four –man gang who drove in a

green SUV into his palace in Ukpo as he returned from a service at nearby St. Mary’s Anglican Church about 12 noon.

The royal father’s kidnappers demanded N100million, but no member of the family is willing to say how much ransom was eventually paid before the monarch regained his freedom. Igwe Eze had to be flown abroad for eye treatment as the kidnappers blindfolded him for about

Continues on page 30

PAGE 30 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

Continued from page 29 five days, an action which affected his sight when he was released.

Igwe Eze was the fourth traditional ruler in Anambra State to fall into the hands of kidnappers. The first was the traditional ruler of Abagana in Njikoka local government area, Igwe Patrick Okeke, who was abducted and taken to Uzo Uwani area of Enugu State from where he was rescued, while the traditional ruler of Adazi Nnukwu in Anaocha local government area, Igwe Lawrence Oragwu, and that of Ihembosi in Ekwusigo local government area, Igwe Jerome Udechukwu, who were kidnapped last year, have not been seen. It is feared that they might have died. Just like Igwe Eze, Oragwu was kidnapped as he was going for early morning church service.

There was also the case of the late Dr. Chidi Nwike, the Anambra deputy governor under the Ezeife administration, who was killed by his kidnappers because he allegedly did not tell them the truth about his financial standing while he was in their den. The family of Nwike, who was abducted in Anambra State and taken to a bush in Delta State, had allegedly raised N5 million for the kidnappers and sent somebody to deliver the money at an agreed spot, only for the kidnappers to kill the former deputy governor and the person that brought the N5 million on the reason that an alert of N30 million came into Nwike’s telephone as he was about to be released and the kidnappers felt that his family was not sincere.

Other high profile kidnap victims include the Anambra State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Kenneth Emeakayi, who was abducted at Nri junction along Awka –Agulu road as he was returning to Awka; the chairman of Nnewi Auto Parts dealers, simply known as Iroko; a former chairman, Nnewi North local government area, Mr. Ernest Obiora; a manager of Access Bank and a cashier of the bank; a manager of Julius Berger Plc, who was kidnapped while on holiday; a member of the state House of Assembly, Dr Emeka Aniebonam; a manager of CCC Construction Company and the chairman of Emeka Offor Foundation, Sir Tony Obi. There were also kidnap victims that allegedly paid handsomely before being released. They include an C M Y K

While negotiation was going on, other members of the family never imagined that two of their members, Kingsley and Matthew, were the alleged brains behind the kidnap *Suspects and sophisticated arms

Abductions thrive as kidnappers defy govt expatriate whose company was said to have paid N165 million ransom; a sister to the managing director of Orange Drugs, Chief Ekenna, whose family reportedly paid N50 million; a younger brother of Chief G.U.O. Okeke, chairman of GUO Group, whose family allegedly paid N35 million and another unnamed top businessman whose family was said to have paid N45 million.

Emeakayi, for instance, narrated his ordeal thus: “On Sunday, the first day of December, 2013, I was on my way to Awka from Ihiala, my local government, when, on reaching Anyasoijiji, a junction between Agulu and Nise at Agukwu Nri junction, one RAV4 baby Jeep overtook my car and blocked me and about four young men inside the vehicle, well armed with sophisticated weapons,

opened fire on me and my vehicle”.

Many kidnap victims in Anambra may be lucky to relive their experiences, but there were others who died in the hands of kidnappers.

For instance, the decomposed body of an 80 year old Chief James Iloenyosi from Abagana, who was kidnapped by gun men three days before his birthday, was found in the bush by the police.

Pa Iloenyosi was the father of former Super Eagles player, Mr. Chikelue Iloenyosi, who played professional football in France and Turkey.

The octogenarian’s family was planning his 80th birthday bash for 28 November 2013, but the kidnappers stormed his house on the 25th and whisked him away. All attempts by the police to locate and rescue him were

unsuccessful until his bones were found in a thick forest at Umueri in Anambra East local government area.

The family, it was learnt, paid N1.5 million as ransom, but the kidnappers said the amount was too little. After some time, members of the family lost hope and resorted to prayers. However, his skeleton was found in the forest many months later.

Two persons admitted kidnapping the man, but claimed that their original intention was not to kill him.

It was gathered that though the man was already dead, the kidnappers still demanded money from the family who ignorantly gave them the N1.5 million. When he gave up the ghost, the kidnappers carried the corpse to a bush at Nneyi village in Umueri community and dumped it there. Pa Iloenyosi was recognized by the police and

THE HIGH AND MIGHT Y KIDNAPPED! MIGHTY *Igwe Robert Eze of Ukpo, Dunukofia LGA *Igwe Patrick Okeke of Abagana, Njikoka LGA *Igwe Lawrence Oragwu of Adazi Nnukwu, still missing *Igwe Jerome Udechukwu of Ihembosi, still missing *Dr. Chidi Nwike, a former deputy governor of Anambra State, killed by his abductors *Mr. Ernest Obiora, former chairman, Nnewi North local government *Dr Emeka Aniebonam, member, Anambra State House of Assembly *Sir Tony Obi, Chairman of Emeka Offor Foundation *Chief G.U.O. Okeke, Chairman of GUO *Prince Kenneth Emeakayi, Anambra PDP chairman. *Pa James Iloenyosi (80), father of a former Super Eagles player.

family members from the clothes and cap he was putting on at the time he was kidnapped.

Grandchildren from hell Another victim, Madam Adafor Madueke, an 89 – year old grandmother, was kidnapped by his grandchildren to make money from their uncle who is also responsible for their education. She was full of life as she was expecting her children and grandchildren residing outside her Amaeku village, Adazi Ani, in Anaocha local government area of Anambra State to return for the last Christmas celebrations. The period usually provided her the opportunity to meet her loved ones and spend quality time with them.

Unknown to Madam Madueke, two of her grandsons, Kingsley Chukwuebuka Madueke, 24, and Matthew Edozie Madueke, 22, were allegedly planning evil against her.

The two, undergraduates, allegedly perfected plans with two other students, Chukwunonso Onuzulike, 23, from Enugu State and Gabriel Nnaji, 25, also from Enugu State, to abduct the octogenarian for the purpose of extorting money from their uncle who had been responsible for their education over the years.

Chukwunonso, a graduate of political science of Anambra State University, Igbariam campus and a suspected leader of a cult group, the Black Axe Confraternity in the university, as well as the other accomplice, Gabriel, who is a 400 –level public administration student of the same university, were said to have been contacted by

Continues on page 31

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 31

Anambra in the throes of kidnappings Girls Secondary School, Umuoji, left her pharmacy shop located at No 6 Obosi Street, Nkpor and were driving home in her Mercedes Benz 190 with registration number, BR 439 LSD, when the suspected kidnappers blocked their car at the All Hallows Seminary junction beside the late Zik’s home in Onitsha, pulled her out of her car and dragged her into their own.

Apparently realizing that the young lady sitting beside her might live to tell the story, one of the hoodlums turned back and shot her on the chest and she died on the spot.

Honourable Nwoye, her father, said after that incident: “My wife, seeing the condition of our daughter, refused to enter

*Suspects... allegedly arranged grandmother’s kidnapping

Continued from page 30 Kingsley Madueke to assist him in executing the job.

The first meeting among the four persons allegedly took place on December 14, 2013 and by December 17, they had concluded arrangement on how to kidnap the woman. Though Gabriel Nnaji, the leader of the gang, was quoted as saying he was worried about the age of the woman and told her grandsons that the woman might not survive the ordeal, Kingsley Madueke allegedly insisted that the job must be done as they wanted to show off with the money from the kidnapping during the Christmas celebration.

For the abduction, the four persons, on December 16, 2013, allegedly snatched one of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University shuttle buses in Awka with which they carried the woman to a bush in Igbariam in Anambra East local government area of the state and kept her there throughout the period they were negotiating with members of the family. While negotiation was going on, other members of the family never imagined that two of their members, Kingsley and Matthew, were the alleged brains behind the kidnap.

The suspected kidnap kingpins allegedly started negotiation from N50 million and eventually settled for N3 million. For payment of the ransom, the Madueke family was directed to take the money to Obolo Afor, a

border town between Enugu and Benue states on December 23, 2013, while the woman was released at Oyeagu, Abagana in Njikoka local government area of Anambra State on December 24. One week later, Madam Madueke died, apparently as a result of her ordeal in the custody of the suspects.

Nnaji, the alleged leader of the gang, reportedly took N2 million as the boss and shared N1 million to the other five accomplices, including the grandsons of the woman. Matthew Madueke had spent only N20,000 from his share before the men of the Directorate of State Security, DSS, apprehended him and recovered N180,000.

Madam Madueke was kept in the mortuary for months because the family found it difficult to raise funds for her burial, while all the people involved in the kidnapping, including her two grandchildren, were detained.

Looking sober in his handcuffs, Kingsley Madueke said he decided to kidnap his grandmother because he and his brother, Matthew, were finding things difficult financially in school because their father was having family problems with their uncle who stopped assisting them.

Kingsley said: “I felt that the only way to get money from my uncle was by kidnapping our grandmother. At the time I nursed the idea of kidnapping grandma, it

I felt that the only way to get money from my uncle was by kidnapping our grandmother never occurred to me that she might not survive the hardship associated with kidnapping because of her age. With her death and what is happening to us, I have realized the grave mistake I made in the first place.”I don’t know what will be my fate and that of my brother and I don’t even know how we are going to face members of our family.

But my hope is that what had happened may lead to reconciliation between my father and my uncle.”

Murder There was also the pitiable incident of the murder of a 16-year –old SS2 student, Miss Chisom Nwoye, who the kidnappers killed because they found it difficult to kidnap her mother, Mrs. Vero Nwoye, a pharmacist. Mrs. Nwoye, wife of a former member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, was driving with her daughter and as they approached the popular Borromew Hospital roundabout in Onitsha, when a five –man kidnap gang overtook their car and tried to abduct Mrs. Nwoye, but because they did not succeed, they shot and killed Chisom.

Mrs. Nwoye and her daughter, a student of Mercy

their car as she fell down and sobbed uncontrollably thereby attracting the attention of many people to the scene. Angered by what my wife did, they also shot her on the leg and, after about 15 minutes of struggle with the kidnappers, they left her and drove away in their car.”

The victim was rushed to a private hospital where she was confirmed dead.

The former lawmaker said it was the second time kidnappers attempted to abduct his wife, recalling that, on December 27, 2012, the hoodlums trailed her as she left her shop and, at the same spot where they killed his daughter, tried to kidnap her, but she jumped out of their vehicle and ran away.

Most wanted kidnapper Worried by the high rate of kidnapping, the Anambra State House of Assembly passed a law empowering the state governor to demolish any house belonging to a kidnapper.

That was how the houses of the suspect in Oraifite in Ekwusigo local government area became the first to be demolished.

A public spirited individual, who was said to be worried about the

happenings at Orafitite, where the suspect was said to have been celebrating crime for years, decided to alert security operatives. In fact, it was said that almost every crime committed in the state had the suspect’s signature as members of his gang were scattered all over the state and beyond.

A former commissioner of police in Anambra State, Mr. Bala Nasarawa, said: “The suspect was the most wanted armed robbery/kidnapping kingpin responsible for series of high profile kidnappings, armed robberies and murder, including the kidnap of Igwe of Ihembosi in Ekwusigo local government area and the kidnap of the traditional ruler of Ukpo in Dunukofia local government area, Igwe Robbert Eze. His gang was also responsible for the killing of five policemen at Okija on 22nd June, 2012, as well as murder of three policemen at Ozubulu on 2nd April, 2012 and the violent attack on Amichi and Ukpor police stations in Nnewi South local government area on 4th April, 2012.”

According to Nasarawa, some of the guns and ammunition recovered at the suspect’s house were those carted away when the gang invaded the police stations at Amichi and Ukpor during which the two stations were razed by members of his gang”.

Those who knew the suspected kingpin say he exhibited stupendous wealth and claimed to be doing business in Ghana, but his actual business was kidnapping of people and collecting millions of naira as ransom. At the last count, he was said to have used the money made from kidnapping people to build hotels in Ghana as well as Rivers, Abia and Anambra states and paraded fleet of SUVs. The mansion he built in his village, which was demolished by the state government, was said to have been started and completed within few months. At the time of his arrest, he was said to be coming into his compound in three SUVs and blaring siren.

During the raid on his compound, the police were said to have discovered sophisticated arms and ammunition in a plastic cover concealed

Continues on page 32 C M Y K

PAGE 32 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

Continued from page 31 underground. The arms and ammunition include 27 AK 47 rifles, one K2 rifle, two type-06 rifles, one general purpose machine gun, one rocket launcher, 17 rockets, six pump action guns, three dane guns, one Barrett pistol and 13 rocket grenades, as well as 12,800 rounds of AK 47 live ammunition, 530 rounds of LAR ammunition, 95 rounds of GPMG live ammunition, 1,000 rounds of K2 live ammunition and 143 magazines.

Apart from an underground structure in the compound suspected to be a place for keeping victims, there was also an extended building with toilet facilities behind the bungalow suspected to be a place he was using as a cell. In a small building attached to the wall near the gate was a shrine allegedly used by the father of the suspect, Mr. Patrick Ifedike, alias Ogbujingidi, a native doctor.

Before the demolition of the buildings, it was discovered that people of the community, who were not happy with what was happening in the area, had organized a mob action and torched the buildings, an indication that they were no longer prepared to tolerate the suspect’s lifestyle. As one person from the community put it, the young man was showing a bad example to other youths.

The President General of Oraifite Improvement Union, Mr. Raphael Nwike, described the demolition of suspect’s buildings as a divine intervention, lamenting that the area had been held captive for a long time by criminal elements.

He believed that with what happened in his community, youths would realize that all that glitters is not gold and that the best way to living a good life is to engage in genuine business.

After the demolition of the suspect’s gang, it was thought that kidnapping was over in Anambra State, but more chilling developments were to come. At Aguleri, the home town of Governor Obiano, another dreaded kidnap gang, led by a suspect, emerged. The gang allegedly built three houses in the town to serve as its den. One of the houses, an executive bungalow, was said to have been built at a cost of N17 million. “We decided that it was a big risk to build houses in our compounds and that was why we bought C M Y K

*Suspected abductors

Inside kidnappers’world land and built the houses solely for keeping our victims,” the suspected gang leader said.

The suspected gang leader, from Oghe in Enugu State, who, allegedly, provided security operatives with information on kidnapping activities in Anambra State since his arrest, said that himself, one Onyeka and Chigozie, (aka 30) from Ogidi in Anambra State, decided to build the six- bedroom bungalow with proceeds from alleged kidnappings to serve as the hideout for their human cargo (victims) when former Governor Obi decided to demolish houses of kidnappers in the state. The house, he said, was built by a contractor and member of the gang whose name he gave as Winer and who is still at large.

There is also a shrine in the compound which, he said, “sacrifices of goats and even human beings were made to guarantee our safety during operations.” One unique feature of all the buildings built by the kidnappers was that they were all located in remote areas of the communities.

Jail term abroad The suspect, said to have, in the past, travelled to Malaysia and served a one –year jail term at Awka Prison in 2011 said he went into full- time kidnapping because of the easy money in it. He added

I have the will, zeal and determination to rid Anambra State of criminals and all hands must be on deck. I want to assure our people that any useful information they provide to the security agencies will be put to use that he was earlier involved in armed robbery before discovering that it paid better to go into kidnapping.

He said: “We decided that it was a big risk to build houses in our compounds and that was why we bought land and built the houses solely for keeping our victims.

Kidnapping is so easy, unlike armed robbery that could pitch one against the police. In the business of kidnapping, we share duties and everybody means his duty post. There is a member whose duty is to spot somebody that can fetch us good money. My duty is just to carry the victim to our den and leave the scene.

Those in communication then take over for negotiation with family members of the victims.

We have somebody who feeds the victims and after payment had been made, I go back to

take the victim to an agreed safe place where his relation would collect him.”

According to him, many people who live abroad, especially in South Africa, Malaysia, China, Dubai and other African countries make their money from kidnapping in Nigeria and pretend that such monies were made abroad.

He added: “Many members of our gang return to Nigeria three times in a year and carry out kidnap operations, make their money and send the money to their families, telling that they were sending the money from abroad. They would thereafter fly out of the country and enjoy part of the money they made through kidnapping in Nigeria and when they are short of money, they come back and we carry out some operations to raise

money. ” Though Governor Obiano is determined to stamp out kidnapping and other forms of crime in the state, there are issues worrying him, among which are the snail –speed manner in which criminal cases are handled and the alleged involvement of some policemen in kidnapping.

At a security summit he organized shortly after assuming office, Obiano said: “I have absolute confidence in our security system and that is why we will continue to support them to achieve our objectives of securing lives and property. ”I have the will, zeal and determination to rid Anambra State of criminals and all hands must be on deck. I want to assure our people that any useful information they provide to the security agencies will be put to use.

“This administration is determined to create an environment that is conducive for investors to come here.

What we are doing on security will be continuous as we will continue to comb all nooks and crannies of the state to fish out criminals and bring them to book.

“We shall provide more modern crime fighting equipment and fast- moving, combat –ready automobiles to the entire security apparatchik in the state to increase their response rate to emergency situations.

“We have also begun the process of compiling a comprehensive data base on all vigilante groups in Anambra State with a view to designing some important training programmes that will help their crime detection and fighting efficiency. We are also seriously considering the issue of reward and other incentives that will boost their morale and help them brace up for the task of recreating a safer society in Anambra State.”

The governor however expressed worry that no single case of kidnapping had been successfully tried in the state in past three years, adding that he had taken up the issue with the state chief judge who assured him that it is possible to reduce pending criminal cases in court by 50% in the next one year.

On the allegation that there were some bad eggs in the police who are allegedly working hand in glove with some criminals, he was said to have suggested a massive transfer of policemen working in the state, but no sooner were the transfers announced than those affected began to bribe their way back to Anambra.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 33

Email: vanguardwoman@gmail.com

Nobody gives you job in Nigeria because you are a Kuti -Yemisi Ransome-Kuti A

n activist and politician, Yemisi Ransome-Kuti is one of the heirs of the famous Ransome-Kuti dynasty. In the early 1990s, she established “Girl Watch”, an organisation aimed at educating young Nigerian girls from poor backgrounds. In 2006, Yemisi, who is also the founder of the Nigerian Network of Non-Governmental Organizations, NNNGO, was appointed a Civil Society advisor to the World Bank. In this interview, she speaks on her life, journey into politics, activism and more.

BY JOSEPHINE IGBINOVIA Can you tell us how your surname has opened doors for you?

HE beauty of the name is that it wasn’t made out of money or some grandiose activities by our parents. It wasn’t a name that was tainted in anyway and wealth has never being part of that name. The respect we command is genuine and the kind of doors it opens are doors that make you proud.

Nobody wants to give you a job in Nigeria because you are a Ransome-Kuti; they know you will do things the way it should be done when you get there. The name opens doors for you to come and talk because they know you will add integrity to whatever they are doing and they know you can review Nigeria. The name doesn’t make you wealthier neither does it give you any political position.

T

It is not a name that opens the type of door that will lead to wealth or power. It is a door that makes people to see you as a genuine human being and I am very happy with that because we have maintained the legacy of our parents. We are glad that people continue to respect and love us because our family has contributed to the development of the country and we will continue to thank Nigerians for loving us.

Your family is known for activism; why and how did you join politics?

I am an only child but we grew up together; myself, Fela, Beko, Brother Koye and Wole Soyinka so I never felt I was an only child of my mother because I have all these brothers and sisters with me.

The environment then was very passionate, interesting, active and I learnt the power of conversation from my family. In many families you can’t

•Yemisi Kuti talk to your older brother but in my family, we shared ideas and we discussed about Nigeria at a very tender age.

The family lifestyle was more to do with politics. At the back of the house we lived in Lagos then was Chief Akintola’s house where he lived with his family. Our family was always

in the thick and I used to travel with my dad with other political personalities in Action Group to visit Awolowo. I was always privy to what was happening in the country.

The fact that our parents were always looking after people is also a motivating factor. My father cared about jus-

How EbonyLife thrilled fans with live studio experience

BY JOSEPHINE IGBINOVIA

I

T was an evening of fun and glitz and an unusual event which drew hundreds of young people to the heart of Calabar, Tinapa precisely. So fascinating was the excitement that not even the Chief Hosts, His Excellency, Senator Liyel Imoke, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, and his gorgeous wife, Mrs. Obioma Imoke, could retire for the night until dawn.

The event which was part of activities marking EbonyLife (EL) TV’s first anniversary was specially packaged to showcase the making of some of its favourite programmes in an interactive, captivating and entertaining way entitled “The Studio Experience”.

The evening presented guests

•Governor of Cross Rivers State, Senator Liyel Imoke (4th left) and wife Obioma (5th left) with CEO,EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu (6th left) while cutting EL TV's 1sth anniversary cake with some executive members at studio Tinapa in Calabar

with the rare opportunity of interacting with the entire studio facility, meeting with EL’s On-Air Personalities, as well as individuals who make things happen behind the scenes.

The event, which would eventually be one of casual but spectacular excitement,

began with the energetic, passionate and bubbly Etighi dancers.

Those happy, cheery traditional steps led to guests, including the Chief Hosts, reporters and bloggers, being taken on a

•Continues on pages 34

tice and he hates any form of oppression on anybody. Even in our house, we were not allowed to oppress servants.

Everybody had their own chores in the house and I learnt from that. That was how I brought up my kids and my kids can’t ask servants in the house to do anything for them; they have to beg servants if they want them to do anything for them because they all also have their chores.

They have to be respected because they have come to work and so they must accord them maximum respect. We grew up with all these philosophies, ethics and values and it has shaped our lives. However, what was important to us then was the spirit and how accountable you are to your maker in everything you do.

Apart from religion, my father who was a Lay Magistrate went beyond Christianity and became more attuned to mysticism. We were selfregulating and it is difficult for us to hurt people. I am very grateful that I was born into that family where what is real is what is important. We learnt that the whole of humanity are one and so what hurts one hurts all; if one diminishes, we are all diminished. The human race has the capacity and the responsibility to ensure that everyone has a decent life, everyone has dignity and everyone has some integrity. There should be no one foraging in dump site for food. The world is more than endowed with enough for everyone. I will continue to work towards these.

Why do you choose to still bear your maiden name?

I have been married twice and I have divorced twice. I have children for both husbands so which one should I keep? It is only wise that I keep my maiden name. I have a son by one first husband and three children by my second husband.

What was responsible for those divorces?

Divorces are caused by incompatibility in a marriage. It is better to separate and live happily. With my first husband, we remained very close friends until he died recently. He was a wonderful, jovial person. We just didn’t jell in this confined thing called marriage.

PAGE 34— SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

Email: vanguardwoman@gmail.com

Self esteem, cornerstone of positive attitude LOOKING at the area of selfesteem, one may wonder how relevant it is. However in actual fact, self-esteem is linked to success and failure in virtually every area of life. Self-esteem is crucial and is a cornerstone of a positive attitude towards living.

Self-esteem is fundamental to one’s emotional well-being. It is the certain knowledge that you are like everyone else, and are worthy of respect and recognition.

We all have a right to be acknowledged regardless of our race, religion, age etc.

However, that does not mean that some of our behaviours are necessarily acceptable. Being accepted as a person does not mean we have the right to behave in a way that is knowingly to the detriment of others. It is the ability to accept you.

Although there are many indicators of low self-esteem, one major indicator is the ability to put oneself down, invariably in comparison to others. This is seen in lack of assertiveness. This can also be seen in an individual’s reluctance to achieve. With low self-esteem one is inclined to believe that one is not capable: “oh no I couldn’t be the leader of that group, I couldn’t play the guitar, “I couldn’t complain about the waiter’s poor service”. If one has self-esteem, regardless of skill level or whether one has particular innate intelligence, or not, in any particular sphere, one is prepared to ‘have a go’.

The second main indicator of low self-esteem is when one consistently blames others for what’s happening in life. “It’s not my fault, he told me it was a good idea”. Blaming others may

make one feel better in the short term, but in the longer term may drive self-esteem lower.

An article by Mel Wayne had various personality traits linked of low self-esteem. Let’s begin with Mel’s personality traits: “Do I or anyone I know act or behave angry, impatient, hotheaded, sarcastic, jealous, violent, cruel, hateful, unfriendly, insensitive, vain, insane, greedy, unethical, immoral, rude, inattentive, phony, paranoid, dishonest, co-dependent, obnoxious, indecent, sad, mad, lazy, oversensitive, irresponsible, holier-thanthou, rebellious, moody, depressed, suicidal, neurotic, revengeful, unforgiving, shy, shameful, lustful, selfish, materialistic, or envious?”

If we answered NO to the above questions, let’s try asking ourselves, “Do I, or anyone I know, ever ... make fun of others, laugh at other’s mistakes, interrupt others, talk only about themselves, argue, constantly complain, scream at a spouse, yell at a child, make obscene gestures, intimidate others, tease others, brown- nose, dwell on the past, mismanage money, procrastinate, sulk, embarrass easily, cheat on income taxes, steal supplies from work, or suffer from fear of failure?”

Some people wouldn’t want to admit they have these personality traits, while others may be unaware or uneducated about what low self-esteem really is.

There is one way to dissolve low self-esteem, we must find high self-esteem. Finding high self-esteem individuals and observing their behaviour would be of tremendous relevance.

Low self-esteem can be the re-

*Kehinde

Osadebamwen Osawe...As humans we have options, and more options are better than limited options

Healthy self-esteem does not occur by accident or as a gift.

It has to be cultivated, has to be earned sult of trying to meet unrealistic standards.

It’s important to recognize when we are beating ourselves to live up to crazy standards. Improving self-esteem should start with an assessment of expectations. A sure recipe for low self- esteem is to constantly beat yourself for your failings. Associate with confident people who will offer you positive reinforcement constantly.

To raise your self-esteem, celebrate your strengths and achievements. It’s easy to overlook our strengths when we are in a nega-

tive frame of mind.

Healthy self-esteem does not occur by accident or as a gift. It has to be cultivated, has to be earned. It cannot be attained by being showered with praise, nor by material acquisitions, nor by self-talk, or by being given unrealistic input. What has been learned in recent years is thatone person cannot give another self-esteem. Parents, teachers and mentors can be most effective by creating the conditions that enable young people to grow in their abilities and learn how to use their self-basis upon which one’s self-esteem has depended. This is why being laid off also fluctuates as one goes through various stages of adulthood, as one seeks a career, as one’s children grow up and leave, as one approaches the age of retirement, or as one retires.

Each of these transitions can create major threats to one’s selfesteem because one is changing the primary basis upon which one’s self-esteem has depended.

Improving your self-esteem is like any other skill, it needs practice and commitment.Building self-esteem should come from within, feeling good about you, because in recognising good qualities in others one must be

aware of the good qualities within one’s self. There is no better way of increasing your self-esteem than reminding yourself of all your qualities.

As humans we don’t apply our full potential. Research into human potential has shown that the human brain has limitless capacity. This is not an exaggeration, the statistics show that the number of connections in our brain cells are more than there are grains of sand on this earth, or atoms in the known universe: unlimited.

As humans we have options, and more options are better than limited options. When we realize that we have options, we then hold the power to do something differently from the way we have been doing. We are only limited by our beliefs. Once we recognise that as humans we are, every one of us, the most amazing creatures on this earth and that everyone of us has unlimited potential, even Einstein only used two per cent of his brain potential, then you can continue to develop in self-esteem for as long as you live.

Osadebamwen Osawe, Msc Human Resource Management, University of Bradford.

How EbonyLife thrilled fans...

•Continued from page 33 guided tour of the Tinapa Studios facility by no other than the Executive Chairman and CEO of Africa’s first global black entertainment and lifestyle network, EL TV, Ms Mo Abudu, the executive management of the channel and some of the staff.

The live and interactive Pop-Up Studio experience activations began with EL Now, a daily entertainment magazine show featuring exclusive entertainment and celebrity news from around the world. The show blazed the trail on the night with Emma O’Ma God and Chigul, both exquisite on-air-personalities, in the highest of spirits as the Masters of Cer-

emonies, with sonorous and effervescent live music seeping in from the background as Ekeng serenades guests with his mellifluous voice, with Ade Laoye and Cynthia Kamalu thrilling everyone with their wit and charm.

The Spot came alive with Zainab Balogun, Lamide Akintobi, Ebuka ObiUchendu, Noble Igwe, Oreka Godis, Lala Akindoju and Cynthia Nbanefo chatting up everyone into ecstasy, bliss and rapturous applause.

Moments with Mo showed why it is Africa’s first syndicated talk show as the Queen of Talk and chief celebrant of the day, Mo Abudu, was joined by the first couple of the Paradise City, to make the live show more ecstatic. Guests could not stop laugh-

ing as the First Family demonstrated their witty, interactive, humorous and electrifying side. They shared many revealing snapshots of their love, life, struggles and happiness, including some of the secrets of their 22-year old marriage!

EL Reports came alive with Arit Opko showing why she is one of the new, upcoming On-Air-Personalities to watch out for on the continent.

This was snappily followed by the Fattening Room, a key reference point in homegrown, original and premium African programming, which revealed just why six beautiful young, modern and single women from Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Kenya converged in the picturesque para-

dise city of Calabar to embark on the journey of self-discovery via the age-old Efik tradition given a modern.

Guests were in absolute cloud nine to hear from experts from the school of life as Love Lounge popped up with Senator Liyel Imoke and his wife turning executive experts on the late night Radio/TV simulcast talk show about love, sex & relationships, with the eclectic presenter, Oreka Godis.

The night progressed with cocktails and dinner, leading into fervent interactions and networking amongst all present, with an after-party that gave a pleasant closure to the much anticipated first anniversary celebrations.

SUNDAY

Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 35

How I will deal with my male colleagues

— Ebonyi new female Speaker

In this interview, the first female Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Helen Nwaobashi, talks about her plans to stabilize the Assembly. Excerpts:

BY Peter Okutu

H

ow do you feel about your election as Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly?

I give all glory to God and thank my colleagues for giving me this assignment.

When I was elected into the State Assembly, I never dreamed of becoming Speaker because we were only four women in the House. Even in the previous House where I was a member, there were only two of us with the other person, Hon. Dorothy Obasi, serving as Deputy Speaker.

So my election as Speaker came to me as a surprise but it provides hope to women in politics that the future is bright. Also my election as Speaker in an Assembly dominated by men shows that the campaign by the wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, and the governor’s wife, Chief Josephine Elechi, for women participation in politics is bearing fruits. I think men

are beginning to see that women are not coming to compete but to complement their efforts in nationbuilding.

What do you have to say about the process that threw you up?

The beauty of democracy is that it gives room for change.

We were all elected in the first place to represent the constituencies in the state.

That means all members are equal. The election of one person among us to serve as Speaker or leader is just an administrative necessity for moderation and direction of debates and discussions in the plenary. The point I want to make is that the position of Speaker is by the grace and judgment of all members. Therefore if for any reason the members feel that the Speaker or their leader is not behaving according to their expectations or begins to act as lord, they exercise the right to change him or her. This is what happened.

People should not forget this fact that it is the responsibility of members of the House

of Assembly to choose who represents them as Speaker.

You must have read the resolution of the House for the impeachment of the former Speaker. May be I should take your mind back to some of the reasons that prompted the removal of Hon Chukwuma Nwazunku as Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly. Majority of the members resolved that the former Speaker was conducting himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the Constitution by not ensuring that sittings were as frequent as to satisfy the demands of the Constitution. You can see with me that this is a grievous issue.

The members saw this error and felt that the speaker was leading us into temptation such that, at the end of the day, we may be invited to sign for sittings we never had. The impeachment of Nwazunku therefore was the best way for the members to avoid a situation where we may be compelled by him to fill the sitting attendance register to escape the cen-

sure of the Constitution and the wrath of those who elected us. So you can see that if after seven months of the year we were able to sit for just seventeen times, there was no way we could fulfill the 181 days stipulated in Section 104 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Some people are afraid you may not cope as Speaker because the Assembly is dominated by men…

I don’t think I understand what you mean by that. But let me say this, we have gone past the stage of gender. You heard when I said that Nigerian men have come to appreciate women in politics as partners in progress. The agenda is development and providing good governance. So we are focused on the agenda and not the divisive sentiment of gender. Doing what is right does not depend on whether you are a man or a woman. If these men you say dominate the House of Assembly have come together to say that a small woman like Mrs.

Helen Nwaobashi should be their Speaker at this point in time, why do you want to fault their judgment? That fear does not have foundation; I have been called to serve as first among equals.

I must always remember that I owe my allegiance to the members and my constituents. If I do things the way the Constitution and rules of the House prescribe, there can be no problems. At least you should also know that I have been called to play the role of a mother. The welfare of children is the major interest of mothers. You don’t have to be a bully to make a good mother.

It is said that you always consult other members before taking decisions....

What is wrong about that?

Have I not said that I was chosen to serve as first among equals? You want me to become a dictator? We represent the various constituencies in the state; so the decision of how to move Ebonyi State House of Assembly forward should not depend on the opinion of just one man or woman. I don’t have personal agenda; we have a common agenda; as such every member counts. If you count that as weakness, you are free to hold your opinion.

You are a ranking member of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, but not much was heard about you before now...

The business of law making does not include noise making. I represent the interest of Abakaliki South constituency. I do what they sent me to do and nobody is complaining that I have not been shouting all over the place as if the mandate I hold is by my power. What matters is result and you need focus to achieve that.

What would define your tenure as Speaker?

I will insist on collective approach to tackling the business of the Assembly; focusing more on the yearnings and aspirations of Ebonyi people. I will like to see more constituency consultations by members so that we can take the feedback to the executive branch of government. I want to see real representation of the people.

Is there any guarantee that those who chose you as Speaker would not come after you?

Yes. If I don’t do what would make them review their feelings about me or begin to act selfishly, they cannot move against me. Moreover I have seen the charges against the former Speaker, if I avoid doing the same things; my colleagues would not come after me. If I am transparent in dealing with them and not going to represent myself before the executive, I will retain their confidence.

PAGE 36 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

EBOLA: The enemy at your door!

West Africa is gripped by the worst outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in history. The deadly virus, which has over 90 percent fatality, could cross borders to more African nations and even Europe. Last week, Nigeria recorded the first ever suspected case of Ebola. What implications does this development portend for Africa’s most populous nation. What lessons do we learn from the outbreak in the sub-region?

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

I

S Ebola in Nigeria? Are Nigerians at risk of transmis sion the incurable disorder? No one could provide a definite answer to this question on Friday after the confirmation of the suspected case by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, Abuja, and the Lagos State Ministry of Health the previous day.

Prior to this development, millions of Nigerians did not imagine the seriousness of the threat of the EVD epidemic ravaging the West African sub-region. Currently, the probable risk of transmission of the disease is the newest security threat confronting Nigeria. With the persistent epidemic incursions into the West African sub- region, the threat of possible outbreak in neighboring countries including Nigeria was never in doubt.

Worst outbreak ever But experts are worried that rather than come under control, the situation seems to have worsened. “This is the first time we have ever seen an urban as well as rural Ebola outbreak,” noted Laurie Garrett, a Senior Fellow for Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations. “It is the first time we have seen Ebola in the capital cities. It is the first time we have seen Ebola crossing borders, now in three countries. And it is the first time we are having an Ebola experience in an area rife with the tensions and the hostilities born out of two really brutal civil wars in Sierra Leone and in Liberia, with spillover into neighboring Guinea.

Garrett, who lamented that Ebola has worsened survival, safety and security in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where, in the best of times, they are hard-pressed to meet the public health needs of their people, said they are now dealing with what is officially designated an out-of-control epidemic on their hands.

A confirmation of suspected Ebola Virus Disease in Lagos is alarming, while a positive confirmation would be catastrophic.

Such fears are well founded

Caution In the view of Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, an Infectious Disease Epidemiologist & Managing Partner, EpiAfric, there is a real need for Nigerians to be concerned about the Ebola Virus disease threat. “That but that concern should be directed into holding our government, and health officials accountable. For now, let’s hope that it does not spread to Nigeria, because if it does, it will really test our health systems, especially now that doctors are on strike.

“If it does spread to Nigeria, then we will all be at the mercy of the response mechanism and we can only hope that they are prepared. If we

are not, it will expose our incompetence in a way that has not been done before.

There is no easy way to say it.

We just hope there is no out break, if there is it will be really bad. An Ebola outbreak at this period would be dangerous for the country,” he cautioned.

First indication EVD not only brings about a general fearfulness from the population, but also elicits widespread crazy rumours that are making the problem more difficult to contend with. In Nigeria, the first indication of Ebola trouble came through a red alert issued by the NCDC to all Port Health Services staff nationwide after the suspected case, in a 40-year old Liberian, was picked arrived the country through Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on Sunday, July 20, 2014.

Vigilance all around Port staff were urged to be extra vigilant, and report on suspected cases while taking into consideration necessary aseptic techniques in handling such cases and to institute the necessary actions to the border communities. But alkl that appears to be cold comfort.

Earlier in March 2014, on the heels of the outbreak of in

Guinea, the Federal Ministry of Health issued alert urging persons with high fever, headache, severe abdominal pain, diarrhoea and bleeding and especially with a history of travel to Guinea, Sierra Leone or Liberia, to report to the health authorities at once. All 36 State Commissioners of Health were put on alert to mobilise against the disease, while the Federal Ministry of Health collaborated closely with the West African Health Organisation, WAHO, and the World Health Organisation, WHO, to deploy experts to affected countries to strengthen response capacity.

Findings by Sunday Vanguard show as far as the average Nigerian is concerned, a confirmation of suspected Ebola Virus Disease in Lagos is alarming, while a positive confirmation would be catastrophic. Such fears are well founded. The latest Ebola outbreak in West Africa is now the largest and deadliest outbreak ever. Unlike outbreaks of the past, it is affecting both rural and urban areas. In the affected West African subregion, already a heavy-duty malaria area, millions of people are walking around with high fevers and other kinds of symptoms that could confuse diagnosis of Ebola. Worse still, the West African sub-region is known for Lassa fever, another terrible, viral disorder carried by rats.

Anxiety Now health workers are having difficulty in making a proper diagnosis even in the affected countries. Reports from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea, reflect the plight of people being turned away from hospitals for routine care simply because they have a fever or simply because they seem dizzy and a little out of it, as, of course, would be a symptom of malaria. Already widespread fear and rage is building in the populations against the health care systems, because the system is afraid to take the contaminated patients into the facilities. All health workers are under attack. Even the Red Cross has abandoned parts of Guinea because their workers are being physically attacked ,Medecins Sans Frontieres, the Doctors Without Borders, In the sub-region, Médecins Sans Frontières which has intervened in almost all reported Ebola outbreaks in recent years, are also under violent attack. They confessed it is facing an unprecedented epidemic of a

Continues on page 37

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014 — PAGE 37

Continued from page 36 facing an unprecedented epidemic of a magnitude never before seen in terms of the distribution of cases.

Nigeria up to task – Nasidi Nevertheless, Project Director of the NCDC, Professor Abdulsalam Nasidi, affirms that the country’s response mechanism is up to the task.

Nasidi, who had long admitted that Nigeria is at risk noted: “We are at alert.

We are prepared in terms of diagnosis, isolation rooms in health facilities,” he assured even in the face of growing speculations that the nation may not be truly ready in terms of the most important steps. “Nigeria has capacity to diagnose the disease if it appears here. We are studying the outbreak trends and have mobilised rapid response teams in addition to developing a detailed response plan that includes a comprehensive health education/health promotion to sensitise Nigerians, enhanced surveillance to detect and treat the disease.”

Gaps in preparedness But doubts about the level of preparedness persist. For instance, a visit to the website of the FMOH does not provide cogent information on the Ebola Virus disease.

Prior to the confirmation of the suspected case, most Nigerians had been at a loss as to who is leading the preparedness against the threat in the country. Who is communicating with health professionals and the general public? Who is to be held accountable, many kept asking? In other countries like Mali, Ghana and Cameroun, health officials have routinely investigated possible infection cases.

Alert in West Africa Since March 2014 at the onset of the outbreak of in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries have been on the alert. Also in the affected countries, anxiety is at fever pitch. People have generally stopped sharing personal items such as towels, toothbrushes, cups, cutlery and hankies. The tendency to indulge in shaking of hands, hugging, kissing or even having sex has also reduced significantly. Public gatherings involving large crowds have more or less disappeared. Healthcare providers have become reluctant to attend to patients with symptoms of fever and other suspected signs of illness.

Everybody goes about wearing hand gloves, wary about touching anything that might serve as a model of

The enemy at your door!

transmission of the deadly virus. The practice of killing and consuming fruit bats and other suspect delicacies has declined drastically.

Around the same period, Executive Director of Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, had warned Liberians to desist from consumption of bush meat. In a terse statement, the health official highlighted the

connection between the Mano River countries and danger of the bush meat trade to lives of animals and humans in the region. Such has been the magnitude of the threat of the disorder which kills nine out of 10 victims.

Why Ebola is spreading Theoretically, anyone that is ill with a travel history of traveling to or from Liberia,

Sierra Leone or Guinea, is suspect. Sunday Vanguard investigations reveal there are two theories from the medical community about how and why Ebola has spread to so many different countries and to the urban areas. The first concerns the habitat. The unique nature of the problem is linked to the West African rain forest swathe that cuts across all three affected countries. The

swathe is inhabited by the Fruit bats that normally carry the Ebola virus. The argument is that the bats are believed to be coming in proximity with monkeys or other animals that humans secondarily come in contact with in order to become infected.

The second theory is tied to the porosity of the borders between the three countries.

A visit to these borders reveals the disdain for etiquette and lack of respect for immigration laws at the boundaries. A similar situation is replicated at the Seme and Idi-Iroko borders where people of all kinds of ethnic groups cross unimpeded from one country to the other.

There are no visible certified screening or containment procedures for possible bearers of the communicable diseases such as Ebola Virus who might have travelled down from the neighbouring affected countries. The chaotic nature of the posts adds to the feeling of vulnerability of Nigeria.

At the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, the scenario is a noticeably better. Security officials screen every traveler arriving at all times of the day.

Passports are carefully checked and travelers who may have visited Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in the recent past are invited for questioning and further screening.

EBOLA: The virus, the disease

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

A

S the World Health Organisation (WHO) continues to monitor the evolution of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, outbreak in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea and the suspected case in Nigeria, the rend of the epidemic in West Africa remains serious, with about 1,500 cases of infection reported up to 24 July 2014, including suspect, probable, and laboratory-confirmed cases. EVD, formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal haemorrhagic fever which first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Characterised by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding. When EVD first appeared

in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, no one had any idea had dangerous it would turn out.

The outbreaks in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, a village situated near the Ebola River, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was then known as Zaire, emerged as a result of transmission to humans from wild animals. In Africa, the fruit bats, particularly species of the genera Hypsignathus monstrosus, Epomops franqueti and Myonycteris torquata, are considered possible natural hosts for the Ebola virus. Originally known as “Zaire Fever ” (coined from the Zaire Ebolavirus), Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals.

Infection has been documented through the handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest. Ebola then spreads in the community through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin or mucous

membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids.

Burial ceremonies in which mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can also play a role in the transmission of Ebola. According to the WHO, infected men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to seven weeks after recovery from illness. Health-care workers have frequently been infected while treating patients with suspected or confirmed EVD. This has occurred through close contact. In humans, with a case fatality rate ranging between 60 – 90 percent, the virus is transmitted through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals. Hunting for “bush meat” in forest and preforest areas and eating of bats have been associated with this outbreak.

PAGE 38—SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

FOOTPRINTS OF A STATESMAN: The Life And Times Of CHIEF DANIEL OKUMAGBA A biography by Bernard Oboatarhieyeren Okumagba

The Race For Governor (2) We were told our campaign wasn’t sufficiently slick. We regard that as a compliment — Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister

TODAY

We began the first phase of The Race for Governor and Chief Okumagba's role in the emerging political trend of his time.

TODAY We conclude that phase and continue this serial today with The Lessons In Public Service.

M

Y father moved swiftly in the party and rallied support for his friend Dr Okojie to chair the party in Bendel State and, with the assistance of Chief David Dafinone and some other politicians, swung the support base of a considerable section of the state towards the NPN, even though across the country some traditional allies in the NCNC had moved into the Nigeria Peoples Party of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. This coalition of critical forces was to come in handy in handing the NPN and Shagari the necessary numbers to win the 1979 presidential poll.

As the race for Governor began, various groups were pitching. My father had instant name-recognition, tremendous goodwill in the state with a wide network of political associates. He also had a tenacity of purpose that was uncommon and he had played politics for a long time since when he was a member of the Western House of Assembly representing Warri East Constituency before the creation of Midwest State, the precursor to Bendel State.

My father was looking good to clinch the governorship ticket of the party, the position some political leaders had advised he should vie for but they had opposition ahead. The short time between the formation of parties (September 1978) and the elections (July 1979) meant that the drive to establish control of the party structure must begin in earnest. Just as the party was getting down to select its candidates, new heavyweights joined the party and, as expected, room was made at the top. There were Chiefs Denis Osadebey and Anthony Enahoro, among others. To accommodate these new heavyweights, the national leadership of the NPN

decided that Dr Christopher Okojie and Chief Denis Osadebey be joint state chairmen, while Chief Anthony Enahoro be protem State Secretary. It was also agreed that a state convention be held later.

In spite of the discomfiture that came with the new arrangement, the leaders of the state wing of the party tried to make the most of it. Until he declared for the NPN, Chief Enahoro had been a follower of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who was now the leader of the new Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and there was some consternation as to why he dumped his traditional alliance for a conservative party. Enahoro may have lost out in the formation of the UPN because of his initial disinterest in the political process.

The fact that a fellow Esan man, Professor Ambrose Folorunsho Alli, was being pencilled to run as the governorship candidate of the UPN may have effectively ruled out a major state role for Enahoro.

For the NPN, Enahoro was indeed a big catch and in no time was given a leadership role in the party. It was assumed, perhaps, that having Enahoro steer the NPN would weaken the UPN base.

Soon after, factions emerged in the NPN. Enahoro teamed up with the Osadebey faction that also had Chief Vincent Egbarin, Chief A.Y. Eke, Mr Lawrence Borha, Mr Israel Amadi Emina and Prince Allan Omogbai, among others. The Okojie faction had Osaze Evbuomwan, Prince Shaka Momodu, Esiri, S.A. Utomi, my father, and other foundation leaders of the National Movement in the state.

This large constellation of big

names positioned the NPN as unique and formidable but presented it with a huge organizational problem that cost it dearly. To resolve the crisis, the national leadership of the NPN further expanded its political offices to accommodate all the chieftains. Osadebey was made protem State Chairman; Okojie was made a National Vice Chairman and state co-chairman, Enahoro was made State Secretary, my father held the position of Assistant National Publicity Secretary. An announcement was made affirming the resolution of the crisis, with the

About the Book Chief Daniel Okumagba, who lived from 1922 to 2000, was widely acknowledged as a man of truth, courage and discipline. From 1960, when he won election to represent Warri East Constituency at the Western Region House of Assembly in Ibadan, Chief Daniel Okumagba played major roles in Nigeria’s national development.

He was a member of the National Council for Nigerian Citizens (NCNC), a foundation member and foundation national executive committee member of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the Second Republic, governorship candidate of the party in Bendel State (now Edo and Delta states) in the 1979 general elections and pioneer chairman of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited.

Chief Daniel Okumagba was a teacher, legislator, politician, businessman and frontline Niger Delta leader.

In all, he was a man of peace, who believed in peaceful coexistence among various ethnic groups, a statesman and nationalist.

In this biography of Chief Daniel Okumagba, Bernard Okumagba (former Delta State Commissioner for Finance) tells of a father whose life has not been fully chronicled and of values and circumstances that shaped the public identity of his father.

Bernard’s story of one of the key players of the First and Second Republics in Nigeria is a compelling narrative. Footprints of a Statesman: The life and times of Chief Daniel Okumagba, is a son’s appreciation of his father, and the lessons therefrom. that looked the most likely to win the most offices and because it accepted all manner of people seeking to join it, it was difficult to establish cohesion in certain states, and so, rather than reap a synergy, the campaigns floundered.

The state congress of the NPN was another battle-

My father was looking good to clinch the governorship ticket of the party, the position some political leaders had advised he should vie for but they had opposition ahead creation of a big family capable of strengthening the party.

On the contrary, argue some party members, it weakened the NPN. This was because, between the time the new heavyweights came into the party and when the crisis was resolved after the election of state officers, the fault lines created by the early disagreements were difficult to patch up; the UPN had wooed away some key allies of the NPN who could not find leadership places in the now omnibus party or perhaps were uncomfortable with the new arrangements. One such leader was Chief A.A Bakumo, a likeable Ijaw leader and mobiliser. He moved to join the UPN. Thus, as some observers noted, because the NPN was the party

ground. Some prominent members of the party had backed my father for the governorship ticket. Two other main contestants also emerged. They were Chief Vincent Egbarin, a merchant and titled chief, from Agbor and Osaze Evbuonwan from the Bini area. Osaze had defeated Chief A.Y. Eke in a closet primary in his support base. The three-horse race for governor was the highlight of the congress held at Urhokpota Hall, Benin City.

The only other contest of note was that of State Chairman for which Enahoro and Okojie contested. True to the billing of the congress, the hall was charged. Retired General Adeyinka Adebayo,

former military governor of the Western Region, was the chairman of the congress election. Retired General David Ejoor, former military governor of Midwest Region and former Chief of Army Staff, was a delegate, as were several other prominent figures from the old Bendel State who joined the NPN. The governorship primary was the first on the ballot. The result of the election was a stunner. My father scored the highest number of votes to emerge winner. He had 222 votes to Osaze’s 220 votes and Egbarin’s 158 votes. Chief Enahoro won the chairmanship despite the spirited effort of my father and others to get Dr Okojie to chair the state wing of the party and therefore drive his governorship campaign. The battle had been won but the war would prove difficult.

The congress over, attention was expected to centre on healing the fractures in the party to face a UPN that had no crisis, but this was not so, despite the best efforts of the national leadership. The party chairman and the governorship candidate did not get on well together, and it set the tone for the loss of the governorship poll at the July 29, 1979 election. One possible reason for the loss may have been the structure of the campaign.

Continues on page 39

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014—39

FOOTPRINTS OF A STATESMAN: The Life And Times Of CHIEF DANIEL OKUMAGBA A biography by Bernard Oboatarhieyeren Okumagba

Lessons In Public Service In all my public and private acts as your President, I intend to follow my instincts of openness and candor with full confidence that honesty is always the best policy in the end —Gerald Ford, US President

About the Author

Continued from page 38 Nigeria started out at independence on October 1, 1960 with much promise. Earlier, crude oil, a wonder product of which the country later became a major exporter, was discovered in the Niger Delta and the first well was struck in presentday Oloibiri, Bayelsa State.

Perhaps, only a few expected crude oil to upstage the kings of commerce then, the “cash” crops as they were called – timber, rubber, cocoa, groundnuts, cotton and oil palm, among others. But it did, giving Nigeria so much money. In 1960, perhaps beyond the geological surveys that gave hope in the boardrooms of oil prospectors and a few operators in government, the country shared a different hope – a new political state had been fashioned.

Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, the Prime Minister and head of the National Government at independence was gushing at the bright days that lay ahead. He said in his speech on Independence Day at the Race Course, Lagos, later to become Tafawa Balewa Square: “This is a wonderful day, and it is all the more wonderful because we have awaited it with increasing impatience, compelled to watch one country after another overtaking us on the road when we had so nearly reached our goal. But now we have acquired our rightful status and I feel sure that history will show that the building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace: It has been thorough, and Nigeria now stands well built upon firm foundations.”

There was ample reason to be hopeful. Nigerians were respected everywhere and the basic socio-economic indices were looking up: unemployment was low, if not negligible; infrastructure, though limited to a few urban centres, was functional and the general outlook was positive. It could not have been any less than what the new leaders dreamed of.

The macroeconomic indices looked good too: inflation was low, the exchange rate was not a problem, the local currency still had a significant edge over foreign currencies, including the Dollar. Yet, the foundations of decay and distrust had crept in. Right from the various constitutional conferences, the regions could not agree on a common position. And the creation of more states had become the fashion.

The publicized overriding reason for the creation of states is bringing government closer to the people but the

B

ethnic factor is a subterranean influence. Yet, several years down the road, more states have not spun greater cohesion; rather, ethnic fiefdoms have arisen and every ethnic group wants a state of its own, without a corresponding demand for fiscal federalism.

This has tasked the national purse and further aggravated the call for more states by smaller resource–rich ethnic groups, who feel shortchanged by the state-based distribution of revenues from resources and economic activities in their locale, which are now seen as the national patrimony. The breakdown in national cohesion was one strand of the gradual deterioration that bothered my father. As Sina Odugbemi observes in Recall, A Chronicle of Events, January 2001: “Perhaps the most serious consequence of the rise in ethnic nationalism is the shrinking of the sane middle ground where reason reigns, where pragmatism is king, where compromises happen, where real business is done. This is because the atmosphere becomes charged and treacheryfilled. It is difficult to find winwin solutions to problems.

Politics is seen as a zero-sum game; what Group A gains is always seen as happening at the expense of Group B.” The signs were already there in 1978 when my father sought the governorship of

Bendel State and they were there before, when he held various other political offices, including Member of the Western Region House of Assembly representing Warri East Constituency. When he ran for the office of governor, tensions had not boiled over in the oil-rich Bendel State and

ture: “If Nigeria would not become a nation of unemployed people, the government must now reorder its priorities in order to prepare the country for an industrial revolution.”

Knowing this, he said what was needed was a well-defined economic philosophy. The appropriate policy framework he

other parts of the Niger Delta, but discontent was not far away as oil exploration boomed; capital cities had a facelift but the oil-bearing communities stayed rustic. He saw the unemployment problem well ahead.

This scenario presented a challenge, which my father articulated in his manifesto for the governorship of Bendel State. He was reported by the Nigerian Observer, of May 26, 1979 as saying, while campaigning for governor: “The economy of Nigeria is in danger and may collapse unless steps are taken to diversify the economy through rapid industrialization.” He said, in the same report, that a dependence on just oil revenue was precarious and presented potential fiscal problems in fu-

canvassed was private sector – led growth, backed by government’s investment in social infrastructure. He articulated policies to cover Education, Industrialization, Agriculture, Housing and the Leadership question, among others. My father’s philosophy over the years was articulated at various political fora, especially during the governorship elections, but they were issues he dwelt on whenever we sat together discussing the trajectory of the nation. He believed in the private ownership of property, in an incorruptible government, in state support for industrialization and generally a small government.

They were part of his personal ethos from his days as a teacher.

Perhaps the most serious consequence of the rise in ethnic nationalism is the shrinking of the sane middle ground where reason reigns, where pragmatism is king, where compromises happen, where real business is done

TO BE CONTINUED.

E R N A R D Oboatarhieyeren Okumagba was born in Warri, Delta State on April 7, 1967 to Chief Daniel Okumagba and Mrs. Dorcas Okumagba of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom, Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State.

He attended Government College, Ughelli from 1977 to 1982 and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka from 1983 and 1987 where he bagged a B.sc degree in Accountancy (2nd Class Honours, Upper Division). Subsequently, he undertook the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) professional examinations and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1991. Bernard started his working career at the international financial services firm Arthur Andersen & Co (now KPMG), in 1988. He later worked in several banks from 1991 to 2007. Bernard held various positions at these banks, including Senior Manager, Corporate Banking Division; Head of Internal Control/Audit Division, Bank Chief Inspector and Principal Manager, Consumer and Commercial Banking Division, amongst others. He left United Bank for Africa Plc in August 2007 following his appointment as Delta State Commissioner for Economic Planning.

He served as Delta State Commissioner for Economic Planning from August 2007 to November 2010 and was subsequently appointed Commissioner for Finance and served from November 2010 to May 2011. Bernard was reappointed Delta State Commissioner for Finance in July 2011 and held this position until July 2013. He is presently Chairman of Regents Consults Limited and Noly Insurance Brokers Limited. He is also currently a Director of Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc. Bernard holds the traditional chieftaincy title of Eruvwu R’Ovie of Agbarha Kingdom, Warri, Delta State.

PAGE 40 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

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‘Collapsing wall killed my only two sons... and my world came to a halt’ SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY

T

he tragedy that befell the Edo State Chairman of the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON), Mr Osamudiamen Osagiede, penultimate Saturday, in Benin City, is something that he will not even wish for his enemy.

On that day, Osagiede lost two sons and 12-year-old niece in a collapsed building in Urora community, Benin-City. A confused Osagiede described the calamity as cinema. The victims, Gift Ogbeide, Junior Osagiede, Martins Osagiede, 12, 15 and seven years old respectively, were said to have gone to repair a bicycle along Sunday Irabor Street in Urora when the building housing the bicycle repairer’s workshop collapsed and killed them. Three other persons, including the bicycle repairer, sustained serious injuries and are recuperating in hospital.

The landlord of the building was said to have fled when youths storm the place to inquire what

happened. Sunday Vanguard learnt that people had predicted the collapse of the building due to the dilapidated state. Residents mobilised to save the lives of the teenagers all to no avail.

The incident came as a shock to many because it occurred not too long after the teenagers arrived the place to repair their bicycle.

Osagiede, who narrated his ordeal to Sunday Vanguard, said:”On Saturday, there was no problem at all. They (deceased children) were the ones who opened the gates for me to go out. Later in the day, I got a phone call that something had happened to my sons. When I got to the place, I discovered they were dead. I was told they went there to repair a bicycle with my sister’s daughter.

The tragedy is like cinema to me. I can’t really say what caused the collapse but I know the building is not okay.

On her part, the mother of the deceased girl, Mrs Ogbeide, said, “When my daughter came back from school on that day, the father wanted to speak to her on phone because the father was not around.

After the father had spoken to her, she went home. It was later I heard family members to be that a building had strong and move on. collapsed and my I don’t want anybody to brother ’s sons were at the develop high blood place. I immediately pressure because we have started looking for Gift, seen enough tragedy and running around the don’t need more. The two street. I was at Aduwawa boys are my only male still looking for her when children; I still don’t know I heard that she had been how to explain this. My found dead with the two own is that if it is the will of boys. I know anybody God that the situation who might have done this should be like this, I will wicked act will not go take it, but if it was done by unpunished. She is my somebody due to jealousy, only daughter and my then the wrath of God source of joy. Now they awaits the person. I leave have taken her away from everything in the hands of me. I leave everything to the Almighty God”.

God.” She wept.

My own is that if it is the will of God that the situation should be like this, I will take it, but if it was done by somebody due to jealousy, then the wrath of God awaits the person I am so devastated and don’t know what to do now. I have six children, four girls and the two boys now are gone”. Asked about the landlord of the collapsed building who was arrested by the police, Osagiede said: “Arresting him will not bring back my children; so I went to the police station and asked them to release him.

Though some of us know that the building is old and anything could happen, we did not know it will be sad like this. I have left everything to God. All I am doing now is to appeal to my

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE — 41

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By PEACE ONYEUKWU

M

embers of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) across the nation recently had a wonderful moment .It was a day the members of the Yoruba socio-cultural group gathered at the Government Technical College, AbuleAdo, Lagos, to celebrate their annual Ifa festival. The programme was put together by the Olokun Festival Foundation to promote the Yoruba tradition, culture and heritage. The annual event also provided the right atmosphere for traditionalists and other religious leaders in the country to rub minds on issues relating to the sanctity of the Ifa as a universal deity and messenger of Orunmila.

Meanwhile, about 100 members of the OPC were also inducted into the group at the elaborate event.

Notable guests at the annual event include the Sasa Akowonjo monarch, Oba Nofiu Babatunde Akanbi Ogunrounbi,Otunba Gani Adams, who was the chief host, and Mr.Ibrahim Wahab, a lecturer from the Department of Yoruba Language,Tai Solarin University of Education,

Ifa day in Yorubaland We look down on our tradition and it has continually affected our sociopolitical lives as a nation

Otunba Gani Adams with guests at the event

Ijebu Ode, Ogun State. The university don was the guest lecturer of the day.

Welcoming the guests, Adams said the reason for the annual celebration of the Ifa festival was to promote the Yoruba culture and tradition.” His words, “I

have travelled across the world and I see how other countries of the world always cherish their culture and tradition. In Brazil, Cuba and even in South Africa, people value their traditional heritage and that has really helped them as a people, but here in Nigeria,

it is a different thing entirely.

We look down on our tradition and it has continually affected our socio-political lives as a nation.” In his lecture entitled:’’ Relevance of Ifa in modern society, the guest lecturer, Wahab, harped on the fact that Ifa was a divine

messenger between man and his Creator, adding that it is through Ifa that a true divination could be made, thus, making him relevant in all aspects of man’s lives.

Giving reason for the neglect of the traditional institutions in the country, Oba Babatunde Ogunrounbi said that the Yoruba nation must rise up to the challenge of protecting its cultural values, the monarch expressed great concern that the Yoruba tradition is gradually going into extinction. Expressing her views on the current security challenge in the country, Chief Mrs. Motunrayo Fafunke, the Yeye Osun of Lagos, said that the situation is not unexpected. Citing the poor economic situation in the country as one of the reasons for the prolonged insecurity, the traditional women leader also urged the Federal Government to ensure the release of the abducted girls.

Hear her.” As a mother, I feel the pain of the mothers of these abducted school girls, therefore, the government should continue in its effort to ensure that those girls are released alive” She said.

Different cultural troupes present at the ceremony exhibited their various dancing skills with cultural displays.

Fresh worry over non passage of cyber security bill to curb e-fraud

BY EMEKA AGINAM

L

ACK of appropriate le gal framework needed to prosecute offenders in e-fraud appears to be turning Nigeria into a preferred destination for cybercriminals who now use the country as a base to target developed economies.

This development, according to report has made banking industry to incur loss of revenue of about N159 billion through cyber crime between the year 2000 and 2013 respectively.

Just recently, Information Security Society of Africa, Nigeria (ISSAN) and stakeholders in the banking industry at the end of a roundtable organized by the society in collaboration with an IT firm, Digital Encode Limited, for Chief Internal Auditors and Chief Information Officers of bank expressed fresh worry over absence of an appropriate legislation to deal with electronic offenders in the country.

The forum held in Lagos among other things discussed the incessant attacks by cybercriminals on banks, action plan for the protection of payment systems and the banking industry as a whole, the Central Bank’s biometric project and its impact on banks and consumers alike, from a security perspective.

In a communiqué issued at the end of forum, participants identified the inability of the National Assembly to pass the Nigeria Cybercrime Act into law as a major drawback in curtailing cybercrime in the country.

Already, ISSAN at the end of the forum had inaugurated a committee to act as the industry’s pressure group to liaise with the

National Assembly towards a speedy passage of the cybercrime law.

Members of the committee included the Managing Directors of Interswitch, and NIBSS, the representatives from the Bankers Committee; the National Security Adviser and the CBN, among others.

While noting the increasing rate of incessant attacks by cybercriminals on banks, ISSAN urged the Committee of Internal Auditors of Banks to liaise with the Committee of E-Banking Industry Heads (CeBIH) and engage Mastercard & Visa card on EMV cards frauds in the country.

Earlier in his welcome address, the ISSAN President, David Isiavwe described the roundtable as a critical milestone “in the gamut of activities and efforts towards achieving total security of

From left: Sir. Demola Aladekomo, former President of the Nigerian Computer Society, NCS, Alhaja Sekinat Yusuf, President/ Chairman,Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria, CPN, and President, NCS, after plenary session at the just concluded NCS national conference organized by the Nigerian Computer Society with the theme: Building a knowledge based economy in Nigeria: The role of IT held in Enugu State. Photo by Emeka Aginam.

the banking environment in Nigeria.”

While the proliferation of echannels has brought banking services closer to customers, he said that this has further increased the risk of cyber crime.

“The cyber threat landscape is constantly evolving and we expect new forms of threats and attacks (including zero day attacks) to emerge with each passing day. We therefore need to be proactive rather than reactive. We need to carefully x-ray our processes and operations to see what we are not doing right; what areas need to be further inoculated and what urgent practical steps we can take to ensure that our IT infrastructure is secure and can support the business objectives and strategies of our respective organizations,” Isiavwe he explained.

NCS: Data protection, IT literacy key to knowledge-based economy

P

ARTICIPANTS at the just concluded Nigeria Com puter Society (NCS) national conference holding in Enugu State at the weekend emphasized on the need for adequate data protection and Information Technology literacy for organizations as major key factors for promoting knowledge-based economy.

With the IT literacy level growing at arithmetic progression across the nation, majority of speakers at the parallel session of the national conference with the theme: ‘Building knowledge based economy in Nigeria: The role of the IT ‘warned on the vulnerability, saying that data has

become the currency of a knowledge-based economy, driving innovation and boosting businesses at various levels, and must be protected at all cost.

Apart from data protection and IT literacy, the conference also discussed security issues in a knowledge-based economy, advising individuals and organizations to always protect their data.

Stressing on the need to device new ways of protecting data, speakers at the event noted that time may be running out if Nigeria and the rest of the African nations fail to prepare the way to emerge in the global information society stage.

The President of the NCS, Prof.

David Adewumi in his welcome address said that Nigeria stands the risk of missing digital economy if the workforce was not retooled enough to protect sensitive for economic growth.

He said it was time Nigeria shifts from been a consumer of foreign IT products and services, adding that the nation must brace up for the challenges of knowledge economy.

The immediate past President of Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, (ISPON) in his remarks during the opening session told the gathering that data as useful information of organizations must be protected otherwise hackers will have their way in.

Uwaje had predicted that the digital colonization issue will one day become the critical heart of the matter in the emerging information society, warning that sooner or later, the entire life, culture and sovereignty of a nation and her citizenry may be unwittingly traded off and taken over

by IT-smart foreign nations if date is not protected.

In her presentation, the Manager, Cyber Risk Services Unit of Deloitte Nigeria, Funmilola Odumuboni, during one of the sessions, said: "Nigeria is fast moving to knowledge based economy and there is need to address the security issues around activities on the knowledge-based economy", she said.

PAGE 42 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27 , 2014

BY WALE AKINOLA

T

he day started on a queer note.

Bomb scare at the state secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This happened at a time stalwarts had gathered at the secretariat preparatory to the Obokun-Oriade federal constituency mega rally at Ibokun, the headquarters of Obokun local government area, some 30 kilometres away. Some people were alleged to have thrown some substances believed to be explosives from behind the fence. Those who reportedly saw them alerted the party chieftains. Panic ensued. The police were called in. The entire premises combed. No explosive substances found. Two suspects were arrested. The police took them away in their pick up van. Many of the APC stalwarts concluded that law enforcement by the police in the August 8 gubernatorial election that has raised so much tension in Osun State would make a lot of difference if the promptness with which the police responded to distress call on this particular occasion is sustained. They added that law enforcement in the poll in which the state government, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, is the APC candidate and a leading contender, must also be seen to be carried out in an important manner.

The tensed atmosphere in the wake of the bomb scare at the APC secretariat and arrest of suspects soon gave way to relief. In less than one hour later, the party train took off for Ibokun. The APC stalwarts, comprising of men and women, old and young, wielding brooms of different colours, were resplendent in purple uniform. They were met at different points from some 10 kilometres to the rally ground by groups of party supporters, singing, dancing, wielding their brooms, and shouting APC slogans.

The atmosphere at the rally group L.A. Primary School, Ibokun was a different ballgame altogether. Billboards announcing Aregbesola’s second term ambition and his achievements of the last three and a half years stood at strategic points. The crowd was impressive.

There were all categories of people, many of them dressed in the APC’s purple uniform while others were Aregbesola’s supporters group’s T-shirt, bearing the portrait of the governor.

School children, wearing their school uniforms, were not left out of the occasion. The Osun APC Director of Publicity, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, described the crowd thus: Some critics said we have been renting crowds to attend Governor Aregbesola’s rally. I am sure you will agree with me that you cannot rend this kind of crowd. The crowd, as you can see, is representative of all categories of people in this constituency (Obokun-Oriade), and the fact that they have come to see the governor campaign at their ally shows that they appreciate his good works of the past three and a half years. I make bold to say that the Ogbeni’s good works will speak for him at the August 9 election. We are sure to win the election . ndeed, the tumultuous crowd at the rally could have been a question of what Aregbesola’s loyalists see as his ‘sterling performance’ since his tenure started in 2010 which, according to them,

I

OSUN 2014: The Aregbesola testimonial * Critics are wrong; his good works will speak for him — APC

*One of Aregbesola’s rallies. Inset: Mrs Serifat Aregbesola; Aregbesola; APC chieftain, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke, and his wife

has endeared him to the Osun people, and for which he should be re-elected.

The loyalists readily point to the Aregbesola’s education policy which they believe has transformed the state and is on the way to putting Osun on a pedestal to compete with other states across the country. ”The school children in this locality have no reason not to be here & if not to appreciate Ogbeni Aregbesola for all he has done to ensure that

into elementary school (5 years), middle school (4 years) and high school (3 years), as against the national education policy of 6-3-3. The Osun education system gives the pupil more time at the middle school which the initiators believe he needs to prepare him for maturity into high school. The education policy with its attendant mega schools to accommodate many small schools brought children from different religious

The loyalists readily point to the Aregbesola’s education policy which they believe has transformed the state and is on the way to putting Osun on a pedestal to compete with other states across the country learning in schools is carried out without tears”, the interim chairman of the Osun APC, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi, told Sunday Vanguard at the rally ground.

Under the Osun education policy, one of the six-point integral action plan of the Aregbesola administration, entitled, ‘Promotion of functional education’, decayed infrastructure is being replaced and there is quality control.

Other legs of the action plan are banishment of hunger/unemployment, enhanced security/welfare, restoration of healthy living and promotion of communal peace. Under the education policy school children up to primary four are being fed in school. One of the key points of the policy is re-classification

backgrounds under the same room to learn soon sparked controversy. Critics interpreted it to mean the erasure of religious lines especially in schools with bias for religion. The policy was resisted in at least one school before the fire was doused. Oyatomi, the Osun APC image maker, said the crisis was politically motivated. His words: The policy was fashioned out by a team of educationists led by Professor Wole Soyinka to revive the education sector which was practically dead before Governor Aregbesola came into office.

Unfortunately, some people tried to politicise it by saying it is antiChristianity. Nothing could be far from the truth. We have only brought together

children of diverse backgrounds to learn under the same roof and conducive atmosphere unlike the former situation where schools were more of pig sties.

This administration built no fewer than 25 mega schools for this purpose .

Oyatomi spoke further: School children up to primary four also eat one nutritious meal at school every school day to help their brains develop properly and build a better state in future .

According to him, the feeding programme has multiplier effects in Osun as it empowers farmers who supply the schools with the food items.

The APC spokesman also spoke on the Opon Imo, tablet of knowledge, distributed to pupils across Osun. The tablet, with 56 e-books, visual training and 10 years past questions, in addition to the Bible, the Quran and traditional religion content, also saves the government huge sums that could have been spent buying books under the free education programme, year in, year out. n the alleged involvement of Aregbesola’s son in the Opon Imo project, the APC spokesman said the son, being a software expert, merely introduced it to government, challenging anybody who has the facts that he (Aregbesola’s son) benefitted financially to make them public. Oyatomi also described as nonsense the allegation that the state government brought to Osun a school uniform making project for which a huge sum was paid, and, in the process, denying local tailors business.

According to him, government facilitated the project to relocate to Osun on the condition that it will employ local hands, thereby creating job opportunities for the people.

O

Continues on page 43

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27 , 2014, PAGE 43

BY TUNDE ADEWALE

T

he governor of the imaginary and illegal State of Osun, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, is arguably Nigeria s most controversial governor since the return to civil rule in 1999. To date, he remains the only governor whose religious inclinations no one can be sure about. Is he, for instance, a Muslim? Those who are familiar with his proclivity for Orunmila — his eji ogbe flags, cowries and calabashes—would never agree that he is.

Some of his critics say he cannot even recite suratul fatiha. Yet Aregbesola is the only governor who has declared hijrah holiday, sparking furious rebukes even from notable Muslim figures in the polity. Aregbesola s creative blending of Islam with Ifa may yet turn out to be his most notable legacy in governance, but the point is that he pretends to be running a revolutionary government, and even occasionally mouths Marxist jargon in the face of his robust material fortunes contrasted with the agony of the vastly tormented Osun populace. He is certainly an invaluable material for academic study, particularly when you are dealing with serious contradictions and political confusion.

When he is not being tarred with a Janjaweed brush, Aregbesola (or Aregbe for short) is being accused of disrespect for constituted authority. He once said: I mean no disrespect for the person of the vice president but I do not recognize his office, because, as he alleged, the police had prevented some of his supporters from going to Abuja to express solidarity with Mr Bola Tinubu during his case with the Code of Conduct Bureau. How do you disparage the office of the vice president without disrespecting his person? And if the police were solely an agency of the Federal Government, why not refuse police protection, then? Aregbesola basks in the illusion of being the Hugo Chavez of Osun.

As a matter of fact, Dr Kayode

Osun: Profiling ‘governance unusual’ We are running an unusual government and there is nothing conventional in what we are doing because we want to turn Osun to a hub of Nigeria. — Governor Rauf Aregbesola Fayemi, the Ekiti State governor, in an interview with newsmen last year, pleaded with the media to overlook Aregbesola s tantrums, saying that he meant well for Osun. The problem, however, is that it is impossible to navigate Aregbesola out of the deluge of controversies that he willfully creates for himself in his bid to run a government unusual entirely devoid of positive vision and moral content. For starters, Aregbesola came to government, as admitted by his own party, completely unprepared for governance. For 10 solid months after being sworn in, Mr Aregbesola had no cabinet. Incredibly, the ACN said he was using the period to plan.

Yet he approved mind-blowing sums for bogus projects, in clear contravention of the law. Asked why he had not yet constituted a cabinet 10 months into his administration, Aregbesola’s gave an incredible reply: What we have not done is choosing our commissioners and we have no apology for that.

There is no law that stipulates that you should choose your commissioners within a particular time. It is a function of how you assess the administration. I am taking my time.

Does Mr Aregbe possess a copy of the Nigerian Constitution? Is this guy real? However, given that he was installed as governor only a few days before he was due to appear in court for alleged forgery, his

OSUN 20 14: The Aregbesola 201 testimonial Continued from page 42

Parents are also beneficiaries of the new dispensation on Osun education as they now spend less to educate their children. Even if the parents did not come to the Aregbesola rally for this reason, they possibly had many others bordering on the governor’s achievements in many other sectors.

The sectors include agriculture where farmers have access to soft loans and good roads to transport their produce to the market; health where new hospitals are being built and old ones renovated in addition to free health treatment for a section of the people; aggressive infrastructural development which has seen roads rehabilitated and new ones built; youth empowerment which takes care of unemployed youths; the empowerment of security agencies to ensure peace and stop criminality; and

‘robust management’ of the state economy.

Oyatomi was particular about the Osun governor’s achievements in the road sector where, according to him, Aregbesola is bringing to bear his ingenuity as an engineer. Durable roads, the APC spokesman stated, are being built all over Osun. The novel aspect of road construction in the state is that roads are delivered before contractors are paid. This ensures that jobs are done to specifications and are not abandoned.

Oyatomi dismissed critics claim that the Osun governor is a religious bigot fighting Christians. To justify his position, the APC spokesman explained: Although the governor is a devout Muslim, and he does not hide it, his cabinet is dominated by Christians. Of the 34 members in the cabinet, 22 are Christians and 12 Muslims. And of the 32 permanent secretaries in the state, 20

predilection for brazen illegality, including creating a ragtag army of State Boys, can be understood.

Now, it is interesting that Mr Aregbe wishes “to turn Osun to a hub of Nigeria,” yet he has sold Osun land to Lagos

Being economic with the truth is also part of Aregbe’s ‘governance unusual.’ Speaking as a participant at the 19th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Growing Agriculture at the State Level, Aregbesola claimed that the Federal Government’s fertilizer distribution policy had failed woefully, since not one single farmer in Osun got fertilizer through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture! And so, he claimed, he had to cough out a whopping N1 billion to procure fertilizer for farmers in the state. But

are Christians. In the House of Assembly, made up of 26 members, only nine are Muslims. All these are apart from his policies devoid of religious sentiments. So, how do you sustain the unfair tag that the governor is a religious bigot? On the state’s economy, Oyatomi said the state administration has managed it from the point of near bankruptcy when it assumed office to the point that it is now sustainable.

Our greatest challenge now is that government allocation from the federation account has dropped from about N5 billion every month to about N2.5 billion. This is augmented with about N1.6 billion monthly IGR which government upped from N300 million when it came in. But the downsize of it is that we have workers salary / pension of N3.6 billion monthly to pay. It is a dicey situation, but the statement government has made over time is that we have the capacity to manage the Osun economy .

The spokesman pointed out that sourced for N10 billion Sukuk bond that was over

reacting, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adeshina, dismissed the governors claim, pointing out that at the recent National Council of Agriculture meeting, he himself commended the Federal Government for its innovation fertilizer distribution in the country. The minister then hit on the problem with Osun: You can clear the whole land in your state for farming but if there are no incentives, the whole efforts will come to nothing. Certainly, only a governor like Aregbesola can make such a blatantly false claim.

Criticized heavily for his mindless demolition exercise in Osogbo, Aregbe declared contemptuously: I know very well that majority of the people of the state are with me, so let sympathisers pocket their sympathy.

It is going to be monumental.

Nothing of such thing has happened in Nigeria, not even in Lagos. But Osun is not looking anything like Lagos yet.

Now, it is interesting that Mr Aregbe wishes “to turn Osun to a hub of Nigeria,” yet he has sold Osun land to Lagos. Mr Aregbe might indeed navigate his way out of the logjam by claiming that what he sold was State of Osun land but puerile semantics is not going to rescue a civil service state like Osun, which can certainly not be developed by negative commercialism. He is on his way out of Government House.

Adewale, an Osun indigene, lives in Lagos

subscribed to N11 billion, and another N60 billion bond, out of which N30 billion had been drawn. The oversubscription of the Sukuk bond, according to Oyatomi, told the story of the investors confidence in the Osun economy under Aregbesola.

All considered, the Aregbesola administration has a testimonial that justifies re-election , Oyatomi added.

The Osun governor arrived the ObokunOriade constituency mega rally to a tumultuous welcome. Defying the rain that had threatened before he came, he immediately mounted the rostrum to address the crowd which had waited patiently since 10 am. Aregbesola burst into song: Let the rain fall to drench us. After all we own our clothes . He warned the opposition in the August 9 poll against dividing the Osun people along religious lines as it would have grave consequences. The governor said he had done so much to improve the lives of the Osun people and expressed optimism that he would be re-elected for the goodies to continue.

PAGE 44, SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 45

PAGE 46—SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

SUNDAY, Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 47

Children celebrate Otunba Adebanjo @ 80

MTN’s Oy eyemi launc hes Oye launches book on marketing

K

ola Oyeyemi, consummate marketing practitioner and General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN has launched his latest book “Kill or Get Killed; The Marketing Killer Instinct”. The unveiling which took place last week had many business executives and members of the media in attendance. Photos by Diran Oshe

R- L: Author of " Kill or Get Killed" , Mr Kolawole Oyeyemi; his wife, Adenike Oyeyemi; Human Resources Executive, MTN, Amina Oyagbola; CEO, Wazobia FM, Ali Monsali and Group CEO, Prima Garnet Africa, Mr Lolu Akinwunmi.

R- L: Executive Director (Commercial), Promasidor, Mr Kachi Onubogwu; CEO, MTN, Mr Micheal Ikpoki; former President, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria(NIMN), High Chief Aimiwu and Author of " Kill or Get Killed" , Mr Kolawole Oyeyemi.

It was indeed a moment of fulfilment and joy for Otunba Olajide Adebanjo, the Otunba Ladegbua of Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State when th his children rolled out nd drums to celebrate his 80 birthday, Tuesday, July 22 2014. The celebration began with a thanksgiving Mass at Shepherdhill Baptist Church (The Sanctuary of Grace & Glory) Obanikoro, followed by a reception at Revd. Joseph Adegbite Hall, same venue. Photos by Bunmi Azeez.

From right: Mr. Boye Adebanjo, celebrant’s son, Mrs. Funmilayo Adebanjo, daughter in-law, Otunba Olajide Adebanjo, celebrant, Mrs. Toyin Olaiya, daughter, Mr Gbenga Adebanjo, son, Mr. Dapo Olaiya son in-law, Mrs. Olubunmi Badejo, niece and Mr. Adedoyin Adebanjo, brother.

L- R: Mr Tony Ayenmonmen, Senior Strategy Manager, Nigeria Breweries Plc; Mr .Ehi Braimah, MD/ CEO, Neo Media 7 Marketing; and Mr. Obinna L-R: Mrs. Funke Onanuga, Mrs. Mopelola Anichi, Director, Brand & Marketing Communi- Sorungbe, Mrs. Foluso Gbade-Alabi and Mrs. cations, Airtel Nigeria.

Mojisola Amore.

L- R: Mr Mkpe Abang, Editor- in Chief IT & Telecoms, Mr Paul Bassey, Former Sport Editor, Champion Newspapers and Ms Aisha Falode, COO, Amacons Global Ent. Ltd.

NFVCB’s Patricia Bala receives Ugandan delegation THREE-MEMBER team of Ugandan officials spent last week in Abuja understudying the operations of the Board and the regulatory framework of Nigeria.

Ndidi weds Gaius

R-L:Oba (Engr)Sikiru Adedoyin Salisu, The Lamodi of Ijebu-Isiwo and Olori Adeshola Salisu, celebrant's sister.

Mr. Alika Gaius and former Miss Ekpechi Chinwendu Ndidiamaka were recently joined as man and wife

From left: Mr. Doherty Oloketuyi, Rev.[Dr] Bosun Ayinde and wife.

L-R: Patricia Bala, DG, National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, with members of Ugandan Censors Body

Mr. and Mrs. Alika Gaius

R-L:Mr. Boye Adebanjo (son), Mr. Gbenga Adebanjo (son), Mrs. Funmilayo Adebanjo (daughter in-law), and Mrs. Toyin Olaiya (daughter).

PAGE 48—SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

BY VINCENT UJUMADU, Awka & BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO, Lokoja

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N August 30, 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurat ed the first oil refinery at Aguleri –Otu in Anambra State, thus raising the hope that the state would soon join the elite club of oil – producing states. However, barely 24 hours after the epoch –making ceremony, some communities in Kogi State started laying claim to the oil wells serving the Orient Petroleum Refinery in Anambra.

Though Jonathan declared Anambra as an oil producing state the day he inaugurated the facility, the state is yet to be formally admitted as a member of oil –producing states.

While the situation hangs, a statement credited to Governor Idris Wada indicated that Kogi State would do everything humanly possible to reclaim the oil wells. The statement was followed by attacks in the area such that hundreds of people have lost their lives and property worth millions of naira destroyed as the border communities in Anambra and Kogi states battle for the land that bears the crude oil.

The latest attack was carried out on Monday during which four persons from Aguleri were reportedly killed and seven others seriously injured. Two persons were said to have died on the Kogi side. The injured ones on the side of Anambra were sent to a private hospital in Onitsha, but after visiting them in the hospital, Governor Willie Obiano directed that they be transferred to St. Charles Borromew Specialist Hospital, also in Onitsha, for adequate treatment. He promised that government would settle their medical bills.

When Sunday Vanguard visited the hospital, some of the injured victims were receiving blood transfusion following enormous loss of blood from bullet wounds during the attack. Their relations, including women and youths, besieged the hospital sobbing and cursing those who perpetrated the act.

One of the victims who managed to speak said: “We were working in our farms and some were fishing in their ponds when suddenly we saw a large number of people with guns running in our direction.

We thought they were soldiers guarding Orient Petroleum because of the sophisticated nature of their weapons, or the policemen manning the buffer zone created in the area which we had always avoided, even though the buffer zone is our land.

“The next thing we saw was that they started firing at us and we all started running.

Some fell down when they were hit by bullets and others continued to run even with bullet wounds. They captured many of our people and took them away and those ones are still missing.

“This is what we have been experiencing since Orient Petroleum Refinery was commissioned and what surprises us is that our people have been farming and fishing there for many years without

Killings in the name of oil z Kogi assailants launched surprise attack – Aguleri z‘Anambra people are the aggressors’

disturbance from our neighbours in Odeke and other communities in Ibaji local government area of Kogi State because they know that the land belongs to us.

“Since they started attacking us, we decided to be going to farm in groups and we usually flee anytime we got information that they were coming to attack us. This last attack was as if somebody informed them that we were in the farm because it started barely two hours after we arrived and

are beginning to believe that some of the security, agents are spying for Kogi people, which is very dangerous.”

Before Monday’s attack the peace committee set up by the warring communities of Aguleri on the Anambra side and Odeke/ Ochene on the Kogi side had been meeting on regular basis to resolve the crisis amicably. In fact, the last meeting was held between the communities last week at Idah in Kogi State and the people of Aguleri said they were hoping that peace was at long last

The latest attack was carried out on Monday during which four persons from Aguleri were reportedly killed and seven others seriously injured were busy working.

“Apart from chasing us with guns, they have been setting our farms ablaze and destroying our crops, but we have resisted the temptation to retaliate because that is what they want. Besides, there was no way we could have retaliated since we were not armed.”

A relation of one of the victims, who simply called himself Iveka, regretted that the latest incident took place in the presence of security operatives guarding the buffer zone created by the National Boundary Commission to forestall clashes between the warring communities.

He said: “Our people suspect that one of the mobile policemen guarding the buffer zone informed Kogi people that we were at the disputed area. We

returning to the area. But as their delegation was returning from the meeting, the clash took place.

Following the frequent clashes in the area, the National Boundary Commission had met with the deputy governors of the two states on many occasions for the purpose of finding a lasting solution to the border problem. Similar meetings chaired by the Director General of the National Boundary Commission with the deputy governors of the two states and the surveyor general of the federation were also held. But from all indications, the road to peace is still bumpy.

For instance, as efforts were being made to resolve the boundary dispute, some representatives of the two states took the battle to the

National Assembly. Recently, there was a shouting match at the National Assembly where a member of the House of Representatives from Anambra State, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife and her counterpart from Kogi State, Mr. Ismail Husain exchanged hot words over the controversial oil deposits in the area. The issue also created a hot debate at the National Conference between Dr, Dozie Ikedife from Anambra State and Dr. Ahmadu Ali from Kogi State when the issue of listing Anambra among the oil producing states came up.

Obiano, Wada, move to end clashes As part of efforts to end the incessant border skirmishes and ensure enduring peace in the area, the Anambra State Governor Obiano has reached out to his Kogi counterpart, Wada.

The governor said: “We are working out a comprehensive strategy and modalities to entrench lasting peace and check excesses of the miscreants. The attack has nothing to do with the oil producing area as some people claim, but an aggression by some misguided persons.”

While enjoining Aguleri people to remain calm and not to take the law into their hands as the two governments are already on top of the situation, the governor said Kogi State government has apologized for the attack and promised that such a thing would not repeat.

Counter claim Meanwhile, the Odeke and Ocheno communities in Ibaji local government area of Kogi State are calling on the Federal Government to save them from being killed by Anambra people due to the

boundary dispute emanating from the oil wells.

The residents said the call became imperative following the Monday clash which, according to them, left two persons dead from the Odeke community and others seriously injured.

One of the residents, Benjamin Adiku, who spoke with Sunday Vanguard, said the renewed hostility happened when the Aguleri people, armed with dangerous weapons, attacked their people in their farm settlement, killing two and injuring five others. He identified those killed as Ode Inoh and Alfred Ijoba while those injured were named as Ojone Edinor, Alfred Ijoba, Lawrence Ojoma, Endurance Ajode and Ojunugwa Oboiyi.

“Our people were only doing their legitimate work when Aguleri people stormed our farms and ordered them to move out of the area, saying the land belongs to them.

Before our people, who were not armed, could respond, they opened fire on them, thereby killing two and injuring five others who escaped with various degrees of injuries, “ he said.

“We are calling on the state and federal governments to prevail on the Anambra people so that peace can reign in the area. Government should stop them from attacking and killing our people. These oil wells in dispute belong to us.”Speaking on the incident, the chairman of Ibaji LGA, Mr. Dave Ogu, said there was no need to engage in blame game and sued for peace between both communities. He said making statement or attributing blames when lives had been lost was not good.

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Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

THE CHIBOK ABDUCTIONS

The thief in President Jonathan’s life

zAnd 100 Days of Infamy

BY JIDE AJANI

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone” – Bill Cosby You need to be close to President Goodluck Jonathan to understand him. But understanding a man is not the same as understanding his circumstance(s). For a man who permanently wears a demure demeanour, but occasionally bursts into laughter and manages a smile, Nigeria’s Number One Citizen is a bundle of ambivalence. This piece will show why an earlier report on this page C M Y K

( G O O D L U C K JONATHAN: A President in Need of Help – an encounter inside Aso Rock) ought to have been taken seriously by presidential handlers. And whereas it should be acknowledged upfront that there are those who neither wishes Jonathan nor Nigeria well, the selfsame President and his team would need to rediscover themselves so that Nigeria, under their watch, would not continue this shambolic run.

How the stage was set for a shameful act The President looked distant; yet, behind a veneer of statesmanlike mien, he tried vigourously to mask it.

This was as a result of what he had been put through in the last 36hours during the weekend of May 2 – May 4,

2014.

But before the ordeal, just some two weeks earlier, precisely April 14, 2014 and less than 24 hours after the deadly Nyanya bombing.

Jonathan decided to go and dance in Kano in the name of a rally while some innocent students of Government Girls Grammar School, Chibok, were being put through torture by members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad which, in English, means, “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad”, otherwise known as Boko Haram.

The President’s ordeal was compounded on Saturday, May 3, 2014, because, at a meeting between him, Governor Shettima of Borno State; CP Lawal Tanko, Police Commissioner in the state; Mrs. Asabe Kwambula, the school principal; Comrade Inuwa Kubo, Education Commissioner; and the DPO for Chibok, Hezekiah,

muddle was thrown in.

It was discovered by Sunday Vanguard that the four actors from Borno gave different versions of the incident of April 14.

Aso Rock insiders said this development created confusion.

“Even Mr. President could not believe what he was hearing from the principal, the education commissioner, the police commissioner and the DPO. Those at that briefing became confused too”, Sunday Vanguard was told.

And because procrastination is said to be the thief of time, that was where President Jonathan’s problem, which would turn into a national embarrassment, began.

It is procrastination, made worse by the element of doubt which Jonathan and his handlers allowed to get a better of them, that stole the first three weeks of the Chibok abduction from the Federal Government of Nigeria. That was why, for

three weeks, the Jonathan administration chose, rather strangely, not to believe that the girls were abducted.

Granted, any individual, present at the briefing by the team from Borno, would have been equally confused and angry.

However, a President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces ought to go a step further by setting a machinery in motion for intelligence gathering to verify the authenticity of the claim of abduction. Worse still this was a meeting held some two clear weeks after the girls had been stolen.

A similar instance, in what can be described as stoneage, compared to this day, an event that occurred in 1976, a time when there was no internet, no FaceBook, no Twitter, no Whattsapp and other jet age modes of communication, the tiny nation of Israel was confronted with a hostage situation.

Procrastination! The Israeli government, under Shimon Perez, did not allow that thief to creep into the administration and steal valuable time. But the case of the Chibok girls is a typical example of how President Jonathan allows that thief in his life to make a mess of his avowed good intentions – a President who means well must be seen to be doing well.

THE ENTEBBE EXAMPLE According to Wikipedia, the operation to rescue the

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Continued from page 38 hostages lasted just 90minutes. It is recorded that Operation Entebbe was a counter-terrorist hostagerescue mission carried out by commandos of the Israel Defense Forces, IDF, at Entebbe Airport, Uganda, on July 4, 1976. A week earlier, on June 27, an Air France plane, with 248 passengers, had been hijacked, by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the German Revolutionary Cells, and flown to Entebbe, the main airport of Uganda. The government on ground supported the hijackers and dictator Idi Amin Dada, a man who typifies what a buffoon looks like, personally welcomed the hijackers and their booty.

The hijackers separated the Israelis and Jews from the larger group and forced them into another room. That afternoon, 47 non-Israeli hostages were released. The next day, 101 more nonIsraeli hostages were allowed to leave on board an Air France aircraft. More than 100 Israeli and Jewish passengers, along with the non-Jewish pilot, Captain Bacos, remained as hostages and were threatened with death. The IDF acted on intelligence provided by the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad.

The hijackers threatened to kill the hostages if their prisoner-release demands were not met. This threat led to the planning of the rescue operation. These plans included preparation for armed resistance from Ugandan military troops.

The operation took place at night. Israeli transport planes carried 100 commandos over 2,500 miles (4,000 km) to Uganda for the rescue operation. The operation, which took a week of planning, lasted 90 minutes.

102 hostages were rescued.

Five Israeli commandos were wounded and one, the unit commander, Lt. Col Yonatan Netanyahu, was killed. All the hijackers, three hostages and 45 Ugandan soldiers were killed, and 30 (some say 11) Soviet-built MiG-17s and MiG21s of Uganda’s Air Force were destroyed. Kenyan sources supported Israel, and, in the aftermath of the operation, the beast Amin issued orders to retaliate and slaughter several hundred Kenyans present in Uganda.

But how did the Israelis do it?

In his book, Hijacking and Hostages: Government Responses to Terrorism, J. Paul de B. Taillon, an adjunct Professor at the Royal Military College of Canada, reveals the seriousness with which the Israeli government swung into action: “After much discussion, Perez approved the plan, pending the final approval of the cabinet. Meanwhile, planning was to continue unabated. “Perez agreed that Shomron was to command the operation and begin selecting the personnel and unit to

The thief in President Jonathan’s life *President Goodluck Jonathan execute the plan with a final exercise on the model of Entebbe to be conducted on Friday evening.

Shomron commenced assembling his forces soon after his briefing on July 1. The force consisted of some 200 troops from the 35th Airborne Brigade, the Golani Brigade an element of Sayarat Matkel, better known as the General Staff Intelligence Reconnaissance Unit. All were highly trained with an exceedingly high proportion being battle ready regulars.

The general staff plan, according to Herzog, required 1. A force to secure and illuminate the runway 2. A force to occupy the old terminal and release the hostages 3. A force to take control of the new terminal 4. A force to secure the airfield and destroy the Ugandan fighter aircraft 5. A force to evacuate the hostages from the terminal to the aircraft”.

CHIBOK 100 DAYS AFTER For those around President Jonathan, who are quick to arrogate so much sense of propriety and omniscience to themselves, they would readily make some observations about the difference between Entebbe and Chibok. They would say Entebbe was a known location with structures and, therefore, a model of the airport could be constructed and exercises carried out; unlike Sambisa Forest that is just a wide, very wide expanse of shrubs and tress!

They would also argue, as they have been wont to do, rather profanely, that there was no partisanship involved in the Israeli hostage situation unlike Nigeria where the main opposition political party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, may be sympathetic to Boko Haram – although the conduct of leaders of the party has been very disgraceful since the Chibok affair started.

Unfortunately, they would become tongue-tied to explain that whereas the Israeli government, led by Perez, swung into action and brought the matter to a close within just a week, it is yet unknown why Nigeria’s government chose not to believe that girls were abducted even after ten days.

There have been arguments for the need for unity; that Nigerians should rally behind President Jonathan. Yes! That is a good call. But you rally behind an individual who wants to and is seen as being on top of his game.

Unfortunately, some reckless Nigerians are already flying a theory that the attack on General Buhari was stagemanaged. It is this same set of people who propounded the earlier theory that there was no Chibok abduction thereby opening President Jonathan to ridicule in the comity of world leaders

Even when Boko Haram capitulated in a manner of conduct, that it was willing to swap prisoners for the girls, the FG missed the opportunity. This is because the people in the intelligence agencies know of ways where individuals could be rendered vegetative in a slow manner even after their release. So, why did the Federal Government not go for that option?

The excuse of knowing where the girls are but cannot just carry out an operation carries with it the suspicion of a do-nothing administration. If the government is thinking of collateral damage, there have been more than enough deaths in southern Borno alone since April 14, 2014, when the girls were abducted – more than 650 in three months. If it is thinking of human rights challenge that may be occasioned by a full-scale attack on the insurgents, these states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa are already under emergency rule and whatever can be done should be done to reverse the tide.

Worse still, it was members of this same administration who alerted the world, making a show of a possible visit by Jonathan to Chibok before finally calling it off for security reasons. Pray, does Barrack Obama announce to the world that he plans visiting his troops in hostile territories like Iraq and Afghanistan? Once the visit was cancelled, what was wrong for Jonathan to request that the parents of the abducted girls should come to Aso Rock? Rather than even allow those who raised the awareness regarding the abduction to continue their #BringBackOurGirls crusade, blackmail from the highest office of a mother in the land was brought in a la ‘Dia Ris God ooooo’. And to make more mockery, urchins and miscreants were allegedly hired by people around government to harass the ReleaseOurGirls group and disrupt the peaceful #BringBackOurGirls rallies.

And as if to further ridicule the nation, a presidential aide publicly declared that it

was because Malala Yusafzai requested our President to meet with parents of the girls that he met with them. In other words, it had to take a 17-year-old to tell the leader of a nation of some 170million people to do what is right and sensible?

It is now 100 days and more since the girls were abducted. Some claimed to have escaped en-route Sambisa forest while some claimed to have escaped from the camp of the terrorists.

The spectre of violence, just last week, extended to Kaduna and Kano.

Nigeria was miraculously saved from what would have been the commencement of a pogrom had the evil plot of those intent on destabilising the country worked. We are here talking about the narrow escape of General Muhammadu Buhari, last week, when a suicide bomber decided to make him a target.

Unfortunately, some reckless and grossly insensitive group of Nigerians are already flying a theory that the attack was stage-managed. It is this same set of sick people who also propounded the earlier theory that there was no Chibok abduction issue, thereby opening President Jonathan to ridicule in the comity of world leaders What manner of legacy does President Jonathan plan to leave behind?

Make no mistake, even he, as President, is not comfortable and nobody should make it appear as if he is. Some have argued that for as long as he is derided as being clueless, for so long would he take his time in doing whatever he wants to do. That may very well be true. The question that knocks the bottom off such reasoning is simple: So, who would be the butt of jokes, ridicule and scorn?

Therefore, rather than treat the nation like a Bantustan entity, good thinking should prevail. Therefore, as long as the President procrastinates on issues of grave national significance, so long would that thief continue to present a picture of a shambolic presidency!

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100 DAYS OF ANGER

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

NEARLY 10 centuries ago, the commercial city of Maidugri was ahead of other towns in the South of Sudan. Religion, commerce and greatness stood the town out. As trading with Arab Barbers flourished, religion was spread in arithmetic proportion. So remarkable was that era for Maduguri and its environs which made up the Bornu Empire, that the city was regarded as the centre of learning, commerce and inter-tribal harmony. But the glamour, fame and fortune of that period, are gone with the winds, making it difficult for anyone to hardly call Maduguri a town nowadays. Only the ruins of the city stand.A flashback on the event of the past hundred days since the abduction of over 200 school girls in Borno, provide a better picture of how Maiduguri became The City of Ruins. Bruce Springsteen’s song “My City of Ruins” was written to help promote the revitalisation of Asbury Park, New Jersey. It is a diary of infamy.

April 2014 April 14: Over 250 students of Government Secondary School, Chibok kidnapped Armed men in Nigerian military uniform stormed the school at night, telling the girls they would take them to safety. The students later realized the men were members of Boko Haram, terrorist group.

April 16: Military claim most girls freed Borno State announced a reward of $300,000 for information leading to the rescue of the school girls. President Goodluck Jonathan convened a National Security Council meeting in Abuja on the matter.

The Nigerian military also issued a statement claiming that the girls had been freed.

April 17:The military retracted their statement April 24: #BringBack Our Girls goes viral Parents of the missing girls and other Nigerians took to the social media, leading to global attention.

Ibrahim M. Abdullahi, a lawyer in Abuja, sent the first tweet using the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls.

April 30: “Million Women March” About 500 women marched to the National Assembly in Abuja where they delivered a letter, lamenting that the government was not doing enough to ensure the release of the girls.

MAY 2014 May 2: FG sets up a committee, as US offers help The President announced a fact-finding committee to help in the search of the girls, while the United States Secretary of State John Kerry announced that Washington will do everything possible to support the Nigeria May 5: Boko Haram claims responsibility In a video statement, Boko Haram leader acknowledged that his group was responsible for the abduction of the girls.

May 7: 300 people killed in a Boko Haram attack Boko Haram attacked Gamboru Ngala on the border with Cameroon. Over 300 people were killed in the attack.

French President François Hollande offered to assist Nigeria with a special team.

Britain also pledged to send a C M Y K

team of experts to Nigeria to help with the crisis. China’s Premier Li Keqiang, on a visit to Abuja, promised that his country will make any useful information acquired by its satellites and intelligence services available to Nigeria’s security agencies.

May 8: Malala joins Bring Back Our Girls campaign Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl who survived a shooting by Taliban insurgents, joins the #BringBackOurGirls campaign and says the world must not stay silent over the abduction.

May 12: Boko Haram asks for prisoner exchange In a new Boko Haram video, the leader of the group Abubakar Shekau showed the missing schoolgirls. The terrorist group agreed to release the schoolgirls in exchange for all imprisoned militants.

May 17: World leaders meet over Boko Haram in Paris United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary, William Hague, President Jonathan and President Hollande were among attendees of a summit in Paris on the growing threat of Boko Haram. Hague offered Nigeria assistance in the form of military advisers, but insisted that the country must take its security responsibility seriously in the face of ongoing attacks.

May 21: Nigeria’s Ambassador to the US replies Sen McCain Professor Ade Adefuye, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the US

responded to disparaging remarks made by Senator McCain at a meeting in Washington DC. He said the Nigerian government was doing everything possible to bring back the girls.

May 26:Army claims to know where the girls are The Chief of Defense Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh revealed that the military had located the whereabout of the girls.

He also added that the military could not use force in rescuing the girls, as it would endanger the girls.

May 27: Nigerian Army: we know where girls are The President was sent a new video of the schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in which they pleaded with him to spare their lives through a prisoner swap. FG denied having a deal with the sect.

May 29: FG offers amnesty to Boko Haram members The FG revealed plans to offer amnesty to Boko Haram once they lay down their arms. This was disclosed by the Minister of Youth Development, Boni Haruna, during a special event tagged: A day with Young Leaders of Nigeria, in Abuja.

JUNE 2014 June 7: Boko Haram abducts 20 Fulani women No few than 20 young mothers were abducted from a nomadic settlement near Chibok by suspected members of the group, according to local residents.

June 12: Neighbours agree to assist Nigeria Representatives from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin agreed in London to strengthen joint efforts to find the schoolgirls and defeat Boko Haram.

June 24: Boko Haram kills 30, abduct 68 women Local officials said that 30 people were killed, while 68 women and girls were abducted in fresh attacks. .

July 2014 July 7: FG Says it is close to rescuing Chibok girls The FG revealed on Monday, July 7, 2014 that the Army was nearer to finding the over 200 abducted school girls from Chibok by Boko Haram insurgents.

July 8: National Council of State promises “Good news” on Chibok girls The National Council of State promised to deliver “Some good news” very soon about the girls.

BokoHaram scholar tells FG: Release our officers, get Chibok girls A man who described himself as a teacher/scholar inside the Boko Haram camp spoke anonymously with the BBC World Radio Service, stating that only the release of imprisoned Boko Haram members by the Federal Government can bring about the freedom of the over 200 Chibok girls July 9: 30 girls escaped from Boko Haram camp

Reports revealed that 30 of the lgirls abducted by Boko Haram from Government Secondary School, Chibok had escaped.

Dr. Abati rubbishes claims of ‘do-nothing’ against Jonathan The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, criticized the misconception that his principal, President Goodluck Jonathan, has consciously adopted a “do-nothing” strategy with respect to the rescue of the girls July 11: Brown hopes Chibok girls gain freedom before 100th day in captivity United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education and onetime British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, called for the world to show support for the kidnapped schoolgirls of Chibok.

July 13: Shekau, mocks BringBackOurGirls campaign in new video Boko Haram issued a new video on Sunday, July 13, 2014, mocking the BringBackOurGirls social media campaign that highlighted the plight of the 223 schoolgirls kidnapped by the group.

Malala meets parents of Chibok girls Malala Yousafzai, who moved to Britain after being shot by the Pakistani Taliban, met with some parents of the missing girls on Sunday, July 13 and was also expected to hold private talks with Goodluck Jonathan, the Nigerian president.

July 15: Jonathan agrees to meet families of Chibok girls Jonathan agreed to meet the relatives of the hostages for the first time since the mass abduction, after being urged to do so by Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai.

July 16: Parents of abducted girls shun president Jonathan The families rejected the president’s invite, demanding that he meet with all the parents, not a select few.

July 18: Governor Kashim Shettima said that 176 teachers were killed and 900 schools destroyed in Borno since Boko Haram started attacking them in 2011, because they are centres of Western education July 22: First meeting between the president and the schoolgirls’ relatives

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Terror sponsors can’t hide for too long – Maku * Says Nigeria doesn’t have weak leader M

r. Labaran Maku sure knows his onion as the Jonathan administration’s chief spokesperson. The Information Minister passes as an encyclopaedia on the activities of the Federal Government. In a session in Lagos, Maku spoke on the insecurity challenge dogging the Federal Government and the achievements of the administration. Sunday Vanguard’s Jide Ajani was there. Excerpts:

May 29 was the third anniversary of the Jonathan administration. It seems there is not so much to talk about in view of the security situation in the country. What can you say has been achieved in spite of Chibok?

There is a correlation between the exposure of the development efforts received in the media and insecurity in the northern part of the country. What has happened in the last three years particularly is that terrorism has taken the front pages and the prime time news from development and social issues in the country and that is why, most of the time, I have continued to insist that the media should have a change of strategy. I would not say change of attitude because, with terrorism, once it takes hold, it takes quite a while for it to be dealt with and, because terrorists themselves are looking for opportunities to sell their ideology, to use the media to frighten society, to give themselves some invincible image, they keep doing those strikes mainly because they want headlines to be celebrated, they want society to be afraid, they want to divide society across public opinions. So I

believe the media should, side-by-side while reporting incidents of terror attacks unfortunately where they occur, must focus on development, on deepening our democracy; that is the only way we can defeat terror. The day we allow development to lose out in favour of terrorism, they have laid the foundation to defeat the democratic enterprise. They want to show that our democracy cannot endure so we must make sure we focus attention on development while reporting incidents of terror. Even in reporting, it is my belief that we give it too much exposure, too much outlandish headlines. Yes, if there is a strike and people are dead, you would not say the media should not report it, but when you look at some of the situations that we have had in recent times on weekly basis, the front page, the headlines, the lead stories are often all about terror. In fact, after the last blast in Abuja, I made the allusion to the fact that it appears that whenever there is any landmark achieved by this government, bombs must follow and I have been trying to make the connection. I give you an example, immediately we rebased our economy

They want to show that our democracy cannot endure, so we must make sure we focus attention on development while reporting incidents of terror and it was told that Nigeria now has the largest economy in Africa, there were bomb blasts at Chibok. Immediately they learned that we were going to host the World Economic Forum, there were blasts in Abuja and environs to make sure that Nigeria did not get the economic benefit of hosting the Forum, and to discourage the world from coming here and make the attacks the centre point of international and local media so that the exposure the Forum was supposed to give to the Nigerian

economy and investment opportunities would be lost. You will also notice that immediately after the Ekiti election (adjudged free and fair and won by the ruling PDP), bombs started raining again. So I can tell you that almost every milestone that has been recorded by this government is accompanied by bomb blasts, by terror attacks.

So why is this correlation between the attacks and development efforts?

The idea is to make sure that there is no development, the idea is to present government as doing nothing, the idea is to take away attention from the things that will develop the country to work, and to destroy the democratic process. Just imagine after 911, if Osama bin Laden did not get the exposure he got, most people in Asia and Africa may not have gotten to know much about him, but every time anything happened after 911, Osama bin Laden was always on the front page or on prime time international networks. If you look at the way Shekau and co dress today, they mimic what they see on CNN, BBC, SkyNews and Aljazeera. Everybody mimics bin Laden because, to them, he was an international icon, a role model for terrorists and all that was sold to the world by the media in the West. I think we must come together to agree on freedom of expression, freedom to media exposure. Are we under obligation, even though our profession said that everybody must be given the opportunity to express himself; does that opportunity include those who want to

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yet we could do more and we would do more but in terms of development, I think it is important that the media must help this nation to know that a lot of work is going on. I have not mentioned agriculture, health, aviation. Even if you are blind, you visit Nigerian airports today, you will know that work has been done in the last four years, you will be proud.

I have not spoken about the comprehensive management of the economy. You would notice that when the banks collapsed, the mortgage crisis took place in the United States and the banks and economies of several countries collapsed, Nigeria attained stability. Our Stock Market crashed in 2008, today it has been completely revived. The micro-economic management of the economy has improved and, today, there is a lot of confidence in the Nigerian economy in spite of the violence in the North-East.

Continued from page 53 destroy society, who want to sell very dangerous ideas for the destruction of society? The point of my intervention is that the distraction of terrorism aside, our democracy, in the last 15 years, has recorded landmarks, which I believe this country should begin to focus on and deepen and develop. This is the first time in our history that we have been able to run a democratic government for up to 15 years. The First Republic lasted for seven years, from 1960 to 1966; the Second Republic lasted four years, three months. The Third Republic was stillborn. This is the first time Nigeria has been able to run a democratic government for this period of time. What have we learnt from this experience?

What we have learnt from it is that power has been demystified.

If before those in power thought it was going to be permanent, today, after 15 years, you are seeing former governors on the street, you are seeing your former president who was so powerful on the street. Today he goes without siren, with one or two people escorting him, so he looks normal. Now, that demystification of power is making every Nigerian citizen to know that power is temporary. You may be elected today or appointed, what is now clear is that if you don’t do well; tomorrow, you are going to join the people. The idea that power is temporary has sunk in our public imagination. That’s a very big plus. Secondly, there has been stability in governance.

People go in, you know the entry point and you know the exit. If you look at development programmes from 1999 to now, take say Universal Basic Education across the country, because government has endured for this period of time, if you look at the reforms in public primary schools, under the military, for example, almost every year, you had interminable teachers’ strikes because nobody was paying them. I was caught up when I was a teacher in the Second Republic, six months no salaries.

From 1999 to now, there have been lots of reforms in primary education.

Competition between states Assuming democracy continues like this, let’s say for another 15 years, the implication is that our schools will return to what they were in the 60s and 70s. The quality will improve because a lot of money is also going to teacher training and then there will be competition between states, normalcy will return to primary education and secondary education. Once we get that done, the quality of tertiary education will improve.

The problem we have had in tertiary education is because of the raw materials that come from primary and secondary schools. Every nation knows that once you get primary and secondary education right, tertiary education is cheap. We had a lot of changes in our system mostly brought about by military rule. Now the stability

MAKU: Terror suspects can’t hide for too long we have seen in the educational system, even this year, if you look at WAEC and NECO performances, they have been improving significantly across the country. We used to have less than 30%, today, we have something in the region of almost 60% in terms of those who get five credits at a sitting in WAEC and NECO. That is a huge improvement.

If you look at tertiary education, go to any university today, what the Tertiary Education Trust Fund is doing in terms of provision of infrastructure is huge. I am just taking education as an example of where a lot of achievements have been made.

If you look at our roads today, we still have a lot of gaps in the sector. The {Lagos} International Airport Road has been given out. So the potholes will not endure for long. But if you look at the roads overall, let’s say the Benin-Ore Road that was almost abandoned, if you go there today, you will see a road you will be proud of. If you take Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, we are doing it now, all the funding is done for the three sections, with different reputable contractors. May be, in another two or three years, you are going to see a different road. In 2012, we delivered 32 roads in the country. The greatest story in the works and transport sector has been the revival of the railway. When President Jonathan came to power, no train was moving in Nigeria. The most important story here is that most of the cement and heavy duty equipment being transported between the South-West, NorthCentral and North-West is done now by the rail; even, sometimes, when you have

problems with our refineries, crude will go by rail.

We have dredged the River Niger from Warri through Onitsha, through Lokoja up to Baro. In addition to roads and railway, we are introducing inland river transportation in Nigeria for the first time and all these put together in the last four years are huge investment in the future of our country. In the power sector where I think in terms of the quantum of intervention, much more work has been done than may be most sectors of the economy.

10 power plants 10 power plants built in four years is a record. What we are doing now is to connect them

We used to have less than 30%, today, we have something in the region of almost 60% in terms of those who get five credits at a sitting in WAEC and NECO. That is a huge improvement

with gas and then hand over to the private sector to manage. If the next government does another 10 and other government does another 10 and we continue like that; the problem with power is the lack of stability in government because so long as governments are unstable, without predictable tenure, without long plan, you cannot develop a society and that’s the difference between the democracies of the West and us. They have long stretch of political stability, democratic processes and institutions stretched over a hundreds of years that’s why they are ahead of us.

When you hear Innoson manufacturing new vehicles, those vehicles are manufactured with government support. The Bank of Industry is the one supporting Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing at Nnewi, it is supporting Innoson Technical in Enugu where plastics of all dimensions and standards and qualities are manufactured for export and for the domestic market. The new Auto Policy is making it compulsory for big car manufacturing giants to set up plants in Nigeria. If they don’t, they are going to lose the market in the next couple of years. Today Nigeria has moved from the backwaters into the number one economy, receiving the highest level of investments. If we put all these together and you add to the telecom revolution in the last 12 years, then you see that Nigeria has made a lot of progress under our democracy and we are proud to say that, yes, we are not even where we should be,

When you talk about the issue of media reporting and seemingly celebrating violence occasioned by the activities of insurgents, the question to ask is, what is the counter narrative to ensure that this terrorism is put on the back burner?

Secondly, I am sure you agree about the perception that the Presidency is lethargic. How do you respond to that view because it’s very critical and, like you observed, people seem to even want to insult the Presidency and the President more than even the entire Federal Government of Nigeria. How do you think the media can handle that and, coming from your perspective, what issues do you need to relate to, to dampen that type of perception?

First of all, I have been at the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Defence temporarily; so I am in a position to know, to speak with some level of understanding about the nature of terrorism. I have, through the instrumentality of the Ministry of Information, tried to present terrorism, first of all, as a global phenomenon that has reached our borders and that it has exploited certain weaknesses within our polity-the weaknesses of political violence sometimes at the local level-where sometimes politicians think the best way to defeat their opponents is to establish youth groups, arm them and use them against their opponents.

Some of them outgrow their sponsors and become a societal problem. Every problem that you see that has developed at the national level started at the local level, it was not tackled by those responsible at that level until it becomes a national headache. I have also tried to explain to the media consistently that with terror, it’s not about the supposed threat, firepower of the military because terror is different from conventional war; terror is different from the wars that soldiers were trained to fight and, all over the world, the

Continues on page 55

SUND AY SUNDA

Continued from page 54 armies of every country are beginning to see that these guys are small in number but they are difficult to fish out because they are employing the tactics of urban and rural guerrilla warfare and ,whenever you have a guerrilla war, it is no longer the issue of the strength of the army.

The army capacity I know that our army has the capacity to destroy Boko Haram in 30 minutes, if they are to come out.

Whether we are in the media or politics and so on, we will come to a common understanding. For some time, that hasn’t happened, and that is why we saw a state governor making a proclamation that government is committing genocide in the North. When that kind of thing happens, what does he do? He divides public opinion and makes the terrorists look as if they have a legitimate cause to defend the North against the South. For a state governor to say that, normally it is impossible for anybody to say that when you are facing a collective war. Why did I say this? The Minister of Defence is from the North, the National Security Adviser is from the North, the Inspector General of Police is from the North.

It took us a long time to intervene in the North-East because people said it was not a military thing. At a point, they said the President should withdraw the troops. He said what is the alternative? There was no alternative. It is the partisan angle to this matter that has further created the opportunity for recruitment and the opportunity for local sympathy.

However, there are still politicians that do support them. I am not in the position to know whether they are helping them with resources or weapons but their comments give a lot of encouragement to them and I think that psychological encouragement to terror is as harmful as funding them. It gives them the confidence to endure. At a point, even in the military, there was confusion. Some will think that the terror will be away in the next one month. It gave the wrong impression.

You cannot give a deadline to terror because you don’t know where they are.

There is this perception, people just look at the President and say he is weak, he is not doing anything. It’s a perception issue. You are the person in charge of managing information, how do you feel when people say such things?

The President is not a weak leader but he is a democratic leader and he is the first democratic leader that we have had in my own sincere opinion since Shehu Shagari; the only one that came in between was Umaru Musa Yar ’ Adua.

He lived too short for us to know what character his

Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 55

‘Nigeria doesn’t have weak leader’ regime would have assumed.

Democratic via voting or personality?

Democratic in terms of orientation, in terms of perception, in terms of principle, in terms of due process, in terms of allowing national institutions to work rather than personalities to run across the table and beat their chest. We have been so much used to military rule that the psyche of the Nigerian is that a

any military ruler that has ruled this nation before, but that as a leader, his duty is to allow institutions to flourish after decades of destruction.

When you say a man is weak, look at the way he has run his diplomacy. If you look at the Nigerian diplomacy in the last four years, for the first time you will see that wherever Nigerians are under threat, they are taken home. When you say leader is weak, maybe you believe he runs away from problems.

individuals that have connections with terrorist organisations. In Nigeria, we have been battling Boko Haram insurgency for the past couple of years and we have not heard of any major sponsor of these groups being arrested, we have not heard of any big name. We have only been seeing foot soldiers. Is it that our intelligence gathering is poor? Is it that government does not have the will to go after the sponsors? Shekau is there, but somebody is providing the funds for all the arms and all that. Why is it that it has been difficult for government to actually go after the big fish? The second one is Chibok. It’s about 100 days now since these girls were kidnapped; we have been hearing comments from government that they know the location where these girls are kept. The latest one was that they are getting nearer to

*Maku leader must be on a horse back with a horse whip and, if possible, he steps down and whip people into line or get the WAI Brigade to line up people on the street and say this is what must be done. But this President is a civilian, he is a scholar, he is a calm person, he is deliberate. To me, no leader is perfect, every leader has weak points but what I see in this leader, in the personality and character of President Goodluck Jonathan is that of a man who is deliberate and knows what he is doing. He has his focus on changing the Nigerian economic story. Secondly, he knows that change will not come overnight, many people will not get used to it. He has the patience to suffer the attacks without ruffling feathers and that has helped him to remain focused while his opponents think he is weak. He is not weak; Jonathan is very strong and tough. Look at his democratic reforms, elections are getting better. Nigerians are coming to accept the principle of free election. The other point that makes the President to look weak in quote is that he is the first President to allow national institutions to work. Today, the National Assembly is far freer than it used to be. The Judiciary has also come of age. The President often jokes that if he were to exercise 60% of his powers as written in the Constitution, he would be far more dictatorial than

Today Nigeria has moved from the backwaters into the number one economy, receiving the highest level of investments He sets up too many committees.

Every government sets up committees to shed more light on problems, but, definitely, this President, from all the records, from what is going on, from what is falling in, is a strong but democratic leader.

To tackle terrorism, you must tackle the source of funding and we see this in other countries.

Let’s take US as example.

After 911, the Patriot Act came and they have used that Act to sanction banks, companies, shipping lines, and

rescuing them. When are we going to get these girls back?

Sponsors of terrorism-unless you put your finger right on it -if you just make a wild allegation, it can generate a lot of problems in the polity. We suspected there might be some big time support, but investigations continue until we put our finger and hold some people that we are sure of otherwise it can do a lot of damage to the system. But if you look at the funding process, Boko Haram used to organise robberies and they took a lot of money from the banks. Initially people did not know the connection between those bank robberies and Boko Haram.

Today, they take cattle from poor grazers, sell them and use them to buy weapons. What government would not want to do is to say, for political reasons, because you go and announce that A,B,C,D and, in the end, if you do not have watertight evidence, it is better not to accuse people.

But is government getting closer to that?

I don’t want to make a statement that gives the impression of that because what you want hear is, ‘government is getting closer to the funders of Boko Haram’. What we are saying is that investigations are going on. Sometimes you just stumble on a fact that you didn’t even prepare for it and it becomes an issue. But there is nothing hidden under the sun.

People can use all forms of

alibi and channels but they will be exposed. We need patience so that we do not rush and make conclusions that will create problem for the system because it’s terrible to accuse somebody on a weighty problem like this if you do not have 100% assurance that your evidence is true. On Chibok, there is nothing as so difficult for us as a government, as parents, as public officers. It’s one of the most traumatic experiences that we have had in this government.

I can tell you that a lot of contacts are made every day but we believe that those girls are not being kept in one place, we are sure they have separated into small groups and taken to unsuspecting areas. That is why when people talk about Sambisa, they may not even be there. We are doing everything in terms of surveillance. The second point is that because we are dealing with a wild, murderous group, you don’t want to put the lives of the girls at risk by just doing braggadocios. The most horrendous thing will be that these girls are killed. It will be so difficult to accept and explain to the public. We need to be extremely careful even when we have a lead to make sure that it leads to the girls’ safe rescue and not to their death after the trauma of several months.

One of the star projects of Jonathan is the National Conference. There are issues.

The delegates have come to a consensus on a number of issues but, out there, people think the conference is a jamboree because it was not meant to impact the polity.

What exactly would the conference have achieved by the time it winds up and a report is submitted. What does the Federal Government do with the outcome of the conference?

If you heard the President speak at the inauguration of the conference, the goals and objectives were clearly stated.

The conference is aimed at discussing those fundamental issues in the polity and proffering solutions, which most likely will end up in constitutional reforms. Let’s be patient and see.

We are all patient. I am asking because the undercurrent is that the conference is standing on nothing.

It is standing on the authority of the President who, as the elected leader of Nigeria, has one of the singular duties of setting agenda for the nation, initiating reforms. So the conference is standing on solid constitutional pedestal. In addition, after the conference is completed, it is expected that the report will go to the National Assembly for constitutional reforms to give Nigeria a more stable democratic enterprise. There are controversial issues such as will not be avoided in a conference of that nature but I think putting the controversy side-by-side with the positive things that have happened there, you will agree that it is well grounded.

PAGE 56—SUND AY 56—SUNDA

Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014 either. Up until 2012 they seemed to be weighing in on the side of the Boko Haram as a freedom fighting group and they fought tooth and nail to prevent the Foreign Terrorist Organization designation. In a nut shell Nigerians have to accept that salvation cannot come from abroad.

Instead of tearing down and disrespecting GEJ weneedtoencourage,strentghenandpressure him to action. GEJ as the father of the nation (a purely African construct) needs to sound a clarion to unite everyone across every known divide in Nigeria. If we do not use our unique African advantages to best the strength of the Boko Haram ideology we will eventually all perish together. We expect GEJ to offer all his political opponents the olive branch so that individuals like the Ogbeni governor of Osun and many other Nigerian assets can work together on the same table. Rauf Aregbesola in particular had been shouting himself hoarse on the danger that the unattended almajiris problem would eventually bring in to Nigeria.

BY LADI THOMPSON

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NWednesday,theabductedChibok schoolgirls marked 100 days in captivity, abuse and bondage. The subject is of grave concern, a serious issue and of paramount importance to Nigeria’s history. The issue of 100 days disappearance of Chibok girls must be approached with gravity, put in its proper place and given its proper weight.

First of all it must not be a platform for inconsiderate adventurism, political jobbery or insensitive mockery. The 100 days of our missing girls is the site of a national ebeenezer that could mark the turning point of our national fortunes. This is the platform on which we must allow the world to understand that the missing girls are representative of many others that have disappeared under similar circumstances in lesser numbers over the decades of Nigerian history.

The 100 days should be about concern for the missing girls, those who were kidnapped before them, those kidnapped after them, the grieving parents left behind, the parents that have died because of the shock, the relatives that have developedillnessesanddiseasesincluding psychological disorders and the ravaged communities that have been under siege since then. The 100 days should be a call to sobriety for a nation that has carried on with business as usual unaware of the terrible death toll that the terrorist attacks have exacted in the immediate regions affected.

In the assessment of the 100 days we must reflect on the subtle strategy by which a Nigeria has been dragged into a war form that is just being registered in the lexicon of modern military libraries of the war colleges across the globe. We should consider carefully the chameleonic nature of the devastating campaign that has not only terminated lives in hundreds of thousands over the years in Nigeria but has made life miserable for many citizens dwelling in the Northern regions of the nation by injecting gross abuses and injustices as acceptable norms in the system.

Looking back at the 100 days we need to caution the emerging protest groups both local and foreign backed to consider thier strategies well and take into consideration that they are not up against the standard textbook injustices that plagued European nations and the United States of America in the years gone by. As a nation we must be educated to know that the satanic device that has swallowed our girls for 100 days is not in the same boat as the problems that were solved by Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jnr and other heroes of the non-violence advocacy. While there is need for us to pressure our government to acknowledge the satanic war form that is threatening our national future it must not be done in way to deride or denigrate the Nigerian president, his government and the noble soldiers of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

The nation needs to be assured that the groups that have largely ignored the North Eastern war zones to concentrate their campaigns in Abuja are not violating the basic rules of nonviolent advocacy. One of the pillars of acceptable nonviolent campaigns for change is that the groups seek to defeat injustices and evil instead of people. This means that vindictive and personality targeted activities are definitely off key. Another key pillar that marks genuine nonviolence protest is the mindset of willingness of its campaigners to accept persecution without retaliating in order to convict the conscience of the oppressor. When all things are taken into consideration we might need to consider carefully that the standard nonviolence techniques were originally designed to resolve oppressive problems rooted in militarism, racism, poverty and colonialism. The real problem behind the Chibok attack is a different kettle of fish and cannot be resolved with a wrong medicine.

For the avoidance of doubt we need to affirm that the Boko a Haram by self definition are Islamist ideologues that are seeking to destroy the Nigerian state to eradicate women’s rights, the political vote and religious plurality. The global resurgence of Islamism is a documented fact and its mixture with an ancient strain in Nigeria is what produces the venomous hybrid known as the Boko Haram. By definition the Boko Haram is an unrelenting, fascistic, vicious and amoral “Socio-economic-judicial-militaristic-financialcultural-linguistic” hydra masked in a religious garb. In the year 1905 it masked itself in a Catholic disguise to waste lives and destroy much in a 200 year campaign but in Nigeria it had donned the disguise of Islam. This is why the 1st national lesson that must come out of the 100 day platform should be that “we cannot apply

W

Thompson...Boko haram is quietly gaining ground

100 days of captivity & the future of Nigeria medicine designed for headaches to a cancerous tumor”. I stand to be corrected but one of the Abuja activists that ventured into the Chibok area made an open confession that the reality on ground did not conform to the textbook pattern of revolution they had imagined.

I have nothing against creative protests to put pressure on the Federal Government but insist that such actions must not be counter productive.

The average Nigerian does not understand the global dimension of the boko haram menace and fewer Nigerians understand the reason why it is being reported as an insurrection in Nigeria but labelled differently in Europe and the USA by a section of the media. On the global scale this problem had proven itself to be a tough nut to crack and the major nations of the world are making a tactical withdrawal from Afghanistan and nobody would object if Nigeria is stupid enough to advertise itself as the new frontier for the global war against terror. The strategic inactivity of major nations in Sambisa forest might not be unconnected to this hope that is beingnursedbythosewhowishusevil.

T

he level of intelligence at which this war is being waged seems to be beyond the ability of the Nigerian mind! There are nations that would readily sponsor any group that will weaken the Nigerian Government and divide opinions in the nation. I dare say that the “Bringbackourgirls” campaign needs to reconsider its strategy because the Boko Haram intelligentsia may have encouraged Shekau to taunt them publicly in order to help their campaign. The next question would be “why would the Boko Haram be encouraging them?”

To answer that we would need to borrow a strategic terminology known as “the Useful Idiot” syndrome. Neither Daladier nor Chamberlain suspected that Adolf Hitler was planning a global war when they went to wine and dine with him in Berlin to sign a peace accord. These men of great stature are recorded in history as “Useful Idiots” because they were used by Hitler to weaken their nations while Nazi Germany was preparing to expand the war.

The 2nd lesson from the 100 days platform should be that the destiny of our kidnapped girls is a pointer to the future of Nigeria if we do not act on time. Creative campaigns have to be mounted to pressure the GEJ government to focus fully on recognizing the state of war that Nigeria is in currently. We need to evacuate all civilians from the war zone and concentrate on crushing the menace speedily. GEJ must be pressured into building bridges across all political divides and persuasions to forge an accord where the best of a Nigeria is focused on solving this problem. If the USA did not get some things right after the 9/11 affront their nation would have been overrun by now. The possibility of elections holding in 2015 is very slim and the political class needs to be

educated fast. Many foreign nations know that Nigeria has been asleep for too long and the peculiarity of this type of war is that its moles often work to weaken the state structure from within.

Without breaking stride we must encourage GEJ to create a new machinery that will systematically weed out all the moles and compromised persons in high places. The primary objective of the new machinery must be to remove the religious cover of the Boko Haram in such a way that the average Nigerian Muslim would be freed from needless pressure to join in the task of nation building. While the new machinery engages the intelligent operators behind the local Boko Haram and the global hydra we need to graduate from being a beggar nation to take our seat of dignity alongside other nations of the world.

On a 3rd count Nigerians have to look inwards and quit expecting salvation to come from our colonial lords or any other world power. Let us take for example the big stick of the last standing world power. While there is no doubt that the southern half of Nigeria worships the very ground that Americans tread upon we need to do a critical assessment as to whether the love is reciprocal. We must accept the fact that a large expanse of northern Nigeria worships the Arab culture with equal fervor. Instead of counting this as a disadvantage we must understand that we are uniquely positioned to make contributions to the global effort that even the US cannot make. A good study of the Boko Haram menace and its genre will teach any willing student that Osama bin Ladins engineering skills tweaked Islamism to take advantage of the celebrated gaps between state and religion that define modern democracies.That separation of state and religion is one of the reasons that American styled democracy has never taken root in African nations. As Africans we Nigerians too are a hyperreligious people and the globe has not seemed to notice that our cultural platforms allow us to glide over the religion and state borders with the ease of an ice skater across the rink. While no sane person would argue against the American model it would be difficult to name one single nation that has emulated it successfully.

In Nigeria we will have to accept our limitation in comparison to the USA despite the common experience of colonialism. American history teaches us that their democracy stands on a foundation that was paid for in full by principles of equality that cost many lives while Nigeria negotiated with colonial values and reached a compromise to buy an independence that was not really free. The American Declaration of Independence is its greatest asset and all attempts to spread democracy while ignoring its foundation is an exercise in futility. Watching from Nigeria we cannot but wonder what the US can offer us when Mexico standing next to their borders has not profited much from its influence directly. The mysterious dealings of the US state department in Nigeria has not helped matters

hen we consider that there will be no nation to govern if the Boko Haram succeeds this possibility will not sound so distant. Both religions of Islam and Christianity were berthed in the Middle East and Africans have no business killing one another over religious matters. We need to offer the globe the unique formula that exists in most African cultures that puts a pragmatic lid on religious hate crimes. In ancient Africa we were gulled by demonic deities into offering human sacrifices and blood was shed copiously. Africans know that signature too well and cannot permit a return to that form of darkness. We must call for a formal recognition of the declaration of war that Boko Haram has been waging and suspend all political activities for a season to focus on defending the integrity of our nation and restoration of value to human worth.

Nigeria should be the site were the global resurgence of Islamism will meet its Waterloo. We have the sophisticated sociocultural tools that can remove its religious cover to expose its satanic agenda. If our Nigerian political gladiators can bury their hatchets to work toward this noble goal Nigeria will reap a fresh beginning and set the pace for the restoration of dignity to African life. If we ignore the ominous signs in the horizon Nigeria will be taken by surprise and the curtains will be drawn on the hopes of West Africa’s giant.

It is pertinent to mention that the Boko Haram is quietly gaining grounds in the North East and our parents have been imploring our teams to rescue their children and evacuate them asan assurance that their family lines will continue to exist after their towns and villages are finally exterminated.

The fourth lesson of the 100 days is taken from the youthful composition of the abductees. This means that our youths can no longer sit by idly as the future is being destroyed. Youths must be mobilized in a creative way to pressure the nation into urgent action. This season of war would be a good time to effect the paradigm shift that will give Nigerian youths something to live for. The incumbent administration will either go down in history as the fresh beginning of great national revival or the painful end of a torturous experimentation in African statehood. There is much more at stake than we have been prepared to admit. A study on the use and effect of terror as a weapon in human society will reveal the level of trauma that already exists in the Nigerian society.

We must use the 100 day platform to erect a resistance flag against the spread of terror and panic in our citizenry.

The fifth and final lesson we can glean on the 100 day platform is that the Boko Haram will never be totally defeated until the monster of corruption is tackled in Nigeria. Ignoring all models that have not worked, the nation must come up with a partnership between government and the grassroots to engineer an Africanized sociocultural solution to the corruption monster.

By so doing we will also carpet the dubious foreign interests that wish to distract Nigeria from the true nature of the Bomo Haram. When we look inwards we will discover that these financial probity and moral modulation techniques already exist in our heritage. In conclusion we must remember that the brightest dawn is often preceded by the darkest hour. The wind is blowing hard and the shadows are growing longer but we must believe that our nation will not only survive this present danger but we will go on to thrive as the model nation of Africa when this is all over.

Bodies like the Gabawasa Women & Childrens Initiative should be encouraged because they have served in the North Eastern states for more than a decade sponsoring children and comforting victims irrespective of creed, tongue or religious persuasion. Applying love with skill and applying pressure with surgical precision we shall surely overcome.

Rev. Ladi Thompson, founder/Senior Pastor of Living Waters Unlimited Church, and the international coordinator of Macedonian Initiative, a non-government, non-denominational organization established to provide succour to Christians persecuted because of their belief in Jesus Christ.

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014,

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Fayose: Much Ado about‘stomach infrastructure’ VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

The reason Ekiti incumbent governor lost election

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eter Ayodele Fayose has arrived in our midst with the force of a rocket propelled grenade and to the endless exasperation of arm chair critics and modern day public commentators, a consistent majority of Ekiti voters continues to ignore their rebukes about the suitability of Fayose as governor-elect.

However bizarre his public pronouncements and however disgruntled some element outside the system are about his private life, Ekiti people still prefer the Fayose to anyone else on the political turf.

As strange as this preference seems to outsiders, there are several very salient reasons for Fayose’s ongoing hold on politics at home. In the interest of full disclosure, the Ekiti electorate have a long tradition of concealing their private lives and the choices they make from “outsiders” and as a result, people rarely know what they are voting for.

The June 21, 2014 election

VIEWPOINT

BY IGHO ESHALOMI

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Four pillars of consolidation for Delta

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hen Obaisi Ovie OmoAgege ventured into the political space he did so after much contemplation and proper articulation of a progressive vision which will work out an alternative route for development that the rest of Nigeria might want to follow.

Omo-Agege has become a household name in Delta State as he is also well known in national public discourse as a political Trojan. Omo-Agege is out for the race to Government House at Asaba come 2015. He has enunciated a vision of what he would do and where he would take Delta State to once he is voted into office as governor. A follower of Obaisi Omo-Agege would have by now

VIEWPOINT

BY STEVE USMAN

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

The life and times of a selfmade man

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a Daniel Aruna Akuh (a.k.a Teacher Ogijo or Baba Teacher) lived for about 103 years before departing this world to the great beyond on the 10th August 2013. He was buried on August 23, 2013. He was a pacesetter; foremost educationist; clan head and community leader; a rich custodian of Igala history, who abhored violence and confrontation even at the face of provocations. That was why he was a reference point to all.

Pa Akuh was a native of AgidiOjogobi in Ankpa LGA of Kogi

For all his apparent grandeur, Fayemi was never tipped by the major Ekiti stakeholders to win that election

,

an ideal candidate to present as governor. These are the two hot button issues that some analysts, with no idea of how knotty the Ekiti politics could be, threw up before the election.

After the election, self-serv-

ing critics of the entire process are still wallowing in the thought that there was indeed underhanded deals from voters to scuttle the ambition of Fayemi.

Critics, pundits and cynics have failed to ask the salient questions of what tilted the pendulum for Fayose and what pulled the carpet under the feet of Fayemi?What was Fayose’s magic wand?

For all his apparent grandeur, Fayemi was never tipped by the major Ekiti stakeholders to win that election. It is important to situate who these stakeholders are.

They are the artisans, market women, tailors, hairdressers, shoemakers, commercial motorcycle riders, commercial vehicle drivers, unemployed youth , petty traders, civil servants and pensioners. If the critics who are crying and blowing hot from their comfort zone had painstakingly engaged these people in tete-atete before the election, they would possibly have had a real grasp of the goings-on.

The crack, politicians in APC knew it was a sorry case. They knew Fayemi stood no chance against the behemoth that Fayose had become in the new political calculation. They

were also feeling the heat in their party. The issue of ”stomach or belly support programme” which the ruling party in the state had used to deride the Ekiti electorate surprisingly was what did them in. It would surprise not a few people that the campaign for “stomach infrastructure”begun right in the APC before the election.

Some of the governor ’s top aides had complained frantically that they had consistently avoided their constituency because their people had not felt their “impact”. If they are deriding Ekiti people today for kicking Fayemi out and voting for “stomach infrastructure”, it would be proper to also note that Fayose got ample supportfrom many APC members in the state. If a reality check is done, majority of the critics would realize that Fayose got a fulcrum of support from loyal party members of APC who were displeased and disenchanted with the way the party had become a personal fiefdom of a tiny clique in power .

They only struck when the iron was hot. That is why the Ekiti people would always remain calm in the face of provocation.

Omo-Agege’s New Politics been familiar with what he branded FOUR PILLARS OF CONSOLIDATION which, according to him, will make Delta State a development haven.

What is spectacular about OmoAgege’s FOUR PILLARS OF CONSOLIDATION is the pillar anchored on what he calls NEW POLITICS. After going through his idea of NEW POLITICS one is left with no conclusion other than to describe Obaisi as a visionary politician. What OmoAgege concretizes into NEW POLITICS constitutes the kernel of socio-economic and political engineering which has taken many societies to their dream destination.

In articulating the credo of NEW POLITICS, he makes the point that ‘’restoring faith in government will be a top

,

BY KOLAWOLE IGANDAN

was no exception. A lot of critics had come heavy on the Ekiti electorate, casting aspersion on the choice of Fayose over Dr. Kayode Fayemi as the governor of the State. Two issues they played up was that Fayemi’s performance was enough to earn him another term.

Secondly, that Fayose is not

,

VIEWPOINT

Omo -Agege also promises to deepen democracy in Delta State as part of the N E W POLITICS

,

priority of our administration.”

What then constitute the NEW POLITICS and how does Obaisi intend to make it work in Delta State? He promises to run an open, accountable and ethical government. Not many political leaders imbibe issues bordering on openness, accountability and ethics in our clime when it

comes to politics. But as an agent of change Omo-Agege has embraced these cardinal virtues headlong. He reckons and correctly so that these are the panacea to underdevelopment.

A government that is founded on openness, accountability and ethics will surely take society to heights unknown in developmental terms.

Omo-Agege also promises to deepen democracy in Delta State as part of the NEW POLITICS. This is where he is privileged in the scheme of things. He says ‘’we are determined to sustain the democratic principle that reasserts government of, by and for the people, to put government where it belongsin the hands of Deltans. Our purpose is to forge a new

While Fayose’s adversaries may disdain him and some of his bimbo eruptions, they should ask genuine questions on how he has guided the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to healthy wins in two elections.

The most important thing any student of history remembers about Fayose is the legion of people that were empowered during his three years tenure.

Local contractors were better for it; contractors were mandated to purchase their products from traders in the rural areas.

What was the multiplier effect?

Your guess is as good as mine!

Fayose is not just renowned for his showmanship; Ekiti also appreciate, his hardwork as a retail politician and electoral strategist.

His ability to hold a coalition together has paid off. This helps explain why, despite sustained campaign by a section of the public to expose his alleged vices, most Ekiti people have decided they don’t care and continue to give him the benefit of the doubt.

•Igandan is based in Igbara Odo Ekiti relationship between government and citizens so that we are collectively better prepared to respond to the challenges that lie ahead’’.

Inherent in Omo-Agege’s thought is a system which will be answerable to the people, a system that sees the people as the senior partner in government and that those in government are there at the behest of these people. OmoAgege has also factored other variables into this NEW POLITICS. These variables include a vibrant civil society, non-governmental organizations, religious bodies, the media, political parties, trade unions, professional bodies and more. These shall be encouraged to act as stabilizing factor and checks on government.

*Eshalomi, an economist, is resident in Benin-City.

Akuh, A Great Teacher State. He lost his father at the tender age of seven, following a snake bite and his mother three months later as a result of miscarriage, leaving him with an elder sister and only sibling called Ajuma. At this juncture the only choice left for them was to relocate to their grand-mother’s place at Okatikpe where she had to raise them.

As an orphan, he trudged and struggled painfully as a loneranger in search of survival- doing menial jobs. In the course of these he suffered terribly in the hands of many masters and mistresses in Ankpa, Anyigba and Idah.

Pa Akuh was, however, a child of destiny. He enrolled into the primary school at the age 27 at about 1940. Through personal

efforts, dint of hard work, endurance and determination he trained himself to qualify as a pupil teacher. In his teaching career spanning almost four decades he served meritoriously in all the schools were he was posted to and left behind his foot print. Pa Akuh was a teacher’s teacher. In so many ways than one, he touched very many lives.

Most of those that passed through him have taken their rightful positions in the scheme of things both at the State and Federal levels. Surely we will miss Baba.

One unique thing about Baba was that he got married to MRS MARY AMICHI AKUH (Mama Dora) when he was above 50 years of age but still the marriage was

blessed with 8 children. All the children are now graduates of various disciplines.

I personally came in contact with Baba when I was about 10. My father had brought me to stay with him when he was the Head master of LEA Primary School Akpacha so that I could be enrolled into the primary school. Growing up under parental tutelage of Pa Akuh was a wonderful and memorable experience because one will always have something to learn from him.

This is so because he was gentle, highly principled and a disciplinarian to the core, full of wisdom and grace. Above all, he was a very sincere and simple man who feared God. My life history will not be

complete without reference to his influence on me- it was from him that I learnt the rudiments of life.

He enrolled me into the primary school and thus laid the foundation for my education. It was also in his house that I took tea and bread for the first time. I could also remember vividly that my first farthest journey in a vehicle was when Baba took me along with him to Ankpa on a holiday. It was a life time experience.

Baba lived a fulfilled life. He parted with the things of this world, leaving behind a wife (Mrs Mary Amichi Akuh- Mama Dora) and eight children, among whom is Engr. Sam A. Akuh, their first child and also all of us whom his selfless services touched in diverse ways to mourn him.

PAGE 58, SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014

COMMONWEALTH GAMES:

Bolt’s parents wish Okagbare well

Sprinter offers doping hurdler support

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IGERIA’s sprint queen Blessing Okagbare begins her quest to win a Commonwealth Games double today in Glasgow Scotland. And she seem to have received the Blessings to make it happen from the parents of world record holder in the men’s sprints, Usain Bolt.

Bolt’s mum and dad had a chance social meeting with Okagbare in Glasgow and they wished her well with her career.

Okabgare who has a large following in Jamaica has been tipped to win the women 100m and 200m in the absence of her staunchest rival ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce. However, it will not be stroll in the park for Okagabre who holds the African women 100m record.

“What a blissful moment to start my day yesterday. I cannot be more honored to be recognized by these wonderful parents of a great athlete Usain Bolt... Such a blessing,” Okagbare posted on her social page.

Meanwhile Bolt has pledged to run in the relay heats and “entertain” the Commonwealth Games audiences.

S

Bolt Me Up... Mr and Mrs Bolt wishing Blessing Okagbare well in Glasgow 2014.

The six-time Olympic gold medal winner arrived on Saturday and took part in his first media conference. He ex-

plained, that injury had deprived him of competing in the Jamaican sprint trials and so he did not wish to now deprive a

Boxers wary of head injuries A T the Commonwealth Games boxers are coming to terms with the bouts without the head gears.Within minutes, Mathew Martin of Nauru had a large lump on his head from a punch.

Northern Ireland’s Michael Conlan, who won unanimously on points, had blood streaming down his face.

That’s what fighting without protective headgear can do.

In a decision last year, the International Boxing Association stopped the use of headgear in male bouts, citing medical experts who said it would help reduce concussions.

Benson Njangiru of Kenya, who won his bantamweight fight Friday, said going into the ring for the first time without headgear was “scary.”

“You have to be more worried about cuts,” said Njangiru, who won a sil-

ver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. “But the change affects both fighters the same way.”

His coach, Albert Matito,

said they’ve trained without headgear for about six weeks and it was “terrible at first, but now we are getting used to it.”

compatriot of a Games place, but that he had always wanted to take part in the Commonwealth Games - an event he has not graced due to injury in the past. He will stay in the athletes village with everyone else and had words of advice for Scottish athletes seeking to perform under the pressure of a home Games.

PRINTER Christian Malcolm has defended Rhys Williams, and says there is not a drugs problem in Welsh athletics. Williams is the second Wales athlete to be ruled out of the Commonwealth Games after an alleged drug violation, following Gareth Warburton’s exclusion.

Both 400m hurdler Williams, 30, and 800m runner Warburton, 31, deny they deliberately took banned substances.

Malcolm, who has known Williams since the age of 12, said: “I know Rhys wouldn’t have knowingly taken drugs.”

Matt Newman, chief executive of Welsh Athletics, said the positive tests were a major setback.

“It is without doubt the worst two weeks that I’ve been through in seven years in charge of athletics in Wales,” he said.

“We’re not taking this lightly. We’re reflecting on what this means not just for the athletics team, but for the whole of Team Wales, who have had a series of disappointing announcements over recent days.”

Williams, the son of former Wales and Lions rugby player JJ Williams, tested positive at the Glasgow Grand Prix on 11 July.

The 2012 European

champion has been banned from all competition by UK Anti-Doping pending a hearing and, like Warburton, will miss the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Matt Newman, chief executive of Welsh Athletics, is to launch his own investigation Williams, co-captain of Wales’ athletics team, said he was “utterly devastated” by his positive test.

Malcolm, 35, said: “He’s always been a big fan of athletics. He’s been a great ambassador for Welsh athletics in recent years.

“He’s had his difficulties, his ups and downs through injuries, and he’s fought back very well. So for him to have a blow like this in his career is just sad.

“Rhys is a proud guy.

He is always someone who’s been anti-drugs.”

Malcolm added Williams would be under intense public scrutiny.

“Fortunately for Rhys, he’s got good family, he’s got a good circle of people around him and hopefully they can give him the support he needs right now,” said Malcolm.

“I just hope, for his sake, they’ll be able to get to the bottom of this and find out what happened.”

Amalaha: My parents feared for me

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O M M O N W E A L T H Games gold medalist Chika Amalaha has revealed how her parents almost stopped her from participating in sports due to fear that she will be molested.

Amalaha, surprised event herself when clinch the gold in the women’s 53kg weightlifting category at the Commonwealth Games on Friday. Amalaha snatched a best of 85kg before managing 111kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 196kg,

to become the youngest Commonwealth weightlifter gold medallist.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” said Amalaha.

“I wasn’t coming here to go for gold, I just wanted to break my own record. I’m so happy that I’m going home with gold in my first Commonwealth Games.

“I started at the age of 12, but my family were strongly against me doing the sport at first. They kept me telling to stop doing it, but I persuaded them by getting a female coach.”

Our Golden Child... Sports Minister Tammy Danagogo (right) and former Nigerian Head of State Yakubu Gowan flank Nigeria’s first gold-medalist at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Chika Amalaha.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014, PAGE 59

Ideye must match Osaze’s Brom record — Coach

Onazi gets Real consolation

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S

EST Bromich Albion manager, Alan Irvine said that he expects the club’s record £10million signing, Brown Ideye to match the record of fellow Super Eagles attacker, Peter Osaze Odemwingie.

Osaze in the 2012 season practically saved Brom from relegation with his record 15 goals in a season. He scored 30 goals in 87 appearances.

Irvine is confident the move for Ideye will pay off, though, hoping the Nigerian will have a similar impact to that of international teammate Osaze who played a major part in securing the club’s status as a mid-table Premier League team.

“It would be fantastic if he could have the same impact as Peter Odemwingie did,” said Irvine.

“I don’t know much about Brown Ideye – I’ve not seen him live, but people we trust have done.

“It’s not necessarily something that is detrimental to me not to have seen him live, though ideally I would like to because that’s how I like to do my work.

“But we’ve done our research on him and what we have done is found decent players in the past in this way.”

Ideye could feature in his first Premier League game on August 16 when the season kicks off with West Brom set to play Sunderland at the Hawthorns.

The 25-year-old netted five league goals in 19 appearances last season having previously scored 44 league

Strike Force... Brown Ideye challenges Cote’d Ivoire’s Gervinho during a semi-final match at the 2013 Nations Cup in South Africa.

Warriors’ Ojoga joins Hearts of Oaks

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Abuja

A

FORMER member of national U-20, team Blessing Sundau Ojoga who plies his trade with the Abia Warriors FC, has been selected by the Accra Heart of Oaks to participate in the 2014/2015 pre-season trial.

Blessing who was recently with the club for a two-month trial is expected to join for the pre-season tour next week.

The former striker with the UNICEM Rovers told Vanguard Sports that the deal for him to join the Ghanaian team was brokered by his agent, Ted Hargaurd from Demark.

He told Sunday Vanguard Sports that out of the four Nigerian players that attended the trial, two of them were selected.

The Otukpo born left winger was sidelined by a serious injury that took him out of play while in

UNICEM in 2003 but has to bounce back after one year on the sideline before he was signed by the Abia Warriors.

He said, “I am very

Nigeria League committee preaches national unity, safe sex campaign through foot-

A

public service ini tiative in support of the Federal Government’s, UNAIDS, UNFPA, the National Sports

IAAF World Juniors: Oduduru rakes in silver for Nigeria

BY BEN EFE

N

IGERIA’s fast rising junior athlete Ejowvokoghene Divine Oduduru gave his country a reason to cheer when he ran a ‘windy’ 20.25 to win silver in men’s 200m event at the on-going IAAF World Junior Championships in Eugene Oregon, USA. He along side Edidiong Ofonime Odiong in the women 400m where the only Nigerian youngsters that reached the finals of the individual events.

They are expected to spear-head Nigeria’s quest for more medals in the relay events.

Oduduru, who because of stage fright missed a medal at the IAAF Youth

Championships in Ukraine, last year showed more determination in Eugene. But he was denied the gold by American Trentavis Friday.

Friday finished with 20.04 seconds to claim a substantial victory at Hayward Field. Oduduru took the silver medal by finishing in 20.25 seconds, While Jamaica’s Michael O’Hara won bronze with a time of 20.31 seconds.

Odiong was not so fast in the women 400m. She was 6th with a time of 54.06 way below her personal best of 53. 54 seconds a mark which wouldn’t have fetched a medal in the race won by US Kendal Baisden with 51.85 seconds. Gilda

•Oduduru Casanova was second with 52.59, Olivia Baker was third with 53.00 So far American sprinters, men and women, won seven of a possible 12 med-

happy to have been selected for the pre-season tour. Accra Hart of Oak is a great team and I will be very happy to play for such a great world class football club.”

PANISH giants Real Madrid have written to console Nigeria midfielder Ogenyi Onazi over his injury.

Onazi, 21, suffered a fractured ankle when he was stamped on by France midfielder Blaise Matuidi and would have taken no further part in the tournament even if Nigeria had advanced.

In a show of solidarity, Madrid have written to console the player.

“We have learned about your serious injury during the game you played against France.

On behalf of our president Florentino Perez and those who work for Real Madrid, we’d like to wish you a smooth and speedy recovery,” wrote Emilio Butragueno, on behalf of Madrid.

“As a former professional footballer, I know you are going through a difficult time but I’m utterly convinced that eventually, you’ll be back to full fitness to help your team achieve its goals next season.”

Onazi has since returned to light training and is expected to join the rest of the Lazio squad for pre-season.

als in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter events this week. Jamaica, conversely, won just one medal in the dashes, a bronze by Michael O’Hara in the 200.

Commission and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) partnership in the fight against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has been announced by the League Management Company (LMC) as the first in a series of Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) programs of the league body.

Chairman of the LMC, Hon. Nduka Irabor says the public service campaign will also preach unity, peace and the greatness of Nigeria as a country to strengthen the bond of brotherhood and support nation building which has been best demonstrated through football.

President Jonathan had on Monday, May 12 led other top government functionaries to endorse the campaign coordinated by the National Agency for Control of AIDS in partnership with UNAIDS, UNFPA, NSC and NFF. Announcing the launch of the public education

ball, Irabor said “it is the first in a series of our Corporate Social Responsibility projects which in this instance is primarily to support the Federal Government, the National Sports Commission and the Football Federation effort to fight the scourge of HIV/AIDS and which additionally emphasizes the importance of a united and peaceful Nigeria using football as the vehicle”.

He explained that messages on HIV/AIDS campaign and social cohesion will be communicated at League venues, league websites and television broadcast of league matches.

“The LMC will deploy all available communication channels for this campaign and this will include using platforms such as perimeter board signage at league venues, the league social media channels such as the website, twitter and facebook accounts and also through match broadcasts on television.

PAGE 60—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JULY 27, 2014

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014 — PAGE 61

PAGE 62 — SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

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SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014 — PAGE 63

SUNDAY Vanguard, JULY 27, 2014

Eaglets pip DR Congo U-17

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IGERIA Golden Eaglets collected all the honours yesterday when they beat hosts DR Congo 1-0 in the African U17 Championship second round qualifier in Kinshasa. Victor Osimhen smashed in the only goal of the match in the 13th minute.

The return leg will be played

in Calabar in a fortnight with the winners clashing with the overall winners of the game between Ethiopia and Gabon.

The first leg between Ethiopia and Gabon finished goalless in Ethiopia.

The 2015 African Junior Championship will be staged in Niger in February.

SA disappoints Keshi, appoints ‘Shakes’ Mashaba S

OUTH Africa Football Association, yesterday named local coach Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba as new manager of the Bafana Bafana, thus ending all speculations concerning coach Stephen Keshi.

In the middle of the 2014 World Cup campaign, Keshi had sounded a warning that he could be heading for South Africa if the Nigeria Football Federation failed to offer him an improved contract.

Mashaba who is making a second coming to the job is presently in charge of the under-20 team.

He said that he was honoured and humbled to have been appointed head coach of Bafana Bafana for a second time in his career.

“My first work would be to thank Mr Jordaan as well as the entire national executive. Words fail me. I’m sure I won’t disappoint,” Mashaba said.

“I will pull out all the stops to make sure that our people become part and parcel of our national team. The only way to do that is by bringing results.”

Mashaba did not attend the announcement because he was with the South African men’s under-20 team on a tour of West Africa, but he was contacted by Safa chief executive Dennis Mumble seconds after the announcement.

Mashaba spoke to the media from Mali by way of Mumble’s loud-speaker on his mobile phone.

Mashaba, 63, replaces outgoing boss Gordon Igesund, whose contract, which runs until the end of August, has not been renewed.

Jordaan explained that the national executive committee (NEC), who was tasked with making the final decision regarding the national coach, made a unanimous decision to appoint the highly-rated local coach.

“Everyone spoke in support of the national executive,” Jordaan said.

“We eventually had a list of 16 people who indicated their interest in taking this job. Ultimately that list was submitted to our technical team.

“We asked them to reduce the list to a short-list of names to be placed before the NEC, for the NEC to take a final decision. They placed before the NEC two names... that of Carlos Queiroz and Shakes Mashaba.

•Twists and Turns... Nigerian striker Emmanuel Emenike tangle with Iran’s defender during their group match at the 2014 World Cup, it ended goalless.

Maigairi wishes NFF well

BY BEN EFE

I

MPEACHED president of the Nigeria Football Federation Aminu Maigari has resigned to fate and has gone into hibernation. Maigari, indicated yesterday that he has peace of mind after a tumultuous post Brazil 2014 World Cup had him battling against the wind.

He refused to be drawn into any conversation about his ordeal, but managed to say that he wished those currently running the show at the NFF well.

“I don’t have anything to say about the impeachment. I can

•Maigari

only wish Nigeria football well,” said Maigari.

He also declined comments on his fellow travelers like Chris Green and Emeka Inyama who pushed him off the cliff during the executive committee meeting that sacked him last Thursday.

“No no please don’t trick me into saying something. I have

nothing to say for now,” Maigari responded with a flush of laughter when asked if he felt let down by his backers during his days at the NFF. Maigari was impeached by eight votes to five of the 13-man Executive Committee as members reconvened to review Nigeria’s participation at the just con-

cluded World Cup in Brazil.

“After thorough and exhaustive deliberations on the uncalled-for secrecy surrounding all financial dealings of the Federation and failure to call meeting of the Executive Committee for the past eight months, during which so many weighty decisions on Nigeria football had been taken by a small cabal within the Board, the Executive Committee passed a vote of no confidence on the NFF President, Aminu Maigari.”

CROSS WORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1.Taraba capital (7) 4.Exchanges (5) 6.Crest (5) 7.Speared (7) 9.Fashion (5) 10.Weird (5) 11.Donor (5) 13.Domain (5) 17.Crestfallen (3) 19.Face (8) 20.Pianos (6) 21.Much (6) 23.Stayed (8) 24.Frozen water (3) 25.Snake (5) 27.Own up (5) 30. Arise (5) 31. Evade (5) 32. Dotted (7) 34. Lariat (5) 35. Moves like a horse (5) 36.Sowed (7)

DOWN 1. Incarcerates (5) 2. Nothing (3) 3. Command (5) 4. Cue (5) 5. Vapour (5) 8. Dog (3) 12. Nigerian state (6) 14. Ovum (3) 15. Connected (6) 16. Cooked (6) 17. Glare (5) 18. Ill-fated (6) 22. Maiden name (3) 25. Revise accounts (5) 26. Staggers (5) 27. Old fable writer (5) 28. Child (3) 29. Gave in (5) 33. Benin chieftain (3)

See solution on page 5

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