Budget padding: Fire spitting Buhari unleashes detectives on suspects

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SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 3

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FINAL BURIAL CEREMONY OF THE FATHER OF CPS TO GOV AMBODE The final burial ceremony of the late Chief Adamson Aruna, father of the Chief Press Secretary to Lagos Governor, Mr. Habib Aruna, was held at Trans-Amusement Park, Old Airport Road, Samonda, U.I Road, Ibadan, penultimate Saturday.

L-R: Senator Adesoji Akanbi of Oyo South Senatorial District; Senator Olamilekan Solomon of Lagos West Senatorial District; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; wife of the Chief Press Secretary to Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Felicia Aruna; her husband & son of the late Chief Adamson Aruna, Mr. Habib Aruna and a former Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji.

R-L: Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State, Office of Overseas & Investment, Prof. Ademola Abass; Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde and Mr. Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, Chairman, LIRS.

R-L: National President, Nigeria Union Of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Waheed Odusile; Mr. Habib Aruna; Chairman, NUJ, Lagos State Chapter, Mr. Deji Elumoye and Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu R-L: Mr. Habib Aruna; Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Mrs. Felicia Aruna

R-L: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; General Manager, Eko FM/Radio Lagos, Mrs. Funke Moore; Senator Olamilekan Solomon and Senator Adesoji Akanbi.

R-L: Chairman, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Mr. Olufolarin Ogunsanwo; Mr. Habib Aruna; his wife, Felicia; Soni Irabor and Alhaji Lance Ilakama.

L-R: Adughe Stephanie; daughter of late Chief Adamson Aruna, Aisha Adamson and friends

Bishop lauds ex-Auchi Poly Pipeline vandalisation: Riverine rector security outfit recruits OPC he Catholic Bish ed a strong testimony to members op of Auchi Dio the fact that gender

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From left: Community Engagement Officer Inclusive Women Organization, Yewande Ajayi; Nollywood actress, Rachael Oniga;Executive Director of Referral Team Nigeria, Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi Omotola; a member of the organization and singer/actress, Dayo Amusa; at the Inclusive Women International Lagos Conference ,held at Berkeley Hotel, GRA, Ikeja

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cese, Bishop Dunia Gabriel, says the performance of the immediate past rector of Auchi Polytechnic, Dr. (Mrs.) Philipa Idogho, is outstanding.

According to Dunia, who presided over the thanksgiving mass service held in Idogbo’s honour at St. . Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Ivioghe, in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, said the former rector ’s achievements represent-

should not be seen as a barrier to excellence.

“She is a pride to womanhood, Christendom and the academic community and an epitome of excellence”, he said.

Also speaking, Mr. Haruna Idris, President, Afemai Club 2000, said Afemai and the rest of the country were in a celebrating mood because Idogbo succeeded in transforming Auchi Polytechnic into one of the most sought after tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

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riverine security outfit,Coast Guard of the Federation, has embarked on recruitment of members of the O’odua Peoples Congress, OPC, as one of the strict measures to check crime in the coastal region.

Some of the leaders of OPC during the recruitment exercise are: Asore Nurudeen, Mufutau Adejumo (Osun State), Prince Adeleke Ajala, Babatunde Ogunrinola (Oyo State) Akeem Jimoh, James Ajekogun (Lagos State), Hammed Adeniyi, Femi Olusola ( Ogun State), Fa-

biyi Adebanjo, Kehinde Ishola (Kwara State) and Rasheed Bello, Sola Ojo from (Ekiti State), among other OPC representatives.

Speaking to newsmen, the Commandant General of the Riverine Security (Coast Guard of the Federation), Commander Bibi Oduku, said after a meeting with some of the OPC leaders from South-West, they all agreed that the recruitment of OPC members to work with the Joint Task Force, JTF and other security agencies will help check crime in the region.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016 — PAGE 5

•The solemnization of the holy matrimony between former Miss Motunrayo Abosede Adebayo, daughter of Mr and Mrs Lasisi Adebayo, and Mr Omagbitse Victor Pemu, son of Mr and Mrs Solomon Pemu, took place at the Living Faith Church, Idi Ishin, Ibadan, yesterday. The new couple savour the joy of the day. Photo by Dare Fasube

•Former Miss Oluwatosin Olabode and Mr Eberechuckwu Ebere, son of Mr and Mrs Chuka Ebere, were joined in holy wed-lock at the Divine Grace Event Centre, Ibadan, yesterday. Mr and Mrs Eberechukwu Ebere during the ceremony. Photo by Dare Fasube

BUDGET PADDING: Fire-spitting Buhari unleashes detectives on suspects •‘I cannot single-handedly fight corruption’ •Saraki, Dogara reject N10bn official quarters

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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EAR has gripped top officials of the Budget Department of the National Planning Ministry as President Muhammadu Buhari returns to the country this week after spitting fire abroad over alleged padding of the 2016 Budget.

This came to light on a day the President pointed out that all Nigerians must join him to prosecute the on-going war against corruption as he could not fight it alone.

It was also learnt, at the weekend, that Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt.. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, have rejected the N10billion voted in the 2016 budget for the building of new official quarters for them, opting for a cut in the vote.

Angry Buhari

Presidency sources confirmed to Sunday Vanguard that Buhari was very angry over the alleged doctoring of the budget by some bad eggs in the ministry, thereby trying to stifle his administration’s efforts to reflate the

economy.

In the meantime, it was learnt that the President has ordered detectives to fish out those who orchestrated the padding of the budget for immediate punishment on his return to Abuja.

Based on the directive, according to the sources, plain clothes detectives had since swooped on the Department of Budget and some ministries, departments and agencies to fish out those implicated in the budget imbroglio.

The sources claimed that more heads may roll over the addition of figures to the original budget proposals, presented by Buhari to the National Assembly, by officials believed to be opposed to the zero-based budget system adopted by the President to cut costs and boost capital expenditure to 30 percent.

Those who altered the budget were said to have opted for the “envelope system”, which arbitrarily allocates a fixed but unrealistic sum to each unit, sometimes higher or lower than what is actually required.

The detectives were said to have been scanning the initial documents used for

the 2016 Budget and comparing them with the “padded budget documents”, which caused a spat between the Presidency and the National Assembly.

A source in one of the ministries, where the detectives were sighted, pointed out that the men had been examining documents for two days running.

“For two days, the detectives have been working in the Budget Department but we do not really know what exactly they picked out”, a top official in the Planning Ministry said.

“But the detectives did not molest any of the staff of the ministry. They went straight to look at the records and began to input data into their own computers”.

Already, Buhari has fired the Director of Budget and appointed a new one while moving the Budget Department from the Finance Ministry to National Planning.

Some of the Budget Department officials, who were moved to other MDAs, were also being questioned by the detectives.

Last week, in far away Saudi Arabia, Buhari exploded, while addressing the Nige-

I cannot singlehandedly fight corruption alone — Buhari

In a related development, Buhari, yesterday, said he could not single-handedly fight-corruption, pointing out that it is a collective responsibility of Nigerians.

Speaking at the 25th convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, the President said he did not have the magic wand to effect the change he is championing alone, adding that youths are the greatest resource and pillar of the nation, and that, with them, all hope is not lost yet.

“As you all know, our administration came to power on the promise of change.

Changing our society from the path of corruption in high and low places is a task that we all must be committed to. It is not a magic wand that a single leader alone can use. We all have to believe in it and we have to work for it and inculcating the virtues of honour integrity and dis-

cipline are essentially the duty of the family and educational institutions,”he said.

“Nigeria still has hope and promise because our youths -vibrant, energetic and creative citizens - are the greatest resource and pillar of this country.

“Today may be rough and tough but tomorrow will be better. I have hope because I see in our youths inventors, problem solvers and leaders that will one day make Nigeria greater than my government will make it.”

The President, represented by the Director of Science and Technology in the Federal Ministry of Education, Sandy Gandy Chega, stated that changing the country from the path of corruption in high and low places is a task that all Nigerians must be committed to.

Buhari then called for value re-orientation of higher education, stressing the need to improve the standards of education in the country.

“We need value re-orientation as far as the pursuit of higher education is concerned. Our education would be meaningless if it does not advance the cause of humanity. We want to build a Nigeria where citizens with competencies would be proud of themselves and their country can attain heights because of

what they know and can deliver.”

Saraki, Dogara reject N10bn official quarters

Last night, it was learnt that Senate President Saraki and Speaker Dogara, may have rejected the N10bn included in the 2016 budget proposals of the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the building of their official quarters.

Saraki and Dogara, according to National Assembly sources, last week, agreed that the cost of the buildings should be reduced to one billion Naira each, to save the country N8billion. They were said to have informed the chairmen of the Committees on FCT in both chambers to reflect the decision in their report to the Committees on Appropriation.

The Senate President and Speaker said in view of the economic situation in the country and the need for public officials to be frugal, building houses worth N6bn and N4bn respectively for them was insensitive.

The two top legislators said the FCT ministry should scale down the cost of the projects or forget the idea until after their tenure.

The Senate President was living in his personal house in Maitama area of Abuja until a fire incident last year forced him to relocate to an official guest house while Dogara stays in rented apartment.

How to restructure Nigeria —Anyaoku

By Chidi Nkwopara,

Owerri former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku has called for the restructuring of the country into a true federalism with the existing six geo-political zones becoming the federating units Anyaoku made the call yesterday in Owerri, during a reception for the National Assembly principal officers and Federal Executive Council members from the South-East and South-South.

He criticised the present structure of federalism “where virtually all the component states are not self-sustaining, are dependent on hand-outs

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rian community, and vowed to severely punish those who cooked the budget to embarrass his government.

The budget row between the Presidency and the NASS has, however, been thawed, raising hope it could be passed as early as next month.

from the Federal Government and are unable to pay the salaries of their civil servants and the agreed minimum wage of N18,000”.

The retired diplomat, therefore, said that achieving cooperation in planning and pursuit of economic development in the South-East and South-South will lead to the zones’ economic viability and self-sustenance, thus becoming less dependent on the Federal Government.

“It is dependence on the Federal Government and the fierce struggle between it’s diverse groups to capture power at the centre in order to control the national resources, that have been responsible for this country ’s present

instability and the emergence of centrifugal forces within it”, Anyaoku said.

He explained that if, with the help of South-East, SouthSouth Professionals of Nigeria, SESSPN, the two zones succeed through pursuing cooperation in planning and development to achieve less dependence on the Federal Government, they will set an example that will motivate the other four geopolitical zones to follow suit.

“I believe that our country cannot wait much longer to reclaim the halcyon days of the First Republic, when it witnessed faster national development trough a substantial viability and selfsustaining economic activities

in the existing four regions at the time”, the former Commonwealth scribe said.

In his welcome address earlier, the SESSPN President, Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju, explained that the event was “not only to reacquaint ourselveswiththisdevelopment agenda but to also appreciate the value of cooperation, mutual understanding and common goblin delivering values to our people”. UgwuOju went on: “We may have arrived at our various positions in government through the route of different political affiliations but it is very clear that the purpose of the positions held is to deliver values to the people on whose behalf we hold this trust”.

PAGE 6 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

NOTWITHSTANDING DEATH SENTENCE...

Life goes on in Rev King’s church •He remains our spiritual father — Members

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4 hours after the Supreme Court upheld death sentence on Rev Chukwue- meka Ezeugo, a.k.a. Rev King, members of his Christian Pray- ing Assembly (CPA) in Ajao Estate, Lagos, yesterday, were making preparations to celebrate the convicted pastor ’s birthday today in their service.

Choir practice was ongoing while our correspondent visited. Members were indifferent about the judgement of the Supreme Court which ordered their bearded founder to be executed by hanging for murder.

During a visit to the church, it was observed that the Anambra Stateborn pastor still com-

mands respect and loyalty from his church members as normal activities went on. Majority of the men wore beard and had clean-shaven heads just like their founder.

Some of the members were seen in groups chatting in subdued tones and carried on as if nothing had happened to the founder of the church while choir members were having their usual Saturday preparatory practice inside the church hall.

One of the men, who volunteered information outside the church premises, was stopped as a hunky youth interjected, asking the reporter to call one Pastor Ifeanyi who

was in a better position to speak on behalf of the church leadership. “If you have an appointment with any man of God here, call him instead of staying here or you come back to see him, just go now,” he said angrily.

Some of the church members also refused to make comments on the Supreme Court judgement but they maintained that the church was making progress despite what they perceived as many trials of faith, adding that such trials will take the church to its next glory. According to some members, worshippers did not miss any of the church’s weekly services “ where signs and wonders abound”.

•Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State; his wife, Rachel; and Director of Protocol, Austine Udude, at a civic reception for the governor by the Old Afikpo Union at the Government College, Afikpo, yesterday.

‘Allowing only NNPC to import fuel will create monopoly’

By Ben Agande, Abuja

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HE National Opera tions Controller of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mr. Mike Osatuyi, has asked the Federal Government to discontinue the policy of allowing only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to import fuel, saying by doing so, government would be encouraging a monopoly in the system.

In an interview in Abuja, Osatuyi said allowing only the NNPC to import the

products would breed corruption and reverse the 30year gains in the sector.

“The decision of government to give NNPC 80 to 90 % window the right to import or license to import, will create a monopoly and breed corruption and that also has the potential of reversing the fortunes of the industry by 30 years from where we are coming from.

So, government should make this officially open to all players. There is no way the NNPC can supply all the market needs, because they don’t have the structures”, he said.

Economic Summit must save Nigeria from collapse — Senator Shehu Sani

By Henry Umoru

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HEAD of the convoca tion of a National Economic Summit by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Debt, Senator Shehu Sani, APC, Kaduna Central, has asked the Federal Government to abolish the 36 states structure and come out with six states in line with the geopolitical zones while Abuja remains the nation’s capital.

Sani, who also urged Buhari to abolish the bicameral National Assembly, comprising the Senate and House of Representatives, said it had become imperative for Nigeria to take this step because of the economic burden and duplications as well as multiplicity of responsibilities associated with bicameral legislature, adding that what Nigeria needs at the moment and which it can afford was one parliament.

“The proposed Economic Conference must seek to free the economy from pressure, just as he called for constitutional amendments to reduce the number of ministers and ministries”, he stated.

In a statement, yesterday, the senator said, “The proposed C M Y K

Economic Conference must seek to free our economy from the pressure and weight of our economic burdens. We should abolish the 36 states structure and come out with six states in line with the geo-political zones with Abuja remaining the capital. We should abolish the bicameral National Assembly with its economic burden and duplications and multiplicity of responsibilities. Nigeria need and can only afford one Parliament. We must make the necessary constitutional amendments which will reduce the number of ministers and ministries.”

He urged the President not to use the conference as a way of searching for scapegoats, saying it must be used to solve Nigeria’s economic challenges and not for partisan sloganeering or talk shop.

Sani said, “The proposed Economic Conference must not be a talk-shop for praise singing,partisan sloganeering,ideological stereotyping or platform for finding scapegoats or dedicated pad for missile launching.

The conference must seek to practically address and proffer pragmatic solutions to rescuing our country from its prevalent status of economic paralysis”.

He said rather than allow only the NNPC to import fuel, government as a regulator should put in place systems that would deal with those who want to subvert the system.

•Students of University of Azikiwe Secondary School, the second runners-up in the Inter University Secondary School Debate, receiving the award presented by the VC, Nassarawa State University, Prof. Muhammad Akaro, last week.

TOMPOLO: Don’t create more deadly militants, activist tells Buhari

By Emma Amaize

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NIGER-DELTA youth leader and activist, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to be careful in handling the ‘thorny ’ issues against former `General Officer C o m m a n d i n g ’ , Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, to avoid giving room for the emergence of more dangerous militants in the region.

Mulade, in a statement, yesterday, disclosed that the alleged ‘persecution’ of the former MEND leader was generating illfeeelings and provocation,

warning that the factor that stoke up militancy in the region was gradually resurfacing under his administration.

He said they are many loyalists of the former warlord in the region were ready to resort to violence

and destroy oil facilities as being witnessed now because of the issue he is having with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

His words: ‘’Government should not

Environmental sanitation, server failure mar JAMB

By Dayo Adesulu

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HE 2016.Unified Ter tiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) that commenced in over 500 centres nationwide, yesterday, was delayed for about an hour while failing server marred the examination.

The examination that was scheduled to start at 11am did not commence

in many centres until about noon due to late arrival of some candidates.

Many candidates, who spoke with Sunday Vanguard in Lagos, said they initially believed the monthly environmental sanitation exercise will hold.

However, when it dawned on them that it

Gov. Wike after my life, Senator Abe alleges

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ENATOR Magnus Abe, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the Rivers South East Senatorial District re-run election, has expressed fear that his life could be in danger because of what he alleged as the level of conspiracy against him by Governor Nyesom Wike.

Speaking at Silverbird Rhythm fm 93.7 news and current affairs programme, “The

create loopholes for more dangerous militants suppressed by Tompolo’s presence from taking advantage of his issue with the government to cause more havoc in the region.”

ViewPoint”, in Port Harcourt, Abe alleged that there had been a meeting of militants in Ogoni sponsored and masterminded by Wike against him.

“There is an evil in Rivers State and I have chosen to speak against it.

If anything happens to me, Nigerians, Rivers, Ogoni people and my family should hold Governor Nyesom Wike and his PDP people responsible because the

threat against my life is too much”, the senator alleged.

Abe said that he fears a situation where he could be attacked and the Rivers State government led by Wike would paint a picture that his people killed him because of the Yeghe crisis.

He noted that the Ogoni people love him and would not do such except outsiders or those who could be sponsored by the state government.

had been canceled, there were only few commercial vehicles operating to convey them to their centres.

Meanwhile, at the Shoms International School in Ikate, Lagos, where the exam was monitored, some of the candidates arrived late, thus delaying the examination.

At the time of commencement,196 of the 200 allocated to the centre were already accredited and writing the examination.

At Image Centre, the Yaba College of Technology and another Accredited CBT Centre in Ilupeju, 180 and 300 candidates were duly accredited without hitches.

In an interview with newsmen, Lagos State Coordinator of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Dr. Mrs Bitrus Okorie, stated that the examination was held in 53 centres in the state.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 7

Man excretes 30 wraps of cocaine at Abuja airport – NDLEA andOkoroGodfreyOgbonna,

By Favour Nnabugwu

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ATIONAL Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), at the NnamdiAzikiweInternational Airport (NAIA), has apprehended four suspected drug traffickers, including a Birmingham-based cleaner, with6.822kgofnarcoticsworth N61 million.

The Birmingham-based cleaner was alleged to have excreted 30 wraps of cocaine weighing 479 grammes.

Astatementbytheagency’s spokesman,OfoyejuMitchell, saidtheseizeddrugsconsisted of 4.193kg of heroin and 2.629kgofcocainedestinedfor Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia; Birmingham, United Kingdom; Rome, Italy and Mumbai, India.

NDLEA commander at the airport, Hamisu Lawan, said those arrested were caught attempting to smuggle the drugs out of the country.

He said: “Four suspected drug traffickers have been apprehended with 6.822kg of

cocaine and heroin.

“The suspects include Umeh Chidiebere Gabriel, 36,goingtoBirminghamwith suspected 479 grammes of cocaine;OzoikeKelechiJohn, 34, going to Rome through Addis Ababa with suspected 2.8kg of heroin; Azubuike Francis Okwochukwu, 38, going to Addis Ababa with suspected 1.393kg of heroin

42, going to Mumbai with suspected2.150kgofcocaine.

“UmehChidiebereGabriel, who lives in Birmingham, United Kingdom, was arrested at the boarding gate of the airport after testing positive for drug ingestion while trying to board an Air France flight to the United KingdomthroughCharlesDe Gaulle, Paris.

‘IDPs have resorted to prostitution, stealing, drug abuse to survive’

BY Emman Ovuakporie and Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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O cushion economic hardships, Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs,camped in some northernstates,haveresorted to prostitution, drug abuse and stealing, a northern group has said.

North East Youth Peace, Development and Empowerment Initiatives disclosed this when it visited theHouseofRepresentatives CommitteeonIDPsinAbuja, yesterday.

National President of the group, Alhaji Kyari Idris Abubakar, told the Rep Muhammed Sani Zoro-led Committee that the purpose of the visit was to highlight the experiences of members of the group in alliance with the United Nations Development Programme had when they visited some IDP camps.

Alhaji Abubakar said that the problems faced by the IDPs included lack of food, medications, potable water and sanitary wares for women.

N/Delta leader cries out over the plight of NIMASA students

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HE Coordinator, Ijaw Monitoring Group, Comrade Joseph Evah, has described the plight of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) foreign scholarship beneficiaries as pathetic. In a statement, the Niger Delta activist said the refusal of NIMASA to fulfil its financial obligations to institutions abroad to enable thestudentsreturntocomplete their studies had led to untold hardship among the students.

The statement said, “NIMASA’s initial good intention to expose young

Nigerians to advance studies inmaritimestudieswasbeing gradually destroyed by bad politics”. Evah said it was unfortunate that the students were helplessly roaming the streets abroad, while efforts to getassistancefromNIMASA to return to school are frustrated by officials of the agency. “We want the new NIMASA D-G to say the true positionofforeignscholarship program in seafarers. We have countless number of students from the program fromoutsideLagoscomingto sleep in my office in Lagos afterseveralvisitstoNIMASA

offices to workout their return abroad, without success.”

Delta LG chiefs plead to be appointed Perm Sec

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SSOCIATION of Heads of Personnel ManagementandTreasurers to Local Government has appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to appoint one of their own as permanent secretary in the state.

Presidentoftheassociation, Comrade Monday Agbeyi, whomadethisknownduring a visit to the governor in Asaba, said aside the Local Government Service Commission, the Local GovernmentPensionBureau is staffed by workers of the Local Government and so deserves the post of a Permanent Secretary as well.

Electrocuted boy: CPC slams N10m compensation on Abuja DISCO

By Favour Nnabugwu

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HE Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has slammed N10 million compensation on Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) for the alleged technical lapses andgrossnegligencetothefamily of Samuel Ayodele who was electrocuted.

CPC’s Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, said the order, which the electric company must comply with within 60 days, would serve as deterrent.

She said the CPC’s position came on the heels of a complaint from Mr. Tade Ayodele, whose son, Master Samuel Ayodele,methisuntimelydeath as a result a live electricity cable, which fell from a pole at theoldPantekerAreaofKabusa, Abuja on November 9, 2015, causing the electrocution and subsequent death of the boy.

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PAGE 8 — SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

Jonathan Presidency was a disaster foretold (2) “Good man wrong profession”, Sam Rayburn, 1882-1961, US HOUSE SPEAKER, 1940-1961. am Rayburn, whose protégé was the late President Lyndon Johnson, 1908-1973, who was Senator, Vice-President and President in 1963 when late President John Kennedy, 1917-1963, was assassinated in Texas, Johnson’s own state, was perhaps the most powerful Speaker ever in America’s history. He was also a Texan.

If a President of Nigeria is ever killed in the home state of his Vice-President, a civil war would follow. Some of us who remember that episode in 1963 which brought Johnson to power, were praying extra-hard that nothing would happen to Buhari on his visit to Ogun State, early in the month. A civil war would have followed if something similar happened. I hope Buhari stays away from Ogun State; or the South West for that matter until his tenure expires.

Rayburn made that statement about General Dwight Eisenhower, 18901969, when the Commander of the Allied Forces was chosen as the flag-bearer for the Republican Party in

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1952. Eisenhower won the election and was President of the US from 1952-1960.

But, he was totally ineffectual hardly any legacy of his term exists anywhere. Sam Rayburn was right. A man might be good, but, he might lack the qualities for national leadership. When Obasanjo forced the combination of Yar’Adua and Jonathan on the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Nigeria, I had recalled Rayburn’s words.

Yar’Adua and GEJ were/are good men in the wrong profession – politics; especially Nigerian/African politics. Whatever else they may have as human qualities, they lacked that indispensable ingredient one attributed to Cicero, 106-43 BC, BY Lucius Accius, 170-85 BC. Oderint dum metuant (Latin), meaning, Let them hate, so long as they fear.” Every political leader especially in a developing country, if he is to succeed, must have the fear factor. Without it, he is lost and the country is doomed.

If there was one thing Yar ’Adua and Jonathan lacked, it was the fear factor.

They were two “pussy-cats” draped in lion’s skin and everybody took advantage

Poverty of Ambition “Almajiri has nothing to do with Islam but an issue of poverty on the part of parents.” - Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III.

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thoroughly concur with the above quoted position credited to His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, and agree also that it is about time we addressed the greatest scourge and abuse of millions of people in our society. It is a common place in our society to accept that some citizens are meant to be nothing and do nothing but beg from cradle to grave. Those holding this belief, inadvertently, promote and relegate a huge number of citizens to a bleak future.

And those who make begging their livelihood purposely marry and breed their offspring for a lifetime of begging. And the ones that give to them are equality responsible for perpetuating this heinous practice.

Giving to professional almajiris will not absolve them of their sins, it is a false sense of absolution. it will be better

to consider what is better of the two sayings: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” and the better option is clear. The almajri system has created a dependent culture.

Shocking as it may seem, there are millions of almajris in the Northern states and in Kano State, in particular, there is over a million of them. Imagine, if all these people were educated, trained and subsequently employed, they would have contributed to the economy.

Almajiri is not a victimless practice in that many of the children involved suffer horrendous neglect and sexual abuse in the hands of their custodians, who see this as a way of life and would want us to believe that it is a religious calling.

No. It is not.

‘Almajiri’ is Arabic derivative of “Almuhajirin,” meaning a seeker of Islamic knowledge. The today ’s almajiri is synonymous with beggars and begging.

In fact, it has become a form of abuse, to

of that weakness. About two and a half years ago, during one of his media chats, Jonathan had touched on the subject of his approach to wielding power. He announced that he is not a lion, a tiger, an autocrat etc.

That prompted me to ask the following week on these pages, WHAT ARE YOU SIR?. Because if a leader, even as a Supervisor, does not possess some fear factor, then he must rely on providing excellent example to hold the group and achieve great results. That unfortunately, is not guaranteed to succeed alone. Most subordinates seek to avoid punishment, if it is certain, than to receive rewards – even if also certain.

Today, Jonathan is back in Otuoke, waiting for what a “lion-hearted” leader might decide to do to him after all the revelations are in. He should not have been. The signs were there all along that all was not well. But GEJ lacked the will to deal decisively with the culprits as events developed. Take Haliburton issue for instance; the scam was blown open abroad and it involved two of his predecessors in office. If he had taken up the matter and brought those responsible to justice, and, if shortly after releasing his ROAD MAP FOR POWER programme, he had called for an open inquiry into how $13-16 billion vanished without any discernible improvement on power supply, he would probably not be seating in Otuoke today. Israel just sentenced a former President twenty four years after leaving office on account of corrupt practices.

Nethayahu had sent a powerful message saying “I pejoratively tar any person from certain part of Nigeria.

Almajiris beg daily on the streets and they are doing so in places of worship, religious events and anywhere they can get people that would give them money. Many people that give them money do so believing it is part of the tenet of Islam. This is clearly a misinterpretation of Islamic injunction on culture of giving. Islamic teachings strongly prohibit begging except, in very special circumstances and they include a man’s loss of property in a disaster, when a man has loaned much of his money for the common good such as for bringing peace between two warring parties. This is not the case of the modern day almajiri system. This has become a way of life and generations have pedalled this archaic and regressive lifestyle. Apparently, there are people who feed fat on the misery and poverty exhibited by this system.

Sadly, majority of Almajiris are young people, robbed of a future, a productive life and living.

They have been neglected, ignored, derided and abused by the people that should have cared for them, and the governments haven’t done much either, in alleviating the sufferings of this class of people.

They have become folkdevils, despised by society and community leaders have given up on them.

NGOs and health workers have indicated that almajiri children are neglected, and are vulnerable to diseases

am in charge here, nobody messes with me.” Unlike the Israeli leader GEJ was mortally afraid of OBJ; even though nobody would have lost sleep if Jonathan had taken the self-righteous man into EFCC custody. But, Ebele lacked the guts.

He is now reaping the harvest of his weakness. The PDP is in disarray over the choice of a Chairman backed

Every political leader especially in a developing country, if he is to succeed, must have the fear factor. Without it, he is lost and the country is doomed

by Jonathan. Suddenly, people like Okupe, FaniKayode, who between them cannot deliver hundred votes to PDP are threatening to quit if Jonathan does not back down. A man knocked down by an elephant, due to his own carelessness, cannot complain if bush rats crawl all over him. Can he?

The disintegration of the PDP is unavoidable. If he changes his mind, the Governors will form another party. If he doesn’t, they will go. Either way, the party he led to defeat will crumble.

Meanwhile, other party leaders have started leaving.

They don’t consider PDP worth salvaging.

History will record that the once largest political party in Africa, founded by Dr Alex Ekwueme, (who called it My Baby), and thirty-three men of

It is the poverty state of most parents that makes it impossible for them to send their children to school and allow them to go begging on the streets and social crimes. The young beggar-children are forced to beg round the clock. Some attend Qur ’anic school, where the young Almajiris are taught how to recite and memorise the Holy Quran and Hadiths.

The past administration’s initiative to address the almajiri situation was not fully supported by some of the Northern governors as they failed to address the underlying problems neither did they commit any fund to provide standard education.

The move then was disingenuous, to say the least, and at best it was a veiled attempt to challenge the ranks of young almajiri, who might be attracted to joining Boko Haram.

Fatimah Shagari ,from the ENHANSE project said of the the Almajiri system that it was originally designed to give children Qur ’anic knowledge but that the structure had been changed from its original intent. She said, “The Almajiri child is presented only as a begging street child. People of the society have used the Almajiri system to abuse the Muslim child, to traffic the Muslim child, to make the Muslim

integrity, had collapsed under the inheritors. As conceived, PDP was a revolutionary attempt to create an all-embracing political party. The G-34 included people who until then never walked the same side of the political road Ige and Adebanjo, with Rimi and Balarabe Musa, Ezeife and Ume-Ezeoke, Attah and Ellah. Another “Best Nigerian Team” would be difficult to imagine. Only God knows how Ekwueme persuaded them to work together.

Unfortunately, they made their worst mistake when they handed the party to Obasanjo – who brought in the wrecking crew.

“Revolutions end up in the hands of mad men.

Besides, if the power is great enough, it will make its own mad men by its nature.” Saul Bellow.

(VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 217).

GEJ is a good man in the wrong profession. God took him to the top. He should stop now and allow the political jackals to fight over the carrion. He will certainly receive more insults if he continues.

As good old Elphinston advised another political leader after suffering a set back, “You’ve had your share of mirth, of meat and drink. It’s time to quit the scene. It’s time to think.”

GOD SAVE US FROM LAI MOHAMMED -- 1 “God save me from my friends; I can take care of my enemies.” An Irish prayer.

I had followed Buhari since 2011; even after he lost. I became afraid when the new alliance which became APC emerged for one reason only. Some individuals don’t know

when an election has ended.

They continue releasing the type of half-truths and even falsehoods even when they are in government.

In one national newspaper, the Minister said as follows: “This is the first time in the history of this country that a government will embark on what is called zero-based budgeting…This year we decide that every ministry must have a zero based budget.” He also claimed there was “no padding” in the 2016 Budget. Really?

Let us start with one general observation about Civil Service procedures. It is a fact that any change to long standing procedures affecting the entire government must be preceded by a circular announcing the change from the old to the new and instructing all public servants about how to proceed.

Invariably workshops, retreats, etc are organized, at least for Permanent Secretaries and Directors to ensure p r o b l e m - f r e e implementation.

The Secretary to the Federal Government issues such circulars.

Then the Ministers and DGs pass them down the line.

Can Lai Mohammed publish a copy of the circular mandating officers to adopt the Zero-sum budgeting approach for 2016 so we can see who signed it and when it was supposed to take effect? It will also be of interest to know who the fool was who thought that several thousand public servants who never had experience with Zero-sum would be able to implement that directive without training. We are waiting…

child vulnerable to all source of diseases, unsafe conditions and to some extent expose them to terrorism, thuggery and other menaces, to be used as social destructors, and to some extent also be used as sex hawkers or homosexuals in particular.”

It is gratifying to know that ENHANSE project is on the ground, meeting with Imams, the legislators, parents whose children are Almajiri and the Muslim Ulamas.

So, understandably, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, speaking earlier in the week while chairing a meeting on girl child education of the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development, said unequivocally that the almajiri has nothing to do with Islam but that it is simply a case of poverty on the part of parents.

The Sariki Mu’minin of Nigeria said, “It is the poverty state of most parents that makes it impossible for them to send their children to school and allow them to go begging on the streets.”

It makes sense to break the cycle of poverty. Only by accessing education the poverty level that plagues this group of people can be alleviated.

What is clear is that, if you educate a woman, you educate a whole generation.

He said the importance of educating the girl child cannot emphasis enough that educated women are

much better assets than uneducated women and, most times, educated men.

If a girl is educated, she is less likely to be a child bride, she is less likely to have children young, live in poverty and have poor life chances. So she and her family will be consigned to life of penury.

On girl child education, the Sultan queried, “Why should our girls be turned to street hawkers? We must work hard to make sure that our girls are better than us.

It is pathetic that in the Northern region, we don’t pay attention on girls education. As far as I am concerned, a female doctor is of more value than a male doctor. This is why we are putting necessary measures in place to have an all-female university in Sokoto State in which government must play a leading role.”

According to the Sultan, it is the poverty state of most parents that makes it impossible for them to send their children to school and allow them to go begging on the streets.

There has to be a change of attitude from a life of destitution and helplessness to one filled with potential.

Any plan to change the culture has to be a long game and this is not going to deliver immediate results. In time, with sustainable and quality education and in time, the young people can become future doctors, engineers, teachers, farmers, a c c o u n t a n t s , administrators and (who knows?) a future President.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 9

SHERIFF AND THE PDP STANDOFF

Making a bad situation worse

By Ben Agande, Abuja

T

he shenanigans of leaders of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, playing out in it’s bid to reposition, would only give the party a bloody nose. This report will reveal the undercurrents of the present crisis and why the party should stop pouring cold water on its efforts to re-engage Nigerians who are still angry at the last 16years of manifest misrule.

Both ways, the leaders of the party are making a bad situation worse. If it is about re-engaging Nigerians and the only person they could think of is Modu-Sheriif, a bad situation would get worse; or, conversely, if after choosing Modu-Sheriff, they are still bickering, a bad situation would, certainly, become worse.

When the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), penultimate week, announced the choice of a former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, as the National Chairman of the party, not a few people received the news with incredulity and, in fact, indignation. To many observers, the choice of Sheriff to lead a party that practically blew its 16 years in power because of its penchant for not following due process its activities appeared to be one of the most unpopular decisions the party has taken in recent times.

The decision to choose a new Chairman for the PDP is a knee jerk response to the failed attempt by Ahmed Gulak, a former Political Adviser to erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan, to forcefully take over the leadership of the party.

Following the resignation of the former Chairman of the party, Ahmed Muazu, after the presidential and governorship elections, the party had been under the temporary leadership of Uche Secondus, the National Vice Chairman. But apparently unable to organize the emergence of a substantive Chairman from the North-East where the position is zoned to, Secondus and other National Working Committee (NWC) members of the PDP steered the affairs of the party until

Gulak’s roused Acting National Chairman to action.

Not wanting to be out maneuvered by the Gulak challenge, governors elected on the platform of the PDP and some ranking members of the party in the National Assembly moved to take charge. The result was the drafting of Sheriff who joined the party two years ago, and had been a staunch member of the opposition parties all his life, to take charge as Chairman of the PDP. Even by PDP standards, it was one incongruity beyond comprehension.

But in party politics, decisions are sometimes taken not based on comprehensible reasons but to advance interests that may not be manifest to a casual observer.

According to inside sources, with the threat posed by Gulak, some governors of the party, led by the governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo, and supported by the governor of Ekiti, Mr. Ayo Fayose, took charge of the party before the crisis could fester further.

According to a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, who spoke with Sunday Vanguard, the two governors, in pushing for the emergence of Sheriff as Chairman, were moved by the desire to revive the PDP using an individual with a deep pocket, and who also understands the opposition party very well.

Convinced about their choice of Sheriff as the National Chairman of the PDP, the next move by Dankwambo and Fayose, Sunday Vanguard gathered, was to approach former President Goodluck Jonathan for his endorsement. While in office, Jonathan, it is believed, had developed some closeness to Sheriff; so he needed little persuasion for him to throw his weight behind Sheriff. With Jonathan on their side,the governors wooed the National Assembly Caucus of the PDP and went for the meeting that endorsed Sheriff with a solid conviction that their proposal would sail through. And sail through it did.

But it was not without strong criticism from some members of the party including members of the BoT and ministers who served under the PDP government since 1999.

A repositioning that went awry The question those opposed to the emergence of Sheriff have been asking is why would an ‘outsider’ be imposed on the PDP at a time it is in dire need of repositioning and, more importantly, a good dose of credibility in its leadership to endear it to Nigerians? According to sources close to Fayose, one of the arrow heads of the Sheriff emergence, the choice was arrived at based on the need to have a man of Sheriff ’s calibre who can sufficiently fund the PDP since the party is no longer in power and no access to funds from government coffers.

“The decision was informed by

•Sheriff...Disquiet over choice as opposition party leader

Alhaji Ali Sheriff is a longstanding political associate of mine and a very adroit and astute politician of perhaps a sublime class.

But for the post of the National Chairman of the PDP, he is a wrong candidate and also coming in at a wrong time

financial considerations and the need to have somebody who cannot be bought by party members in order to sway his decisions. Sheriff fits into this thinking. He is sufficiently strongwilled to reposition the party for the immediate challenges. They felt he was the best for that position at this moment”, the source said.

But in taking that decision, the PDP stalwarts, many observers argued, did not sufficiently look at the man they wanted to bring to lead their party. While serving as governor of Borno State, Sheriff was allegedly closer to the then President Olusegun Obasanjo than his then party, the then All Peoples Party (APP), leaders, prompting the allegation by his colleagues in the APP that he may have been planted by Obasanjo to weaken the opposition party.

More importantly, many people have alleged that the idle young men of Borno whom they said Sheriff did not empower while serving as governor of Borno became easy recruits for Boko Haram under its late leader, Yusuf Muhammed.

With such allegations, it was

only natural that his emergence would provoke the reactions that greeted the emergence of Sheriff.

Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who was the spokesperson for the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation in the 2015 elections, fired the first salvo when he dismissed the emergence of the new PDP National Chairman.

His view was echoed by a former Senior Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Communications, Dr Doyin Okupe, whose objection to Sheriff ’s emergence was equally strong, even if coached in a more subdued diction.

“Alhaji Ali Sheriff is a longstanding political associate of mine and a very adroit and astute politician of perhaps a sublime class.

But for the post of the National Chairman of the PDP, he is a wrong candidate and also coming in at a wrong time”, Okupe stated.

His warning to the

Continues on page 10

PAGE 10—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

PDP: Making a bad situation worse elect new officers. It was this compromise that made the BOT members to make a volte face, 24 hours after it had rejected Sheriff.

•PDP govs brainstorming on the Sheriff controversy

Continued from page 9 leadership of PDP appeared to have captured the mood of even non-partisan Nigerians who believe that the emergence of the former governor of Borno, as the Chairman of the leading opposition party at a time it terribly needs rebranding, is an aberration.

“For a severely prostrate political party, thanks to the overwhelming and effective propaganda machinery of the party in power, this may yet be the mortal wound that may cause the eventual haemorrhage of its long perplexed followership.

But if it is the divine will of God that our present masters must kill PDP, then by the grace of God, we shall yet tarry at the graveside to bid it farewell”, the

former presidential aide stated.

It was a foreboding conclusion that many people who genuinely have the interest of the party at heart took very seriously.

BoT, ex-ministers join fray But it was not only individuals within the PDP that picked issues with the emergence of Sheriff. The BoT of the party as well as the Forum of Past PDP Ministers (which was formed solely to object to the emergence of Sheriff) added their opposition.

And at the end of its emergency meeting in Abuja, the Acting Chairman of the BOT of the party, Senator Jibrin Wali, waved Sheriff aside as not the man fit to be the PDP Chairman.

“The Board of Trustees of the PDP is of the view that Ali Modu Sheriff is not suitable as National Chairman

Despite the many tragedies the controversial emergence of its leaders has brought upon it, it appears that the PDP is incapable of learning its lessons

of the PDP”, Wali said on Tuesday night while the Forum of Former PDP Ministers said it rejected “Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff as National Chairman of the PDP due to the illegitimacy of the process that purportedly brought him in”.

Faced with an internal rebellion that would deal a further blow to an already distressed party, the PDP governors and leaders of the PDP Caucus in the National Assembly moved to limit the damage that the emergence of Sheriff may have done to the party. First, it organized a meeting with members of the BoT to find a middle road while allowing Sheriff to carry on as Chairman of the party. According to Sunday Vanguard findings, part of the compromise reached between the governors, Sheriff and members of the BOT was for the tenure of the new National Chairman to be pegged at three months, from the nine months that he was initially asking for; during which he would organize the party’s national convention to

The danger Despite the many tragedies the controversial emergence of its leaders has brought upon it, it appears that the PDP is incapable of learning its lessons.

But while it was able to weather the storm of its many crises while it was in power, the dynamics of its present prostrate position as a party that lost power may make it more difficult for it to stomach.

The attraction that it had as a party in power when many of its members could afford to stomach many injustices is no longer there to keep many of them not satisfied with the emergence of Sheriff to stay back.

But what is it that made Sheriff attractive to those that brought him into office? Is his alleged deep pocket enough to change the fortunes of the PDP? The new helmsman comes from a zone (North-East) that is deeply dissatisfied with the PDP with only two state governors and few legislators; he is not known to be a great mobilizer and his knowledge of PDP, nay Nigerian politics outside his Borno is alleged to be suspect.

He still has a case of alleged corruption with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

For the PDP, these are not the best of times. The party’s ability to navigate the present crisis that it has apparently created for itself by bringing in a stalwart who many members believe is a total stranger to lead it, at a time it requires so much soul searching, would determine whether it will position itself as a strong opposition party or it will disintegrate into oblivion.

Storm over Sheriff not unusual — Lawmaker

By Yinka Ajayi lawmaker, Hon. Dipo Olorunrinu, says the storm A generated by the choice of Alhaji

Modu Sheriff to lead the PDP is normal. Olorunrinu represents Amuwo Odofin Constituency1 in Lagos State House of Assembly.

What can we know about the new PDP Chairman, Senator Modu Sheriff?

We have already resolved this as a party. However, I respect and appreciate when someone is elected by the majority. As long as the majority want him there, I don’t have a problem. There would always be people to kick against things, but there is need for the party to move on. We have much to catch up with in the party. I don’t see the need for those who are against his emergence. That the majority picked him shows he is worthy. I believe that two heads are better than one. It is not about calling somebody an enemy, you

C M Y K

are also an enemy to the person you are referring to as an enemy. So who is the enemy? There is need to move on since the majority has picked him.

With the challenges in the PDP, do you have plans to leave the party?Why should I leave a party that has done no harm to me? Why should I leave a party that gave me a privilege to serve my people and can equally give other people such privilege. Why leave a party that as far as I am concerned defines true democracy in Africa?

Do you foresee the PDP ever ruling Lagos and even winning the Presidency in 2019?I see anybody that has failed, rising up again.

Because you failed does not mean you must fail again. PDP is in the state of reflection on what they didn’t do right. Unlike the other party, PDP is a powerful party, a party that offered lots of people the opportunity to become what they thought they could not. Its not a party that shies away from its responsibility.

What is your take on the $2.1billion arms deal?

In a family, we cannot all be the same. The party is the platform.

Its high time we begin to understand that corruption is corruption. Corruption is not a party affair. Its a thing we need to deal with in Nigeria. If you tell a young man to do something that would benefit his immediate community, he would ask you what is in it for him. The average APC knows how to castigate and criticise opposition. They know how to distract you and I. But the fact is that Nigerians are getting enlightened everyday. They have said it is change, that change is supposed to take us to the Promised Land. They said its continuity which meant PDP ought to have continued with the great things they did particularly on the economy. Why call PDP corrupt? They should stop bamboozling Nigerians with propaganda. If you are cognisant with our polity, you would observe

that a large number of PDP members have now crossed over to the APC. So what would you say about that. holier than thou attitude. Corruption is neither APC nor PDP, it is an individual thing and it is something we all need to deal with.

What do you make of the elders forum and the former Chairman of Amuwo-Odofin LGA Comrade Ayodele urging you to join the APC? Its no go area. (laughs) The reason for that gathering was mainly for community development not a campaign ground. So I was invited as a guest and it is my duty not to discriminate but to honour any forum, be it PDP, APC, or Labour Party under my constituency.

Because when you are in the House of Assembly there is no party divide, it is about the interest of the people and the interest of Lagos State. It is about taking Lagos to the next level.

What can you say about

•Hon. Dipo Olorunrinu

Amuwo-Odofin and FESTAC, which you represent?

The state of affairs in AmuwoOdofin presently is good and the people are happy with it. There is nothing exceptional happening in Amuwo that is not happening in other parts of the world. The issue of robbery and abduction of persons is a thing of the past and residents have put that behind them. The area is calm now. People should stop referring to it as if its a daily occurrence, thereby portraying the place as uninhabitable.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 11

•Oby Ezekwesili

Ideologies don't deliver results for the poor

BY OBY EZEKWESILI

I

n this first of a three-part arti cle, my aim is to get President

Muhammadu Buhari to re-evaluate his obvious discomfort with the workings of a market economy and change; so that he can effectively lead the CHANGE agenda that he promised Nigerians. To the extent that the engine of wealth creation and poverty reduction is the private sector when enabled and not when crippled, this intervention is necessary to lend my voice to that of other concerned Nigerians.

The reason is simple. Even though the president currently invests enormous air miles and time in chasing the proverbial foreign direct investment, it is easy to observe the antipathy that he has with choosing the right sets of instruments to support the intrinsic capacity of the private sector to drive economic growth.

Nothing gives away so much in terms of how the president considers business as his forex policy stance.

In my career, I have had the privilege of interacting closely with newly elected leaders of countries. Generally, most of these leaders start their presidency with a desire to quickly deliver on campaign promises. The problem however is that the complexity of managing economies, especially troubled ones, often diverges terribly from the easier rhetoric of campaign promises. In no other continent is this more prevalent than Africa. This is of course due to many reasons that include the absence of dataanchored-issues-based campaigns and the poor interest or even lack of capacity of the electorate to push for such.

Many presidents assume office with good intentions but faulty ideological notions of what it takes for economies to grow and improve the lives of citizens. The more entrenched the ideologies and doctrines that leaders hold on to, the harder it is for them to embrace economic pragmatism. Meanwhile, pragmatism has loyalty only to empirical and analytical evidence which show that a particular economic solution will deliver the right results for the overall good of the citizens. An evidence based policy method helps in shaping the pragmatic leader's mind since their overrid-

C M Y K

I am however not at all a fan of President Buhari's economic management.

Our president's economic policy direction should worry even the most ardent of his admirers. From his interest in reviving federal government ownership of a national airline to his obvious comfort with exchange controls, the president has left no doubt that ideology is strong in the way he thinks of growing the economy

ing vision is to produce good development results for country and citizens. Therefore, the foundation on which a leader's policy thought rests can be a useful indicator of whether he/ she would succeed or fail with economic management.

Let me start by telling the story of one of the leaders of a country in Africa that subsequently became a champion of economic pragmatism. We met that president within the first month of his inauguration to discuss his economic policy priorities. He had come to power after what was a very bloody presidential election to turn around a severely damaged economy where citizens had become perniciously impoverished by successive regimes of bad governance. The president had campaigned on an agenda of taking on his country’s destructive elite class by tackling grand corruption and improving the lot of the poor. The expectation of his poorer citizens was therefore extremely high.

At that first meeting, we made the president to understand that he had a Herculean task which would require him to constantly make tough economic policy choices.

He was however still caught up in the euphoria of his mandate and the strong socialist ideology he had championed in his exuberant years in opposition politics. He assumed, as he lectured us at our meeting, that he had the power to will anything he wanted into existence for his people. He tore at the fundamentals of our counsel that economic management is always constrained by scarce resources, thathis country’s case was very severe and so would require restraint on his part in the design of a serious stabilization program. Faced with serious balance of payment and crippling fiscal crisis, the president was nonetheless deter-

mined to take all the ideological command and control actions that would exacerbate the situation.

While we advised economic pragmatism based on analytical and empirically driven policy options, the new leader consistently rebutted with well-worn ideological stance on monetary, fiscal and financial policy and structural reforms. When he spoke about his proposal, the scale of his priority spending and the fiat with which he wished to see the national currency "bounce back", I knew that the well-meaning leader we were listening to on that day had a steep learning curve that had to be flattened.

Convinced that his country needed him, I felt that what he had to do was to learn quickly that it is sound economic policies and not wishful nationalist aspirations that enable a leader achieve good intentions for the poor. It took less than four months for him to realize that the more he applied the wrong ideological solutions, the worse the economy became and the noisier the groans of his citizens. At a point, he realized that if he did not structurally adjust his thinking for the benefit of the economy, he would imperil not just his own vision for governance but would ironically harm the poor to whom he had promised a better life. The good thing is, that president was open to learning and did in fact learn so fast that he went on to become a counsellor/mentor on "economic pragmatism" to other elected leaders within his subregion.

That president was elected to a second term despite the strong fight put up by the opposition party. The poor to whom he made promises that he mostly kept during his first term by running an economy that had started marginally improving their erstwhile stagnated condition, returned him to office to continue with sensible, pragmatic economic management. And so, even though it took enormous work and plenty of shouting matches between us, that president finally eschewed outdated, harmful, needless ideology and embraced sound economic principles that grew

his economy and began turning things around for his people.

Whenever I tell the story of that president, the audience asks me when his turning happened. The answer is, once heaccepted the need to unlearn his dogmas and became open to learning new things.He unlearned stifling ideology and instead learned how to accept and use the principles of the market to solve his country development problems as often as relevant. He learned how to deploy the enormous powers of a president more appropriately to the things that the market cannot solve. He learned that his policy leadership role and provision of basic services for citizens and critical infrastructure/quality skills for business depended on how much analytical evidence guides his decisions. All that learning transformed and retooled him to lead for results. The experience of that president leader proved to us that “The best politics is good economics".

As I thought of the current economic policy brouhaha since the advent of President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, the similarity with the president in my story could not be more striking seeing they share the same ideological mindset, pro-poor base and anti-corruption fervor.

Let me quickly insert here that I am a fanatical supporter of our president's anti-corruption agenda because one knows from analyses how much of an obstacle to economic growth and development, poor governance is to the Nigerian society and economy. So, President Buhari is right to make tackling corruption the cornerstone of his presidency.

All things considered, I am one of those Nigerians who would readily march to protest any duplicitous attempt in the guise of "breach of rule of law"--where it is not factual--to truncate the reinvigorated efforts of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Like most Nigerians who are absolute in support of the anti-corruption war, one wants the Commission to record successes through effective investigation, intelligent prosecution through the courts and conviction of all those proven to have engaged in corruption.

Continues on page 12

PAGE 12—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

Ideologies don't deliver results for the poor Continued from page 11

The EFCC will not always get it right in this fight but theirs is a task that should get the support of all Nigerians who have ever wished for a decent society.

I am however not at all a fan of President Buhari's economic management. Our president's economic policy direction should worry even the most ardent of his admirers. From his interest in reviving federal government ownership of a national airline to his obvious comfort with exchange controls, the president has left no doubt that ideology is strong in the way he thinks of growing the economy.

Each time I have listened to the president reminisce on his economic policy stance of 1984-1985; I worry that Nigerians will struggle with his economic ideology.

Why do I think so? Well, because contrary to what our president may believe, and despite the good intentions that were behind them, a number of those policy thrusts of 1984-85 actually failed on account of every indicator that is globally used to measure economic progress. For example, manufacturing capacity dropped below 20% and many jobs were lost. The anxiety of many people that economic history could repeat itself during President Buhari's latest incarnation was always legitimate. Counterfactually though, there was (and still is) hope that he would listen to the team he has assembled and learn through economic evidence that the world has changed since he last tried to swim against the tides of market forces about 30 years ago.

However, the president's now well publicized and known stance on the acute foreign exchange crisis has magnified nervousness about his economic management history and ideology-centered policy direction. The envisaged persuasion by his team and the anticipated learning by the president, which many had hoped would help mitigate anxieties may not be happening or perhaps not as quickly as would serve the interests of his primary constituency- the poor.

So strong is the president's view on the value of the Naira that he uses words like "murder the Naira" to foreclose any consideration of alternative perspectives. It is precisely because of this manner of framing tough economic policy choices that the country is at this time engaged in an unhealthy debate that lacks empirical foundations and nuance. But we can turn around this unhealthy debate and raise the quality going forward. That explains why I want to address what one sees as the root of the president's economic management style and preferences. It is from that root that the president bears the fruits of his views and statements like the recent ones on monetary policy. I therefore choose to address the hobbling ideological crushes of our president because if not tackled head on now, they are lethal enough to undermine his economic management and derail the economy with severe consequences for everyone.

Our president urgently needs citizens' help in order to unlearn his ideas of old that government knows better how to allocate production resources. True, Nigeria has oscillated from a command and control regime with government as driver in resource allocation to a more market oriented system since the past 30 years. We however can be said to now have a broad coalition and even near consensus that the market economy framework has served us better.

Before 1999, economic growth was low, fragile, patchy and volatile hovering and the lost decades of the 1980s and 1990s saw average growth rate of below 3percent trailing the higher rate of population growth of 3.3 percent. It was only in some of the few years of the 1986-1988 when a measure of disciplined market reforms were implemented that Nigeria recorded economic growth as high as 5-6 percent. Afterward, as politics began to trump economics and indiscipline set in, economic growth stalled throughout the

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•President Buhari

Let us drop old ideologies like China did and permit the market to work for us. Actually, let us allow the forces of the market to discipline us. It disciplines, better

90s. It resumed again with the implementation of a comprehensive scale market economy reforms between 2003 and 2007.

Not only did those reforms help the country achieve macroeconomic stability as a prerequisite even if not a sufficient condition for growth, but it did in fact begin to grow and reached as high as 6-7 percent annually. Since then, the Nigerian economy has grown yearly for about nearly a decade and a half at an average of sixpercent annually. Although growth does not automatically reduce poverty, it is a fact that without it, no economy stands a chance of ever reducing the number of the poor. Even then, our macroeconomic stability was hard won through very tough and costly market economy type reforms.

It has remained one of the most enduring features of economic management under three administrations. If it unravels, it will set Nigeria back terribly.

Currently, the danger is that we seem to want to return to the pre-1986 era of command and control that was inimical to economic growth. What the president needs now is to save the economy and save the Nigerian poor that form the largest base of his supporters. There seems a hesitation on his part to admit and embrace the near global consensus that market economy has delivered better than all others economic systems despite its known limitations.

What several neo-socialists especially in Nigeria have refused to admit is the evident failure of the socialist/communist economic system that influenced even Russia, China and India to all embark on Change and thus modify their economic thinking toward a pragmatic acceptance of the market principles. These former bastions of command and control of economic factors of production realized that in order to achieve better economic growth than in the past, they needed to embrace the market economy.

In 1978, the then Chinese leader, Xioping Deng embraced the principles of the market and China implemented them vigorously and with great discipline. It was within less than three decades of abandoning communism and embracing what China calls "socialist market economic principles" that it achieved the record two decades long double digit growth that helped lift 600 million Chinese out of poverty by growing its Gross Domestic Product from $150 billion USD in 1978 to $10 trillion USD in 2015. The rhetoric of communism had sounded very attractive in previous decades but had impoverished the people and kept China stagnant. Until 1978, China’s income per capita was factually lower than some countries in Africa.

For Nigeria however, our economic policy inconsistency of the decades of the 80s and 90s led those years to be called "lost decades" in our history. At the same time China discovered the benefit of the market principles in growing economies faster, conversely we suffered the collapse of our economy during many cycles of bad policies. The discipline of the market system in efficiently allocating scarce resources is what should most recommend it to a Nigerian society where we all agree that indiscipline and a tendency to abuse administrative and discretionary decision powers are the bane of good governance.

Even the president recently stated to our collective shame abroad that Central Bank directors were abusing the exchange control to their personal benefit. The fact is, such misdeed is not new. The most associated reason for failure of state owned enterprises in Nigeria according to studies is the "abuse of public power for personal gain" which is instructively the definition of corruption by Transparency International.

As one who detests the demagoguery of a nationalism-laced pillage of public resources than has been our experience in the last five decades of our independence, I am unapologetically a champion of a market system with the right amount of regulation and intervention when there is obvious "market failure". We however would have to learn how to design policy interventions that can help to achieve social inclusion so as to mitigate the inequality that market based solutions generate in the wake of its efficiency.

I am neither a laissez-faire free market ideologue nor believe in the other extreme, a stultifying government control. I am for economic pragmatism all the way.

Command and control harms the intrinsic creativity and innovation of the market system which lies within private sector. Economic pragmatism is what has helped more economies in the world including in Africa to grow faster and better. At the turn of the millennium, as many more policy makers on the continent began to discard outdated ideologies and began to rely on evidence-based persuasive argument for market solutions, the continent began to grow.

For Africa and Nigeria more, it is instructive that there is no exceptionalism to the positive impact that the discipline of the forces of the market can have on outcomes. Market forces universally allocate scarce resources more efficiently, simple. Mastery of how to intervene effectively as government when “market failure” occurs is what differentiates the performance of one economy from another. That is why I believe that as a leader whose personal mantra is discipline, if our president were willing to learn how well market forces can help him enforce discipline in the allocation of scarce production factors, he could potentially win this crisis.

The current severe crisis of scarce foreign exchange resources in a coun-

try that earned well over $1 trillion dollars in the last decade and a half is indicative of the underlying cost of indiscipline which has a serious economic cost and implications for Nigeria. Take the matter of managing our oil windfall, which other countries including the new comers like Angola have learned to do well. We failed at it during three previous boom cycles of the 1970, 1980s, and 1990. It was not until 2004 that Nigeria finally set up an oil-based fiscal rule. Through it, the Federal Government succeeded in entrenching a political arrangement (even if not constitutional) to set aside "surplus" from higher oil prices above an agreed budgetary oil benchmark price.

In 2013, I delivered a Convocation Lecture at the University of Nigeria Nsukka and called the attention of the then Federal Government to addressing the troubling possibility that the fifth oil boom would end with the savings in Excess Crude Account (ECA) depleted and no new stock accumulated. Less than a year after that speech and six years after record high oil prices that could have easily built up foreign reserves including ECA to as much as $100 billion Dollars, the news was regrettably tragic. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January 2014, the then Minister of Finance – Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala stated that "the depletion of the Excess Crude Account to about $2.5 billion has made the country more vulnerable than it was in the past and put the economy of the country at great risk”.

With that statement, it was safe to conclude that because of indiscipline, the fifth oil boom ended with a big bust for Nigeria. That great risk that the former ministerwarned of fully materialized and threw the Nigerian economy into crisis. Presently, all that Nigeria has is $2.5 USD billion of Excess Crude Account and a fast depleting foreign reserve of $27billion. The basic fact is that as fiscal -spending actions expanded - an accommodating monetary policy that supported humongous money supply into the economy reigned. It is one reason that the Central Bank of Nigeria is presently caught up in a knot where it is both wanting to shore up the Naira and at the same time battling a near intransigent liquidity excess problem.

This will of course be worsened by a proposed 2016 budget that seeks to expand public spending on the back of massive borrowing. With all these, the effort at controlling and commanding the demand for foreign exchange can only worsen already bad economic distortions. It is these distortions, more than dollar demand side issues that form the crux of our current account and fiscal crises.

Like the president in my story, ours has to be open to unlearning old ideologies and embracing new economic thinking models of pragmatism. He will need to allow the principles of the market enforce discipline upon all economic agents to redirect the path of our beleaguered economy. That way, we can avoid the inequalities created by publicly funded subsidies to those who least merit it as has happened with the forex pricing situation.

We can end the corruption and rent seeking aided by the power of administrative discretion that is handed to a few. We can stop the high cost of ineffectual administrative enforcement in controlled economies.

Let us drop old ideologies like China did and permit the market to work for us. Actually, let us allow the forces of the market to discipline us. It disciplines, better.

Shall we, Mr. President?

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 13

Mimisola Daniels hits location, to wrap her first production in 5-6 days

Behold the new best butt of Nollywood and her sexual harassment experience

eautiful, bold and talented upcoming Yoruba actress, Olamide Alawoya, known as Mimisola Daniels in the B industry, is joining the league of the big girls as she is set to

N

ollywood has been justly described as a haven of damsels; damsels of different cuts, shapes, styles and attitudes. All come brandishing what they call their ‘selling points’. This phrase may seem out of place to some, but in Nollywood, it aptly describes what mother nature has blessed you with to rub in the faces of the opposite sex, to get their hormones in quandary.

For Princess Agunobi, fondly called Nollywood Jolie, by friends, her ‘selling point’ is as obvious as sunshine in the night. It is actually impossible to look at her without finding your eyes straying to her gluteaus maximus region – excuse my language, I mean her butt. There is hardly a picture of her without the butt getting in the way.

She’s got one to be proud of, and rightly, with the bragging right to rub it in our faces. She rarely lets her fans off the hook and she brandishes it ceaselessly on her social media platforms, usually with a smug caption ‘ Her Beautylency’.

Her journey into Nollywood started two and a half years ago, and to prove there’s more to her than the captivating butt, she has kept busy. Her most popular films include ‘Blood is money’, Igene, ‘Vanity’, ‘Ghetto Babes’, ‘Ten commandments of the devil’, ‘Eagle eye’, and ‘Sisters of Delilah’ to mention a few. When asked if she had ever encountered what is called sexual harassment in the industry, knowing by her God-given gift, she would be a soft target for those randy directors and producers.

“Sexual harassment is everywhere”, she told me smugly. With further probing she owned up she has had her own share of the experience. “I have been on a movie set before and my script was swapped with another girl because I refused to get down with the producer”, she said.

•Princess Jolie

First thing guys notice about me is my big bum

Daniels

—Soblinkx

Rising profile of

By Kehinde Ajose

A

somugha Sonia a.k.a Soblinkx is a talented Afropop singer who is unquestionably endowed and isn’t afraid to flaunt it. The budding artiste reveals the inspiration behind her recent song ‘Bums don’t lie’ and why guys are thrilled when they see her curves “Guys are always so tripped when they see my curves. It’s the first thing people notice when they see me. They call me ‘Sonia with the big bum’. Men are attracted to ladies with big bums. If a lady who is curvy passes, she gets men’s attention.

Music videos deliberately use curvy ladies for this same purpose. I decided to sing about it and dedicated the song to ladies who are curvy”

produce her own first movie. The movie, which its, production is expected to run from February 29 to March 5 this year, is packed full with top rate cast and crew.

Jaiye Kuti, Akin Lewis, Ibrahim Chatta, Akin Olaiya, Niyi Johnson, Tunde Owokoniran, Seyi Edun, Adeola Folorunsho, Wunmi Toriola, Seyi Edun, and many more made up the cast.

As we all know, most Yoruba actors are producers regardless of how old they are in the industry. For some, it takes as little as a year to transit from an upcoming actor to a producer. All it seems to require is a good script and money. In Mimisola’s case, her reason is to discover herself and she explains why every actor in the Yoruba sector aspires to produce their own films.

“Producing your own movie as an actor/actress gives you the opportunity to be known. It brings you out. It is also an opportunity to star yourself and convince people you have got what it takes. As an upcoming actress you don’t get many chances to be featured in a star role,so, shooting your own film puts you in the driving seat and allows you to take your own challenging roles as you can handle” While most Hollywood actors may be alarmed that a film could be shot in 5-6 days, to Nollywood stars it is a common practice.

Mimisola explains why her first production is taking just five days to be wrapped up.

“Well, considering that I have got a great crew who give their best and work together, the duration wouldn’t be a problem.” she said.

•Mimisola

Tuspark Ogebe

State-born, Festac town-bred Benue Tuspark Ogebe, without doubt, has come to find his feet on the country’s music

•Soblinkx •Tuspark Ogebe

scene. Blessed with a unique voice that elicits deep feeling and emotion from his fans, the afro pop star is definitely going to give a lot of the top stars a run for their money. He has not only been quite consistent in churning out good music but also enjoying accolades wherever he goes for mastery of his craft and his unique style. He waltzed onto the music scene with his first single”Be your Man” and aptly followed it up with others in quick succession. His ‘Get down’ and ‘Beyonce’then “Beyonce” enjoyed massive presence on major online platforms, radios and television. While his fans were still wallowing in the bliss of the joy his ‘Get down’ and ‘Beyonce’ offer, the Festac boy would not let them off the hook as he slammed them with another single ‘Forever’. If his previous two singles got people off the rail ‘Forever’ simply blew them away. In ‘Forever’ Tuspark features the ‘Jamb question’ crooner, Simi, who brings a silky touch of serenity to the song. The song was produced by Mocore Beatz. Tuspark’s combination of his Idoma language and Yoruba is not just refreshing, it is as exhilarating as it is entertaining.

STOP PIRACY NOW! STOP BUYING PIRATED MOVIE AND MUSIC CDs, DVDs. IT IS KILLING THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. STOP! C M Y K

PAGE 14 — SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

Canada-based artiste, OlaZee debuts with ‘Medicine man’

Onikoyi68@gmail.com

Top music artistes celebrate #KimaniOffAir @ one with Cutekimani

By TOFARATI IGE

2

I

t was a highly inspiring and exciting atmosphere as top rated Nigerian celebrities gathered to celebrate the one year anniversary of Africa’s Digi-Culture #KimaniOffAir with Cutekimani 9ice , Reekado Banks, Jesse Jagz, Dayo Amusa, Jaywon, Female DJ Lo, Dswade, Firematic Boss Martin Fayomi, Terry Apala, and many others, stormed UNILAG FM for the celebration with Tosin Adekeye known as Cutekimani, the founder of the social media platform through which fans and their stars interact by tweeting.

According to the founder, Tosin Adekeye, “The #KimaniOffAir tweet chat was born out of the need to create a platform where fans and celebrities can connect, a platform that serves as source of inspiration to young and nascent Nigerians. “In its over 52 tweet chats, this vision has been manifested expressly having guests like Don Jazzy, Eddy Kenzo,Vanessa Mdee,Denrele, Femi Hamzat, M.I, Debola Williams, 2face Idibia, Audu Maikori, Toyin Lawani, Patoranking, Uti, Terry G, Adekunle Gold, Ice Prince, Juliet Ibrahim, Chidinma and a host of others on its platform, generating an average of 10million impressions per episode”, says Adekeye #KimaniOffAir which is Nigeria’s most popular and engaging Tweet chat started in February 2015 with YBNL boss, Olamide. The #KimaniOffAir anniversary kicked off with 3 days of giveaways to fans, courtesy Airtel Nigeria with a radio/social media hangout with top stars.

•Cutekimani

0 year- old Olanrewaju Larry Yusuf Lawal, aka OlaZee, was born in the commercial city of Lagos, Nigeria. He originally hails from Ogun State, Abeokuta, but grew up in the oil City of Warri, Delta State, before travelling to Canada for further education. This young Nigerian fell in love with music, rhythms and melody after listening to great acts like Fela, Pasuma, Obesere, Wasiu Ayinde, Lagbaja, Vybz Kartel, Dbanj, Movado, Sauce Kid, among others, and they shape his musical outlook till date.

OlaZee has worked with different artistes and producers, including Orezi who featured on his song, “Talk To Me.” The video for OlaZee’s new song, ‘Medicine Man’ which is already enjoying massive airplay in different media houses, will be released soon. The video, which was shot in Toronto, Canada, will surely captivate millions of viewers with its impeccable visual quality.

Not one to be lost in the crowd, OlaZee •OlaZee describes his genre of music as OlaZee Music: a mixture of Afrodancehall and Hip Hop, with a blend of English, Pidgin English and Yoruba lyrics.

Commenting on his love for music, OlaZee said succinctly, ‘Music is not what I do, it’s what I am.’

Delta PMAN set for Entertainment Summit

By FESTUS AHON

We have no regrets in our investment in music education in Nige ria – MTN Fo undation

milestones they have showcase their talents whachieved, to ref ine d thr ou gh the ich have been he Executive Secretary of sch ola rsh ip the MTN programm Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ug e. Tonight’s performance bom a has has on described the perform ance of the thece again renewed the faith we had from MUSON alumni at the be gin nin g in the talents of these pre Valentine stude concert sponsored by the Fo nts. We have no regret un s to have da tio n as contributed to their develo a good justification for pment because the MTN they hav Nigeria’s investment in pro e consistently shown outstand moting music perfor ing education through its partn mances.” ers hip wit h the Music Society of Nige The Director of the MUSO Music. Ugboma gave the ria School of Music, Mrs. Marion Akpata N School of wi tne ssi ng for ov er remark after year’s pre-Valentine Conceattributed this 2 ho ur s the obtain rt to what is melodious sound of string e in other parts of the world and wind praisedabl . She instruments, classical mu the ingenuity of the contemporary Nigerian tunsic, opera and for maintaining the high stamusic artistes by the beneficiaries of the es performed school, adding that the ult ndard of the imate goal of 2-year scholarship prograFoundation’s the school was to bring bac k mm good music e at the to the society.

Shell Hall of MUSON las weekend.

“We are proud of our studen According to her, the Fotun sponsored over 200 stude dation has come of age. They have ts who have become selfnts in its 9- suffici years of sponsoring the 2-y ent, improved on what we taught pro gra mm e, an d sin ceear Diploma them and exceeded our exp beneficiaries now under the n, the yearly, the alumni organizeectations, and MUSON alumni, have beethe aegis of to give back to the school bu s this concert ilding n organising We are the concert for the past 4 indeed grateful to theproject. yea rs.

MTN Foundation for their contin “The concert has pro ed uous support them with and spo another opportunity, in vid nsorship in making this con addition to other pos cert sible.”

T

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The Governor of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN, Delta State chapter, Evangelist Quincy Tebite (JP), has said that plans are in top gear towards the hosting of an Entertainment Summit which is slated for May, months after its successful maiden music concert which held at the Don Rose Event Centre in Ughelli, some weeks ago.

In a chat with Tebite, he revealed that PMAN will be working hand-in-hand with the Delta State Government for the actualisation of the summit. In his words, ‘The entertainment summit is a big event coming up in May, and PMAN intends to partner with the Delta State Government. It’s a programme aimed at educating all entertainers on the rudiments, the dignity and the place of music in contemporary society and government. Guest lecturers are also expected from neighbouring states and within. The programme will take two days and will eventually be held at the State capital, Asaba.’ On the reason for partnering with the state government, he said, ‘For the government of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to succeed, all hands must be on deck and every Deltan must contribute his or her own quota. If this is true, then PMAN Delta State is not an exception. That is why the Delta entertainment industry which makes up 7% of the Delta State total workforce decided to partner with the Okowa administration to ease unemployment and reduce restiveness of youths as part of PMAN’s socio-corporate and civil responsibilities. I see it as aiding Delta State Government in our own capacity and I advise other unions to join hands with Dr. Okowa’s government if we do not wish our well-being a fata morgana. He alone cannot do it, so let all Deltans support him and our prosperity will be fast-tracked“.

Shedding light on his achievements in office so far, Tebite who is also the Managing Director, Tisio-Tisio Music Orchestra, stated, ‘Achievements are relative, but let me see how I can enlist two. If you could remember, my few months in office brought us a brand new Toyota Hiace bus which was given to us by former Secretary to Delta State Government, Comrade Ovuzorie Macaulay. Now, we can speak with one voice and a common objective.

We also have been able to redeem our image before the state government and the society at large. Before now, government sees us as discrete persons owing to different factions, but today, PMAN Delta State is one indivisible entity, hence we have been able to bridge the •Tebite gap between us corporate bodies and the state government.’

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 15

judgment you have not seen. When we are criticizing, we should be impartial.

Does this suggest that EFCC counsel lack proper prosecutorial skills?

I wouldn’t say so, that would be discourteous. I will not run down my colleagues. There was a time when Mrs Waziri was the Executive Chairman of EFCC, a retreat was organised in Lagos. I was invited to deliver a paper on what would be my advice to their prosecuting counsel. The paper is still there in the EFCC archives. The summary of what I put in the paper is that prosecution is different from entertainment. Prosecution is a serious business, one that needs full concentration and no side attraction. You also have to bear in mind that in prosecution, a citizen’s right may be curtailed, he may be sent to jail or have his property confiscated. The Constitution says that any person who is standing trial or accused of a criminal offence is presumed innocent until the contrary is proved. Accusatorial system is ours here, not inquisitorial.

Even when you had Spanish inquisitorial in those days, the burden was still on the accuser to prove the allegation against the accused. When you accuse, you assert. He who asserts must prove. It is bad enough that some people are looting the common wealth.

ANTI-CORRUPTION WAR

EFCC is biting more than it can chew

– Wole Olanipekun, SAN

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, is a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). He is also a member of the International Bar Association, and served as a member of its Council between 2002 and 2004. In 2003, he became the Vice President of the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) and was appointed a Life Bencher by the Nigerian Body of Benchers. In this interview, Olanipekun speaks on the Federal Government’s prosecution of the fight against corruption, as well as related issues.

Excerpts:

W

hat is your position on the recommendation that the National Judicial Council, NJC, should be vested with the power to appoint the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation rather than the President?

My reaction is very simple. There are three arms of government: The legislature, the executive and the judiciary. Right from the days of the French philosopher, Montisco, we have had what we now call division of labour. The appointment of the Attorney General of the Federation, to me, it is not within the jurisdiction of the National Judicial Council, NJC. It belongs to the executive arm of government.

How do you react to the way the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been prosecuting anti-corruption high profile cases, specifically those involving public officers who served in the immediate past administration?

I wouldn’t know the definition of high profile cases. A criminal charge remains a criminal charge, a criminal trial remains a criminal trial. There is no difference between someone who is facing trial for murder or rape and anyone who is facing trial on another crime. The high profile cases that you mentioned, I do not agree that some cases are high profile. I do not agree that some cases are low profile.

Taking a look at EFCC’s prosecution of anti-corruption cases across the country, how do you describe the many counts brought against an accused on a single charge?

There are no specific laws, to the best of my knowledge, guiding or regulating prosecution of corruption and financial crimes. They come within the same purview, within the same Administration of Criminal

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Justice Act at the federal level. Like in Lagos, we have the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, Criminal Code, Penal Code and all the procedural and adjectival and substantive laws regulating them. As someone who has defended the accused or defendant in some of these cases, the only thing I see is that the prosecution at the EFCC seems to be biting more than it can chew. It is not compulsory that you have to prosecute for the sake of prosecution or entertaining. To me, there are some of the cases that you can ask the accused to return the money.

Some of these cases are not criminal.

How can a prosecutor bring 100count charge against a person, against an accused person, in respect of the same transaction? You keep on repeating yourself; you keep on re-introducing the same ingredients in count one, through to count three, through to count 10, through to 20, through to count 60, in the same subject. You don’t need that because you will need to prove every ingredient of the offence, to prove every count. Even when you have to go to court, they should be as concise as possible. Why don’t you make it brief? Maximum, you can have seven-count charge. You can’t reasonably have a hundred-count charge on the same subject. You are talking of N2billion from somewhere to somewhere and it becomes a recurring decimal from one charge to another. To me, it is not tidy enough in the EFCC cases.

And, again, you don’t expect judges to perform magic or to do your work for you. You don’t also expect the judge to say that, ‘By all means, I am going to convict a person’, because he is docked by the EFCC. It must be decided according to the law. A judge would decide according to law

As economic and financial crimes are being tackled by this government, what role should lawyers play or what should they be doing to protect the rights of citizens?

We are behaving as if economic and financial crimes consume all of us, as if our lives are around it. We are not even talking about how to restructure Nigeria. To me, let lawyers concentrate on how to reorganize this country. We have a centre that is so large, in terms of and not according to the noise in the market place, not justice according to your intention but justice to according to the law, the Constitution and based on the counts before the court and also the evidence adduced. Justice cannot be in isolation, it cannot be in a vacuum.

There is the danger in this country today because when someone goes to the dock, the next thing is prison. What differentiates human beings from animals is the rule of law. Both parties and sides must be heard. God did not condemn, God did not convict, God did not sentence Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden without hearing them. The danger of Nigerians wanting any person just to be convicted is that if it is Mr A today, it could be Mr B tomorrow. So we have to be careful.

But the Presidency has accused the judiciary of being its headache in the fight against corruption?I want to plead with the executive, let us stop saying that the judiciary is the headache of Nigeria. The judiciary is not the headache of Nigeria. Nigeria has many headaches, not just one. Our roads are bad, our children are roaming the streets and nobody is talking about unemployment, people are hungry, people are dying and our hospitals have no drugs. So the judiciary cannot be the headache, we have so many headaches.

So far, I will say the Supreme Court is doing well. I want to say that every Nigerian has a right to criticise judges and their judgments, but we don’t have any right to abuse individuals or belittle them. I want to plead that people should ensure that they read a judgment and understand it properly. It is wrong to criticise a

The Constitution says that any person who is standing trial or accused of a criminal offence is presumed innocent until the contrary is proved

resources it distributes.

Also, lawyers must be free of government and politics for us to make reasonable contribution for the betterment of this country. Lawyers have taken positions; we are not ready to be objective. We have taken positions along political delineations, then we will be subjective in our analysis, ideas will no longer be lofty. Nobody will take us serious and we are talking of economic crimes.

There is decay of value. When we were young, then in school, they used to teach us civics-how to be good ambassadors of the country? Somebody told me that today we don’t teach history. If we don’t teach history, how will a young boy know about his past?

How does he know about the virtues of Awolowo an Azikiwe. Again, another issue that lawyers should address is that we want to see every government in power to always be right, he cannot make mistake. It is not right! Then everybody in power is ‘His Excellency’. Why don’t we teach ourselves moral? The president is ‘His Excellency’; Vice President is ‘His Excellency’, wife of the president ‘Her Excellency’, Senate President ‘His Excellency’. All these make you equate yourself with God, with the omnipotent.

Presidents all over the world, they just bear ‘Mr’ In America they say ‘President Barrack Obama’ not ‘His Excellency’. There is nothing like that, it is bad coinage. When I was Attorney-General, I had to politely tell my governor, ‘My Governor, you are governor simplicity- that is what the Constitution says’. There is nowhere the adjective or qualification is put.

President Buhari’s government has been accused of witch-hunting the opposition and not sincere with the fight against corruption. What is your view on this?

We should stop fighting corruption. We should nail it. I don’t believe in these postulations. Some people talking of corruption, what were they when they doing were in government? Did they fight corruption? Did they not encourage corruption? We say all hands must be on deck against corruption, so we should not select it.

PAGE 16 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

Kaleidoscope

The rage of a killer of little children

By Sola Ogundipe

I

t took the death of at least 20 children in Otodo-Gbame, a rural settlement in Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos before the state government to identify the cause of the strange febrile rash illness that was sweeping through the community. Blood samples sent to two Lagos labs confirmed that the strange illness is measles.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that samples sent to Central Public Health Laboratory, Yaba, Lagos tested positive for IgM, a blood marker for recent infection with measles virus while four throat swabs and one blood samples investigated at the Virology Reference Laboratory, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, confirmed presence of measles virus through Polymerase Chain Reaction, PCR, a highly sensitive diagnostic technique.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, had admitted to the media last week that the outbreak was attributable to poor environmental sanitation, lack of potable water, but also because children in the affected community had not only missed out on the routine immunisation exercise, they were also bypassed in the mop-up immunisation because the Ministry of Health was unaware of existence of the settlement.

“Not many people knew that the community existed.

As at the time we heard it, we heard it late and that when we started the investigation,” Idris stated .

Health officials have since begun mass immunisation of children for measles in the community, backed by awareness creation and community sensitization, even as active case search continues.

Killer at large Measles is a contagious

long disabilities, such as blindness, deafness or brain damage.

disease that is caused by a virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person.. It is 100 percent a human disease.

Only humans spread the measles virus, no other animal species is known to spread or habour measles.

It is a vaccine preventable disorder, yet continues to afflict children around the world. The measles virus that attacks the respiratory tract is one of the most contagious diseases known.

Children are especially vulnerable to measles and 330 die from it every day globally despite the availability of a safe, effective and affordable vaccine. Measles survivors are often left with life-

The infection starts with fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and sore throat

Transmission Measles is a highly contagious virus. It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. The measles virus can live for up to two hours in an airspace where the infected person coughed or sneezed. If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they can become infected.

Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, 90 percent of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected. Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before through four days after the rash appears.

Measles rash & Koplik spots The infection starts with fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and sore throat. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash breaks out. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. Small

raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots. Two or three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth. The fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit. After a few days, the fever subsides and the rash fades Vaccine protection In the decade before 1963 when a vaccine became available, nearly all children in the world got measles by the time they were 15 years of age.

Measles vaccine is usually combined with mumps and rubella, hence the name Measles, Mumps & Rubella or MMR vaccine. The WHO recommends that children should receive two doses of MMR, the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age and the second dose at 4 through six years of age.

The MMR vaccine is very safe and effective and the best way to protect children and prevent them from spreading the disease to others. The success of measles vaccination has been dramatic.

Since 2000, an estimated 15.6 million child deaths have been prevented through measles immunisation. In 2013, approximately 84 percent of children around the world were immunized against measles.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 17

But he refused to come. When we went to his house, they made it a human rights issue. Our operation has nothing to do with politics, PDP or APC “, Olabanji said.

Abe denies link Media aide to Senator Abe, Mr Parry Benson, told Sunday Vanguard on phone that his boss had no hand in the military operation. “ Senator Abe has said it repeatedly that he has no hand in what the military is doing in the area. Abe is not a security operative.

If the security men choose to clean up the environment of criminal elements you don’t bring Abe into this. It is purely a military operation. You may contact the army for information on their operation”, Benson said.

A statement, signed later by the senator himself, blamed Ndigbara for the crisis in the area, alleging also an attempt by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to incite the people against him and his APC.

Governor Wike visiting the building destroyed in Yeghe

By Jimitota Onoyume, Port Harcourt

B

ori, headquarters of Khana local government area of Rivers State, literally boiled for two days when soldiers invaded the community, last week, in search of supporters of an ex-militant leader, Mr Solomon Ndigbara, aka Osama Bin Laden.

No fewer than eight persons reportedly died during the invasion. But the Commander, 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt, Major General Stephenson Olabanji, maintained that there was no casualty on the part of civilians and the soldiers.

“I am not aware of any casualty.

It is a lie that the army killed any community person or that we lost anybody”, he said., A resident of the community, who simply gave his name as Barry, said they counted about five corpses on Taabaa Road alone after the military operation.

One of those allegedly hit by a stray bullet was a little boy in front of the state owned Keenule Beeson Sarowiwa Polytechnic.

Two traders, Livinus Nwanfor and Kelechi Nwanfor, were among those reportedly killed.

Genesis of crisis Sunday Vanguard gathered that the situation in Bori was a fallout of the military invasion of the residence of the ex-militant leader, Ndigbara, in his home town, Yeghe, in Gokhana LGA, on Tuesday.

The soldiers allegedly pulled down the building destroyed valuables in sight. Ndigbara alleged that three persons were killed in his compound during the invasion.

Senator Abe’s campaign office razed Hours after the military allegedly brought down the residence of the ex-militant leader, some persons suspected

Ogoniland boils as soldiers go after ex-militant leader to be his loyalists mobilised to Bori community to burn down the campaign office of Senator Magnus Abe. Sources said the army had to move into Bori in search of supporters of the ex militant leader who reportedly fled into the community.

Ndigbara accuses Abe of sponsoring military operation Ndigbara, in a statement in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, accused Abe of sponsoring the military operation against him because he allegedly refused to join the All Progressives Congress, APC. The former militant leader said he was the first militant leader in the state to embrace the Amnesty Program , adding that since he did, he had remained a law abiding citizen.

Abe and some chieftains of the APC in Ogoni, he claimed, wanted him to join the party but he refused, stressing that because of the rerun election coming up on March 19, he had not known peace.

“They have been using soldiers to harass me. Some soldiers were in my house in Port Harcourt, they did not see any weapon. They also could not find any weapon in my house in Yeghe before they destroyed the place “, he said.

Continuing, he said his life was in danger because he refused to heed to pressure from Abe to join his political party.

Our operation has noting to do with politics - Army The Brigade Commander, Olabanji, said the operation was mainly to route out hoodlums, noting that it had no political undertone. He dismissed as propaganda, the allegation that they were working for a politician. “ “It is a lie. The army of today cannot do this. Who will risk his career and everything to do such thing”, he said.

The army chief recalled that, in November last year, they arrested some persons with arms and ammunition who confessed that they got them from the exmilitant leader. He said they invited him to come but he refused; so they (army) had to go to him. He said when they went to his house in Port Harcourt, human rights groups gave all forms of interpretation to their action, “Last November, we arrested some boys around him (Ndigbara) with arms. When we interrogated them, they traced the arms to him. We invited him.

I was not informed of the operation -Wike Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike flayed the loss of lives when he visited Yeghe and Bori on factfinding mission on Thursday. The governor, accompanied by the state Police Commissioner, Mr Musa Kimo, and other top security officers in Rivers, said he was not informed of the military operation.

“The Rivers State Government will take up this unfortunate incident with the appropriate authorities.

The military must subject itself to civil authority. I am the chief security officer of this state. Before any deployment of soldiers, I should be informed, but in this case I was not aware”, he said, He said those who instigated the crisis in the area wanted to create an atmosphere of insecurity in the state so that state of emergency could be declared in the state, adding that they will fail Also, the APC, in a statement by its Rivers State Publicity Secretary, Mr Chris Finebone, condemned alleged campaign of calumny against Abe over the military operation in Yeghe and Bori.

“The APC condemns the ongoing campaign of calumny against Senator Magnus Abe, Hon. Barry Mpigi and other leaders of APC in Ogoniland. We vehemently condemn the attempt by the Rivers State Government to use faceless persons to blackmail the APC by trying to weave and sell wrong narrative about the real security issues and circumstances in Ogoniland. We condemn any attempt by some individuals, no matter how highly placed, to use misguided youths to cause disaffection amongst the Ogonis with a view to rendering the people politically unviable and irrelevant.

Who is afraid of a united Ogoni?”, the party said. Peace has, in the meantime, returned to the two communities. But there were appeals by community folks that the crisis should be well managed so it does not snowball into communal problem between Yeghe community and Biera community where Abe hails from

PAGE 18—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk 08056180152, SMS only

How far are you willing to go to get your wife pregnant?

J

ust how desperate are you to have a child?

After exploring all avenues available to you medically, are you willing to seek outside help? Like natural insemination? Artificial insemination is when a donor sperm is introduced into the female vagina with the hope that the patient would eventually get pregnant. This method is resorted to when the male partner ’s sper m counts are too low to father a child - or they are just blanks. All over the world, a lot of women are playing God by sneakily seeking the help of a virile man to help them get the much longed for child.

These days however, with infidelity being condoned, some men have come out to support their wives in their quest to get pregnant, to the extent of agreeing to Natural Insemination (NI).

One of such women recently quoted in a foreign press alleged that: “My husband knows what he wants to know. We have conceived through natural insemination and had sex with more than one donor over a few months.

There is no doubt that it is emotionally charged and my husband found it difficult. Also, the sex with someone other than my husband is surprisingly enjoyable, sexy and kinky and if we are going to be honest, it’s cheating.

We accepted all that and it worked for us. I wouldn’t have done it any other way. I agreed that my husband is wonderful and I will love him and be grateful to him forever, for giving us this opportunity to have a proper family.

“But natural

insemination is how I wanted to make our baby.

Bottles, tubes, syringes are just not what I wanted to be involved with when I became pregnant. I don’t judge anyone. It is just not what I wanted. We’re not swingers. I could never cope with my husband doing what I did, which is what makes him even more wonderful. But our sex life is not the point here. I wanted to get pregnant and I loved doing it. The whole process was fun, sexy and memorable. I am sorry if that makes me a harlot but there are no two ways about it. I did feel more fertile when dressed up, having sex all night and feeling satisfied in the morning.

We don’t have any secrets.

“My husband knows what he wants to know and can ask anything.

For what it is worth, he took me shopping for the underwear ”. And if you are curious about how any man involved in such an emotionally volatile arrangement feels, here is a 32-yearold male’s view: “Insemination can be perfectly ok in a relationship, if both agree on it. I am a 32year-old man. My wife is 27 and we have been married for three years.

We are happy parents of a little girl who just celebrated her first birthday. My sperm count is very low and we had to use a donor.

Natural insemination was the right method for us. We both think artificial insemination is much too clinical.

“This meant I was going to let my wife have sex with other men. And actually, I am ok with that. Of course I don’t like the thought of her enjoying sex with other

men. But since I’m unable to do my part, I think it is my duty to step aside and be grateful that another man will help us out. And if my wife gets some pleasure out of this arrangement then I think she deserves it, considering that she is the one who has to be pregnant for nine months and give birth.

We ended up using two donors and after three months, my wife became pregnant. In about a year or so we will start looking for donors for our second child and we plan. to use natural insemination again. Of course, those `donors’ don’t know they ’re being used, as far as they know, they’re just having extra marital sex! “I completely understand why some people don’t want to use (NI) but today we are the parents of an absolutely wonderful little girl and that is all that matters. My wife has been kind enough not to tell me if our donors were better lovers than me. But I know she really enjoyed having sex with them.

And I am very much aware there is a potential

risk here.

“This has encouraged me to try to be a better husband for her. I make a much bigger effort now to pay attention to her feelings and needs than I used to. We probably want two more children so there will be much more donor sex for her in the future. But I’m not worried. We think that going through with NI has only made our relationship stronger. I am so very happy that she was willing to do this to give us a baby. And she is happy that I trusted her enough to let her conceive a baby the way she wanted.”

How To Keep Your Cool When Others Are Losing Theirs!

According to psychologist Gladeana Mahoy: Don’t get angry in return when you’re provoked. That’s how physical fights starts.

Either don’t respond at all, or take a deep breath and speak in a calm and assertive way. Don’t give them cause to get worse.

“If someone shouts at you, defend yourself by saying: ‘I appreciate you feel angry with me, but

Thank you for my life which is ordained and set out by You!

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"

APPRECIATING GOD ON MY BIRTHDAY Father, I thank you today, for the salvation of my soul Thank you, God, for giving me another year of life.

Thank you for choosing me – to come to the earth and be an instrument to show forth Your praise.

Thank you for all the people who remembered and will remember me today by sending cards, gifts and good wishes.

Thank you for GRACE, SALVATION, MERCY, LOVE and all the other many things you bless me with.

Thank You for all the tokens of love that remind me of how I am loved and appreciated.

Thank you for all the experience of the past years for times of success; for which all glory will forever return to You, for times of failure; which reminded me of my own weakness and absolute dependence on You For times of joy which reassures me of your ever abiding presence For times of sadness which drove me closer to you as my only True Friend I can not thank You enough for what You have done in my life, To bring me to where I am today.

The fact that You made it known to me, that where I am in my life is

shouting will not help solve the problem’. Or, “ when you shout, it makes it really hard for me to listen to you.’

Anger management advice is that you should encourage the person to say what they don’t like about a situation, then suggest how it could be different. But for a short, sharp rebuff, try these professional put-downs: “Thank you for sharing your views with us,” or “Can you shout that at me again?” It may not solve the problem, but it might diffuse the situation in the short term. If a colleague persistently behaves badly, talk to your employer - they have a responsibility to ensure you aren’t abused in the office.

Record all incidents and inform your superior and/or union. Don’t wait for something to happen before taking action. If you notice someone is increasingly stressed at work, let them know your concerns, ask if you can help, or mention it to a superior.

If you think you’re about to flare up.

Recognise the physical signs of stress in yourself - sweating, shaking, heart racing, adrenalin rushing. Take a short break and walk away from your desk - or talk to a colleague after each task you complete. If you think you’re about to lose your temper, take what stress psychologists call a “circuit breaker ” - put some space between you and the source of your stress. Even leave the office if necessary. If you lose your temper in public and if a one-off, apologise, then don’t worry about it. Everyone does it at some time and wishes they hadn’t. It only becomes cause for concern if it turns to a pattern of behaviour or if it translates into physical violence.

Wbat’s In A Name?

(Humour) Three married couples arrived at the Pearly Gates at the same time and were met by St. Peter.

He said to the first couple: “May I have your names please?” “Yes of course,” replied the husband. “I’m Bob Crossley and this is my wife, Sherry.” “Oh I’m sorry,” said St. Peter, “I can’t let you in. I can’t have anyone in here with a name related to drinking,” so the first couple walked away sadly.

St. Peter turned to the second couple. “Names please.” “I’m Martin Parker, and this is my wife, Penny.” “Oh dear,” St. Peter said, shaking his head. “No one can come in here if their name is related to money.” So the second couple departed.

Then before St. Peter could ask the third couple any questions, the husband took his wife by the arm and led her away. “Come on Fanny, let’s go,” he said.

Just mediocrity; that You have higher expectations for me.

You have taught me that I can overcome those seemingly impossible things just by listening to your voice; obeying, and holding Your hand every step of the way.

Forgive me for the hours I wasted, the chances I failed to take, and the opportunities I missed in the past years.

Today I reaffirm that You are my Creator and Sustainer In you I live and move and have my being I commit this birthday to You May I honour You more than ever on this special day and each day of my life I want to know You more, take 'time out' to be with You more and love You more.

Help me in the days ahead to make this the best year so far, and through and through, to glorify Your Holy Name, This year and for the rest of my life Amen. #HaPpyBirthdayToMe #ManyMoreYearsAhead #ExceedingGODBlessings Chris Onunaku 08032988826/08184844015, dekris4real@gmail.com #KriSpiratiOn2016.

SUND AY Vanguard , FEBRU ARY 28 , 2016, P AGE 19 SUNDA FEBRUARY

Can that affair actually save your marriage

A

t what point in your relationship do you come up with the idea that an affair could give your love life a boost? Simisola’s been married for 14 years to a man she described as her best friend. “And I still love him,” she assured me. “Mentally, we’re in the same _place, but there is a problem - our love life is virtually non-existent.

He works away from home a lot and in the last few years his interest in the physical side of our relationship has dropped off, making me feel desperately unhappy and unattractive.

‘Things took a turn for the ‘hopeful’ early last year when I went with a couple of friends to a new restaurant very close to the office. There were a lot of men there and my friends were friendly with quite a few.

After lunch, we stayed for a few drinks and it was soon obvious that the men on our table were game for anything.

They were all married and had no intention of breaking up with their wives, but like me, they wouldn’t say no to a no-strings-attached sex.

This was a new, exciting world I’d been dying to be part of.

“I didn’t make any hasty decisions. It was obvious my two friends were already ‘attached’ and I had to be careful not to step on toes.

Also, if I wanted an affair, I wanted my lover to be

understanding and intelligent, not sleazy. I wanted him to love and respect his wife, in the same way I loved and respected my husband. So after visiting the restaurant a few times, I got to know Andy and we later agreed to have a date away from the restaurant.

We met for drinks and we both talked glowingly about our spouses. And we both made it clear from the outset we wouldn’t be leaving our marriages. And when we were away from each other, there was no obligation to call or text.

“Because we’d laid our cards on the table right from the word go, the sex, when we eventually had it, was exciting and uninhibited. Now, almost a year, I still see Andy. Our relationship works because

we’re able to distinguish between love and sex. I’m lucky I can do that. I know a lot of women can’t. The affair has really boosted my confidence and is helping my marriage because I feel sexy and desirable again. It’s like getting foreplay from my lover, then sex from my husband.

Now the time I spend with my husband doesn’t have a cloud of tension hanging over it all the time. I’m more patient and loving because my need are fulfilled.

“A lot of relationships fail because the physical side breaks down - but the qualities that made you fall for that person in the first place are still there. “My husband and children mean the world to me and I wouldn’t walk out on

that. Of course my husband has no idea what’s going on, but he can see I’m much happier, though there are times when I wonder if one day he’ll ask me why, but I’ll cross that bridge if and when I get to it. For me, having sex with another man isn’t about finding another marriage – it’s about finding an outlet for your sexual frustrations, so you can make your existing relationship work.” For the 16 years they were married, Paul and Florence worked hard to build a secured future for their children. “As soon as we had enough money saved,” Paul said, “ we got a plot of land in a good estate and started building a house of our dreams. We moved in a few years later to a wing of the house whilst the other wing consisting of two threebedroomed flats was let. Our three children were healthy and doing well in school and it was then it dawned on us we’d grown apart. We were doing things separately and didn’t have sex at all. As we had our three young children to consider, we decided on a ‘non-divorce’ separation - we could both stay in the same house but lead separate lives.

“It was a hard decision to make and I missed the closeness of being with a woman. So, I let a few of my close friends know I was up for some loving. It wasn’t long

before I met women I could relate to - professionals who don’t want clingy men spoiling their fun. The sex has been eye-opening. I feel like a man again. My wife and I have a rota that allows me to go out whenever I feel like it and she knows not to contact me on my days out. We never discuss what the other does, yet she must know I’m meeting other women. A few of my friends know but not many. I want to protect our children.

“I hate affairs and I’m a very moral person. But I’m not betraying my wife because technically, we’re not together any more. I just enjoy meeting people like me who don’t want to break up their families.

Lately though, I’ve noticed my wife sprucing herself up and going out more on her own. I don’t ask for details of her outing. All I tell her was that I didn’t want any scandal and that the children’s happiness comes first.”

But what if she met another man and asked for a divorce, I asked him. “I don’t think things would get to that stage.

I mean, how many men would want to take on a woman with three children? Moreover, our house is jointly owned, and I don’t think she would be foolish to walk away from all the fmancial security she has for a fling. So our situation suits us both.”

08052201867(Text Only)

T

ECHNIQUE: Lying flat on your back with the hands by your sides, swing backwards both legs till the floor or quite close and toes touch the floor. bring the hands to lie Drop the knees to the along the outside of the

The Plough legs. Stay in this position for some ten seconds.

BENEFITS: The plough

instills suppleness to the spine and helps to massage the digestive organs. It also banishes indigestion and constipation.

CAUTION: If you can’t

get your toes touching the floor don’t force. Let the feet hang off the floor till you’re flexible enough in the back.

* The Plough

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

9.00am — 10.00am on Saturdays

PAGE 20—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

Edo 2016: What is wrong with Ize-Iyamu or Obaseki?

T

his year ’s governorship election in Edo State to fill the vacancy that would result from the end of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s tenure will no doubt be keenly contested. For the first time in recent years, many well tested citizens have already shown interest in the position. In particular, the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the main opposition party- the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set to give each other a hot chase as both parties are strong in the state. But before the political scene begins to boil, no one should forget that the state has so much to thank God for. The first cause for joy concerns the huge leaps recorded by Adams Oshiomhole.

Although the outgoing governor had cause to ponder severally over the critical articles in this column about his

performance, there is no better time than now to say that on a general note that he has done well as he got quite close to the excellent performance of the legendary Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia.

If so, why was this column so critical of Adams? The best way to explain it is to affirm that our attacks and those of other wellmeaning citizens were designed to keep the governor on his feet.

Today ’s commendations notwithstanding, there is so much he couldn’t do making it obvious that public expectations in the state will continue to be high.

But then, there is need to thank God for the array of distinguished aspirants that would carry the burden of keeping the flag flying.

Interestingly, the possibility of mud-slinging is already discernible. That should not be; instead, Edo people should raise their heads PhD,Depar tment of Philosophy, University of Lagos 08116759758

President Buhari: The bigger the head, the bigger the headache (3)

L

ast week, I stated that the money allocated to Aso Rock clinic was 3.4 billion naira. I later discovered that 4.8 billion naira was actually set aside for both capital projects and recurrent expenditure for it, the clinic used by the President, Vice-President, their families and close associates. That amount competes favourably with the total allocation usually earmarked by the Federal Ministry of Health for tertiary health institutions nationwide which serve thousands of Nigerians annually, while only about N2.66 billion is to be spent on building new hospitals all over the country.

Keep in mind that over N700 million was set aside for the international travels of Mr. President. Meanwhile, whereas N4.906 million would be spent this year for books for the Vice-President, most of which, I am sure, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo would not have time to read, N3.932 million is budgeted for the purchase of books for eleven out of the twenty-two federal polytechnics in the country.

Meals and refreshments in the presidential mansion would cost N436.054 million, and N193.513m is for recreational facilities for Head of Service of the Federation. In my opinion, the figures cited above do not really give the impression of

a leadership that is serious about making personal sacrifices in this period of economic leukaemia as an example for other Nigerians to emulate. Indeed, the budget as a whole is an Animal Farm budget, because it would actually widen the yawning gap between the sybaritic lifestyle of obscenely wealthy public office holders and the existential condition of those Frantz Fanon described as "the wretched of the earth" by confirming that all animals are equal but some are "more equal" than the others. My friend I referred to earlier, after analysing the fiscal appropriations for financing the loathsome bulimic appetite of the presidency, retorted cynically that since Buhari, as military head of state, did not enjoy the bounties of his office before he was overthrown, this time around he has learnt his lessons. He really wants to maximise the benefits of being President as quickly as possible in case of any eventuality. I did not quite agree with my friend's M a c h i a v e l l i a n interpretation; still I am perplexed by the fact that a President who promised our people positive attitudinal change through leadership by personal example allowed so much public money to be

above partisanship and vote for the very best because once elected, the governor will not be for any partisan group but the governor for all. Thus neither Governor Adams nor the self-styled king maker elders of our community should be allowed to as before, usurp the power of the people by seeking to impose a governor on them.

Oshiomhole has only one vote which he is free to cast

Edo has developed beyond the level of winning elections through the oracle.

The people must reject all the fake prophets and take their own destiny in their own hands by rationally picking the best candidate that can move the state beyond where it is now in favour of only one candidate in line with his popularized one-man, onevote slogan.

To do otherwise, may soil his past contributions to the development of the state.

So, when one Edo compatriot told me last week that the governor was the main sponsor of a set aside for his own personal comfort. In this connection, it is not surprising that President Buhari is gradually wasting the goodwill which he had on assumption of office; there is also the possibility that he might also have lost some of the moral authority derived from his hyperbolic reputation as an austere disciplinarian who cannot stand corruption, indiscipline and bulimic materialism.

The story that the budget is missing, that it contains bloated figures in sectoral allocations and avoidable errors, coupled with discordant pronouncements by top government officials concerning the platform on which it is based, present the APC federal administration in an unfavourable light.

Several months ago, the VicePresident asserted that the federal government was considering an N8 trillion budget for 2016, about 85% more than the budget for last year. But due to the unrelenting fall in the price of petroleum, which is the oxygen of Nigeria's economy, even a freshman student of Economics at the University of Lagos knows that that projection was unrealistic.

Therefore, when President Buhari eventually announced the budget on Tuesday, December 22, 2015, no one was surprised that the figure was scaled down to N6 trillion. Osinbajo later reiterated the President's claim that the budget was based on a zero sum model, a claim that was debunked recently by the AccountantGeneral of the federation. It is disconcerting, given the enormity of the economic problems facing the country now, that nine months after he assumed office, President Buhari has yet to put together a small patriotic group of experts, what some have called an Economic Management Team, led by a seasoned economist with

would-be candidate Godwin Obaseki, I earnestly urged him to avoid spreading such negative rumour because Obaseki is my considered opinion better qualified in several respects to win an election than his so called sponsor. He doesn’t in reality need any godfather – a trend we hear ended long ago.

A second argument that an Obaseki may not get the support of ‘true’ Benin citizens by virtue of the alleged role played by one of his ancestors, Agho Obaseki in Benin history was similarly dismissed by me. My position is that whatever was the alleged 1897 offence, the candidate we are discussing now is not Agho but Godwin and as such no one should for political campaign instigate people into visiting the ‘sin’ of a father on a son. This is because such a mundane posture will no doubt stop us from identifying candidates by their credentials and proven capacities. Besides, many other Obasekis have diligently held public office since 1897. Supreme Court Justice Andrews Obaseki and Jackson Obaseki who served as group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) during the Obasanjo years are good examples.

The point to be made is that whoever wins the APC primaries, should be assessed on his own merit

instead of undue stigmatization provided the primaries are credible.

The argument is thus also valid for Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu, one of the frontline aspirants in the opposition PDP who has been so grossly maligned. For all that I have heard, I am yet to be persuaded that there is a better prepared candidate for the state governorship position in any of the political parties than Ize-Iyamu. Having served in the past as Chief of Staff to the Governor and later Secretary to the State Government (SSG), the man had piloted the engine of governance and would therefore need no induction course to swing into action from day one just as no one can bamboozle him to derail governance as can be done to a typical green horn.

Perhaps, the most popular criticism is that he served in an alleged discredited past administration-a government in which all the critics themselves served or garnered immense advantage.

For instance, apart from occasional outbursts which many do not comprehend, no one has so far disproved the story that it was the said discredited government that paved the way for the present administration.

Besides, where were those who have phobia for the Igbinedions when a fullblooded daughter of the family was voted by our people into the House of Representatives not more

than a year ago? If no one stopped her in spite of her membership of the family, it is malicious to stop Osagie under the guise of being close to the same family. In any case, the same person that people are being manipulated to oppose now was the Director-General of the Oshiomhole Campaign Organization during the last election.

Is it a case of he is good when working for X and bad for having worked for Z and very bad for seeking to work for himself?

The focus on Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu in this article must not be misunderstood to mean that other aspirants are less endowed.

Future articles will in due course talk about such other aspirants. The two names highlighted today are the most talked about for the wrong reasons. They have more virtues than their critics are willing to concede.

Such virtues ought to be pointed out before politicians particularly those who delight in misleading the public on who to vote for by laying claims to supernatural powers. Edo has developed beyond the level of winning elections through the oracle. The people must reject all the fake prophets and take their own destiny in their own hands by rationally picking the best candidate that can move the state beyond where it is now.

sound academic background and solid practical experience in the public or private sector, to take charge of all matters relating to the economy. There is very little the legendry "body language" of Mr. President can do to repair our tottering economy, and those latching tenaciously on his anti-

mentioned above or chair the economic team that should have been set up by Buhari immediately after his inauguration. Of course, the academic content of economics covers a broad spectrum of sub-disciplines germane to public sector economic management and, when combined with cognate practical experience, enhances the performance of a minister with such qualifications. On this issue of managing the economy, anybody can excoriate the past administration as much as he or she pleases. But one thing is certain: Jonathan displayed better judgment than Buhari by appointing quickly a group of people to formulate an economic blueprint and manage the economy on his behalf.

Knowing the gravity of challenges the new administration would face, when Buharimaniacs defended the President for delaying unduly the constitution of his cabinet on the ground that he was taking his time to avoid mistakes, I suspected that Buhari has walked into the booby trap of sycophants. My suspicion was confirmed when the ministerial list was released.

President Buhari actually disappointed those who thought that the cabinet would be a radical departure from tradition, from business as usual. The list of nominees reads like a roster of compensation for politicians who worked for his victory at the polls, including those yet to clear themselves from allegations of corruption. It follows that the five months delay by the President before constituting the Federal Executive Council was in vain.

To some extent, that waste of time and the absence of an economic management team were responsible for the fraudulent shambolic document Buhari presented to Nigerians as the 2016 budget.

According to experts, preparation of a national budget is a challenging task that requires painstaking dissection of the income and expenditure profiles of government, with the overarching goal of employment generation, economic growth and enhanced security. Very likely, President Buhari intended to use the 2016 budget to kickstart his change agenda for our people. Unfortunately, he did not reckon with what Prof.

Ben Nwabueze described as the "invisible government," that is, the close-knit cabal of extremely wealthy and powerful Nigerians who surreptitiously control the inner workings of government up to the highest levels of decision-making for their own selfish interests. This largely explains the embarrassing discoveries at the budget defence sessions in the National Assembly. Now, the question is, can President Buhari dismantle the cancerous invisible government? Of course, he can; the 1999 Constitution invests him with enormous powers, in concert with the National Assembly, which he can deploy to deal with any situation. But would he be willing to do so? Would the President implement drastic measures to render the cabal impotent? To answer these questions, we must go beyond Buhari's famous (or infamous?) "body language" and focus on the scope of his anti-corruption programme.

At the outset, President Buhari made it clear that he would beam his anti-corruption searchlight on Jonathan's administration only, despite being aware of very serious, yet-to-be properly investigated allegations of monumental corruption against the administrations of retired generals Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. To be continued.

There is very little the legendry "body language" of Mr. President can do to repair our tottering economy, and those latching tenaciously on his anti-corruption reputation, as if that is synonymous with good governance, are living in a cloud cuckoo land corruption reputation, as if that is synonymous with good governance, are living in a cloud cuckoo land. To be candid, both Buhari and Osinbajo are not knowledgeable in the scientific management of a depressed economy at a time of uncertainty. The situation is made more challenging by the fact that the President did not appoint a single thoroughbred economist to head at least one of the ministries critical to economic management, namely, finance, budget and national planning, and trade and investment. I am not an economist, but I know it is advantageous to have someone with at least a postgraduate degree in economics, enriched and deepened with cognate practical experience at the managerial level in the private or public sector, lead one of the ministries

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 21 light, watch TV, listen to radio we will create 50,000 jobs a state, after the Solar panel is installed, we will charge every home 1000 Naira so this 50,000 kids can service the equipment."

Course 101 - How to be a leader in Nigeria

N

igerians cannot complain of lack of political leaders. And in the same vein, leaders cannot complain of lack of followers. Over here political leaders are made every second of the day. It is how you project yourself that will establish you as a leader.

You can come from nowhere and become a political hero in few seconds. It takes little effort.

All you need to do is to research to what topic will resonate with the masses, find a good occasion to deliver it and you are made.

The political history of Nigeria is littered with such "brave" men and women.

Before and after the 2015 General Elections there were many interesting developments. We were all witnesses to the mass defection of unprincipled politicians from the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC), which many "hailed" as "wise" decision to join the change bandwagon and also escape from corruption probes. Apart from this, we all know that politicians are unstable, hence they tend to go where their breads would be buttered.

At the height of these defections, a few politicians decided to step forward and become heroes of democracy. From no where they came like saviours, with soothing voices, as messiahs who have been mandated to rescue the common Nigerians from what they see as political oppression.

The speeches of these nouveau politicians were good music in the ears of Nigerians. And thank God for the social media, the views were passed around the world. However, not all of them made sense of what they were saying.

During this void and up till today the Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose took it upon himself to square up with APC's Muhammad Buhari. He literally abandoned his post and was fighting, according to him, on behalf of the "masses" in his bid to "expose" Buhari as unfit.

His mission is still not clear to Nigerians as he has become more loud in his criticism even after the President was sworn in.

Thank God for the social media. There is no need for political gladiators to mount rostrum before their messages are heard. The social media has become an effective platform for politicians to launch themselves.

It was by the power of the social media that I discovered, like many Nigerians that we have political characters such as the then Senator-Elect Ben Murray Bruce. I had a good idea of him as an impressive showbiz promoter and businessman as the

chairman of Silverbird Group. But that was as far as it went. Only few Nigerians has ever heard him speak on political issues like he did on that night in May last year.

You can therefore imagine my surprise when I watched the video clip of this gentleman in which he outlined the reasons why the great country has refused to walk. He spoke like a man troubled, pained by the state of his dear country. I fell in love with him watching the video and hear him talk about how he had never flown in first class before. I was amazed at this man who, despite overseeing a massive business empire said he had not slept in hotels above 300 dollars per night.

The Senator raised the hopes of all Nigerians by his plan for the future. As the video clip was making the rounds on the social media, he became the new political celebrity. His followers on the social media tripled as Nigerians watch the clip thousands of times, digesting the content.

They were happy that somebody of Murray-Bruce economic statute could relate to their pains in simple, clear sentences. The hope for a better Nigeria suddenly became a reality.

Many saw in the Senator an Obama of Nigeria. This was not only in physical resemblance but with

We were all witnesses to the mass defection of unprincipled politicians from the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC), which many "hailed" as "wise" decision to join the change bandwagon and also escape from corruption probes. oratory skills of the President of the United States of America (USA) Barrack Obama.

Nigerians hailed when he said: "In the Senate, am gonna create a bill for a billion dollars so very poor home in this country will have a Solar Power every poor Nigerian family, and I need our support, if my colleagues say no you tell them yes, I want you to tell my colleagues to create a billion dollar fund."

Murray-Bruce continued: "We will have Solar Power and inverters in every home in Nigeria, so every child can do the homework with

Nigerians clapped harder when he got to this part.

They knew where the shoe pinches and this new politician is saying the right "words". On the other hand, many sceptical Nigerians refused to be hoodwinked by the sweet words of Murray-Bruce.

They advised him to take a reality pill as a political "newbie" who should learn the ropes. They reminded him that showmanship is a different cup of tea. These Nigerians were not impressed at all.

To be honest, I got sucked in by the great speech and I was looking forward to the Senator to take his seat in the lawmaking chamber. I had high hopes of a better Nigeria from this fresh faced politician. On assumption of his legislative office, he announced he was donating his "Wardrobe Allowance" to Osun State to pay workers. Not quite sure if his donation was accepted by Rauf Aregbesola.

However, give it to the senator, he made practical his campaign for patronage of locally produced goods when he took delivery of his Made In Nigeria jeep last week.

While Murray-Bruce has not presented bills that would bring about the Nigeria of his dream, he has been very busy in other jobs.

In recent times, the Senator has been more busy outside the chamber than in the job he was elected to do. He has assumed a celebrity status on the social media. You will sympathise with him in this wise, as he was politically discovered via the social media. He has therefore been "idealising" a great Nigeria on Twitter.

He has also taken the role of opposition to the ruling party, not by his bills in the Senate, but his tweets thereby becoming a thorn in the flesh of the APC-led government.

Murray-Bruce has an ally in Fayose who also has not relented in his off the cuff criticism of every action of Buhari. The two of them have been keeping the PDP going in their roles as opposition figures.

Fayose has never hidden his wish to end the APC reign at the federal level.

Despite lack of any real development in Ekiti State, Fayose seem to be more interested at the plights of all Nigerians than his Ekiti constituency. Surprisingly he has been offering financial advise to the Federal Government on how to manage the foreign exchange. He believes devaluing the Naira is the only way he can bring development closer to his people.

It is not strange to mention Murray-Bruce's name in the same breath as Fayose's. Although they are both elected officials, they have been the most vociferous of the remnants of PDP. These are the new political cult leaders. Will they fade away or stand the test of time? Let's keep watching.

J

oyful Homes, this week, shares with readers what I describe as the “star testimony “ of a couple at the last Laughter Day of Laughter Foundation Christian Ministry, Lagos.

I am aware that God gives us testimonies every day.

Whether we acknowledge it or not, there are testimonies and it is good to express them because it is written in Revelation 12 verse 11: “And they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;……”.

Men and women of God in the ministry of Christ counsel us on why we must testify. One of the reasons is that such a testimony would be permanent. It is also to glorify the name of the Lord and also lift the faith of others.

The star testimony I mentioned earlier is that of Mr. and Mrs. Bassey.

The wife is a senior nursing sister and we were informed that the couple, who got married in November 1995, had done everything medically possible to have children . Each time she took in, the joy would last a few months and she would lose the pregnancy.

Spiritual influence on the physical As narrated by her husband, he had a dream in which he saw himself in a church where children were being distributed and he was on the queue . With just two persons ahead of him to receive babies, someone came and scattered the queue.

Another queue was formed and he found himself second to the last.

He woke up and knew immediately that there were forces determined to stop him from having children.

According to him, he watched the television and saw the programme of Laughter Foundation International Ministry.

His wife who was at work also saw it and both resolved to worship in the church.

They persisted in their worship. Then the wife got pregnant again . They kept the news to themselves; then someone with a hidden number sent an sms: “You are happy because your wife is pregnant, you will soon cry”.

The couple never told anyone, but some one was monitoring the couple spiritually.

True to the person’s words, the wife lost the pregnancy .

The lesson here is that we should always pray against monitoring spirits.

My prayer is that the fire of the Holy Ghost will destroy all instruments being used to monitor your life in Jesus name.

When we have such experience, we should always bear in mind the word of God according to 1st Timothy 1 verse 7: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love , and of a sound mind”. The point here is that, as believers in Christ, we must not succumb to the forces of darkness. Fear is one way we unconsciously submit to those forces. We must,

God proves the enemy wrong therefore, do away with fear. This particular couple had five miscarriages.

While speaking to the congregation, the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Gbenga Oso, said, “ Spiritual battles can be long, but in the end, you will win”.

Yes, you will win if you

Anytime your spirit is low, rather than issuing God a query on why he has not answered your prayer, remember the word of God as recorded in Hebrews 10 verses 35 and 36": Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward remain on the side of the Lord of Hosts; the one who has never lost a battle.

Acts of Faith According to Mr. Bassey, one day, he stood at the corner of the altar of the church and said a quiet prayer: “Lord, you said the stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone. My wife and I have been rejected, please let us become the corner stone”.

Both continued to pray for twins and attended their prayer meetings regularly.

Suddenly again, she got pregnant and another SMS was sent from an unknown source which simply stated, “ You have met a man of God; keep to that”.

Still the sender remained unknown and they didn’t take any extra step to find out. Rather, they remained focused .

Earlier, the husband said he took another step of faith by going to the Human Resource ( HR) Department of his company to list his next of kins as his wife and his twins; a boy and a girl and he gave their names.

Yet at this time, the couple had no

child.

This time around, inspite of the frightening dreams, the pregnancy remained stable.

The good news is that the couple, who got married November 1995, had a set of twins in November 2015.

20 years of delay was over. Years of weeping, mockety ended and joy, joy unspeakable came into their marriage.

According to the husband, as large as his extended family is, they were the first to have a set of twins; a boy and a girl.

Remain hopeful Brethren, how long have you been waiting?

The period of waiting is a time for you to demonstrate your faith and confidence in God. Anytime your spirit is low, rather than issuing God a query on why he has not answered your prayer, remember the word of God as recorded in Hebrews 10 verses 35 and 36": Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise”.

You will receive His promise in Jesus name.

The promise of God is that we shall not be barren. Deuteronomy 7 verse 14:” Thou shall be blessed above all people; there shall not be male or female barren among you , or your cattle”. It is your duty to stand up and reject the spirit of barreness in any form.

It could be a case of you working so hard without anything to show for it.

To have a break through, your prayer point must include the rejection of barreness .

Ensure you remain steadfast with God and, very soon, God will replace those tears of sorrow with joy unspeakable.

May I use this opportunity to congratulate all ministers and members and allies of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) who have been on a 40 day fasting which ends tomorrow; February 29. This exercise shall not be in vain in Jesus name.

I also join other Christians and members of RCCG to congratulate the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, who turns 74 on March 2, 2016.

Daddy G.O,. may God continue to uphold you, strengthen you and use you for His glory in Jesus name.

PAGE 22—SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

It is too early to accuse Mr. President of non-performance – Sarafa Ishola, ex-Minister

By Bashir Adefaka Chief Sarafa Tunji Isola, a Minister of Mines and Steel Development during President Umar Musa Yar ’Adua administration, is a key stakeholder in Ogun State , which 40th anniversary was just celebrated with fanfare with President Muhammadu Buhari joining in it for two days. The former Secretary to Ogun State Government and one time Chairman, Abeokuta North Local Government, in this interview, bares his mind on Ogun State at 40, the Nigerian security situation, the economy and absolves the judiciary system of blame over corruption in the couontry. He speaks on former President Obasanjo and challenges critics of President Muhammadu Buhari’s foreign trips, saying adverse assessment of his government in less than two years is wrong. Excerpts:

W

hat do you make of Ogun at 40 and the President’s visit to celebrate with the state?

I always tell people who don’t take time to appreciate our country . You hear them say Nigeria is a wasted country and so on and so forth. Many of these people staying abroad had their primary and secondary education and sometimes tertiary education in Nigeria, without which they would not even have the opportunity to be where they are today.

I ask myself, what was Ogun like 40 years ago? Our present secretariat complex was non-existent. Ogun of 40 years ago, how many universities did we have in 1976? None. At the last count, I think, we have about 12 universities in this state, both public and private. How many secondary schools did we have then ? Look at the development that has taken place in Mowe, Ibafo along LagosIbadan Expressway axis of Ogun. The area was thick forest in1976. Look at the expressway from Sango-Ota to Abeokuta and the Shagamu interchange to Abeokuta within 40 years. If you talk about primary healthcare services, how many primary healthcare centres have been built in the state? And if you talk of 1976 to now, we produced the head of state in 1976 to 1979, we produced head of interim government in 1993, we had an elected president in 1999 to 2007. We had the Speaker, House of Representatives and we currently have the Vice President.

Haba! Is it not worth celebrating? And many more things, institutionally, human capital...

What is the secret behind your respect for former President Olusegun Obasanjo despite the fact that you don’t both currently share the some political platform?

The best President that Nigeria has had so far is Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. And he is the father of our state and our nation . Ogun was created with Abeokuta as the state capital through his influence in the then Supreme Military Council as the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters in 1976. And if you look

C M Y K

We have given him four years. But some people want to assess the administration after three months in office. It must be a minimum of midterm, that is, two years at the way he governed, you will find that those three years of 1976-1979 were period of prosperity in our nation. And if you look at 1999 to 2007, that was the period of prosperity in recent times. You heard of things like ‘Gbemu Aremu’. Were many teachers buying cars before then? You are now going around with mobile phones. Look at the dualisation of Lagos-Abeokuta Road, Shagamu interchange-Abeokuta Road. Look at how he was able to repay our debts.

He inherited a foreign debt profile of about $38 billion and he paid leaving just $3 billion dollars. Obasanjo was able to grow our external reserves from $3 billion to $36 billion.

He was able to transit from first term to second term without the truncation of our democracy and he was the first civillian administration to successfully hand over power to a successor in the history of Nigeria. He is an uncommon leader. Today, the Association of past Heads of States in the World, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is its Co-Chairman.

And one wonders that even President Buhari so much revers him In the military, he (Obasanjo) is the boss and esprit de corps would not even allow him to do otherwise. If you watch him very well, every time he (Buhari) still sees Obasanjo, even as serving President and Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces, he gives due compliments .

If you agree that Obasanjo was able to restore Nigeria from pariah state to respected nation through his travels all over the world, what does that suggest to you now that President Buhari is criticised for traveling around the world for the same purpose?

Every President has his own priority.

So, I don’t belong to the school of

•Sarafa Ishola: “Strengthen the police to ensure that it is not enough to take an accused to court but to get conviction”

thought that criticises a President who travels. He must have his reasons for doing so. One of the problems we have in Nigeria has to do with the issue of the driver and his passengers. It also has to do with the issue of a football player and the spectators. When you go the stadium to watch football you find out that the best players are those watching. ‘Oh, you should have got to 18 before you took that shot’. ‘Oh, you didn’t give that pass very well’. But put any of them in the field of play, you will see what would happen.

So, Nigerians should appreciate the fact that they have elected a leader. If he believes that certain meetings are important for him to attend, so be it.

We have given him four years. But some people want to assess the administration after three months in office. It must be a minimum of midterm that is, two years. ‘Hello, it is over two years. Where are we? What you promised, which one have you done, which one have you started, which one have you not even embarked upon?’ So, there will be a wake up call from May 29 next year. Those that provide for a tenure in our Constitution are conscious of the time line for meaningful development. Let’s wait for two years. After two years, yes, we will then start a wake up call. Then after the third year we will be in election year.

Eh-eh, bombardment! (Laughs). This is without prejudice to suggesting better alternatives to policies .

And this is both ways. In as much as one is appealing to the opposition , the President and the Presidency too should appreciate the fact that once a President has been sworn in, he is no more the president of the party, neither of PDP nor of APC, he is the President of Nigeria. And most problems in governance are better solved using a bipartisan approach. PDP has been managing the economy. Let him invite those that were there before and tell them, ‘We are having these challenges.

What are your inputs?; So that they are on the same page. All of them have been elected to serve Nigeria. PDP has about 44 senators today. They must have their own ideas, let them join with what APC has for the nation . Once people have been elected, it should not be we and them them again, no. It is about Nigeria. That is the hallmark of Presidential democracy as opposed to parliamentary democracy.

Let’s go into the area of security to hear your assessment in terms of insurgency, kidnapping and what I call community terrorism in our various remote areas?

The issue of security in this country today can be viewed from multidimensional perspectives. As we all know, in the North East there is the issue of insurgency, which is something that is new to our country; in the South East, kidnapping and armed robbery and in the South West armed robbery and lately some form of kidnapping and cult clashes. Cult clashes are all

over the country whereby you have the student cultists and traditional cultists fighting one another. In order to address these situations you must appreciate the fact that all hands must be on deck. I keep on saying that Nigerians must stop taking security as only a national issue except in the area of National security . Security is also a local issue because every event happens in a locality. The local government chairman is the chief security officer of his local government. He does that by making sure he interacts with the community to provide adequate intelligence.

Don’t forget that the people who wreak havoc live in the community. They plan before executing. If the intelligence is sufficient to identify the threat, then it can be neutralised before the crime takes place. That is the area of priority. Security should focus on intelligence gathering. That is the heartbeat of security all over the world. It is preventive security.

Much has been said about the economy.

Some people say the current government has lost track of how to revamp the dwindling economy. What would you say is really the problem with the economy?

It is very clear that our economy is suffering from crude oil price crash. Nigeria is a monoproduct economy and, for many years oil has been the mainstay of our economy such that we were okay economically only when there was oil boom and whenever there was fall in oil prices we face economic crisis . That has always been the challenge with our economy.

Despite the comment by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that the government would perform even if crude oil falls to as low as five dollars?

He who alleges must prove. He must tell us what we don’t know as basis for that assumption. His assumption must have been based on certain data available to him, which he has to share as much as we are not in a position to fault until when relevant data is shared. As the spokesman of the government, he must be on ground to offer hope to the citizenry.

Talking more realistically, let’s even put oil aside. Before oil, Sardauna Ahmadu Bello built the Northern Nigeria without oil money, same was Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Western Region and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe in Eastern Nigeria. They built their respective regions without oil money. What is your own idea of rebuilding the economy?

My idea of managing the economy is very simple and it has to do, one, with looking for managers to handle Nigerian economy.

Nigerian economy is complex and I also strongly believe that this is not time for the present government to have separated the budget office from finance office. The Central Bank governor will continue to make use of monetarist policies to regulate and stabilise the economy, while the finance minister is supposed to use fiscal policies. Of what use is a fiscal policy without control over the national budget?

So, that is an area that should be looked into.

The present minister of finance is incapacitated because she is supposed to work on the fiscal policy and when you don’t have control over budget, how do you work on the fiscal policy.

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 23

Buhari requires more than integrity to rule Nigeria — Balarabe Musa

By YINKA AJAYI

S

econd Republic governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, says the economy has been going from bad to worse since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office almost nine months ago.

“You must have the political will and sincerity to do justice to everybody”, the veteran politician tells the President in this interview, saying he (Buhari) requires more than integrity or credibility to administer Nigeria.

What is your take on the state of the economy?

The economy is still in a very bad state and not close to getting better as the APC promised during the campaigns.

And to make matters worse, the government wants to borrow to fund the 2016 budget. This administration seems to have forgotten what we went through concerning our past debt burden.

Do you agree with analysts who want the diversification of the economy as a way out of the current challenges?

Yes! Government should pay attention to diversification that would generate huge wealth rather than borrowing! That is the viable alternative.

We are aware of our history regarding the careless borrowing of the past. Secondly, we have this disturbing level of corruption, whatever we borrow, more than half of it is stolen.

Do you see Mr. President delivering on his campaign promises?

Running a government, particularly at this period, requires more than integrity or credibility.

You must have the political will and sincerity to do justice to everybody. But our current system of capitalism thrives on self interest while general interest is secondary. There is need to

change the system. If we don’t, we will continue to be in stagnation and it could lead to the worst situation ever recorded in our nation’s history.

Is the President on the right track on his anti-corruption fight?

It is obvious that this government is targetting select individuals who served in Jonathan’s administration. We are all aware that this country was wrecked by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and those now in the All Progressives Congress, APC. We also know that 70% of the leaders in the APC were in the PDP before they jumped ship, and that they participated in bringing down this economy, destroying the name of the PDP in the process. If really you are fighting corruption, you must not look at only one of the two sets of politicians. As things stand presently, record shows that only those who served under the PDP administration of former President Jonathan are being targetted in the anti-corruption war. However, corruption has been going on in Nigeria ever since the military seized power in 1966. Government should go back to 1966. to effectively fight this war That is not too long ago. The records are there. The anti-corruption war should not target President Jonathan’s administration alone!

Many people will disagree with you on your claim that the anti-corruption war is targetting only PDP people on the grounds that an associate of the President, Jafaru Isa, was arrested by the EFCC. Isa was, infact, said to have refunded some money and may be prosecuted?

That is only one person! We have a backlog of untouched corrupt people. Many of those serving in the current government have been accused of corruption. Every political

•Balarabe Musa

party after the First Republic participated in corruption. In the First Republic, corruption was practically nil; this disturbingly level of corruption started from the inception of military rule in 1966. It is so bad that no government since then can be exempted and no former leader, except Tafawa Balewa, Yakubu Gowon and Murtala Muhammed, were alleged not to be involved in corruption.

What then is the way forward?

We need to change the system that produces leadership in this country that is primarily based on self interest while public interest is secondary. This is the cause of the high level of corruption.

The change come through democratic means or revolution.

You are aware that some Igbo are agitating for Biafra?

Well, the government provoked them! When this government appointed its kitchen cabinet, was there anyone to represent the interest of the South-East there? Detaining Nnamdi Kanu, the arrow head of the agitation, is not in the best interest of our dear country.

President Buhari, being the father of the country, should try to reconcile with the South-East, the same way the late President Umaru Yar‘Adua reconciled with the Niger-Delta militants.

But prominent Igbo leaders have disowned the agitating youths.

That is the major reason he should reconcile with them because there is a disconnect between these agitating youths and their leaders. They have been provoked with the exemption of the region from his kitchen cabinet!

He is the leader of the country. They are not like Boko Haram that you can’t identify.

You simply work with them. He should call them for peace talks and they will respond.

Out of the 20 million registered voters, only 15 million voted for him. Should he then ignore the five million that didn’t vote for him? There should be a culture of fairness in governance.

The economy is still in a very bad state and not close to getting better as the APC promised during the campaigns.

And to make matters worse, the government wants to borrow to fund the 2016 budget. This administration seems to have forgotten what we went through concerning our past debt burden

What is your message for the President?

He has the people’s mandate to rule this country, he should make use of that mandate fairly and with justice. Secondly, he is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and, therefore, the chief security officer of Nigeria. He is the financial controller of the country, so he can do a lot. The President of Nigeria is what the Yoruba in the South-West refer to as Oga patapata! And in Hausa, they say Sariki yanka (highest king in the land). He should be able to compel everybody to march along. With this, the marginalisation mentality of the Igbo will be corrected and result in peaceful Nigeria. Buhari should run a government of national unity in which other political parties will be involved according to their relevance. The Igbo should be given all their entitlements in representation, according to federal character and as enshrined in the Constitution. If the marginalisation of the Igbo in the kitchen cabinet of the President had happened to the North in the event that a southerner is the head of government, where would Nigeria be? So why is it happening to Ndigbo that are part and parcel of Nigeria? That is why I feel it is a mistake that should be corrected immediately, and things will be favourable to Nigeria and the President. The fact that a great number of Igbo had abandoned Biafra and called for one Nigeria, is a call for peace. I think Buhari should embrace it and make amends.

PAGE 24 —SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

I started off as a Danfo driver — Hembah, CEO, Nezam Logistics BEN AGANDE, ABUJA

T

he story of Mr Terna Hembah Nezam, the Chief Executive Officer of a Haulage company that goes by his name, exemplifies the fact that those who refuse to give in to a temporary failure are bound to go places. From a Danfo driver in Lagos in the 90s, Hembah has risen to own one of the leading haulage and logistics company in the country, NEZAM Transport and Logistics Company. His is a story that many of the thousands of jobless youths in the country can find inspirational, and, rather that wait for the non-existent jobs, learn a thing or two from.

But even for Terna Hembah, if any one had told him 20 years ago that he would be the owner of a multinational company, he would dismiss it with a wave of the hand. For as soon as he left the university and finished his national service programme, he was offered automatic employment by his place of primary assignment, the defunct Allied bank. For a bubbling young man, he could have wished for nothing better.

Though he served with the bank branch in Calabar, Cross River State, he was deployed to the Apapa, Lagos office where he served for three years.

As an ambitious young man then, when he was offered an appointment to join a budding mortgage bank, the desire to do something different from what he was doing in the bank became too strong to resist. He left Allied Bank and joined Property Mortgage Bank in Lagos.

That was the beginning of the challenge that he faced which culminated in his setting up a thriving haulage company.

He explained: “The finance company failed after a while and I was left with no job.

When it became so tough feeding my family, I took the car I had and sold it. Initially I wanted to use it as airport taxi, but when that didn’t work out, I sold it and bought a bus and was driving it as Danfo in Lagos. I was plying OshodiApapa route. I was happy doing it”, he said.

But because he was a graduate and apparently comported himself better than the average Danfo driver in Lagos, it didn’t take long for one of his customers to notice that that there was something different in this Danfo driver.

“One of my regular customers then was a banker with Union Bank. In the course of on of our discussions, we exchanged information about ourselves.

She was surprised that with my degree in economics, I was comfortable driving a Danfo. She introduced me to the owner of Chisco Transport Company, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, who gave me an opportunity to work for him. I had a very good

The greatest challenge of doing any business in Nigeria is that there appears to be a fundamental problem with us as a people

•Terna Hembah Nezam

relationship with him, which actually exposed me. He took me through the rudiments of the industry. My first time out of the country was when Chisco sponsored me to attend a conference in logistics in the United States of America. I owe him a debt of gratitude”, Hembahe said.

His stint with the owner of Chisco Transport apparently prepared him for the big task that he is handling now as the owner of a big haulage company with offices in many African countries, including Malawi and Tanzania. Apart from giving him hands on knowledge about the transport and haulage business, Hembah’s 10-year stay with Chisco exposed him to contacts and connections that he finds very useful till today.

“I spent ten years with Chisco. Because we were doing contracts with Nigerian Breweries, when I moved on, I kept in touch with many of their staff who also trusted me.

They encouraged me to take a contract to haul products for them”, the CEO explained.

But it appears that women have a special role to play in the lives of this multi millionaire haulage and logistics company owner at very critical times. After landing the haulage contract with Nigerian Breweries, he needed funds to acquire the necessary machinery and vehicles to take the company’s products nationwide.

Obviously as an up coming company, there was not enough funds to embark on such capital intensive project. But as he was contemplating the next move to make, another woman intervened for him.

“In the course of my job, I had met another woman who was very supportive. I had nothing but she had confidence in me, took me to her boss at the Stanbic Bank who gave me a facility of about N300 million. It was a lot of money back then. One surprising thing was that they gave me the facility before asking me to go and open an account. It was a divine favour and, since then, I have never looked back”.

And since that divine intervention, his company has continued to grow from strength to strength.

He set up an expansive office in Kaduna where he is in charge of the distribution of Nigerian Breweries products in the North. From his Kaduna base, he has expanded his company to cover Malawi and Tanzania where is in charge of the distribution of the products of the country’s two biggest breweries.

“We are in

Malawai with Calsberg, a Danish brewing giant. The plant in Malawi is the only one outside Denmark. We are also with them in Tanzania”, Hembah stated.

But like all businesses operating in the country, his is also not without its challenges.

He told Sunday Vanguard that, apart from the usual issue of infrastructural deficit and lack of manpower to take care of his fleet of vehicles, one other problem that he has had to contend with is the insincerity of workers who lack commitment and dedication.

His words: “The greatest challenge of doing any business in Nigeria is that there appears to be a fundamental problem with us as a people. The workforce is not as committed and dedicated as they should be. You find very few people who are committed and dedicated to their work. Majority of the workforce in the country are people who come looking for ways of making money without working at all.

“Being in the haulage business in particular, our roads are in a very horrible condition so vehicles that should last ten or twenty year crash after five year. The insecurity in country is another big challenge. The skill to maintain our vehicles is virtually nonexistent. When you combine this with the number of people who beg you for one favour or the other, it is way too high. They think that when they see your vehicles on the road, it is money that you are moving around”.

And for the youths of this country who believe that their best bet is a white collar job, the CEO said that rather than wait endlessly for nonexistent jobs, they should instead rediscover themselves and learn the rudiments of doing business under a mentor.

Speaking on what government can do to alleviate the economic crunch in the country, Hembah said steps must be taken to bring down the cost of goods through investment in infrastructure, adding that government should go back to the olden days when there used to be long term, medium term and short term development plans.

“If we can resort to drawing up national plans as we used to do, things will be better. If I have my way, I would wish that the government did not build any airport outside Lagos and Abuja. Divert those resources used in building dormant airports, some of which do not have navigational aids into building fast trains and good roads. If we have a train that takes for instance, two hours between Makurdi and Abuja, you can imagine what that means in terms of movements of goods and passengers. Many people will not even want to live in Abuja but will prefer to live in Makurdi,”the CEO stressed.

“The cost of distributing goods in Nigeria is very high.

If you build fast trains, it will bring it down, make them affordable and expand the economy. We invest so much of our scarce resources on things that touch only few Nigerians. The number of people travelling by air is insignificant and they take so much resource.

Government should re-plan.

Improve the road situation, improve security ad things will change”.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 25

I lost my legs after our househelp threw me down from a storey building

you are moving too slow, you need to move faster’ and that was when I started to take note that I had problem with my legs.

What happened to your legs; were you born this way?

What happened to me as a child was that our house help threw me out of the house from a height and I broke my legs, then I was just a year and six months old.

What did you do?

I don’t know what happened and I can’t tell why she did what she did and I have never for once judged her in my heart. But I receive a lot of sympathy from people each time I tell them what happened to me.

There was this time I told a friend my story; she went home and told her mum and the next thing the mum said when I came around was that if she saw the lady that did this to me she would cut her to pieces with a saw.

— Chidi, cinematographer •Says he abandoned MTN wellpaying job to pursue his passion

By FLORENCE AMAGIYA

A

lthough people see Chidi Njoku, the owner of Konstant Pictures, as physically challenged and vulnerable, he doesn’t see himself that way. Chidi is into the business of preserving memories for people, both young and old, through filming and photography and has touched so many lives while at it. Today, he is paid good money doing what he enjoys doing. In this chat, he talks about how he left his well-paying job at MTN to pursue his dream, his childhood accident that led to his present state and many other issues.

How did you become a professional cinematographer?

It didn’t start from my going to Del York Film Academy because I have always had passion for the arts. But I had to go there because I felt it’s not just enough to have passion for the arts. It is one thing to have passion for something and another thing to undergo training which is pivotal. You don’t just say you are passionate about something if you haven’t taken time to study it.

People want to know about your accolade, I mean your portfolio or your certification because when someone asks you where you learnt this, you don’t say ‘I just know it on my own’. If you say it, they applaud you in your presence, but you need to go and look for a professional in the business.

There are things you feel you know naturally, but there is an order to it or rules and that is where you have to learn the rules by going to school or somewhere to learn it. Training is very essential and I felt at that point that’s what I needed and that’s why I left MTN to pursue my passion. While at MTN, I was in Corporate Services as

the Head. But after a couple of years, I felt it was becoming a routine. I became bored and needed more from life. I was also Media Awareness Officer for MTN Foundation and championed CSR Department for beneficiaries. I handled the feed back for the Foundation.

It was a fantastic, wellpaying job for a young graduate, but I felt I needed more out of life. So I walked away to learn filming and photography and, in the nearest future, I intend to study law. My mother said as a child I used to say that when I grow up, I would love to study medicine so as to get a cure for my broken legs.

So how did your family take it when you left MTN for photography and film making?

It wasn’t really easy but my mum didn’t say much, perhaps, because she trusted my judgement. Although it was obvious she didn’t feel comfortable, she wouldn’t let me know and she didn’t express it. We live in a society where jobs don’t come easily; these days you don’t get to hear about aptitude test anymore; companies are downsizing and then you get rid of an opportunity where people would kill to stay there and you left to do the unknown!

How have you managed the business; that is if you have to be at three functions at the same time?

Well, I have managed it by replicating myself in people who work with me. It means I can’t do this forever, there has to be a point where I will probably have kids and then my direct contact with my clients will have to be minimal and the energy would be reduced. In other words, I keep spreading it and letting other people learn. That way, the arts doesn’t die when we are no more.

You said something about replicating yourself in people who work with you; are you not scared they will take your business?

Chidi Njoku...I see myself having a TV channel perhaps on Dstv

It is healthy to have challenges because, most times, these are the inspirations you need to get to where you want to get to and, if at a point you don’t have challenges, you will become relaxed

I don’t. I feel there is too much from where this is coming from, I mean there is so much more in me. It is like an abyss of knowledge and creativity and so it’s large.

The only problem we may have is the resources to activate it. I don’t have issues with replicating myself in others, and I am not afraid if they steal my ideas because, in as much as there are bad people around, there are also good people who would work with me and respect me for it.

Who can get on board your team?

Whoever is passionate about the arts qualifies to be on my team.

How can you tell a person with the right passion for the job?

I studied psychology in the university, so I can tell a person with the passion for the trade to a large extent.

What were the challenges you went through?

It is healthy to have challenges because, most times, these are the inspirations you need to get to where you want to get to and, if at a point you don’t have challenges, you will become relaxed. That’s why I believe that challenges are there to score me to where I need to be. It is not easy telling people what you do and getting to convince them to give you a job. My first wedding job was free of charge and I had to beg to be in the media crew to take care of the wedding and it wasn’t easy as the wife was my colleague at a point in MTN. It wasn’t what I wanted, but I knew I had to start somewhere and that was my starting point. My second wedding job was billed for N40,000. I am not supposed to mention figures because it’s not ideal to do so, but I just have to. At the beginning, most of my jobs were done virtually for free because I needed people to see my work. And it paid off.

How was childhood and how many are you in your home?

I am the last of seven children and the most special to my mother and she respects my decisions.

Let’s go back to when you were a baby; when did you notice you were a special child because that’s what you are, right?

Growing up, I didn’t realize I had a problem with my legs.

I didn’t feel different until after a period when I realized that anytime mummy returned from the market or work, I was always the last to meet her and, sometimes I would say to myself, ‘Chidi,

For someone who has gone through this; you would want to blame life and the person that did this or blame government, but how come you are working despite your condition?

Why would I sit down, should be the question? I think it has to do with your mind-set. Once your mind set is channelled in the right direction, then you are good to go. Meanwhile, I think it depends on how you grew up and my parents really played a big role in making me strong.

My folks treated me as normal and a regular kid while l was growing up.

They dealt with me when its necessary and I think it was only my mum who never really beat me because she has this overwhelming love for me, but she used to slap me when l misbehaved and l was always naughty as a child.

And despite my being physically challenged, I never gave up on myself. I even went ahead to play football. I was a prefect from primary three to five and I was in the choral group in Government College, Owerri where I finished from. I was in the French Club; in fact I was an active student and I even went ahead to become a football coach during my Youth Service.

Where do you see yourself in another 10 years?

I see myself having a TV channel perhaps on Dstv. I see myself producing short movies and a lot more. I also see myself having a family of my own.

What has life taught you?

Life has taught me that life is what you make of it. And it is not the load you carry that is the issue, but how you carry it because, behind these beautiful smiles, there are unpleasant things we are all trying to hide.

PAGE 26—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

EDO 2016 AND THE OBASEKI PROJECT

Oshiomhole, Ogie, Shuaibu, Igodomigodo join forces

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin-City

I and Osarodion Ogie are already working at collapsing our political structures to support Obaseki. We have started doing that in Benin, and I have already met with my people in Edo Central to that effect. We will be doing same in Edo North.

By His grace, we will not allow the Comrade Governor to be rubbished by anybody

G

overnor Adams Oshiom hole’s preference for Mr Godwin Obaseki, the Chairman of Edo State Government Economic Team, as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ahead of the September governorship election in the state, received a boost, last weekend, when the governor ’s traditional political allies, who had stayed aloof over the Obaseki project, agreed to work for the emergence of the aspirant. Oshiomhole’s headache had been the seeming refusal of members of the Edo in Safe Hands, led by his Commissioner for Works, Barr.Osarodion Ogie, and political son, Philip Shuaibu, who is now in the House of Representatives, to key into the Obaseki project. Just like many Edolites earlier thought that the governor was going to endorse Ogie, members of the Edo in Safe Hands group felt disappointed that the governor went for Obaseki, rather than Ogie who has been the arrow head of Oshiomhole’s political machinery in the state. As a matter of fact, it was this group, backed by Oshiomhole, that fought Pastor Ize-Iyamu prior to the 2012 governorship election, when the latter, who was in the APC then, attempted to stop the deputy governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu from returning for second term.

Odubu was then a strong member of the group and he indeed backed their activities until recently. Members of the group have been forthcoming in check-

•Oshiomhole ing all perceived enemies of the governor. But, today, while Ogie has been battling perceived political enemies of the governor, Obaseki, who is not a politician, has been in the background promoting the economy of the state according to the vision and directive of the Comrade Governor. So, no wonder Oshiomhole found himself in a dilemma while making up his mind on who to back between the two.

However, after a meeting between the governor, Ogie, Shuaibu and his Chief of Staff, Patrick Obahiagbon (Igodomigodo), the bad blood in their relationship disappeared. It was gathered that they all recalled how the journey for the Oshiomhole governorship started and the achievements made and what they future holds for each of them. The meeting was tagged ‘family meeting’ Oshiomhoe sincere in telling them why he picked Obaseki and stressed the need for them to prove their loyalty for the good of Edo. The success of the meeting became visible, penultimate Saturday at Jat-

tu, when Shuaibu hosted leaders of the APC and youths in the area and declared to them that Obaseki was the anointed candidate. He dismissed the insinuation that he and other associates were at war with the governor over the choice of Obaseki, asserting that those wishing sour relationship between them will be disappointed. Addressing the party faithful, Shuaibu said: “I am on the same page with the Comrade Governor.

I have heard people say so many things, I have also received several calls to that effect,that Philip and his father (Oshiomhole) are fighting because of the governor ’s choice for the election. I am not quarrelling with him and we can never quarrel. Where he goes, I go.

I am with him in this project. I can never quarrel with my father (Oshiomhole) on this project. We may have our differences, but superior argument always prevails. In this case, we (governor and myself), have had series of meetings over this, and his superior argument have also prevailed. Oshiomhole is for Obaseki and I am with

him on this project. I am sorry to disappoint those praying for the separation of father and son. I and Osarodion Ogie are already working at collapsing our political structures to support Obaseki. We have started doing that in Benin, and I have already met with my people in Edo Central to that effect. We will be doing same in Edo North.

By His grace, we will not allow the Comrade Governor to be rubbished by anybody. We will fight those who are planning to do that.

We are going to fight because the governor has done a lot for the people of the state and since he sees Obaseki as the man who will build on the foundation that he has laid, we will support him in that regard”.

Though Sunday Vanguard learnt that Ogie has decided to work according to the wish of his boss, Oshiomhole, some of his followers are still optimistic that the Comrade Governor will revert to him before the APC primary. Other aspirants in the race include the deputy governor of the state, Odubu; a former Minister of State, Works, Engr.Chris Ogiemnwonyi; Gen. Charles Airhiavbere; Prof.

Osarhiemen Osunbor and Mr Kenneth Imasuagbon. It will be recalled that the governor had informed APC leaders in the state that though he prefers Obaseki as the governorship candidate of the party, there will be a level-playing field for all the aspirants.

Oshiomhole has effectively utilized his oratorical prowess and power of persuasion to convince most of the leaders who earlier objected to the candidacy of Obaseki.

ONDO 2016: How Mimiko’s successor will emerge, by Akinmade, Information Commissioner

BY YINKA AJAYI Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade, speaks on the forthcoming governorship election in the state and the achievements of Governor Olusegun Mimiko. t the inception of Governor Mimiko’s Administration, he promised to work for the people.

Can you say he has fulfilled the promise?

I can say without equivocation that the Mimiko government has kept faith with the promise to work for the people. Today, Ondo State is not only a global benchmark in a couple of initiatives, the diligent implementation of our programmes has also attracted commendation from statesmen from across the nation and political divides, as well as elicited public acknowledgment of our modest achievements. Some of these initiatives include the Abiye Safe Motherhood Programme, Mother and Child Hospitals, Trauma & Surgical Centre, Kidney Care Centre, Urban Renewal Programme, modern neighbourhood markets, the ultra-modern auto mart, water supply schemes, housing estates, school free shuttle scheme and the

The next governor must be a bridgebuilder who will take every indigene as his own, without undue favouritism to any group of people. The next governor must leverage on the gains achieved by this administration

A

C M Y K

•Mr Kayode Akinmade emplacement of over 600 community-driven projects among others. The state now has an international event centre otherwise known as The Dome.

There are speculations that the governor is grooming a successor ahead of the new governorship poll. How true is the claim?

I am not aware of any candidate being groomed by Mr. Governor. What I however know is that Mr. Governor would always

want the best for his people, someone that will build on what has been achieved, someone that will help the people achieve their dreams.

What are the qualities you expect from the next governor of Ondo State?

This to me is a personal question, and I answer this also as a critical stakeholder in the

project, Ondo State. I am in my middle age and have young children. My expectation, like the average indigene of Ondo, is very high considering the current economic downturn in the country. These factors and many more dictate that the next governor must be God-fearing. He must not rely on the flesh because that will certainly fail. He will definitely require inspiration from the Supreme Being to navigate the current challenges in our country. He must inspire and challenge the people to dream, have hope and work towards taking Ondo to greater heights.

The next governor must be a bridge-builder who will take every indigene as his own, without undue favouritism to any group of people. The next governor must leverage on the gains achieved by this administration. For instance, the power plant embarked upon by this

administration must be made to function; commerce and tourism must receive impetus; community development, which has come a long way with massive Quick Win Projects otherwise known as Confidence Building Projects dotting the state, must be sustained; while peace and security must be further promoted. Governor Olusegun Mimiko does not maintain thugs and groups and, therefore, we do not want a return to thuggery and insecurity which was the order of the day in our state before this administration came on board.

APC is saying power will shift from the PDP next year. How do you react to this?

If wishes were horses, beggars will ride. In 2012, the boasting was more but they finished distant third; so, let us wait and see. You must know that the people of Ondo are politically ad-

Continues on page 27

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 27

‘Why we cannot forget Uduaghan’

By Festus Ahon

W

HEN former G o v e r n o r E m m a n u e l Uduaghan of Delta State assumed office on May 29 2007, many people doubted his ability to perform for no just reason but, to the chagrin of the doubting Thomases, he came up with a brilliant three-point agenda which brought dynamism into his eight-yearrule.

His critics then saw him as a shadow of his predecessor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, who they accused of imposing his cousin, Udughan, on the state as governor.

This unfounded allegation brought so much hatred for

Uduaghan while his critics, whose sense of reasoning was beclouded by envy, never saw anything good in him and his noble ideas to move Delta forward. Undaunted, Uduaghan moved on with his administration of the state.

The choice of his political appointees jolted the critics, going by the calibre of those appointed, who were mainly technocrats with the present Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay as Chief of Staff, but who later became the Commissioner for Power and Energy and a host of others.

The state took off on the threepoint agenda of peace and security, human capital and infrastructural development. In less than one year in office, he flagged off what is today referred to as the Asaba International Airport worth billions of naira.

When he flagged off the airport project on February 15, 2008, Uduaghan’s critics then saw it as a tall dream that could not be accomplished. The downgrading of the airport, which came at the

A visionary administrator, the former governor envisaged an economy that would no longer be solely reliant on oil revenue hence he came up with the Delta Beyond Oil initiative twilight of his administration last year after it had started hosting local flights with high patronage from within the state and neighbouring Anambra State, did not dampen his zeal to see to the completion of the airport.

On being briefed on the reasons for the downgrading of the airport, Uduaghan, who had also commenced the expansion of the Osubi airport, Warri, to accommodate cargo aircraft, immediately went back to the drawing board and moved to pull down the hills and upgrade the run ways as recommended by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA. He was on top of that and smaller aircraft were flying in and out of the airport when his government wound up on May 29, 2015. But his successor, Okowa, who was part of the first tenure of the Uduaghan’s administration, is not resting on his oars to see to the completion of the airport.

Also in less than two years into his first term in office, Uduaghan kicked off the dualization of the over 150 kilometers Ughelli/ Asaba Road which he awarded to three contractors.

While Sector ‘A’ was awarded to Workson, Sector ‘B’ to CCC,

Sector ‘C’, being the Asaba end of it, was awarded to ULO Consult with mobilization to all three contractors to facilitate the completion of the project.

While the contractor handling Sector ‘B’ of the road project completed his part 100 percent, the contractor handling Sector ‘A’ allegedly achieved less than 30 percent and Sector ‘C’ achieving less than 15 percent; a development that angered the then governor who revoked the contracts for Sectors A and C. He re-awarded the contract for Sector A to CCC, but was restrained by the contractor in charge of Sector C who ran to court to get an injunction. As at the time he left office, over 50 percent of the road had been completed.

Meanwhile, Okowa, who believes government is a continuum, has released more funds and the contractor handling Sector A is working hard to see to the completion of the project.

Another project of Uduaghan, for which he is still being remembered, is his free maternal healthcare program, which came on stream on May 27, 2010. He later complemented this with the introduction of the free under-five health care program.

These health schemes benefited the rich and the poor as they helped to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Delta.

Another star project of the Uduaghan government was the completion and equipping of the state University Teaching Hospital at Oghara. Today, it is the only teaching hospital in the country that has successfully carried out kidney transplant.

The workaholic Uduaghan, who also lit major streets in major towns in the state including the Asaba capital city, dualised several township roads across the state including the completion of

•Emmanuel Uduaghan

the ones started by his predecessor, Ibori.

Another remarkable project Uduaghan would be remembered for is the new Government House, Asaba, which he started and was commissioned by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Government House is giving the state a face lift.

Also worthy of mention is the two flyover bridges in Asaba and Effurun to ease traffic congestion and to beautify the two cities.

Uduaghan, who had his 2007 election annulled, went for a rerun in October 2010 which he also won. He was never discouraged by the antics of his political enemies. He kept on with his genuine desire and determination to impact on the lives of Deltans. Today, Uduaghan has left behind legacies for which he will be remembered. The former governor did not leave civil servants out in his government as he paid salaries on or before the 26th of every month

and before the 14th in December.

His penchant for qualitative education was also brought to

bear through his free education program which made education at the primary and secondary school levels affordable to Deltans.

His administration took over WAEC enrollment fee for SSS 3 students across the state and also carried out massive renovation and construction of classroom blocks as well as introduced Education Marshalls whose duty it was to ensure that all children were in class during school hours.

A visionary administrator, the former governor envisaged an economy that would no longer be solely reliant on oil revenue hence he came up with the Delta Beyond Oil initiative.

No doubt, his achievements and those of Ibori have endeared their party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the people and were largely responsible to the landslide victory recorded by the party at the 2015 general election except for few state Assembly seats and the Delta Central senatorial seat it lost to opposition parties.

‘How Mimiko’s successor will emerge’ Continued from page 26 vanced and well educated.

So, what is the governor’s succession plan ?

You can see that aspirants have started showing up and proving their mettle in the various political parties. But, no matter how fierce a succession plan is, the decision ultimately resides with the people.

The thinking, for now, is a dispassionate one. The desire is for the emergence of a people-centric government that will continue with the people-oriented programmes. This is to sustain the achievements already recorded in education, health, agriculture, urban renewal initiatives, and much more. It will be a calamity for somebody

to come on board and reverse the transformation programmes, for instance in education, by turning our pupils out of the megaschools and converting them to something else on account that the schools are too good for primary education. It will indeed be a disaster for the school free shuttles to be turned to Molue and the students deprived of the comfort of free commuting to and fro school while the burden of transport fare from which parents had been relieved is brought upon them again.

As it were, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is leaving no stone unturned to put forward its best.

Though Mr. Governor is the leader of the party, he has refused to meddle with the internal democracy of the party and as such ev-

erybody is being given the opportunity of fair contest, so that nobody with interest is cheated and nobody is given undue advantage.

A level play ground is what obtains in the party and that is why some people have continued to bombard Mr. Governor asking from him where they should go and who to follow, but Mr. Governor, being a democrat will not abuse his power, and therefore has left everybody to make up his/her mind and when a consensus emerges through a democratic process, the governor can then throw his weight behind the party candidates.

But there is also this zoning issue. Is that still in consideration?

You must understand that zoning is for administrative convenience and

balance in the body polity.

The most important issue is the quality of leadership.

Merit ought not to be sacrificed on the altar of mediocrity. Leadership must have a large heart, good following; must be a rallying factor which will not sacrifice progressivism and good governance on the altar of nepotism and favouritism. Having said all these, the PDP and the government are on the same page on the need to consider all the issues including zoning and quality leadership. The issues must be mutually inclusive for Ondo to get nothing but the best.

How do you do reconcile that with the allegation that the governor has incurred a huge debt for his successor to inherit?

Huge debt? There is no truth in that claim. We are

constantly and consistently meeting our obligations to our creditors. Ondo is one of the least indebted states in Nigeria. Without casting aspersions, there are some big states in the South-West owing 100 times more than Ondo. The allegation is far from the truth; we are the least borrowed in the whole of the South-West. If you take a look as the bailout, salary arrears, loans etc., you will see that Ondo is doing well. As we speak, we are credit worthy in banks as we are able to access loans unlike other states which are unable to access such facilities any longer.

What’s going to be the focus of the Mimiko administration in this last lap of his term?

This year is for consolidation. It is to consolidate on the achievements that

have been recorded in the last seven years which have stood out as development benchmark not only for sister states but also the developing world. These efforts would also form the take-off point for the incoming administration.

You will recall that the Mimiko administration has recorded a number of firsts, not only in Nigeria but beyond, such that the projects were endorsed by the World Bank and the United Nations as a benchmark for the continent. For instance, the various health initiatives like the holistic intervention in maternal and infant mortality (Abiye the Safe Motherhood Programme), and the apex tertiary health facilities Mother and Child Hospitals now operational in Akure and Ondo are testimonies.

PAGE 28 —SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

AYO ONIKOYI 08052201215

Regal moments of the Ooni in Abuja

T

he current effort of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, The Ojaja II to unify all Yorubas globally and to further contribute to a peaceful society was practically demonstrated on Thursday night when he graced the dinner organised for all diplomatic missions of countries who lay claim to Yoruba root at the

L-R: S.A. Political to the President, Senator Femi Ojudu; the SSA Foreign Affairs to the President, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa and the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.

Embassy of Cuba in Abuja. Nobel Laureate, Prof.

Wole Soyinka; Special Adviser (Political) to the President, Sen. Femi Ojudu and Senior Special Assistant to the President, Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora were among the other dignitaries who witnessed the event. Photos by Abayomi

Holy wedlock of the Omongbales and the Iloris The wedding ceremony between Julius Tunji Ilori and Rosemary Ilori took place at the Holy Family Catholic Church, 22 Road, Festac Town, Lagos, on January 23, 2016, with a reception at the Majestic Events Centre, 711 Road, Festac Town.

Lagos.

Cross section of Heads of Yoruba Communities around the FCT paying homage to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi

The couple; Mr and Mrs Ilori

L-R: Director General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, Mrs. Sally Mbanefor; Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; S.A. Political to the President, Senator Femi Ojudu and the SSA Bata drummer and an Ijala chanter entertainingForeign Affairs to the President, Hon. Abike the gathering.

Dabiri-Erewa.

Awosiy an Installed Isheri Lions Club president osiyan

I

t was an historic moment for Lion Segun Awosiyan of Vanguard when he was installed as president of Isheri Platinum Lions Club. The investiture which also saw a fund-raising luncheon of eye care centre held on Sunday, December 6, 2015 at the club proposed site at Isheri, Lagos. Photos by Kehinde Gbadamosi

The couple flanked by their parents. From left: Chief Monday Omongbale (father of the bride), Mrs. Deborah Ilorin (mother of the groom. The couple, and Chief (Mrs) Florence Omongbale (mother of the bride) and Mr. Sunday Ilori (father of the groom).

Holy Nikkai Former Miss Zainab Akinpelu and AbdulWasi Owolabi Idris consummated their union in Holy Nikkai before their families and friends. The event held at Rontex 18 Event center, Igando, Lagos, recently.

L-R: Lion Omoba Ademola Odubanjo, Immediate Past President, Lion Idowu Omolola Anobili, DG, District 404b-i Nigeria, and Lion Segun Awosiyan, new president.

Lion Folashade Joseph, Region Chairperson, Lion Alhaji Shamusideen Koleosho, and Aare Engr.

Leke Adebesin

L-R; Lion Akinyomi Kayode, Lion Bayo Olodo, Lion Charles Gerard, Secretary, Lion ROB Ologundudu, Chartered President, and Lion Kayode Adewoyin, Past President and Project Director, Isheri Platinum Lion Club

L-R:Engr Ayo Olafare, Lion Wale Akinsanya, and Lion Soji Akanbi

The couple; Mr and Mrs AbdulWasi Owolab

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 29

Will Nigerians boycott banks on Tuesday? *Trouble looms over financial institutions alleged 14 arbitrary charges

I

STORIES BY UDEME CLEMENT

f Nigerians heed the call by the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON) and Coalition of Nigerian Consumer Protection Associations, banks across the country, on Tuesday, March 1, will be empty. The group wants Nigerians to boycott the banks on that day in protest against alleged arbitrary charges imposed on customers by the financial institutions. This is coming weeks after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) imposed N50 on customers as compulsory stamp duty on deposits of N1,000 and above. The charge, however, is collected on behalf of NIPOST and the Federal Government and it goes to the Federation Account. Only last week, the CBN said it got banks across the country to return excess charges, estimated at N6.2billion, to customers.

Our investigations revealed that, aside normal bank charges associated with daily transactions, depositors are exposed to many hidden charges as well as what financial experts described as arbitrary charges.

Charges enormous – Mikail, Shareholders Association boss In a chat, the National President, Constance Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr. Shehu Mikail, explained that the banks are facing a lot of challenges in the operating environment, saying, however, that this does not justify some of the charges. He said, “The reality is that, banks have to collect certain charges to sustain their operations, in order to remain in business. They have to pay their staff, give dividends to shareholders and carry out general maintenance of their facilities. The banks spend a lot of money to buy diesel daily to generate power due to erratic electricity supply in the country.

So, at the end of month, they transfer some of the costs to customers as bank charges. We are not saying that banks should not collect charges from customers, because they need some of these charges to stay afloat in business. But the issue is that, the charges are so

Our investigations revealed that, aside normal bank charges associated with daily transactions, depositors are exposed to many hidden charges as well as what financial experts described as arbitrary charges enormous and, if not checked, may have adverse effect on the cashless monetary policy already in place. For instance, a large part of Nigeria is still un-banked, and if these numerous charges are not curtailed, many people who are already using the services of banks may stop patronising them”.

Responding to what the Bankers Committee, which often meet to examine issues in the financial sector, is doing currently to tackle the challenges in the sector, he said, “It is clear that the Bankers Committee, at present, does not know exactly what to do, in order to turn around the financial sector of the economy, especially in the

•Inset: Mr Emefiele issue of forex crisis rocking the sector. So, deliberate and consistent government policies are needed to restructure the sector for greater efficiency, especially in the aspect of exchange rate that is affecting virtually everything in the economy now.”

CBN, Bankers’ Committee and bank charges: It could be recalled that the cashless policy was first introduced by CBN on January 1, 2012 in Lagos State, where the higher proportion of cash

SOME OF THE CHARGES *N50 stamp duty on transactions of N1,000 and above.

The newly introduced charge is collected on behalf of NIPOST and FG *N65 service charge for withdrawals from other banks ATMs *Charge for issuance of credit cards *Charge for renewal of credit cards *Withholding tax *Charge for inter-bank money transfer *SMS alert charge *Charge on bank deposit forms *Deduction for transfer forms *Current account maintenance charge, which just replaced Commission on Turnover (COT) *Value Added Tax (VAT)

circulates daily as a pilot study to test-run the process. Thus, the CBN and the Bankers Committee, in November 2012, agreed to abolish all charges associated with the use of ATMs, in order to increase patronage of ATMs, thereby deepening financial inclusion strategy of the apex bank. So, in December, 2012, they abolished the payment of N100 ATM withdrawal charge by depositors. They transferred the payment of the N100 fee to the issuing banks, stressing that the fee be split between the acquiring bank, issuing bank and switch companies. But, on August 13, 2014, the same Committee and the CBN re-introduced ATM charge of N65 instead of N100, to be paid by individual customers.

The circular, signed by the Director of Banking and Payment Systems Department of CBN then, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, stated, “The CBN agreed to re-introduce ATM charge because the cost of transaction was becoming too burden some for the banks to bear.

The circular from September 1, 2014 shall be effective date for the implementation of the new charge. Banks are expected to conduct adequate sensitisation to the customers on introduction of the new fee. As a result of the unintended consequences of the decision, which has resulted in substantial cost burden incurred by banks in defraying the cost of the service, the payment structure for card carrying bank customers is hereby reviewed in line with the

present realities”.

Customers’ angle When Sunday Vanguard visited some commercial banks in Lagos, customers were seen carrying out their normal transactions. It was also observed that, some banks had more customers in the banking halls and at the ATM points, while other places were very scanty. Some of the depositors who spoke during the visit blamed the CBN for reintroducing ATM charged that was abolished by the former governor of CBN, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, while other said that banks are making a lot of money from customers, yet they keep on retrenching, even as many of their workers are on contract.

A customer at Oluwo, Ikeja branch of First Bank, who gave her name as Mrs. Gloria Moses, said, “The apex bank that regulates activities of commercial banks is acting as if it is panicking, especially in the area of foreign exchange. If you look at the forex policies of the CBN critically, you can easily realise that the current CBN is already panicking. To me, the reintroduction of ATM charge after it was removed by the same CBN was unnecessary. For that reason, I don’t use ATM of other banks for withdrawal since that charge was brought back. I simply withdraw from my own bank to avoid paying extra charge. It seems the CBN is even losing focus on what the banking public actually want, which is a reduction in interest rate for industries to thrive and create jobs for the masses. I think the reintroduction of ATM charge constitutes policy inconsistency”.

Perspective of advocacy group/Objective Some of the practices mentioned

by CAFON, which necessitated the action against banks excessive charges, unexplainable fees and unfair contracts designed to protect the financial institutions to the detriment of the banking public. Others are indiscriminate debiting of customers’ accounts for charges that are arbitrary and unilateral changes in interest rates by banks, and this without prior notice to the consumers.

Customs service arrests beverage truck laden with N18million frozen products, suspects

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n line with the policy of the Federal Government to ensure growth of local industries through ban on imported frozen products, the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a 40-foot truck conveying alcoholic beverage loaded with 3,328 cartons of imported poultry items into the country. The Command further arrested two suspects in connection with the seizures, even as the truck used for conveyance was seized.

The remarkable seizures estimated at the monetary value of N18million were concealed with cartons of alcoholic beverage by smugglers to escape security checks, but the men of FOU who operated with high intelligence network uncovered the prohibited items.

Conducting pressmen round the seizures, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of FOU Zone- A, Comptroller Dahiru Umar, said investigations were on-going to ascertain the level of involvement of the suspects before charging them to court, and to know the degree of complicity of the truck owners in such unlawful act.

CAC Umar displaying the seized items He said, “The seizures were products. The team leader is a highly affected at different locations within committed officer, whose the flashpoints under the contributions to the seizure profile supervisory authority of the Unit. of the Unit cannot be quantified”.

The Unit is working very hard to Umar also spoke overwhelmingly change its modus operandi to suit on the operational readiness of his the exigencies of the moment, and Command to deal decisively with to ensure that FOU remains on top smugglers, in line with the vision of of smugglers antics in all the current Customs management. ramifications, particularly in terms He stressed, “The Unit has been a of enhanced intelligence network. thorn in the flesh of smugglers.

The renewed strategy led to the Smugglers must expect a tougher interception of an articulated truck onslaught on them because we suspected to be used in conveying cannot afford to fail in the discharge large quantity of smuggled poultry of our statutory mandate of

•

suppressing smuggling. I commenced courtesy visits to Heads of critical security agencies of government, so that we can form a formidable front in the fight against smuggling. I advice smugglers in this Zone to invest their money in more legitimate businesses, because the more you smuggle, the more we seize. We also call on the public to oblige us with useful information on the activities of smugglers”.

Meanwhile, Umar also got reassurance of operational intelligence and other support from Nigeria Police in the fight against smuggling, following the visits he made to Police Chiefs as part of the measures to increase inter-service synergy between FOU Zone ‘A’ and the Police. The CAC who noted the long standing relationship between NCS and the Police, said inter-agency cooperation will increase the level of security in the society.

He said, “The visit was intended to reinforce an existing relationship between both organisations and to form a common front in suppressing crimes. I commend the Police Chiefs for curtailing crimes in Lagos. Apart

from seizing prohibited items, we are also charged with the responsibility of preventing dutiable goods from evading accurate duty payment. The Police has demonstrated selfless assistance to Customs in this regard.” The Assistant Inspector General, in charge of Zone 2, Bala Hassan and the Commissioner of Police Lagos State Command, Fatai Owoseni, who received Umar in their offices gave assurances of Police support and cooperation to him in Lagos.

Hassan who commended Umar for standing tall in the fight against smuggling and other illegalities pledged the Police cooperation whenever it is required. He described the Customs as part of the Police family deserving to be supported in the Police drive for a crime free society. Owoseni described Customs and Police relationship as symbiotic, saying Customs is sensitive to the national economy with its revenue collection and trade facilitation roles. ‘’We know that sometimes when robbers snatch vehicles, they want to go through the borders and we know you have men at the borders, so we need ourselves’’ Owoseni said.

PAGE 30—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

How Buhari can rescue Nigeria’s economy from total collapse, by Uwazurike

BY AKOMA CHINWEOKE Chief Goody Uwazurike is the President of Aka Ikenga, the Igbo think tank and a delegate to the 2014 National Conference. In this interview , the legal luminary says the with the harsh economic situation on ground, the Buhari led government needs to sit up especially now that economy is somersaulting in different directions.

Excerpts: o much energy has been devoted towards fighting corruption by the present government who believes the monster would ruin the economy if not checked. How would you react to the anti-corruption war so far?

I would give this analogy and I want people not to misunderstand me.

Buhari’s government is behaving like a hunter not like a farmer. A hunter keeps hunting with the hope that something good would come out. He takes his weapon into forest to go and look for what to catch . At the end of the day , he would come back, tomorrow he would start again. It is called speculation. It is a game of chance. What would you do tomorrow? I would try and see if I can catch any animal . That is the hunter for you and when he comes back tomorrow, he says all the animals have run away. But a farmer plants and knows what to plant at a particular season, water and nurture the plants and in the next seven and eight months , he starts harvesting.

This is why a farmer has a barn where he keeps harvested crops. In order words, having planted, the farmer knows what to expect, a good harvest and with that he can relax. He thinks he has planned his life. In today’s government, they are more interested in fighting corruption than in planning for the economy and this is what fighting do. The goods that were supposed to come into the country this January, were they ordered by businessmen at that time? If they were not ordered at the right time, then there would be shortages in February and March. So, like a hunter, we did not plan but like the farmer, we must learn to start planning and that is what makes the difference between a government that believes in planning and one that believes in hunting. Do I say that all corrupt persons should be allowed to go, no, but please realize that all those things are mere allegations and not one person has

S

been convicted. It is only when the government has gone into trial that you hear from the accused persons. As at now, we are only hearing from the government . All the issues about money spent, recovered and stolen is one sided.

Therefore we need the government to sit down and plan in the next one year what they are going to do especially now that the country’s major source of revenue, crude oil is in trouble. So, I want Buhari to behave like a farmer.

What do you think of the recent visit of IMF President, Christine Lagarde, to Nigeria and her suggestions on how to revive the economy?

Well, you know IMF came also when Buhari first came to power as head of State.

Between 1984 and 1985, the IMF and other international financial bodies made efforts to engage president Buhari but it did not work. All those efforts failed and because they failed, Buhar ’s government engaged in what I would call trade by barter which also failed. As soon as Babangida became the head of state, he engaged in opening up of the economy and suddenly there was the influx of tokunbo products and so on because for almost two years Nigerians were starved. So, I would want the president to discuss ideas and not to borrow money from the IMF or from any world body. They have ideas, you borrow their ideas and learn from them. Lagarde has been here fine. The IMF boss does not travel because she is a tourist. There are certain things she must have said and for those who can read between the lines, she was saying in simple terms buckle up or your country would go into economic recession any time soon. But most people did not understand this.

Economists are economical with words. So, you must think like them to understand them.

Controversy is still trailing the government restriction on forex . What are your

•Chief Goody Uwazurike

Our economy is somersaulting in different directions and we really need to sit up and it is the job of the government to ask itself how what it is doing will it affect us in the next six months thoughts on that?

The first decision by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to stop sales of foreign exchange (FOREX) to Bureau de Change (BDC) operators was a blunder but as you know, it was triggered up by some thing . Believe it or not the income that come into Nigeria from crude oil has reduced drastically and When your income reduces, you must adjust. I think federal government needed to readjust and the CBN is part of the Federal government . So, for them now to say, we want to ease off that restriction, but at the same they have decided to starve the Bureau de Change (BDC) operators. I know many businessmen who depend on the BDC

operators for forex exchange, those people are troubled now . Many people are going to be out of jobs.

What about the local roadside traders, they are the ones who would flourish . So which ever way, it is our economy that is in the doldrums. Our economy is somersaulting in different directions and we really need to sit up and it is the job of the government to ask itself how what it is doing will it affect us in the next six months . That is one message we are waiting for. Lagarde came here and had a chat with the federal government, I don’t know how many economists were in that meeting . I have gone through the list of those at the Federal cabinet, I don’t know how many of them are economists.

So, when you have an economic team made up bankers whose job is to balance an account , you have a problem .

Do you think this government is ready to explore other avenues aside oil to ensure that Nigeria’s economy is diversified?

Well, I was at the 2014 national conference otherwise called the centenary conference. We realized then that our income from oil was dwindling as America has stopped buying our oil. We set about making suggestions and we also realized that the federal government was not getting any money from solid mineral and believe you me we have lots of them here particularly in the north. Why can’t the government

increase its revenue base from there. These minerals were being mined by businessmen who took interest and lord themselves over the lives of ordinary people who are all over the place trying to make money for their daily bread . For instance in Zamfara, they have zinc. So; we looked at all those things and made suggestions. The national conference report is there. So, once the federal government can look into that report, we have nothing to lose. Every state was represented and it does not make sense if you try to reinvent the will . Diversification of the economy is fine but what have you said about manufacturing.

Manufactures are waiting for Mr. president to make a clear cut policy on the sector. In order words, are you going to encourage manufactures which is the bane of every economy and what does this manufacturers want, it is left for him to find out .

What is your message to government concerning the plight of the country ’s unemployed youths, many of whom now feel the future is bleak for them?

If the president want the economy to progress, the youths should be given their pride of place. The economy does not run in isolation. Anything that is called the movement of the economy means the labourers, artisans,and graduates should be employed. Any major contract given once a week by the federal government runs into billions and the multiplier effects of the billions spent is what would affect the youths.

L-R: Manager, Events & CSI, Stanbic IBTC, Mrs. Ame Okwudi; Artist and Photographer, TY Bello; Baby Precious Orisaguna; Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Trustees Ltd, Mrs. Binta Max-Gbinije; Model, Mrs. Olajumoke Orisaguna; Head, Legal Services, Stanbic IBTC, Mrs. Angela Omo-Dare; and Mr. Sunday Orisaguna; at the presentation of an Educational Trust Fund of N1.5m by Stanbic IBTC Trustees to each of the Orisagunas’ children, in Lagos on Thursday, February 18, 2016,

Zentiva to challenge medical costs, drug potency

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

W

ith an estimated African population of 2.4billion by 2050, Zentiva, a subsidiary of Sanofi, a pharmaceutical company has put in place medical solutions to grapple with challenges of rising healthcare costs and efficacy in order to keep the population productive.

Speaking, Managing Director, Sanofi Nigeria-Ghana, Abderrahmane Chakibi, at the unveiling of Zentiva in Nigeria, said the new company is entering Nigeria to tackle counterfeit and adulterated drugs, which are part of the health and economic challenges of nations globally.

The Managing Director stated that an estimated 30percent of medicines in sub-Sahara Africa are either counterfeited, adulterated, substandard, illegally-imported or mislabelled.

He stressed that use of these medicines may lead to theraptic failures, prolonged hospitalization, development of complications or adverse events, and may ultimately give rise to increased healthcare costs to the patients, these and more reason

was advanced for the coming of Zentiva.

Chakibi said that one of the strategies of the company is to continue to provide safe,

effective and cost- effective medicines to support in driving down overall healthcare cost.

“This is why in Nigeria, we

are today unveiling our rich portfolio of quality and cost effective generic medicines under the identity of Zentiva. It is in direct reinforcement of Sonafi’s access to healthcare ambitions.”

Delta gets support on project

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ll stakeholders in Delta State have been called upon to support government’s effort in maintaining a clean environment capable of attracting more investments and greater development to the state, in line with the vision of ‘Smart Agenda’ initated by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

The Executive Assistant to Delta State governor on beautification, Olorogun Mrs. Grace Aghogohvbia made this call, during a courtesy visit to His Royal Highness, the traditional ruler of Agbon Kingdom, Ovie of Agbon Kingdom, Ogurime Rime Ukori 1, Micheal Omeru, who supported the project at Airport Road roundabout, warri by

deploying tractors to level the sand deposited at the place.

According to her, “The government alone cannot fully sustain the beautification programme, especially with the drop in the state government allocation, hence all stakeholders should emulate the gesture of the traditional ruler by investing in the project, in order to reposition the state for greater growth. The courtesy visit was also to congratulate the King on his third anniversary on the throne. Our slogan is, (DELTA NOR GO WOR WOR), meaning the state must be kept clean and beautiful by all stakeholders concerned.

Beautification can only be

carried out in a clean environment, as our team engages itself in some aspects of waste collection and disposal before proper beautification processes can be carried out. Our mission is to uplift the smart look of our state, starting from the state capital, Asaba to the major towns in the three senatorial districts in Delta State. We also use this medium to assist the government in keeping the environment clean.”

•Mrs Aghogohvbia

Also speaking Commissioner, Ogun state Ministry of Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, said: “what we need to do as government is to give affordable healthcare for Nigerians.

Domino announces promo

F

rom February 29, Domino Pizzas says its customers will be entitled to one free pack of pizza if they buy one. The promotion will end March 2, 2016.

In a statement, the restaurant said this is a continuation of the Valentine celebration which is its way of showing appreciation to loyal customers, particularly in three of its restaurants at Admirality way, Lekki, Gbagada an d Joel Ogunaike, Ikeja GRA. The restaurant said it’s using the promotion to give its loyal customers an amazing treat.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 31

08116759757

ALLEGED RITUAL KILLINGS IN CHURCH

My story,

by Prophet Oluwamodede •Says ex-convict lied against him, Pastor Abiara, 10 others in video

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

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rophet Samson Oluwamodede heads the Prayer Centre Church of God, PCCG, with headquarters in Akure, the Ondo State capital and branches within and outside the country. He established the church 14 years ago after receiving divine instruction from God. But the unexpected happened recently when an ex-convict, Festus Balogun, allegedly blackmailed him and 11 other notable clergymen, accusing them of ritual killings and other fetish activities.

In this interview, he bares his mind on the allegations leveled against him by the exconvict who said he was promised N300, 000 by a marketer to malign the men of God but eventually duped after rolling out a compact disk titled Asiritu ( secret exposed) where he claimed that the pastors engaged him to kill for them to gain spiritual power.

WHAT was your reaction when you heard about the video CD that you are a fetish prophet?

When I heard about the CD, I could not believe until a member of the church brought a copy of the CD to me and I watched the video. After watching it, I was highly embarrassed. At the initial stage, I did not take it serious but, as times went by, I saw what was happening within the church and how members were arguing and fighting in their offices on the veracity or otherwise of the fake CD. The CD went viral on the internet.

And people began to say to our church members that ‘your pastor is very fetish”. That was then I knew something had gone wrong and that I needed to act. I prayed and asked God for direction. At that time, men who said CD at the market were showing the video in open places for people to watch. There was a day I was in my car passing through the market area and I saw large a number of people watching television and I asked what they were watching and they said “Asiritu”. I was ashamed of myself that day. In the video, he mentioned 12 of us, but I prayed that God should intervene and let the truth be told to the same public to protect my integrity.

Did you contemplate seeking redress in court after the CD was released and your name was mentioned?

I was waiting for other clerics whose names were mentioned in the offensive CD, such as Pastor Samuel Abiara, Bishop Samson Ayorinde, Prophet T.B Joshua and others to react. But none of them reacted. I was thinking may be because the suspect recorded the video in Yoruba language and since services in T.B Joshua’s church and other pastors are conducted in English language, only few members may be interested in the video.

Again, the video was not as popular in Lagos as in Ondo, Oyo and Ekiti states. Five months after, I decided that if the other people would not react, I will take a step because this may lead to religious crisis among Christians. So I contacted the legal team of our church and they wrote a petition to the police not knowing that other indicted men of God have done similar thing and that security operatives had been on the trail of the suspect. He was later apprehended by police detectives and he confessed that he lied against us for pecuniary gain.

Is your said accuser a former member of your church or have you had any dealing with him before now?

People have lied against me severally since the ministry started 14 years ago, but such lies were products of envy.

None has lied against me to the extend it of rubbishing the work of God or damaging my integrity.

Do you believe in predictions? If yes, what are your predictions for the year?

Yes, I believe in predictions because I do hear from God but I stopped making my predictions public over five years ago. Let me tell you the reason I stopped telling my members about my predictions. Anytime I told my members about my predictions, you would see many pastors coming into our church to jot down all what I said and they would go to their own church and start telling their members that this was what God told them about what would happen in the year.

They were doing this to keep their congregation and also ensure their members believed in them. So I stopped making the predictions public. Since I stopped, I never heard any of these pastors predicting again.

ANTI-CORRUPTION:

He was never a member of our church and I have not met or had any contact with him. He must have been hearing what God has been doing in the lives of people who attend our programmes and decided to to blackmail me for money. The day God arrested him through the police, I was invited to the station, but I could not make it to the police command on that day. I told them that I will come the following day because I was having a programme in the church. But an Investigating Police Officer (IPO) called me that the suspect was insisting that if I was bold enough, I should come and face him. He was asked by the detectives if he could recognise me if he me and he said, yes, I was tall and light in complexion.

When I was going, I was accompanied by four elders from the church. When we got there, I saw him sitting and the police detectives asked him again in our presence if he knew Prophet Oluwamodede but, this time, he remained silent and was unable to identify me amongst the five men that were in the room with him and the detectives.

It was thereafter that I revealed my identity and immediately I asked him why lied against me and other men of God. He prostrated and held my leg. I asked him why he blackmailed me.

The police put in the CD in a video machine and when he got to where he was confessing about my alleged atrocities, the suspect said, ‘Prophet Samson Oluwamodede used to hold a programme called marathon fasting and during that programme, he would prepare tea for people and that the water used for the tea was from River Osun in Osun State’. He alleged that I would have bathed with that water before using it to prepare the tea. I asked him if it is true that I used to go to River Osun to get water and he immediately said no that he cook up the lies for pecuniary gains.

Your accuser also said you slaughter cows every year as part of your fetish activities .

He lied against me and I have prayed for him because he is an agent of the devil. Thank God he has publicly denounced all the lies about me and the other 11 clerics. Yes he said that I used to take two cows to Ilogbo-Ekiti for ritual purposes every year and I asked him again if he had ever seen me at Ilogbo-Ekiti and he said no. The third one was that he always killed human being on my behalf. He also mentioned a mountain that I used to go and pray.

He was right about that but I asked the police to allow the suspect to take us to the mountain and he said he didn’t know the mountain again. One of the

Catholic Bishop cautions against lopsided fight elders of our church asked him about the person who contracted him to lie about me and others? He said it was the devil that pushed him to do so.

He said since the CD was produced, he had seen the anger of God and he started begging. He told us at the police station that he was ready to produce another video CD to correct the wrong impression about the 12 clerics but the Commissioner of Police said he could not release him because members of the public may lynch him because he had fooled them by his lies.

As a prophet, was there a time God revealed to you that such an accuser would one day lie against you and bring you to disrepute?

In 2012, we were in a programme, and my members can testify to this, I told them that, very soon, somebody would lie against me. In 2012, 2013 and 2014, we did not hear anything until late last year when the suspect produced the video CD. I am sure the technical department of my ministry will still have the tape of the programme but I did not know it would be of this magnitude After the CD went viral, was there any adverse effect on the size of the congregation during your church services?

The number of people attending the church services and programmes didn’t reduce because, nearly every day, we received new members but the numbers of old church members reduced at a time. I think the old members were a little bit confused that if the allegations were not true, I ought to have reacted five or six months after the CD was released. How I knew the old members had reduced was that, during the last marathon fasting we held in the church, the population was so high and it came to my mind to ask how many of these people were worshipping with us for the first time, and about 30 percent of them raised their hands, and I said if my old members had not left, the population should be more than that. So, I felt the impact of the blackmail.

Is this the first time you will be lied against?

By Chris Onuoha

B

ISHOP of Abeokuta Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Kayode Odetoyinbo, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow his war on anticorruption to be lopsided. The cleric charged the President to imbibe Christian ideals and spirit of compassion in dealing with corruption matters so that the effort would not be seen as a witch-hunt .

Speaking in Ifo, Ogun State at the closing ceremony of a three-day pastoral visit to St. Mary’s Catholic Parish, weekend, Odetoyinbo said: “The anti-corruption crusade of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is a right step in the right direction. It is good and I am happy that he is bringing out what everybody has been crying for. I am also happy that Nigerians are responding. He is opening the eyes of everyone in this country, doing what he is known for which is discipline with integrity. It is encouraging as all Nigerians; both in public and private sectors are now called to order. I also appeal to Buhari to be compassionate and embrace Christian ideals as instituted by Jesus in order not to prejudice certain actions.“ Odetoyinbo’s, visit to Ifo parish was to identify with parishes and outstations within his diocese. He declared open the annual business retreat lecture held in the church premises.

Monsignor Sylvester Osigweh, Parish Priest of St. Mary’s Church, while speaking on the significance of this year ’s business retreat, said: “The importance of the ‘2016 Annual Business Retreat’ lecture is geared towards identifying with the government’s anti- corruption drive which has destroyed a lot of people’s faith and confidence in government and has hindered their progress and success in life. As church operates in secular world, the ill of corruption affects church too. This corruption issue is what we try to address in the lecture to restore people’s faith in God and government.”

PAGE 32 —

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016 08116759757

My five children died mysteriously – Esther Nuhu, widow CALEB AYANSINA he was full of life, even when her situation looked unenviable.

S She accepted her situation as destiny, remained

steadfast in her service to humanity by being a source of encouragement not only to other widows but also to orphans.

Esther Nuhu, 48, and from Kaduna State, narrated her story to Sunday Vanguard and why she became part of the Christian Care for Widows, Widowers, The Aged and Orphans (CCWA).

Her narration at an outreach organised by the CCWA for orphans in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) caught the attention of Sunday Vanguard when she said: “How I lost my five children remains a mystery.”

She sounded pathetic but joyous as she was seen after the outreach playing with orphans around her and every one of them, teenagers and little children, rushing to her, and calling her, ‘ Mummy! Mummy!’ . Though Esther lost her husband 15 years ago, she had lost three of her children before the demise of the husband to malaria.

She explained that the last of her daughter died at the age of 19 after the death of her husband, rendering her childless.

Her words: “I lost my husband 15 years ago to malaria. I had five children but none is alive. I cannot explain; the loss is a mystery and it is only God that can tell. I lost three of them when my husband was alive and I lost two after the death of my husband.

“It has not been easy to be without a child,

without a husband, but my survival is God’s doing. I became part of CCWA when I lost my husband and all hope was gone. I was introduced to them (CCWA) and I went for their annual convention.

“Since I came in to CCWA, I have not remained the same. They have taught me many things, in terms of training; making of soap and other things; if you are a woman and they trained you on something, you don’t have to pay for it.

“Sometimes, they give you loan to start something on our own. Not all organizations do that. When you go to other organizations, the best they will give you is a bowl of rice and they forget about you.”

Speaking in an interview after the programme, the President of CCWA, Prof.

Deborah Ajakaiye, called for the abolition of obnoxious laws and cultures against widows, just as she admonished Nigerians to show love to the less privileged.

She said more people were being impoverished due to the insecurity in the country.

Ajakaiye: “ The Bible teaches us to be

Christ like by being our brothers’ keepers. Many widows would have survived sudden the demise of their husbands, but due to heartless relatives and obnoxious culture, they are grounded and probably die”.

The organisation, according to her, was launched 24 years ago and had impacted many lives positively through scholarship to orphans, skill acquisition as well as free medical services.

Ajakaiye revealed: “CCWA has awarded scholarships to 663 orphans studying in various institutions; 292 in primary school, 326 in secondary and 45 in tertiary institutions.

“We have been able to train over 1,600 widows in skill acquisition including soap making, bead stringing, dress making, insecticide, air freshener, nylon craft, tie and dye, mentholated/talcum powder, wick for kerosene stove, fruit drinks and beverages.

“CCWA conducted counseling and education programmes on HIV/AIDS, BP, diabetes and eye diseases for over 2,500 members, tested 884 widows for these ailments, and distributed over 201 eye glasses and thousands of multivitamins to widows in our various districts in addition to food and clothing materials.”

LAMENTATION OF A MOTHER

Tourism: Forget Dubai,London; visit Yankari — Bauchi gov

By Abiodun Alade GOVERNOR Mohammad Abdullahi Abubakar has urged tourists to visit Bauchi State, stressing that it is safe and boasts of good facilities.Abubakar, who took to his twitter handle (@GovMAA), called on Nigerians to holiday in Yankari, Bauchi State, as it is now too expensive to do so in Dubai and London at the prevailing exchange rates. The governor, who posted scintillating pictures of the games reserve, caused a twitter storm. “It is now too expensive to go to London, Dubai and America. Come and holiday in Yankari! In Yankari, the animals are so beautiful, you would think you're in a movie. London is too expensive. Come to Bauchi. The water in Wikki Warm Springs is so clear, you can see everything. Dubai is too expensive. Come to Bauchi,” he posted on Twitter. The governor added that the government was working with the private sector to develop standard hotels, train tour guides and create photo tours among others.

“I used to work as the Yankari Resort Company Secretary, so I know the place too well. We'll get it to world class standards.

One of my first visits as governor was to Yankari. I visit every month to personally review progress of upgrade work,” Abubakar stated.

‘Boy, 3, who drank acid, abandoned in LUTH’

...by school

Hospital, Idi Araba, Lagos. According to the mother, the only effort made by the school towards the boy’s recovery was the N30,000 it sent

By Ajewole Oluwatosin & to the family.

Olubunmi Owoeye Efforts to reach the proprietress of the school, identified as Mrs Fahsat Abubakar, at the hree-year-old Darasimi Ogunwumi, who weekend, to respond to Mrs Ogunwumi’s claim, allegedly drank acid, seems to have been abandoned by the authorities of the school where proved abortive as the person who picked Sunday Vanguard calls to her phone, said she was not Darasinmi was said to have taken the deadly available. substance, according to the mother.

Meanwhile, the mother said Darasinmi was Mrs Toyin Ogunwumi told Sunday Vanguard, on Friday, that the authorities of Fahsal Children due for two surgeries last week, saying one was done while the other was outstanding. Saying the School, Ilupeju Estate, Idiroko, Ogun State had boy was responding to treatment, Mrs not visited her son since last November after he Ogunwumi said: ‘’We were told to do some tests was admitted at the Lagos University Teaching

T

on him at Me Cure Health Centre, Oshodi. The results are already with doctors. So, we are waiting for the next line of treatment and the secondary surgery’’. The mother expressed her appreciation to well-meaning Nigerians who had donated in aid of the treatment of Darasimi, and added that the family would appreciate more donation as the boy’s treatment was still far from being over. The victim, recuperating at ward E4 of LUTH, was said to have, out of thirst, drank acid in place of water in school’s laboratory while the Parent Teacher Association(PTA) was on.

AGATU KILLINGS: Farmers send SOS to FG, canvass building of ranches for herders

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By Peter Duru

OLLOWING the raging war be tween Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Agatu local government area of Benue State which has claimed over 300 lives, farmers, under the aegis of Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria, ASSAPIN, have sent a Save Our Souls, SOS, to the Federal Government.

ASSAPIN pleaded with the Federal Government to stem the unending attacks and killings of defenceless farmers in parts of the country by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Speaking in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, at a three-day sensitization meeting on the ‘Right to Food’ Bill, ASSAPIN National Coordinator, Mr. Charles Adu, lamented that the prices of food had skyrocketed due of low yields from farms occasioned by attacks on farmers.

Represented by the Benu State Coordination of ASSAPIN, Mrs. Janet Odejo, the farmers regretted that they had become endangered species who were killed annually by the invaders and

pleaded for government’s intervention.

“Aside the killings we are also losing billions of Naira worth of farm produce to the activities of Fulani herdsmen, that is the more reason why our call for the building of ranches is apt at this moment, Adu stated. “Moreover the crisis is taking its toll on the volume of food

produced in the country and the earlier ranches are built for herdsmen in the country, the better for that sector.”

“Government must also look into the issue of unrestricted inflow of herders from other West African countries into Nigeria because these group are largely responsible some of the crisis and killings.”

Aginighan, others celebrate new Delta monarch

A

new traditional ruler has been installed for Ogodobri Community in Bomadi Local Area of Delta State. He is Elder Seikemefa Vincent Meslore, the Amananaowei of Ogodobri. The well-attended ceremony, which took place at the Ogide Square, Ogodobri, was presided over by a prominent leader of the community and former Ag Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Pastor Power Ziakede Aginighan.

The highpoint of the ceremony was the pledge of loyalty to the new ruler by the natives of Ogodobri led by the

Community Chairman, Mr Enaikediba Whistle and conducted

by Pastor Aginighan. This was followed by administration of the oath of office on the Amanaowei-elect by His Grace Archbishop Dr Steven Overy who also performed the formal coronation with the assistance of Rev Iyeh Joseph (National Presbyter, Church of God Mission Bomadi), Rev Father Otoro Victor (Parish Priest, Catholic Church Bomadi), Rev Rex Dese, Pastor Wisdom Sarduana, Pastor Golipat and Chief Augustine Seibi(JP), the Tonkepa of Obotebe Kingdom.

•Darasimi.... one surgery outstanding

UK-based organisation donates books to Onuesoke Foundation

A

United Kingdom (UK)-based organisation, Book-2-Africa Project, has donated 5,000 books and educational materials support of the Rural Child Must Read (RCMR) project of the Onuesoke Foundation.

Receiving thematerials on behalf of the Foundation in Warri, Delta State, Head of Operations of the body, Mrs. Pearl Igho, thanked the donor for its gesture and support for the growth of education in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.

Igho promised that the Onuesoke Foundation would do her best to make sure the education materials got to rural education communities.

The Foundation Head of Operations also used the opportunity to appeal to Delta State government and other corporate organizations to support the RCMR project with materials and logistics like speed boats to enable the body reach out to children in riverine communities in Delta, Edo and •Books donated to the Baylsea states.

Onuesoke Foundation

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 33

ROYAL RANKING

The Ooni of Ife is supreme — the Oluwo, Oba Akanbi

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OLLOWING the declaration by the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, that Benin monarch was the third in the ranking of kings in the South-West, the Palace of the Oba of Benin has stoked controversy over the supremacy saga.

In the ensuing controversy, the Esogban of Benin and Odionwere of the Kingdom (traditional head), Chief David Edebiri, said the Alake of Egbaland, goofed.

He explained that the Ooni of Ife was a son of the Oba of Benin, adding that the stool of the Oba of Benin could not be compared with that of any Yoruba king.

Meanwhile, a traditional ruler in Osun State, Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, has faulted the claim of the Esogban, saying, “Ooni of Ife remains the number one ranking Yoruba oba.”

The Alake had declared that the Ooni remained the highest in the ranking of Yoruba obas while receiving the Ooni, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, in his Ake, Abeokuta, Ogun State palace, saying the Ife monarch is the highest of the five principal obas in Yorubaland. The Alake, who said there were five principal obas in Yorubaland, listed the other royal fathers below the Ooni to include: The Alaafin of Oyo and the Oba of Benin in second and third positions, respectively.

Gbadebo listed his own title, the Alake, as the fourth while the Awujale of Ijebuland occupies the fifth.

In this interview, Akanbi, the Oluwo speaks on the supremacy of the Ooni in the South West: On the controversy There should not be any controversy on this matter because there is no basis for it. God owns the heavens and earth but He placed some people as His representatives. And the representative of the Yoruba is Oodua. He was the first monarch to use that throne and anyone sitting on that throne is the same father of the Yoruba.

Not all facts are true, but this is the truth. The Ooni is the first monarch in the South-West; even in Nigeria, he is the number one

•Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, Oluwo of Iwoland monarch. The power behind the monarch is so powerful that it depends on the person on the throne, that is, if the person understands the culture, history and how to compose it.

That throne is great; anyone who sits on that throne today must be respected as the father of the Yoruba. That is the respect they will give to their progenitor. How can the great-grandson of Oduduwa

That throne is great; anyone who sits on that throne today must be respected as the father of the Yoruba. That is the respect they will give to their progenitor

be the number one in ranking.? Okanbi was one of the Oduduwa’s sons and he gave birth to Oranmiyan who was the father of Eweka who was the father of the Benin monarch.

How is it possible for a great-grandson of Oduduwa to now be greater than his father in order of seniority?

That is not possible. A monarch can do something that is great than his forefather but he cannot be greater than his forefather in rank. He can only still be the great-grandson. Though Oranmiyan had done great things; he was great warrior but he cannot attain the peak of Oduduwa.

For instance, my crown is directly from Oduduwa. I am a child of Oduduwa by birth, because my mother was the Ooni, the Luwo Gbagida. She was the one who gave the crown to Adekolatelu. She sent Adekolatelu to Iwo and told him: ‘Where you are going is the land of the parrots. If you don’t get there, do not stop’. He never found Iwo, he died kilometers away from Iwo. He didn’t know that this was the place. His great-grandson was the one that came and saw the land of the parrots. I can do more to be greater than my forefathers, but I cannot be Luwo Gbagida. The spirit can come inside me and I will become so powerful, but I cannot be Luwo-Gbagida.

So, the Ooni is the father

Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi ,the Ooni of Ife of the Yoruba. Even Oranmiyan from Oyo became the sixth Ooni. Anyone occupying that sit holds the status of the progenitor. If anyone wants to fight for the throne, like Oba of Benin, all he needs to do is to state the ruling family he belongs to.

If he wants to claim the stool, he should come back home as Oranmiyan’s son; if he doesn’t do that, he cannot get the stool.

Citing my case, I was once in Canada and all I will do if I want to ascend the throne of my father is to go back and say that I am from the Lafogido Ruling House. So the Oba of Benin can come and say that, as Oranmiy-

an’s son, I want to rule. If anyone wants to claim his father ’s throne, all he needs to do is to come back home.

And that was what I did when I wanted to ascend the throne of my father.

If I had remained in Canada where I came from, I could have started a place and say that I had my own Iwo Kingdom in Canada.

And that is the same thing many did. They were the children of Oduduwa. They moved out of the original place. If I become an Iwo monarch in Canada, it can never be the same as of Iwo. So there is no controversy on the Ooni ranking as the first monarch in Yorubaland.

Ekiti Elders Greet Ooni

E

KITI Elders Council has congratulated the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on his ascension to the throne.

“We are thrilled to observe that you have significantly adorned the high office as you have started to make rapprochement to your brother Obas. Indeed, these are happy times for the Oduduwa race,and you epitomize that happiness”, the group said in a letter to the Ooni.

The letter, signed by the President, Prof. J.O. Oluwasanmi; the Standing Committee Chairman, Chief Deji Fasuan; and Secretary,

Mr Niyi Ajibulu, added: “While we agree that Obas are fathers of all,not involved in any partisan politics, we urge you, however, that Yoruba interest is not jeopardized in our nation state. In the past, unfortunately, the Yoruba, especially of the South-West, have been deprived of their rightful place among the major nationalities that constitute Nigeria. This has been particularly so for a decade or so. With your new found rapport among our traditional rulers, we are assured that our position in Nigeria is not compromised.”

PAGE 34—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

Time out with Amaechi in Kaduna-Abuja train

By Favour Nnabugwu

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or the journalists covering the Federal Ministry of Transport, last week was spectacular. It was the week the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, dropped his executive regalia, preferring rather to play the role of a reporter.

He had started an inspection tour penultimate Wednesday with a ride with the reporters in their bus to an assignment at Idu station to the surprise of all.

The following day, Thursday reporters joined the minister who went ahead to keep an appointment with the Governor of Kaduna, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and to deliver a speech at a one-day seminar of the Nigerian Shippers Council in that state before he continued his assessment of the Abuja Rail Project.

The minister stunned many when

he dismissed his aides and top civil servants on the rail inspection tour with him from the service train taking him round on the exercise, preferring rather to be on board the train with newsmen in his entourage.

The three-hour inspection tour, from Rigasa Rail Station in Kaduna to Idu station in Abuja in a service train used by China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), was not the usual hurried assignments of ministers as the minister endured discomfort in order to have a bitby-bit inspection of the 186km project.

At the start of the journey, journalists were, as usual, shoved from joining the minister in a coach of train reserved for him even as over zealous staff of the ministry and the Chinese firm rushed in to be in the minister’s coach.

Without hesitation, the

journalists quietly entered the next coach assigned to them by the ‘eye service’ aides. But while waiting for the small train to take off, the minister, on seeing that there were no newsmen beside him, held down the train and asked some of the people that rushed in with him to rather, move over to the coach earlier assigned to reporters.

While in the train, even with visible sign of discomfort, Amaech mixed and discussed freely with the reporters inside.

He shared jokes just as he chatted with the newsmen for the threehour journey.

For the reporters, it was what they will not forget in a hurry. The simplicity and humility of the minister was remarkable.

Speaking on his personal principles during his maiden press briefing, the Minister had said, “If you come to me to gossip about anyone, be rest assured that l will tell the person concerned that this is

what you said and you will be there to defend yourself wrong or right.

“I am not as bad as they say. A lot of names have been given to me but I believe in principles. I don’t like protocols. When I say I hate corruption, I mean it. I don’t give bribe and I don’t take either. If you want to relate with me, don’t give me money and don’t ask me for money.

“Just do your job creditably.

Don’t see me on the road and run away. I am not as bad as they make it seem. I don’t steal and l don’t befriend thieves and don’t put me in a position that l will not be able to call a thief, thief. Let us be friends because l am here to learn.”

The Amaechi style, if followed by those in position of authority, could not only promote freedom of expression but enhance media freedom in the society.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 35

How David Mark survived the Onjeh, APC siege •The intrigues, the backstabbing

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

S

aturday’s Benue South senatorial rerun election between Senator David Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress, APC, may have come and gone, but issues arising therefrom, before, during and after the poll will continue to generate controversy.

That poll became necessary after the Justice Peter Ige-led appellate court, on November 28., 2015, nullified the election of the immediate past Senate President, and ordered fresh election within 90 days.

Following that judgement, the parties went back to the trenches to prepare for an election that would shake the very foundation of the Benue South. The 90 days leading to that election would remain indelible in the minds of the people of Idoma land.

The period witnessed political maneuvering, allignment and reallignment of forces, intrigues and back stabbing. Though the rerun election was more of a popularity test for the immediate past Senate President rather than a contest, it was also believed in some quarters that it provided the PDP henchman an opportunity to know his diehard loyalists.

Those who held this view premised their argument on the fact that, Mark was for the first time running for a Senate seat on the flank of an opposition party at both the federal and state levels. The contestants were left with no other option than to sell themselves to the electorate.

Mark’s campaign was led by a former Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, from Okpokwu Local Government Area, LGA, while Onjeh’s team was led by Bar. John Ochoga, from Ado LGA. Moro and his team adopted the strategy of quietly visiting the electorate in the villages and by so doing created the impression in the minds of their opponents they had given up the contest.

The APC, on the other hand, went on a loud campaign and even went as far as inviting the National Chairman of the APC, Chief Odigie-Oyegun to Otukpo, where he supervised the defection of some notable personalities from the PDP to the APC. Among those who left the camp of Mark and the PDP were a former Senate President in the short lived third republic, Senator Ameh Ebute; former Ministers, Jerry Agada and Sam Ode; and a former Deputy Director General of Mark’s campaign organization, Dr. John Enyi.

Others include former members of the state House of Assembly, former members of the State Executive Council and political leaders from various communities

•David Mark

The 90 days leading to that election would remain indelible in the minds of the people of Idoma land

in the area.

This, however, did deter the PDP team which sustained its rather secretive and sometimes nocturnal campaigns. In fact, at the peak of the campaigns and given the enormous interest the rerun election was generating among the majority Tiv tribe who had no business in the poll and their untoward disposition to have Onjeh defeat Mark, the minority Idomas, who constitute the south district, felt slighted.

The PDP family took advantage of the people’s line of thought, by reawakening the consciousness of the people to the fact that those supporting Onjeh were the

alleged “slave masters” who would rather die than have an Idoma man emerge as governor of the state, Speaker of the state Assembly, Chief Judge of the state or even the Vice Chancellor of the state owned university.

The campaign also harped on the fact that the APC-led state government was bankrolling the campaign of its candidate even while owing workers several months salaries after accessing the Federal Government bailout funds.

The PDP took this message to feverish level and it eventually torpedoed the propaganda the ruling party had mustered. Aside the non payment of salaries,

which was also the bane of the last PDP government in the state, reference was made to the several development projects that the former Senate President attracted to his constituency.

According to the Director General of the Mark Campaign, Moro, “our campaigns were issue based, we made the people realize the need to return senator Mark back to the Senate because under him we as a people have enjoyed so much benefits”.

On his part, the Director of Media of the organization, Dr. Adakole Elijah, said, “The election was not seen as a personal luggage of Senator Mark. It was a quest towards the extrication of the minority Idoma people in Benue State from marginalization”.

The APC had centered its campaign on the fact that Mark had been in the Senate for 16 years without visible impact on the lives of the people of the area.

The campaign team, which at a time came under the direct supervision of the state Deputy Governor, Engineer Benson Abounu, traversed the length and breath of the district, urging the people to steer clear of opposition politics and remain in mainstream politics.

Onjeh, in a recent interview, also stated that he went into the race to deliver his people from the PDP and Mark. At the end of it all, the rerun, held without major incidents, saw Mark emerging victorious, polling 84, 192 to defeat Onjeh who garnered 71, 621 votes.

Mark won in five local government areas namely, Okpokwu, Agatu, Apa, Ado and Otukpo, while Onjeh won in Oju, Obi, Ohimini and Ogbadibo. Not satisfied with the outcome of the poll, the APC candidate has vowed to challenge it at the law court.

PAGE 36—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

rexmarinus@hotmail.com

Ascendancy of the Monarchists

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he spate of new monarchical regimes and celebrations in the last decade or so does reflect the deep contradictions of the Nigerian state and the ambiguity of Nigeria’s national character as a modern republic. A great roll of drums was just heard all over the conservative press on the recent installation of an Ooni in Ife, Ooni Ogunwusi.

The drama did not stop there.

The new Ooni declared that his new “regime” was “a new era for the Yoruba” and was intended on “unifying the Yoruba.” Ogunwusi quickly embarked on a tour, visiting the Alaafin, the Alake, and the Ala-whatever else was in between. In one of the most dramatic pictures yet of his rise, former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, a man given to public histrionics, was captured in camera prostrating in all manners of indignity on the floor for the young Ooni, who seemed quite startled by this gesture. And he should have been rightly startled because what the former president of Nigeria did was an insult to his former office as President of the Republic.

The picture quite truly harasses the sensibility of every thoughtful Nigerian because, in spite of himself, former President Obasanjo who has occupied the highest political office of the republic,though still another citizen of the republic, carries symbolic weight: for as long as he lives, he must be seen to dignify that office. In falling

down in prostration to a “king,” Obasanjo might have added theatre to the comedy of “king making” in Nigeria, but it also ridicules the highest office of the land quite symbolically. It is imperative for the senate of the republic to urgently write to this former president and seek his public disavowal of his action, and render some apology to the people of the Republic of Nigeria, failing which he must be stripped of the privileges pertaining to his title for debasing the meaning of his position as a former president of Nigeria in prostrating to the new Ooni of Ife. This has most certainly not ended there. Following the installation of the Ooni, the Alake of the Egba began to create a hierarchy of Yoruba kings.

On his table, the Ooni was first, the Alaafin was second, the Oba of Benin was third, and so on and so forth. Of course, the “palace spokesman” in Benin, Edebiri, quickly refuted the claim: the Oba of Benin is no Yoruba king, he said, and if anything, his account of the “Benin Kingdom” places the Yoruba kings as the “sons of the Benin kingdom.” This is all very interesting, and even quite entertaining. The question we ask is, how does this help in nation-building? I was personally outraged at the report of last week’s installation of Ooni Ogunwusi as the Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka – not in his personal capacity as a known

contributor to the idea of a university and of institutional building, but as the Ooni of Ife. This move insults the founding vision of Nsukka by the great Zik: “to restore the dignity of man.” Installing a monarch, and one with no known history of intellection, or grounding in the liberal intellectual tradition and heritage that undergirds the university’s mission, insults the legacy and vision of Nsukka’s founding ideas.

Then again, one looks, and we find that monarchs have been imposed on Nigeria’s universities as Chancellors – Nnameka Achebe at ABU, the Saa'ad Abubakar of Sokoto in Ibadan, and so on and so forth. This is an outrage.

Nnaemeka Achebe is by all means a well-educated man, Government College, Owerri, Stanford University, and all that, and so is Abubakar, a former Brigadier in the Nigerian Army, but in their positions as “traditional rulers” or monarchs, they bring contradictions to the image of the university – the epicenter of all liberal and democratic striving. Besides, these phantom “kingdoms” and hollow “Empires” these men claim to rule are all fiction, prodded up by a Mafiosi of power whose goals have always been to create and sustain a devious oligarchy intent on denying Nigerians their full rights of citizenship.Let me quickly alert Nigerians that the founding agreement that created the modern nation of Nigeria collapsed every other claimant to authority into a unified and modern nation called the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Nigeria is the product of the unification, and some might prefer the use of the word, “amalgamation,” of the former kingdoms, principalities, city states, and traditional federations that once made up its fragmented and distinct parts. With the Independence constitution, the independent federation of Igbo city states and village republics ceased to exist as sovereign governments, the Oyo empire was abolished,

the Caliphate of Sokoto became extinct, the Emirates of the Hausa states, the Benin kingdom, the Kwararafa, the city states of the delta, and so on, all became legally defunct, and melded into a new sovereign nation known as the Federation of Nigeria.

On November 16, 1963, the exact birthday of the founding President of the Republic, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, a new charter of the republic came into being.

It removed Nigeria from the

For as long as selfinvested Nigerian leaders continue to illegally maintain and tolerate these “traditional rulers,” Nigeria will be incapable of creating national consciousness

dominion of the British Commonwealth and her Queen, declaring it a sovereign republic to be governed by the President and a parliament as a modern democracy. By declaring itself a republic, and free of the British commonwealth, the parliament of Nigeria gave notice that the new nation was no longer under the sovereign dominion of her majesty, and that the new nation would no longer be governed under the thumbs of a constitutional monarch; but under the charter of a republic with its established and elected parliament. That gave new status to Nigerians as “citizens” of a Federal Republic, rather than “subjects” of a constitutional monarch. The Republican constitution guaranteed the principle of the equality of citizenship, and the absolute freedom of the citizen under the rule of law. No

Nigerian citizen was thus legally “subject” to any king or monarch, but all are free under the protection of the constitution of the republic.

These particulars are quite vital in understanding the formation of Nigeria as a modern nation, and does amplify the contradictions inherent in the continued circulation and claims of certain individuals as “Kings” and “Emirs” and “Obis” and “Igwes” and “Obas.”

These are illegalities that challenge the absolute sovereignty of the Nigerian state and its elected governments. There can be no two captains in a ship.

Whereas the republic exists, the monarchies cease to exist.

The republic confers “citizenship” on the individual, irrespective of status, gender, belief, and so on. A monarch has subjects – those whose lives very literally exist on his whims and caprice. No Nigerian is by law “subject” to any king, until the Republic is overthrown and a monarchy installed in its stead. The movement of history has for long abrogated that relationship between ordinary men, and conferred upon the individual the rights of individual freedom and autonomy. Those who fought for the independence of the modern nation of Nigeria fought for these freedoms, and encoded as the guiding principles of the Nigerian union, the principle of the equality of all Nigerians under the republic. Secondly, aside from contending power with the federal republic, these monarchies are a distraction in the evolution of a free, open and liberal society. Nigeria was conceived as a secular republic. The idea of an individual as embodying the meaning of a people ought to harass the sensibility of any well educated person because it reduces the question of an equal humanity to a merely

SocialEtiquette With Janet Adetu

info@etiquetteconsortium.com JSK Etiquette & Image Training Janet@JSKEtiquette JSK Etiquette Consortium

Toothpick Etiquette

T

he Toothpick part of the tools of dining for many, that is hardly visible on a well decorated table. A utensil that some just cannot do without.

Are you one who unfailingly uses the tooth pick regardless of what you have eaten? Is it simply part of your dining routine? Are you incomplete without using your toothpick after every meal?

It amazes me when I see so many people getting busy with their toothpick just after a meal. There is a conscious effort to remove anything removable in between the teeth including ice-cream. Executives, individuals, entrepreneurs and many others actually go out of their way to request for the toothpick when they cannot see it on the table. The toothpick itself is a thin piece of wood

that was designed to aid the removal of tiny particles in between the crevices of our teeth, instead of using our fingernails. What I find amazing for those who use the toothpick is the fact that they are indeed aware that the use of the toothpick looks somewhat tacky in the public that is why still sit comfortably and pick at their teeth with one hand covering the whole mouth?

The question is why do they cover their mouths? Yet again I guess for the need to be discreet but in a public way.

Some people on the other hand are not so discreet.

They derive pleasure in letting everyone around know that they have just eaten or had a meal by sticking the toothpick in one corner of the mouth.

Sadly though this an image killer as it makes you appears quite tacky. Look

Some people may wonder what all the fuss behind the use of the toothpick is. If you are indeed a respectful, representative and reputable person, simple social acts like this will not go unnoticed at this scenario, you are well suited up looking prim and proper and very polished.

Just imagine how your image is sabotaged just by sticking a tooth pick in your mouth and walking back into your office.

Why expose yourself in the first place?

I guess what I am trying to say is that it is so much more decent, polite and less offensive if you were to ideally use the toothpick in a more exclusive place. You may ask “where?” Well just to throw in some suggestions the rest room or your car, are a couple of easy places to use the toothpick. So therefore using a toothpick at the table is not proper etiquette

so they say.

Some people may wonder what all the fuss behind the use of the toothpick is. If you are indeed a respectful, representative and reputable person, simple social acts like this will not go unnoticed. It is important to conduct yourself properly at all times. In a social setting too you may not know anyone around you, while using the toothpick openly, but you will be surprised at how many people know you including your name too.

One good thing about the toothpick is that, it now has

several other uses other than for teeth. The toothpick is a caterers dream for cocktail juices, finger foods, cakes and more. Domestically some use the toothpick as their hands on gadgets for fixing, sealing, clearing displaying and holding amongst a host of others.

Let’s come back to the main usage of the toothpick, I have a few tips how to conduct yourself when using the toothpick.

TIPS ON HOW TO USE A TOOTHPICK

academic assumption.

One of the reasons why Nigeria continues to be politically and economically underdeveloped is the continued reliance on the myth of “tradition.” Right wing defenders of this aberration call it “our culture” and that the “traditional rulers” defend and embody our “traditions.” That is simply not true. But even if it were true, not all traditions are worth preserving, or useful.

The monarchies and the monarchists are a distraction.

We have a modern national culture evolving from a mix of a modern generation of people, many of them products of an urban culture that is profoundly dynamic and hybrid. There is no gain in maintaining these fossil institutions. They belong to a distant past. The leaders of Nigeria are its constitutionally elected citizens who embody their democratic will, not some pseudo-monarch acting on some presumptuous claim of “tradition.” It is more so laughable in Igbo land, which had no history of monarchical traditional leadership, but where a thousand monarchies, majesties, and ancient kingdoms have since emerged only in the last forty years at most. The Senate of Nigeria must very urgently, in the interest of nation-building enact a legislation abolishing the institution of the monarchies once and for all, and without exception, and turn their palaces into museums for tourists, as have happened with the cathedrals and castles of Europe, and just like the Indians, with longer history of Rajas and more opulent “traditional rulers” did in 1975, in order to forge a united nation. For as long as self-invested Nigerian leaders continue to illegally maintain and tolerate these “traditional rulers,” Nigeria will be incapable of creating national consciousness; there will be competing narratives of power that will continue to create centrifugal loyalties, and so long shall Nigeria be ethnically-riven and unstable.

1. Tooth picks are used discreetly in a private place like the bathroom and not on the dining table.

2. Nowadays it is better to have your toothpicks individually pre-wrapped for safety and hygiene.

3. Only use a tooth pick if necessary. It has been proven to widen the gap between your teeth.

4.Discard a used tooth pick by breaking it into two and disposing it.

5.During cocktails never re-use a tooth pick to select food from the display tray.

6. Avoid covering your mouth with the other hand whilst using a tooth pick.

7.Once you have successfully removed pieces of food between your teeth, desist from spontaneously spitting them out. Simply place gently into your napkin.

8.Tooth picks can be hazardous so avoid retaining them in your mouth after meals.

9.Refrain as much as possible from using an exposed toothpick.

10. If you are a regular user keep some on you, preferably the plastic version As you eat your next meal enjoy the food, use a toothpick where necessary but act with caution.

Happy Reading!

SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 37

There is need to break barriers limiting Nigerian teachers in ICT adoption

How Ericsson turned innovative ideas into global realities at MWC 2016

A

— Jordan Belmonte, Microsoft Program Manager

J

ordan Belmonte, is Education Programs Manager, Microsoft Nigeria .

In this interview with Emeka Aginam at the recently concluded Microsoft Innovative Educator national forum, she shared insights on how best to utilize free professional development resources available through the Microsoft Educator Network. According to her, there is need to break barriers limiting Nigerian teachers from adopting ICT. Exerpt: Overview of MIE Nigerian national forum Driven by a shared vision of education transformation, the Microsoft Innovative Educator National forum united a melting pot of cultures as 50 educators from across the six geo-political zones in the country congregated in Lagos Nigeria recently. This two-day forum broke the mold of many corporate events as the informal proceedings promoted continuous collaboration and input from all event attendees.

Educators previously frustrated with a broken bureaucratic system, a lack of infrastructure and apathetic colleagues were reenergized through presentations, hands-on workshops, and collaborations with their diverse fellows. The participants engaged in a variety of activities designed to stimulate thought leadership including: The development of localized lesson plans that utilized Microsoft technology in the classroom to promote 21st century skills.

Exploration of the barriers preventing Nigerian teachers from adopting ICT followed by group

sessions where participants designed train the trainer programs to address these challenges.

Hands on demonstrations and advanced training on how to use Microsoft’s solutions in the classroom and how to best utilize free professional development resources available through the Microsoft Educator Network.

Goals of the capacity building for the Nigerian teachers The simple answer, we care about building a better Nigeria and know educators can act as catalysts for change. At Microsoft we believe education is the key to economic development and competitiveness.

Providing education through lifelong learning opportunities is crucial to fostering the social and economic conditions needed for entrepreneurs to succeed, for workers to prosper in an information economy and for citizens to realize their full potential.

However, we know that technology alone cannot develop the 21st century skills students require. Technology is an

Technology alone cannot develop the 21st century skills students require

•Jordan Belmonte

accelerator, but alone it does not enable change.

We believe in the power of the educator, and the impact educators can have in unlocking new & better ways of teaching and learning.As agents of change the Microsoft Innovative Educators (MIEs) in attendance were challenged to collectively train 20,000 teachers by 2017, conducting a series of inperson training in their geo-political zones.

For global teachers The Microsoft Innovative Educator Program is available to teachers from across the globe with 3,700 global experts involved this year. However, this forum was specifically for Nigerian MIEs and was the first of its kind for the MIE program in Nigeria.

Criteria for participation The forum was open to all 2016 MIEs. This year’s MIEs ranged from rural primary school teachers to PHD education technologists and Federal Ministry of Education employees, all marked by their passion for transforming Nigerian’s education system through integration of ICT in the classroom.

MIEs are selected twice yearly through an online application process, the main selection criteria is their potential to act as a global visionaries. For that we seek self-driven educators who are

t the just concluded 2016 Mobile World Congress (MWC) held in Barcelona, Spain, Ericsson demonstrate how best to shape the Networked Society to turn great ideas into global realities.

Highlights of its showcase at the event that attracted mobile industry players included 5G radio prototypes, cellular Internet of things, IoT, and cloud RAN demonstrations as well as Telehaptic control, 5G cloud robotics, connected water and future of autonomous driving to demonstrate future technology.

Already, Ericsson’s experts presented a wide range of demonstrations, launches and seminars that showed how the technology firm is empowering people through technology, transforming industries to deliver more value, and advancing society through sustainable development. Accordingly, visitors at the Ericsson stand experienced hand on demonstrations on many issues including Networks, Transformative IT, Media, Industries and Networked Society areas.

Other highlights showcased at the event that brought together mobile industry players included: *5G radio prototypes: Phase 2 of Ericsson’s award-winning 5G Radio Test Bed, which includes 5G radio prototypes set for operator field trials in 2016, will be running live and delivering industry-leading performance with advanced features such as Massive MIMO and beam tracking. *5G for industries: Ericsson works closely with partners to develop 5G networks that meet the demands of industrial applications. The results of these collaborations, along with concepts and prototypes supporting the ICT transformation of the manufacturing and automotive industries, will be presented. *Telehaptic control: visitors can try out a prototype system for semi-autonomous, remote flying of radio-controlled helicopters. By adding haptic feedback to video and audio, users can feel the helicopter moving and interacting with its environment. The demonstration is part of Ericsson’s ongoing research into industry transformation opportunities enabled by 5G networks.

New Horizons U-17 ICT competitions to boost ICT curriculum in schools

N

igeria’s private information and communications technology training institute, New Horizons at the weekend flagged off the first annual Under 17 national ICT competition to boost and elevate ICT curriculum and skills empowerment in primary and secondary schools level.

The competition will also stimulate a wider exploit and firmer grip of top range ICT skills within the national SSCE

C M Y K

curriculum and other international ICT skills requirements like Cambridge, IGSCE, among others.

The capacity building program which will run till next month , according to the Mr. Bolaji Olaoye, General Ganager, Education services for the company is part of the IT training firm’s corporate social responsibility.

He said that it would serve as a catalyst to bridge the

knowledge gaps between Nigerian youths and their counterparts in other technology driven countries of the world.

He said the competition which would include participants from over 200 Nigerian schools would “involve two separate segments in primary and secondary schools levels and serve as an avenue to breed the technology whiz-kids of our time and upcoming generation who will form the nucleus of young industry captains that will transform the economy of Nigeriaand Africa in the shortest possible time.”

According to him, the competition is a firmconviction that Nigeria can also be positioned as global ICT leading country and world champion the same way Nigeria had established itself as a consistent world champion in the Under17 World football tournaments over the years.

He said “the mission is to catch

our youths at tender school ages for high quality ICT Skillsoriented Programs that will foster the rapid growth and

development of their technology skills-set and consequently place them at the frontal row of global champions’.

From left: Babatunde Ruwase, Deputy President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Chief (Mrs) Nike Akande, President; Hon Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly and Hon Wasiu Eshnlokun, Deputy Speaker during a courtesy visit by the LCCI to Lagos State House of Assembly.

PAGE 38 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

How Boko Haram bombs in police stores detonated, killed four officers

BY Umar Yusuf, Yola

C

onfusion enveloped Yola, Adamawa State capital, on Thursday, as parents and guardians rushed to pick their children and wards from school following a bomb blast at the AntiBomb Squad of the state Police Command. The confusion was so pronounced as vehicular and human traffic struggled in all directions and rammed into each

other.

The loud bang of the blast, which occurred in the central business district of Jimeta, was heard in virtually all parts of the capital city.

But, the Thursday bomb explosion was unusual. It did not emanate from the dreaded terrorist group, Boko Haram. It was not a suicide bombing as we used to witness in this part of the country.

Even as Boko Haram accounts for some percentage of the bombings in Adamawa, the explosives that went off, that Thursday, were seized from the group. But the police, either by acts of omission, negligence or careleness, kept the dangerous materials in their stores at the Anti-Bomb Unit.

As the confusion raged and the entire area situated along the Ahmadu Bello was cordoned by

the military and other security agencies, it was later discovered that the explosion occurred from the stores of the Anti – Bomb Squad of the police.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ghazalli Mohammed, who arrived the scene with other security chiefs in the state, gave an account of the incident and doused the tensed situation.

Gwazalli disclosed that the incident was neither a suicide bombing nor an attack by insurgents but that the explosion occurred from the stores of the Anti-Bomb Squad of the

command. Ghazalli then confirmed the death of four policemen, while eight others were critically injured and were on admission at the Federal Medical Center, Yola. Independent investigation by Sunday Vanguard revealed that nine explosives were kept in the stores.

According to our findings, some of the explosives were recovered from Boko Haram

insurgents, while others were missiles fired by the military that missed target and landed on wet ground thereby preventing them

from detonating. It was revealed that the explosives had been in the stores until Thursday when they exploded.

Ugwuan yi knoc king on the door al re volution Ugwuanyi knocking doorssteps of rur rural revolution

BY FRANCIS IGATA,ENUGU Motorists and residents in Enugu State are beginning to heave a sigh of relief as the perennial traffic gridlock dotting major parts of Enugu metropolis and beyond are beginning to ease.

This is occasioned by the massive reconstruction of roads as promised by the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on assumption of office.

Ugwuanyi had, during his electioneering campaign tour of the state,vowed to frontally repair the dilapidated road networks that left socio-economic activities in the state at the tethers.

On assumption of office,the roads, especially Abakpa Junction-Nike Lake Road,PenoksNowas-Nike Lake Roads, Ikenga Hotels Junction and the Post Office Roundabout – Odenigbo Roundabout – Ogurugu Road – Ikenga Hotels Junction and the Enugu Road Nsukka Junction – Umezebi – Nru junction – University Gate, were dotted with

•Ugwuanyi,inspecting the Inyaba-Amagunze Belly Bridge

yawning craters,major portions washed off even as some of then were at the verge of being cut off.

Rolling his sleeves, Ugwuanyi left naysayer’s tongues wagging when, last November,he flagged off the reconstruction of Obechara Road Junction – Umuakashi Mechanic Village – Ikenga Hotels Junction and the Post Office Roundabout – Odenigbo Roundabout – Ogurugu Road – Ikenga Hotels Junction and the Enugu Road Nsukka Junction – Umezebi – Nru Junction – University Gate, all within the university town of Nsukka, defying

the crude oil price glut that bashed the allocation from the Federal Government.

Others roads undergoing construction include Ohom Orba Junction – Imilike Ani – Ezimo Uno – Ezimo Agu – Imilike Ogbodu Aba – Obollo Afor Roads , all designated as Udenu Ring roads as they are located within Udenu council area and are linked to one another.

Ugwanyi also,last week, affirmed his determination to construct Inyaba-Amagunze Bridge to alleviate the problems of the people in the area, cut off by

the collapsing bridge The Inyaba-Amagunze Belly Bridge,constructed with wood in the 70s, wobbles at the impact of weight even as it has shown pronounced signs of caving in.

Mr. Johnson Chukwu,a motorist,stated: “These roads are major economic corridors that will, no doubt,boost socioeconomic activities especially at the rural areas. Already,the usual traffic gridlock that subjects us to excruciating hours of driving has thinned out even though the jobs are only 60 percent completed.

“As it is,the value of properties along these corridors have increased because developers now have access to properties. Once there is accessible road,other social amenities will follow suit.

“Farmer will now find it easy to evacuate their produce from the rural areas and earn commensurate money for their input rather than when they were forced to dispose their produce for fears of perishing.

“The rate at which we visit auto mechanics will drastically reduce now because the road is smooth,devoid of yawning craters

ONDO: ‘How we saved 6,718 pregnant women from death’

By Chioma Obinna

Acc

ess to healthcare in lowincome households remains a formidable challenge in Nigeria.

For instance, for every 100,000 pregnant women in Nigeria, 576 die due to birth complications, including lack of skilled attendants and poor health facilities. A woman’s chance of dying from pregnancy and childbirth in Nigeria is one in 13 compared to one in 1750 for developed countries; one in 870 in East Asia, one in 90 in Latin America and one in 24 (Africa).

The vast majority of these deaths occur in rural areas where healthcare services and resources are limited. Yet these unacceptable figures could be turn around if these women either give birth in a nearby health facility and not homes, attended to by skilled attendants, and have the right means of transportation and good roads.

According to the World Bank, more than 74 per cent of maternal deaths could be prevented if all women had access to interventions that address complications in pregnancy and childbirth However, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for some states in Nigeria, like Ondo, where maternal death has been criminalised and health given priority. Today, the state government believes that every Ondo citizen has the right to not just access healthcare but also good- quality healthcare services and all obstacles that

endanger the life of a mother and her unborn baby addressed. The chances of a pregnant woman delivering her baby with the help of skilled workers are now possible.

Today, there is high level of investments in healthcare services and infrastructures which have brought back primary healthcare that has resulted to availability of basic health services for the rural poor.

The Agbebiye /Mother and Child Hospitals spread across the state and the building of Trauma Surgical Centre by the State government are paying off.

Prior to the advent of the Governor Olusegun Mimiko administration in 2008, the World Bank had declared Ondo State as having the worst maternal and child health indices in the South West. In 2009, the state maternal mortality was put at 745 per 100, 000 live births. Three years after, an impact assessment done by the state showed 50 percent reduction, from 745 per 100, 000 live

births to 317.

The success story has continued with the combination of the state’s community projects; Agbebiye which has dragged the maternal mortality rate to 172 per 100,000 live births as at last year. Through the Agebiye programme, the state has been able to save over 6,718 pregnant women in the last one year who would have lost their lives in the hands of unskilled workers.

The progress witnessed by the state in the area of maternal health earned it the World Bank recognition – a first in the history of Nigeria and the entire African continent. The progress which has made pregnancy safe in the state also caused the state to win the two editions of Bill Gates leadership award.

In Ondo, Traditional Birth Attendants, TBAs, which the World Health organisation, WHO, had identified as a major cause of maternal and child deaths no longer take delivery courtesy of the state government programme called

Agbebiye.

Under the community project, over 5,000 TBAs and Mission Birth Attendants are forced to refer pregnant women to nearby health facilities. These TBAs are now empowered by the state government with vocational skills and are given a soft loan of N100, 000 to start their own business while each referral also earned them N2, 000. It is criminal today for an unskilled birth attendant to take delivery.

Statistics show that in three years of the establishment of Ondo Mother and Child alone, the centre has registered over 45, 000 patients, 25,000 under- five children, 17,000 pregnant women, 1,000 gynaecological patients , 10,000 safe deliveries and 2,500 caesarean sessions free of charge.

According to the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Gbala Michael, the quality of healthcare offered in the hospitals have led to influx of patients from neighbouring States and countries like Lagos, Osun, Kaduna, Imo and Liverpool.

“Our free services do not cover only normal deliveries but Caesarean sections, gynaecological surgeries, cervical cancer screening and family planning among others.”

Giving insight into the success and achievements recorded by the state government in the last four years, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju attributed the numerous achievements to government decision to give special priority to health.

that dismantle vehicle bolt joints,shock absorbers, tyriod ends anong others which inflict holes in our pockets. “Its all good. It ends well because it starts well.

Governor Ugwuanyi has started well. When the time comes,we will reciprocate and remind him that he started well.”

Wellness website to give out N1m wor th of deals worth

By Abel Kolawole www.faari.ng , Nigeria’s premier beauty and wellness discount site, is set to give out N1m worth of free beauty services.The website’s objective, according to Mr Temitayo Olakolegan,the brain behind the new online site, among other ones, is to provide affordable beauty services to women while creating more business and turnover for beauty and wellness professionals.Speaking on the prospects for faari, he said: “I see faari.ng to be the leading Nigerian marketing platform for beauty and wellness and the single most trusted partner to providers in order to help them accelerate customer acquisition, build loyalty, engagement and brand advocacy. We want to see our partners excel at making beautiful people; our responsibility is to help them reach customers and provide the best end-to-end experience. From finding a salon, to deciding what beauty product is best for them, to getting that amazing beauty service they have always been dreaming of at discounted prices, we want to make that a satisfying, happy experience for everyone involved.”He also spoke about the Aso Ebi distribution arm of the site which provides a solution to the Aso Ebi distribution challenges faced by party planners while organising events.

The Aso Ebi distribution model is such that people put up their Aso Ebi fabric on the faari site; share the link (a customised URL) with their friends and family. After every online purchase, faari.ng fulfils the purchase and delivers the fabric.

•Temitayo Olakolegan

SUNDAY VANGUARD,FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 39

The Trinity Towers and the audacity of faith

•Pastor Idowu Iluyomade

•Trinity Towers' design concept

BY ZIK ZULU OKAFOR

D

ate was Sunday, February 14, 2016. It was a day the world was celebrating love. They call it Valentine’s Day. But City of David, (COD) a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on this same day, was doing something different. In the heart of the vast but bare Eko Atlantic, Lagos, inside a tent, business magnates, political icons, technocrats, Pastors and all, were gathered by COD. The purpose they said was for all to join hands in giving a new meaning to ‘help’.

Led by Idowu Iluyomade, a lawyer and Pastor in charge of COD, a man with an unbridled passion to extend the frontiers of hope, the object of the high profile gathering was to raise fund. “Hmm, these churches have come again.

What are they raising fund for” you quipped “What are they doing with all the offerings and tithes they collect? Don’t they get tired of collecting money?” Dozens of questions cascaded in your befuddled mind as you watched the unfolding drama.

Then, a voice squeaked. They want to raise about N14 billion for a project. You almost passed out. Your ears tingled, mouth agape as you gazed, confounded by the staggering revelation.

COD, you are then told, is about to build a three-wing, 15 floor corporate edifice, called The Trinity Towers. Next question. Why would a church want to build such a monument? What for? What point are they trying to make?”, you fired, almost obstinately.

But it took only fleeting minutes before COD literally opened the windows to its soul. In a 17 minute racy documentary, this model parish took the audience on an odyssey of compassion and commitment to reconstructing the world into that place where even the poorest and the most needy could see glimpses of hope and heartily give praises to their creator.

Having spent three days visiting some of the places you saw in the documentary, you could tell the pictures are real and that COD’s unbridled appetite for corporate social responsibility (CSR) is simply confounding.

Operating under the canopy of its Excel Foundation, COD’s CSR and good works cut across health

care, education, food and feeding, media and entertainment, prison affairs, culture, business, government and politics, all converging in a model the church refers to as the eight spheres of spiritual governance.

Your first port of call was the hospital, Healing Stripes – Dialysis and Diagnostic Centre. This ultra modern two-wing hospital houses 10 dialysis machines for kidney patients, plus dental and optical clinics. What however stands this hospital out is the fact that it offers 30 dialysis sessions to kidney patients, free of charge, every month. And it has carried out 2,900 dialysis sessions at subsidized rates since officially opened in 2013. Indeed, Healing Stripes in collaboration with hospitals in US and India has also seen to the successful kidney transplant of nine patients in these countries.

Despite a whopping sum of about N500 million invested in this hospital, COD has continued its humane services, irrespective of tribe or religion of beneficiaries, ensuring that this hospital is not clinically detached from the plight of its patients.

Beyond the confines of the hospital in highbrow Victoria Island, COD also takes its medicare to the down trodden in the back streets and the slums. Arise Women, inspired and founded by Pastor Siju Iluyomade, is COD’s flagship on free healthcare in the soul streets of the poor.

Since its maiden conference in 2009, Arise Women, have not only impacted and inspired over 5000 women to drive the needed change in their families through training, it has organized free medical screening in the areas of HIV tests, Eye tests, Cervical Cancer, Sugar Level and Blood Pressure tests for thousands of people on the lower rung of the ladder.

With three mobile clinics valued at N75 million, Arise Women sets up quarterly Care Clinics in remote places like Makoko, Oshodi, Ilaje, and Ajah among others, giving hope to the poor and through the scriptures, assuring them of the greater promises of tomorrow.

One beautiful day every week This Redeemed Parish also takes a walk into the streets to create one beautiful day every week for those that life has not given a fair

For many an observer, City of David is sending an inspirational message to those lonely ones in life’s wilderness; men, women, children, shut out from the promises of Nigeria.

COD is simply telling them that they can still fulfil their destiny

shake of the dice. Every Sunday, COD members and volunteers, cook and feed about 60,000 people that inhabit the sidewalk of our streets. This staggering humane venture called A Can Can Make a Difference has delivered over 400 million packs of food in the last 10 years. With about N682 million expended on this project every year, especially in the last five years, COD has thus far, spent over N2.5 billion just so that those that the tragedies of life have left destitute may enjoy one decent meal in a week. A journalist at the Trinity Towers fund raiser described this feeding venture as a dizzying sacrifice that God cannot possibly ignore. “He will certainly reward those COD guys”, he said with an iron cast conviction.

Education also has a primal place in COD’s CSR agenda. River Bank a highbrow Nursery and Primary School is COD’s signature tune in the education arena.

With a British curriculum and an adaptation of the Montessori principles, laced with Christian principles, River Bank stands out with its top class facilities that include ICT room equipped with 100 desktop computers, a science laboratory and a music room, plus an astro-turf football pitch and a swimming pool.

But COD, also extends its good

works in education to the downtrodden. And so, far away in Makoko, in the slums of Lagos, it set up a school, cloths and feeds the children while in school.

To ensure that this dream opportunity of education for the poor is not fractured, COD founded the Touching Tomorrow Fund. This is an endowment to provide orphaned, disadvantaged children and families with low income, access to decent education from primary, secondary to tertiary institutions, an initiative that has extracted about N83 million from the vault of the parish.

Still in a collaborative venture that enthralled Nigerian higher schools, City of David led its Apapa family group of parishes to endow professorial chairs worth N250 million in four Nigerian universities for the RCCG General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

This same rendezvous of Apapa Family inspired by City of David has embarked on a mission to equip 500 primary school libraries in Lagos state and has already completed 125.

For many an observer, City of David is sending an inspirational message to those lonely ones in life’s wilderness; men, women, children, shut out from the promises of Nigeria. COD is simply telling them that they can still fulfil their destiny. And it is with this hope illuminating posture that COD went to the prisons, like Kirikiri Maximum and Medium prisons among other prisons and juvenile homes, setting up a computer centre, paying for GCE exams for inmates and school fees for those taking courses at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Extraordinary talent hunt In media and entertainment, COD has expended over N682 million in the last 11 years on production and airtime for its award winning soaps, Heavensgate and Oasis and about N155 million in producing the sensational and extraordinary talent hunt programme, GCGT- God’s Children Great Talent. COD is using these glowing symbols of art and culture to bring out the values of creativity, fellowship, fun, Godliness and integrity.

Now, you take a peep into sports and you will be told that the cur-

rent holders of the nation’s women’s FA Cup is the Amazons Football Club. It belongs to City of David. But there is also the COD United, a professional football club currently playing at the Nigerian National League. In this sports venture, COD has committed about N400 million and still counting.

City of David also installed 40 solar powered street lights in Kirikiri, Navy Town Road and another set of street lights in Mushin, plus traffic lights on COD Road, Oniru, Victoria Island.

Perhaps, the real significant thing to note at this point, is that all the funds expended in all the projects enunciated in this article, and much more not captured here; funds well over N10 billion spent in the last 10 years, are generated internally through donations, and offerings by members of the COD parish. This then explains the reason for the Trinity Towers.

The man with the vision, the grit and granite will to actualize this vision, Pastor ID, spoke on both the reasons and their motivation.

Hear him, “The most important thing that drives us is the mandate of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, in Mathew 25. He was talking about the final judgement.

And these are the indices and things he used to judge people ……, did you feed people who are hungry, did you give water to people who are thirsty? Did you meet the needs of the indigent and those who didn’t have anything?.......... So we see all the good works that we do as not only partnering with Christ but as investment in the kingdom of God”.

Pastor ID adds that COD believes in line with the dictates of the bible that “if you invest in good works, you will not only have present blessings but eternal blessings”.

Yet this eloquent and charismatic Pastor is not unmindful of what he called ‘donor fatigue’ that may crop up from returning to the same congregation repeatedly for donation towards good works.

This then underscores the vision of the Trinity Towers monument.

It is a quest to construct a timeless corporate edifice, that will yield revenues to sustain good works.

Those who therefore invest in this divinely inspired enterprise, the Pastor says, will be honouring God. And as the bible puts it unequivocally in 1 Samuel 2:30, those who honour God, God will surely honour. Did you hear somebody say something?

*Okafor is Nigeria Media Merit Award winning journalist.

PAGE 40—SUNDAY VANGUARD,FEBRUARY 28, 2016

PFN relocates to own secretariat ....plans another in Abuja BY

SAM

EYOBOKA

T

HIRTY years after Uma Uk pai's Greater Lagos Crusade ignited the tiny fire that let loose the avalanche of Pentecostalism in Nigeria, leaders of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, gathered in Lagos on Thursday with eminent political leaders from different parts of the country in tow, to officially dedicate its ultra-modern national secretariat, the Bishop's Court, behind Aswani Market in Isolo area of the metropolis.

The event marking the 30th anniversary of the Fellowship also provided an avenue for the clerics to honour Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Mama Hilda Adefarasin, five serving governors as well as some Pentecostal leaders including the national president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and his wife, Helen, for their contribution to the growth of the PFN over the past three decades.

Likened to the 10th Century B.C. movement of the Ark of God's Covenant from the house of Obededom, the Gittite to Jerusalem, the secretariat of the 30-year old PFN is relocating to its final permanent place of abode after about 20 years sojourn at the Christian Pentecostal Mission, CPM, who played host to the Fellowship in Ajao Estate and like Obededom, has testimonies of blessings.

In his welcome address at the colourful event attended by a large crowd of stakeholders including Gov. Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, Prince Eze Madumere, deputy governor of Imo State and representatives of Lagos and Edo state governors as well as the former governor of Plateau State, Senator Jonah Jang and former field commander of ECOMOG, Lt. Gen. Joshua Nimyel Dogonrayo (rtd), the PFN president, Rev. Felix Omobude said PFN which started September 1985, had become a reference point and a beacon of hope for Pentecostals in Nigeria.

"Thirty years on, we have discharged our role in building our people and serving as an agent of national development. We have contributed to uphold the nation in prayer, engage with political leadership to further national development and we have made critical interventions to assist our people in times of crisis. Our Emergency Response and Intervention Directorate has disbursed over N17 million to victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the North, with relief materials worth millions of Naira shipped to states in the North East, in aid of internally displaced persons. As a global player, the PFN had also responded to international calls for assistance by extending support to victims of natural disasters," he stated.

According to him, the ultramodern Bishop Court was envisioned by the immediate past administration of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, noting that on assumption of office, "we not only expressed the determination to ensure the completion of the project, we promised that the fund raised for the project would be exclusively dedicated to the project. In spite of challenges with contracting firms, variation in costs and in-

*Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr Emmanuel Udom (m) cutting the tape to declaretThe PFN Secretariat open. With him are Imo State deputy governor, Prince Eze Madumere, Rev. (Mrs.) Biodun Omobude, PFN president, Rev. Felix Omobude, Rev. (Mrs) Mercy Ezekiel, Bishop Mike Okonkwo and others at the dedication of Bishops Court on Thursday. es facing the country. flation in the economy, we have "Christians should not shy away kept faith with our word to the from being part of governance, glory of God." they should be interested to help Continuing, Omobude who regovernment serve and function minded his audience that the efficiently. The contributions of Fellowship was established in the people via constructive critiSeptember 11, 1985 to promote cisms, suggestions, prayers are the propagation of the gospel, crucial to achieve an inclusive announced to the large audigovernance and national develence that PFN national execuopment, " he said. tive council has received a doAlso speaking, Gov. Akinwunnation of a plot of land at a lomi Ambode of Lagos State who cation not too far the Airport in was represented by Pastor AyAbuja, noting "our dream is that otunde Shodeinde appreciated soon, we will have another Bishreligious leaders in the country op's Court waving at, as you drive for their prayers, advice and supto and from the Nnamdi Azikiport to the government. PFN has we International Airport in Abubeen a rallying point for millions ja." of Christian faithful, contributing At the Stakeholders summit to national unity and cohesion. aimed at opening its flanks to "As a government we seek your new ideas and a renewal of old continued support in terms of ones, the PFN president, noted wise counsels and prayers for the that their dreams are tall but success of the ongoing efforts to their resolve to actualise them, rebuild the nation's economy. I is taller, urging members to be believe with prayers, sincere commindful at all times, the visions mitment, dedication and right atof the founding fathers and emtitude on our part as a governbrace peace and unity at all ment and as a people, we shall times. overcome and our nation will rise The Akwa Ibom State goveragain," Ambode said. nor, Mr. Udom called on NigeIn his words, Gov. Rochas Okorians to be interested in goverrocha of Imo State who was repnance through fevent prayers resented by his deputy, Prince Eze and exhibition of civic responsiMadumere said that the Imo bilities, stressing that it was only State government would continprayer that had kept the nation ue to contribute and support the together inspite of the challengfellowship of God.

*Rev. Felix Omobude (l) presenting an award to the CAN president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor (r) as his wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Helen Oritsejafor (2nd r) and chairman, anniversary planning committee, Rev, Cosmas Ilechukwu (2nd l) look on.

Prof. Adebayo Akinde, Archbishop Lagos Province, Mrs Olubisi Osinbajo, celebrant, Mrs Nkasiobi Okoh and Akin Osinbajo, former Ogun State Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice during the visit of Mrs. Nkasiobi Okoh on the mother of the Vice President, Mrs. Olubisi Osinbajo on her 83rd bithday anniversary in Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

Assemblies of God moves on

D

ESPITE the crisis rocking the Assemblies of God Nigeria, the church is moving on to greater glory with the new General Superintendent, Rev. Chidi Okoroaofor launching a program titled “Decade of Rapid Multiplication 2015 - 2025.” The program targeted to launch the church to a greater height is aimed at taking the gospel to every major sphere of unreached people regardless of culture, language and location.

Rev. Okoroaofor said: “If we have to wait to build a special church building in order to estab-

lish a new church, we will never be able to move fast enough to provide access to the gospel for every person, tribe and tongue.”

As part of that vision, the church is organizing a 6-day powerful crusade at Abak, Akwa Ibom State titled “Abak 2016: Operation Total Invasion”, from March 1-6 at Abak Sports Stadium, Abak Road, Abak LGA. Time: 5:30 pm daily and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. There shall be Ministers Fire Conference in the mornings and free medical treatment for all.

Osinbajo, Okoh urge parents to lay Godly foundation for children BY

M

OLAYINKA LATONA

OTHER of the Vice President of Nigeria, Mrs. Olabisi Osinbajo and wife of the Primate of Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion), Mrs. Nkasiobi Okoh on Thursday called on Nigerian parents to teach their children morals and Godly virtues that would prepare them to become good citizens of the country.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Primate's wife to the Vice president's mother who recently celebrated her 83rd birthday in Obanikoro, Lagos, Mama Osinbajo opined that Godly children give peace to parents and the nation as a whole.

In her words: "Nigerian women should train their children in a Godly way, if they want to have peace in their old age. If they fail to train their children in the way of the Lord, they will never rest. As parents, we must pray for our children, love them, make them happy and I believe they will do well."

Stressing the place of women

in nation building, the octogenarian enjoined Nigerian women not to relent in praying for peace of the country, restating that God, a consistent prayer life and involvement in missionary works as secrets for her healthy life.

"Women should also pray for Nigeria because as a nation, we need prayers. They should not forget to pray always so that we can experience peace. I believe God decided to pour His shower of blessings on me because I always get involved in the work of God, helping bishops' wives even when it is not convenient. That is my secret and God has really blessed me. I am sure that if I die today I will make Heaven because of the work that the bishops' wives made me to do. We went through thick bushes in Ijebu Remo and I thank God that today, I am enjoying the blessings.

"I am, therefore, encouraging all Christian women to assist their clerics' wives in missionary work because the work they are doing bring blessing and you will also receive blessings as you render the necessary assistance. Do

not mind whatever people are saying.

"The secret of my life is that I love God, I always pray and go anywhere God instructs me to go and always avoid anything that will bring shame to my children," the 83-year old vice president's wife stated.

The Primate's wife who is also the president, Mother's Union, Women's Guild and Girls' Guild Organistion, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), in her goodwill message to Mama Os-

inbajo, maintained that instilling the fear of God in children would make the future generations desist from engaging in actions inimical to the society.

Condemning several social vices, Mrs. Okoh called on all mothers to be diligent in training their children in Christian ways, urging young women to shun attractions of lesbianism and fulfill divine assignment for child bearing by embracing marriage between a woman and a man and raise Godly children.

Economic impasse will pass if---Bishop BY

DAUD

G

OLATUNJI

ENERAL Oversear, Fresh Anointing Inter national Church, Bishop Adegoke Itiola has allayed the fears of Nigerians, saying, with prayers, the country would come out of the current economic woes.

Speaking during a quarterly fire service held in Owowo in Ewekoro local government area

of Ogun State, the bishop noted that Nigeria has the grace to stand out of its current problems, appealing to citizens to be calm and support the government with their actions and prayers, noting that the country has a lot of battles yet to be won.

The three-day special fire service featured individual and corporate prayers, relationships and marriage, interactive session with pastors among others.

SUNDAY VANGUARD,FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 41

J

ERRY BrownJohnson took his young son, Jedidah, to a children’s hospital.

When he got there, he was told Jedidah would have to be given an injection. Because it is often difficult to find a vein in children, the injection would have to be inserted through his head.

Jerry had to hold down Jedidah while a vein was provoked by slapping him repeatedly on the head.

Then a needle was inserted. You can imagine how painful this must have been for a boy barely two years old. But Jerry was pleased for his son to go through the ordeal in order to prevent him from the greater agony of sickness and death.

Trusting God The truth is that Jedidah needs to be taught to trust his “old man” in pain as well as in pleasure. Even though he might not understand why he had to be given the injection, the presence of Jerry while the pain was being inflicted on him should be sufficient as a source of reassurance.

Job said of God: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” (Job 13:15). He asked a telling question of his wife who wanted him to curse God when he fell into adversity: “Shall we receive only pleasant things from the hand of God and never anything unpleasant?”

(Job 2:10). This shows Job’s commitment to God was on a solid foundation for better for worse.

To what exactly is the believer called? What kind of life can we expect in the world? Are we called to prosper in the world as

CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO SUFFER IN NIGERIA many have led us to expect? The answer is an emphatic “No.” It is the ungodly who prosper in the world. (Psalm 73:12). As a matter of fact, the believer is called to suffer in the world. Peter says: “To this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps.” (I Peter 2:21).

Peace (shalom) is another word for prosperity in Hebrew. For a Christian to have peace in the world is to negate the ministry of Christ. The bible pronounces woe on those who are at ease in Zion. (Amos 6:1). If we have peace in the world, then we have no need for Christ. A Christian does not have peace in the world: he has peace in Christ. A Christian does not have peace in the world: he has trouble in the world.

Overcomers Bad times are inevitable in a world of sin and sickness. Therefore, Solomon counsels: “Enjoy prosperity whenever you can, and when hard times strike, realize that God gives one as well as the other- so that everyone will realize that nothing is certain in this life.” (Ecclesiastes 7:14).

A Christian does not have peace in the world: he has peace in Christ. A Christian does not have peace in the world: he has trouble in the world Christianity does not promote expectations of worldly advantages, but of heavenly reward. Jesus says: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

(John 16:33).

There is a fundamental difference between gaining the world and overcoming it. The Christian faith is an instrument by which we overcome the world. John says: “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith.

(I John 5:4) When a man overcomes the world, he survives without those things the world esteems. When a woman overcomes the world, she sings even though she is barren. (Isaiah 54:1). She is unfazed, even though she is single. When a man overcomes the world, he is not ashamed to be born in lowly Nazareth. He is comfortable riding a donkey instead of a Cadillac.

The believer is called not only to suffer, but even to suffer unjustly. We are called to suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake.

(Matthew 5:10). We are called to do good and suffer for it: “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake.” (Philippians 1:29).

New wine The Holy Spirit is given to prepare and strengthen us for the journey ahead. He is given that we may be supernaturally empowered to bear all our trials without complaining. He is given that we may be patient and longsuffering in the crucible of life, and that we may face its inevitable ordeals joyfully. (Colossians 1:1011). The promise is that, after we have suffered for a while, God will restore, establish and strengthen us.

(I Peter 5:10).

God has left the new creation as new wine in old bottles? This is because he

wants us to work out our own salvation. (Philippians 2:12-13). He wants us to take the kingdom by force. (Matthew 11:12).

He wants us to strive to enter the kingdom through the narrow gate.

(Luke 13:23-24). He wants us to labour for the food which endures to eternal life. (John 6:27). He wants us to labour to enter into the rest of God. (Hebrews 4:11).

For this reason, Jesus warns us to count the cost before accepting his invitation to discipleship. If we are not prepared to pay the price, we should not even embark on the project. (Luke 14:28-30).

Losing to gain A lady phoned me from the United States with a burning question. “Doctor,” she said, “since you committed your life to Christ, what have you gained?” I told her I had gained Christ but this was meaningless to her. She wanted to know what I had gained in the world.

She hit the nail on the head by asking the wrong question. I told her that her question came from lack of understanding of kingdom dynamics. In the world, you gain by gain-

ing. But in the kingdom of God, you gain by losing.

Her question should therefore have been: “Doctor, since you committed your life to Christ, what have you lost?” In order to know Christ, we have to lose so many things we have acquired in the world.

What are the Isaacs in our lives? What are those things that compete for the love of God in our lives?

What are those things that compete with God for our attention and devotion? Is it our husband, wife or children? Is it our homes, jobs and possessions? Jesus requires that we give them all up for him. (Matthew 10:37-38). If we are not prepared to give them up we cannot expect to be heirs of God. How do we recognise a true believer? Not by his church attendance record.

Not from the number of scriptures he can quote.

One of the ways we recognise a believer is by how he responds to affliction, to temptation and to difficulties. (II Corinthians 6:4-10). Satan has a simple thesis: slap the Christian and his faith will be scattered. Kill his son and he will become an unbeliever. Break up his marriage and he will stop going to church.

However, true believers put on the whole armour of God and are able to stand against all the devices of the enemy. They do not put on the armour of Saul: they put on the whole armour of God. (Ephesians 6:11). “Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, for you have chosen this rather than affliction.” (Job 36:21).

RCCG 50-day fasting ends tomorrow,begins 74-hour marathon praise

BY SAM EYOBOKA AND OLAYINKA LATONA

T

ODAY marks the 49th day of the Redeemed Christian Church of God's declared 50-day fasting and prayer which began on January 11, this year and the seven prayer points for the day include: *Father, let there be increase, expansion and growth in my work and business. (1 Chronicles 4:10) *Lord, I take everything the enemy has stolen from me today. (2 Kings 6:5-7) *Father, I claim all your promises, prosperity, healing, fruitfulness, etc. *Declare that RCCG will prosper, blossom and expand. (Exodus 23:2526) *Lord, I command every power of curses in my life to be broken. (Haggai 2:19-20) *Father, let the glory of this present house (RCCG) be greater than the former. (Haggai 2:9) *Declare joy, peace, restoration, testimony upon RCCG. (Zechariah.

10:1) Fresh from the fasting and prayer session tomorrow and while the world awaits the testimonies, the church begins another record-breaking event, Marathon Messiah Praise, to herald this year's birthday anniversary of the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye who will be 74 years old on March 2 this year.

Marathon Messiah’s Praise which begins at 10.00 p.m. tomorrow at the Youth Centre, is a non-stop musical extravaganza planned to express gratitude to God for His mercies upon the life of the General Overseer, designed to create a new pattern of praise in this dispensation.

According to the National Youth Programme Director, Pastor Oluwadare Adeboye, the vision of the mar-

athon praise was birthed in 2012 to allow God’s children engage in a long lasting spiritual worship experience, and it has grown bigger and blossomed to become the long-

est gospel musical event globally. "The annual worship experience, which started as 70 hours of Marathon Messiah’s Praise, has grown in grace to 71, 72, 73, and now 74, we will be

Mother’s Day celebration elicits hope

W

ASHINGTON Irving said: “A mother is the truest friend we have when trials heavy and sudden fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavour by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”

‘Sweet Mother’, the 1976 song

by Prince Nico Mbarga remains evergreen in the hearts of many because of its significance to every one. Mothers, someone once said, are God’s gifts to mankind.

All over the world, many successful people attribute their success to their mothers. It is therefore no surprise that a day has been set aside to celebrate mothers.

Mother's Day is a modern celebration honouring one's mother, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. All over the world, Mothers’ Day is celebrated commonly in the months of March or May with a lot of passion and ceremonies. This year, it is expected to hold on March 6 and May 8 (in the US). Like other festive seasons such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day, Mothers’ Day has lots of cards, pre-

sents and rituals attached to it.

The celebration of Mother's Day began in the US in the early 20th century. It specifically began in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother at St. Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia.

In some countries, Mother’s Day has been changed to fit already existing celebrations honouring motherhood, such as Mothering Sunday in the UK. However, motherhood shouldn’t be celebrated only on Mother’s Day but every day. Motherhood is about love, celebration, bonding, strength and sacrifice.

It is perhaps against this background that Peak Milk has produced a special limited edition packs emblazoned in affectionate and appreciative words like ‘Sweet Mother ’, ‘Thank You’, and ‘I Love You’. The Peak Milk initiative which has been applauded by many has no doubt project the brand a perfect gift of choice for mothers on Mother’s Day. At no extra cost, Nigerians can send personalized messages to their mothers.

worshipping God for 74 hours nonstop,” he stated.

He maintained that this year’s marathon praise will feature the Holy Spirit alongside more than 70 worship leaders simultaneously in three countries---Nigeria, South Africa and the United King-

dom.

"There will be three stages in three different locations namely Nigeria – RCCG Youth Centre, Redemption Camp in Nigeria, for South Africa, RCCG South Africa 2 Headquarters in Johannesburg".

CAN backs PMB's anti-graft war By

Olayinka

Latona

HAIRMAN of Christian Asso ciation of Nigeria, CAN, Lagos C Chapter, Apostle Alexander Bamgbo-

la has commended the Federal Government for its war against corruption, urging the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to go after all treasury looters and “put them where they belong, so that we may have peace in the country.”

Speaking at a special inter-denominational divine service at The Apostolic Church, Convention Ground, Ketu, Lagos, Bamgbola said: "We encourage President Buhari’s anti-corruption drive; nobody is above the law, and anybody that is found guilty should be prosecuted, no matter the person’s position.

“Nigeria should be a nation where everyone will be accountable for his or her misdeeds. You break the law of the land, no matter who you are, you must pay for it," he stated.

Earlier in his sermon titled; "Great Faith; The Antidote to Helplessness", General Evangelist, Motailatu Church, Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide, Prof. Joseph Otubu, who lamented that the nation is presently at a standstill due to huge amount of money embezzled by corrupt politicians, also enjoined Nigerians to sup-

port President Buhari's administration in the fight against corruption.

In his words: "There is a lot of joblessness, hunger and illness in our land.

We have a country where a small fraction had plenty, while a large fraction had none. Christianity is about integrity and humility; Let us rise and support government's anti-corruption war."

God’s Delight Men Convention holds March 3

T

he God’s Delight Men Foun dation is holding its annual convention on 3rd March to 6th March, 2016, with a theme; “ The Perfect Man” at the Church auditorium, Igbogid, Udu local government area of Delta State.

In a statement issued by Elder Roland Odjeni, President of God’s Delight Men Foundation said there shall be Football Competition, Marriage/ Health Talks, Songs Ministration, among others.

Also, Elder Aroni Oputu, expressed gratitude to the Senior Pastor, Johnmark Ighosotu for the supports and encouragement given to God’s Delight Men Foundation, and urged all men of the Church to fully participate in the convention.

Page 42— SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

VIEWPOINT

By Jonas Agwu

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Setting an agenda to rid over roads of deaths

O

N Thursday, February 18, 2016, we were a year older. In fact, we are now 28years old. Between 2013, when we clocked 25, and 2016, when we are looking back at 28years of our establishment, we have since chosen to reflect soberly on our mandate to rid the road of deaths and injuries rather than roll out the drums in celebration. We have modestly come to realize that beyond the accolades from within and outside the shores of our land, lies hurdles that we are yet to conquer. These hurdles sometimes question our relevance and challenge us to do more to meet the expectations of our publics and government.

For the records, when we clocked 25 and even 27, we chose low profile celebrations; on our silver jubilee in 2013, we focused more on how to make Nigeria and Africa truly

VIEWPOINT

By Bolaji Fetuga

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Pitfalls in the claims against pay — TV operator

T

HE Senate is back to doing what it does best: pretending to be the protector of Nigerians. As it is wont to do, the parliament appeals to the heart, not the head. The heart, which is not so smart, is understandably targeted.

On Wednesday, it summoned Mr. Emeka Enelamah, Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment; heads of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) over alleged malpractices by MultiChoice. It also directed its Committee on Information to hold a public hearing for all stakeholders, including the civil society on how to shield subscribers from exploitation.

This was sequel to a motion moved by Senator lsah Misau and titled, “Concern About Unwholesome Practices by MultiChoice Nigeria (DStv)”.

In Misau’s view, MultiChoice Nigeria dominates the domestic pay-TV market, a situation that enables it to allegedly engage in negative and unhealthy trade practices, resulting in

VIEWPOINT

By Kikelomo Asein

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

The need for the black race to think

O

N a certain Saturday, I happened to pass an aisle with tissue paper of certain shapes and sizes, and, when I looked down, what did I see?

I saw a replication of the dollar in tissue paper form and my heart died. I wondered why it wasn’t in the Naira? We are in Nigeria after all, but like all Africans in my heart I knew the answer.

On another occasion while in traffic with my mother, I

FRSC AT 28: The hurdles ahead crash-free in the next 25 years, rather than fanfares when the country is yet to hit the zero target set by the Corps, or the 50 per cent fatality reduction set by the United Nations. We held an international conference, where a novelty

2016 should be a defining year in our quest to checkmate rising trend of speed related road traffic crashes in the country

was set with two unique sessions: a presidential and legislative dialogue as platforms to truly engage all stakeholders in addressing the crash trend in the country and Africa.

Besides, the breakaway sessions focused on the five pillars of the UN Decade of Action on Road Safety- Road Safety Management, Safer Roads and Mobility, Safer Vehicles, Safer Road Users and Post-crash Response. After the one day jaw-jaw, a plan of action was reached.

Although not much has been achieved after three years of the 2013 conference on the plan of action, I am however delighted that one of the core decisions, the introduction of speed limiter, is just 30 days away having received a presidential approval for its implementation.

My excitement is not just on the impact the campaign would have on road traffic crash

management in the country, but also on the presidential backing enjoyed by the novel safety initiative in the country directing and approving that April 1, 2016 remains the enforcement date of speed limiter in vehicles. I know that vendors have been approved.

I also do know that stakeholders have fully been mobilized with their full buy in gotten for a successful take off and implementation.

Meanwhile, robust awareness commenced from January and should end in March as a strategy to reinforce years of education on the safety merits of the campaign which has helped in reducing crashes and deaths in some African countries, including the examples of our own ABC Transport among others and multinationals such as Shell Petroleum Development Company.

Shell,for instance, has, over the years, given priority to two critical areas which the World

Health Organization(WHO) and the World Bank identify as critical in redressing crash trend and fatalities: Seed control through the installation of speed governors in all their vehicles and compulsory use of seat belt by both the front and rear seat passengers. While training and retraining is a given, other areas such as minimum safety standard of vehicles, recruiting qualified personnel whose welfare is not negotiable rank topmost.

But while we await the April1 date, we must look at the initial hiccups experienced in other countries in Africa and Europe to ensure a seamless take off. 2016 should be a defining year in our quest to checkmate rising trend of speed related road traffic crashes in the country.

•To be continued.

•Agwu is the spokesperson for the FRSC

Senate probe of DStv: A farce in the making complaints, petitions as well as litigations with subscribers dissatisfied with its programming and subscription hikes.

Misau’s main target, obviously, is DStv’s football content. He claimed that the motion was of public interest because many football fans in the country, especially followers of the English Premier League, are at the mercy of DStv, which exclusively broadcasts the matches in the country According to Misau, subscriber complaints included arbitrary increase in the subscription charges and refusal to adopt the pay-as-you-use model applicable in other countries where MultiChoice operates.

Apparently keen to give an impression that MultiChoice is not the target of the probe, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said that the motion was more about protecting the Nigerians’ rights in the area of services than about DStv. Perhaps Saraki and the Senate have been hiding under a rock, a situation that prevented them from knowing that the CPC recently investigated MultiChoice and, last week,

released its recommendations, which are already available to everybody. It is also mystifying that Misau, mover of the motion, is unaware there has not been a “ recent increase in DStv subscription”, which “is outrageous and totally unacceptable.”

While I concede that MultiChoice’s operations are not perfect (how many companies run perfect operations?), latching on prefabricated claptrap, as

A court showed last year that there is no law prohibiting MultiChoice or any company from charging what it thinks the market can bear. Even lawyers do not charge the same fees

Dollar tissue happened to witness a man come down from his vehicle, elegantly

I saw a replication of the dollar in tissue paper form and my heart died. I wondered why it wasn’t in the Naira? We are in Nigeria after all, but like all Africans in my heart I knew the answer

dressed and unleash his manhood right in the centre of traffic and urinate on the road.

With these two instances, do we really need to wonder why the white man seems to be above us?

Africa, do we really? I mean we content ourselves with our filth and laziness, we seek to strive no further as long as the rich continue to get richer. Really; what are their worries?

And Africa, do you look outside the window while you drive your SUVs and hummers? Do you look out to see your brothers? Do

Misau did, is cheap. The senator, keen to be seen as a people’s defender, claimed MultiChoice has refused to adopt a pay-asyou-use model in Nigeria as it does in other countries it operates. This is false.

MultiChoice does not have a pay-as-you-use model in any country it operates.

He also spoke about monopoly, an allegation chorused by the Deputy Senate President. As with the pay-as-you-use model, this is also a myth.

DStv, undoubtedly the biggest player, is, by no means, a monopoly. ACTV, Consat, Montage, StarTimes and MyTV offer satellite TV services. Before these providers was a certain HiTV which, for three years, had exclusive right to English Premier League games (the cause of Misau’s irritation). Where is/ was the monopoly? A court showed last year that there is no law prohibiting MultiChoice or any company from charging what it thinks the market can bear. Even lawyers do not charge the same fees. So, what exactly are these “arbitrary price hikes”?

The same week the senator yapped about arbitrary increases, DStv slashed the prices you see the sweat on their skin and the sadness in their eyes? On a good day, we search for change and then throw it out through the window at those on the street. On other days, days we drive past in our sports car, not wishing to come in contact with the ‘dirty’ bodies of those on the street.

Africa; do you look into the mirror? We defend ourselves, we say it is the fault of the time of slavery, of racism, but it actually has become our fault. When we exhibit inferiority to the whites; they are bound to exhibit superiority to us. We have become like children looking up to their parents in relation to them.

We rely on them so much; we

of its hardware. The Explora decoder, which sold for N71,000, now sells for N30,000 plus a month subscription. The price of its Zapper decoder was slashed from N18,500 to N12,500 plus a month subscription.

These must qualify as arbitrary downward reviews. The same day that the hardware price slash was announced, DStv also announced the creation of two new channels to make available, at no additional cost, the English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga and the matches of this year ’s European Championship to its Compact subscribers, who now join Premium subscribers in the enjoyment of top-tier football content.

It is a con job to have us thinking they are fighting our corner. A little scrutiny of the Deputy Senate Leader ’s words will show this. “I think the moral courage to reverse this situation (DStv’s alleged sharp practices) in the overall interest of Nigeria rests with this Senate.” How about having the moral courage to turn down jumbo allowances for a start?

•Fetuga is a Warri-based public affairs analyst. have forgotten our own culture and take on theirs whole heartedly. We have begun to look down on our traditions, we close our eyes to the beauty of Africa and open them to the dream of the western world, they continue to produce while we continue to consume. We sit content and stationary in this state, but do we think of the consequences? Do we think of those our actions or inaction affect? Those are the people who need us to push them into progress; who need a better Africa; who need food; who are starving. Think.

•ASEIN is an SS1 student of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016 —

VIEWPOINT

By James F. Entwistle,

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

In pursuit of bilateral goals

T

HERE have been several inaccurate media reports lately concerning the U.S. government’s support to persons living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV) in Nigeria. In particular, claims made in some February 25, 2016 articles that the United States is reducing HIV/AIDS funding due to Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act are flatly untrue.

This is what is true: U.S. funding decisions on international HIV/ AIDS programs are not linked to other governments’ views on same sex marriage or other LGBTI issues. Since 2004, the American people have provided $4.2 billion in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care for millions of Nigerians through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), clearly a massive U.S. commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

Contrary to what is often reported, PEPFAR is committed to maintaining support for the more than 600,000 Nigerians it has

VIEWPOINT

By Vincent Nwachukwu

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF Fallout of the court verdict on poll candidates

T

HE controversy over the authentic senators representing Anambra State has refused to go simply because of the perception in some quarters that justice has been miscarried.

The Supreme Court had failed to resolve the contradiction in its judgment which affirmed the legality of the state leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under the chairmanship of Chief Ejike Oguebego.

Flowing from the apex court verdict, the Oguebego leadership, ordinarily, should have been the one to produce the candidates for the PDP in the April 11, 2015 senatorial election in the state, and not the Caretaker Committee set up by the PDP national leadership.

Delivering judgment in the case filed by Oguebego and Hon. Chuks Okoye, the Legal Adviser of the Anambra PDP, Supreme Court Justice John Inyang Okoro, on behalf of the panel of five justices,

VIEWPOINT

By Michael Tidi

VIEWPOINT IN BRIEF

Addressing adequately the tax issue

G

OVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, conscious of the fact that he is saddled with daunting challenges and enormous expectations, has responded positively by embracing new approaches to taxation through the deployment of new technologies by welltrained professionals in order to drive enhanced internally generated revenue (IGR).

The governor, who recently held an interactive session with informal sector groups in Asaba, observed that payment of tax is a civic responsibility, stating that citizens should see the payment not as a witch-hunt but as an obligation, hence the need to capture all citizens of tax paying

Page 43

US HIV/AIDS partnership with Nigeria placed on anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Last year alone, more than 8.5 million Nigerians were tested and counseled for HIV, and 55,000 women were provided drugs to prevent transmission of the virus to their unborn children with PEPFAR support. The patients on ART are receiving care in 490 local government areas (LGAs) located throughout Nigeria.

Country-wide, approximately 750,000 Nigerians receive ART. The burden of HIV is not spread evenly throughout the country.

Surveillance data show that some parts of the country have higher rates of infection than others.

Approximately 3.4 million Nigerians are infected with the virus. More than 1 million of those are located in seven states where PEPFAR, in consultation with the Nigerian government, has chosen to scale up services.

According to the latest National AIDS Spending Assessment, 75 percent of the national HIV response program is funded by donors, predominantly PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight

AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. As contributions from these sources are finite and have not increased in recent years, the only way HIV treatment has continued to be increased is by finding efficiencies and reducing costs. We are learning how to do more with the same amount of money or even less. In 2017, the PEPFAR budget will shrink, but the U.S. government is committed to maintaining all PLHIV placed on treatment and to scaling up services in the highest burden, highest HIV prevalent areas. We have selected those areas, 32 LGAs in seven states, because we can reach the greatest number of PLHIV in the areas of highest concentration with the fewest dollars. That means our limited budget can place more people on life-saving treatment by concentrating our efforts in a limited geographical area. By having the right mix of resources and services, we can gaincontrol of the HIV epidemic and halt the transmission of the virus.

Decisions concerning the

PEPFAR program are based on the latest science, international standards, and best practices.

PEPFAR is increasing support for countries with the highest burden of disease and in which the host government is shouldering increased responsibility for responding to the epidemic. The United States seeks to engage and encourage the Nigerian government to mobilize greater resources for the HIV response in a new era of accountability, transparency, and impact. In no country, including Nigeria, are PEPFAR funding decisions related to a government’s position on issues related to gay and lesbian populations, as recently (and erroneously) reported in the press here in Nigeria.

Epidemic control is defined as the point at which the number of new HIV infections has decreased and falls below the number of AIDS-related deaths. PEPFAR is committed to supporting the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/ AIDS’ (UNAIDS) “90-90-90” goal of having 90 percent of people

living with HIV diagnosed, 90 percent of those diagnosed on ART, and 90 percent of those on ART virally suppressed. Doing so, in a small number of prioritized geographic areas, will provide proof of concept which we hope will encourage the Nigerian government to invest more significantly—and in a more focused manner—in the domestic HIV response.

The articles I cited above do make a request that the U.S. government fully supports—that the Nigerian government put more resources into the HIV response. But we also advocate that any new resources brought to the table be spent in the geographic areas of greatest need and where they can have the most impact—that is, where the HIV burden is greatest and HIV prevalence is highest.

Continuing our historically strong bilateral partnership, we can look forward to reaching these goals together.

•Entwistle is the US Ambassador to Nigeria.

Anambra senatorial election: Between the Supreme Court and the PDP in affirming the legality of the Oguebego leadership of the state chapter of the PDP, had said: “Let me say from the outset that the facts leading to this appeal are a product of the struggle for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party, Anambra State Chapter.”

Okoro went on: “As a result, many suits were filed by various contenders seeking the control of the executive committee of the State Chapter of the party. This appeal is an offshoot of one of those suits.”

According to him, the sequence of events leading to the filing of the suit giving birth to the appeal clearly democrate the matter from the many issues against the respondents – The PDP, INEC and Chukwudi Okasia – which appeared to make the appeal confusing.

The justice added: “There is no doubt that the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/PH/213/2013,

now Suit No. FHC/AWK/CS/247/ 2013, on 12th Sept. 2013, made an interlocutory order to the effect that the PDP and INEC should recognise and deal with the Ejike Oguebego – led State Executive Council of the PDP, Anambra State Chapter in all election matters in Anambra State. Dissatisfied, the PDP (1st respondent) herein filed an appeal against the said order in Appeal No. CA/PH/764/2013.”

Meanwhile, Okoro noted that the Court of Appeal was of the view that the National Executive Committee of the PDP was the body with the power to conduct a valid primary for the nomination of candidates for a general election.

He then said: “I hold the view that the court below (Court of Appeal) misconceived the real issue in controversy at the trial court which gave rise to the appeal before it.”

The justice added: “Having

Boosting IGR in Delta capacity into the tax net including participants in the informal sector for the overall purpose of improving the state’s revenue base.

Okowa decried a situation in which individuals, especially wealthy Deltans, pay little or no tax. He faulted under assessment of already captured financially able individuals who do not pay tax that is commensurate with their incomes and assets, stating that his administration was determined to reverse the trend.

The governor had hitherto explained that, apart from the formal sector, chiefly civil servants, most informal sector members pay little or no tax to the state.

He expressed concern that tax was yet to be given its pride of place in the scheme of things, unveiling the residency card that

would be issued to each taxpayer.

He assured informal groups that the state government would partner them in the collection and utilization of the tax, explaining that the resident card will enable taxpayers to be identified as responsible Deltans and thus entitled to benefit from government programs such as micro credit, job creation, health insurance as well as bursary and scholarship schemes. He assured that new tax approaches would not translate into additional burden on the people, adding that the operations of the resident card would be bench marked against utmost best practices.

As a student of economics, two reasons provide optimism that the governor is adequately addressing the issue of ownership that

resolved all the five issues in favour of the appellants, I hold that there is merit in this appeal. The judgment of the Court of Appeal is hereby set aside. The order of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/213/2013) (now Suit No. FHC/AWK/CS/247/2013) recognising the Ejike Oguebego – led executive committee of the PDP, Anambra State Chapter is still subsisting until it is set aside by an order of court.”

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court denied the Oguebego executive the privilege of enjoying the full benefit of the verdict when it refused to make a consequential order that the candidates it produced from its legitimately conducted primaries were the authentic candidates for the 2015 senatorial election in Anambra State.

By implication, the candidates produced by the illegal Caretaker Committee of the PDP in develops when individuals pay tax and can voice their opinion on how their money is spent. The first is the development of a state tax culture that will embolden and empower citizens thus increasing the benefits of democracy and improving the political system.

Also in his quest to bring development to the doorsteps of Deltans, Okowa has cut the cost of governance in Delta starting from his office, thus helping the state government to carry on with his people-oriented programs. The administration has also blocked some of the revenue leakages, thus earning the confidence and trust of Deltans, who are increasingly beginning to enjoy commensurate returns in form of provision of social services and developmental projects, thus ensuring value for taxpayers’ money.

Increasing IGR is undoubtedly the way forward for governments at all tiers in the country. It has become imperative to ask for the

Anambra for the election and endorsed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) – Andy Uba and Stella Oduah – stay on as senators representing two of the three senatorial districts in the state, while the products of the primaries of the legitimate leadership of the party – Chief Chris Uba and Chief Annie Okonkwo- are left in the cold.

The situation has inevitably fuelled the claim of miscarriage of justice.

The norm across the world is that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man.

Deviating from the norm simply erodes the confidence of the common man in the justice system as it would seem to have happened in the Anambra issue.

•Nwachukwu is resident in Awka, Anambra State.

understanding and support of Deltans to pay all due tax for the purpose of provision of infrastructure across the state.

Deltans, no matter their political persuasion, should support the state revenue drive in order for government to take development to all nooks and crannies of the state. This administration from inception had envisaged that an effective tax system is a prerequisite for optimal governmental performance and is already proving this with the little it is presently able to generate.

Taxation is therefore key to democratic sustainability and impactful economic development, two broad categories of genuine progress on all fours with Okowa’s S.M.A.R.T. agenda in line with the Prosperity for all Deltans mantra of his administration.

•Tidi is Special Assistant on News Media to Governor Okowa.

PAGE 44—SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

By ELIZABETH UWANDU VISUAL

W

hen Art Twenty One, was opened at the expanded wing of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, its promoters, said that it was designed to lift the city as an ‘art destination, and ever since then it has attracted a lot of art collectors, promoters and lovers with interesting array of works.

Recently, the centre opened its doors to a solo exhibition by Ivorian artist Abdoulaye Diarrassouba, a.k.a Aboudia, entitled Chap Chap, in collaboration with Galerie Cécile Fakhoury in Abidjan. The exhibition which follows the artist’s continued interest in exploring the urbanity of Abidjan’s cityscape and the culture of the “Nouchi”, a pidgin language that emerged in the Ivory Coast in the early 1980s, opened on February, 13 and will run till end of March, 2016.

Featuring over 20 works in diverse media, through which the artist displays his expressive paintings executed in a spontaneous manner akin to street art and graffiti. Chap Chap, meaning “fast” or “ rapid” in Nouchi, reflects the fast-paced environment and wired connectivity of a globalized culture. It is a fusion of French language and several local languages of the Ivorian. a pidgin language that emerged in Ivory Coast in the early 1980s.

As a social commentator, the artist examines daily life in Ivory

By PRISCA SAM DURU REVIEW

C

orruption, greed and unpatriotism will make perfect storyline any time, any day in any African narrative, for as long as her leaders remain insensitive to the need for total transformation of the continent.

In Chidubem Iweka’s latest offering to literary firmament; a 64-page drama titled, August Inmates,the above issues and more, echo the priority of changing the African narrative by no other than Africans themselves.

Published by Krafts Books, Ibadan, Oyo State, August Inmates is an exquisite book that exposes the levels of corruption in an imaginary African country as well as how to deal with the perpetrators of this unholy act.

Written as an Exposé of how men who are entrusted with the task of transforming the nation, end up leaving it comatose, Iweka’s play is a conscious and concerted effort to bring about a revolutionary change in politics.

It also brings to the fore, what corruption has done to African countries such as Nigeria, how bad eggs in the police force either connive with some top government officials or turn a blind eye to their excesses, how government spends trillions awarding contracts which are never executed as well as the menace of what the author calls Black on Black apartheid.

And as it is customary for the author, putting his best foot forward, he begins with vivid descriptions of his characters which are well chosen and

Aboudia’s Chap Chap reflects on environment in globalised world Coast, with particular attention to its history of conflict. His recent works explore his experiences as a cosmopolitan artist as he moves between spaces and cultures.

Viewers were held spell bound by the sterling works of the young Aboudia that reflect the fastpaced environment and wired connectivity of a globalised culture.

In the body of works, Aboudia compares this cross-reference of styles to the organic formation of the “Nouchi”. Through overlapping planes of images, symbols and paint, he creates an ambiguous visual imaginary, highlighting the complex relationship between tradition and modernity that defines the

Through overlapping planes of images, symbols and paints, he creates an ambigous visual imaginary highlighting the complex relationship between tradition and modernity

• One of the untitled works by Aboudia ethos of the “Nouchi” culture.

The artist explained that, “ Nouchi as a malleable language, one must keep up with the newest expressions and trends of the Nouchis as the language constantly develops, that spans popular culture and music. In order words, the exhibition title, Chap Chap, reflects the fast-paced environment and wired connectivity of a globalized

culture.

Again, Chap Chap, executed in a simplistic yet emotional manner, whose figures are created with crude brush strokes, protruded facial features and elemental forms. It also includes mixed media works appropriating photographic images from magazines and newspapers. Layered with marks, sketches and texts, depicts

diverse cultural references spanning the historical archive, the tradition of masks and wood sculpture.

Generally, the paintings evoke the urban life of West Africans where everyone is in a hurry to do or get things done. Chap Chap which means fast or rapid also tells the inter-woven connection of the interaction of high and low in the society through a medium- the Nouchi language. Which is neither French, nor completely Ivorian local languages ; but a symmetry understanding of communication. The paintings and mixed media encapsulates the consciousness of Africa to adapt to changes and new inventions.

It also tells the story of the survival of the human spirit in the face of challenges, and the happiness that accompany adaptations; such as the coming together and interaction of the Ivorian and French people.

Aboudia gained attention for his series of paintings depicting the Battle of Abidjan, which has been exhibited in prominent exhibitions worldwide. His work is included in prestigious permanent collections including the Saatchi Gallery. Aboudia lives and works in New York and Abidjan.

Speaking about the works, Joseph Gergel, Curatorial Projects, expressed delight over the high creativity of the artist in bringing seemly different elements together in creating a new meaning.

August Inmates: Iweka’s approach to ending corruption developed. The description accorded each of the 12 major characters, gives the reader a glimpse of what role he ends up playing. The author maintains his expertise at comparing very contrasting descriptions to drive home his point. This is especially evident in his description of the journalist, Obi Akoli. One wonders why a journalist who is clever and learned and also has the ability to deal with situations confidently, could still appear as shabby as the author paints him.

And worse of it all, is lice infested. Wait until you savour Akoli’s narrative.

August Inmates, a stinging satire on African politics, begins and ends in an unknown holding in an unknown location and for unknown reasons, at least initially, to the captives who are a mixture of different personalities and with different designations.

There is an element of suspense as readers/audience get anxious to know about the inmates’ plans to break out. Thought of impending shameless death,

Iweka’s play is a conscious and concerted effort to bring about a revolutionary change in politics

makes Chief VIP Okoli, a man of timbre and calibre, reveal startling amounts he looted and stashed away in foreign accounts. Their time together in holding, opens up cans of worms harbouring ills such as promotion of tribalism and poverty in addition to the plights of journalists in spite of the existing Press freedom.

Somehow, towards the end of the drama, readers are lured into thinking that August Inmates has the subject of campaign against

foreigners do. These people look down on fellow blacks once they attain a considerable height in life. This is expressed in Act Two Scene one. The different characters of the three major tribes in Nigeria also play out here.

At this juncture, the author clearly accuses environment, peers, poverty, necessity and habit as being responsible for breeding miscreants who have rendered the polity insecure.

The author makes caricature of situations and individuals as portrayed in the scenes. Obi Akoli acts like a real society watch dog that he is supposed to be as he opens up cans of worms of the corrupt government officials. He poses

in the drama as the proverbial wind that exposes the anus of the fowl. A very honest and shrewd journalist who acts as the conscience of the prisoners.

A brilliant blending of humour and serious issues with action, and with a cover page aptly illustrated to suit the title, August Inmates is written with a touch of mastery, borne out of the author ’s brilliant imagination. .

The plot is tightly controlled such that even while spicing up serious situations with humour, there is no room for nonessentials.

The author’s choice of a simple plot and use of everyday language, makes assimilation easy for all ages.

NLNG call for entries for The Nigeria Price for Literature

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August Inmates by Chidubem Iweka, published by Kraft Books Limited, Ibadan, pages 64, 2015. military junta in Africa but it goes beyond that. This, the author makes explicit through issuing out death sentences on the inmates without fair trial as well as death sentences for cases that require jail sentences.

These are actions typical of dictatorships.

The play most importantly, criticises Africans who ill treat their fellow blacks the same way

ntries are invited for The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2016. The annual literary Prize is endowed by Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) to honour the author of the best book by a Nigerian within the last four years.

The Prize rotates among four literary genres – prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature. This year, the competition is for prose fiction.

The competition is open only to published works by Nigerian writers irrespective of place of residence and carries a reward of $100,000.

To encourage literary criticism, the Advisory Board for literature will also reward one critic with the sum of 1,000,000 naira. The literary criticism which is aimed at promoting Nigerian literature is open to literary critics all over the world.

All entries must be submitted

by April 15, 2016 as late entries will not be entertained.

Judges for this year include, Professors Dan Izevbaye, (Chairperson), Asabe Usman Kabir and Isidore Diala as members while advisory Board remains Professors Emeritus Ayo Banjo (Chairman), Jerry Agada and Emeritus Ben Elugbe as members.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016—45

Egypt beatable — Oliseh S

EVEN-time African cham pions Egypt are beatable because they are not as good as they were four years ago, according to former Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh.

Oliseh quit as Eagles coach on Thursday after claiming several contractual breaches by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Nigeria will welcome the Pharaohs to Kaduna on March 25 in the first leg of an AFCON qualifying double head-

er.

Oliseh quit a month to this all-important, but he has restated his belief Nigeria could triumph to get their AFCON qualifying campaign back on track.

“Egypt are not as good as they were four years ago, we can beat them,” he maintained on a radio interview Saturday morning.

He reserved his comments on the coaches who have been appointed to replace him ahead of the matches next month.

“It doesn’t matter who is there, what matters is that Nigeria advance,” he said when asked about the Samson Siasia-led coaching crew named to lead the Eagles against Egypt.

ZENITH LEAGUE: From left: Executive Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, Group Managing Director/Chief Exective, Peter Amangbo, NBBF president, Tijjani Umar & General Manager (Zenith Bank) Mrs. None Ayeni...at a press briefing to announce the opening of the 2016 Zenith Bank sponsored National Women Basketball League, at the bank’s Head Office, Victoria Island, recentlý.

Amoo to lead Dream Team to Brazil A

Amoo

SSISTANT coach Fatai Amoo will now lead the country’s Olympic team following the elevation of Samson Siasia to the Super Eagles, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have announced.

Former Sunshine Stars coach Amoo will therefore lead Dream Team VI to next month’s friendly against Bra-

zil.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Confederacao Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) have confirmed that the friendly will be played in Brazil on Thursday, March 24.

“The CBF is happy to host the champions of Africa, Nigeria Olympic team on the 24th March FIFA date at 7pm

at the stadium of Kleber Andrade in the city of Cariacica, Vitoria, Espirito Santo,” announced the CBF. “The match will serve as preparation for both teams for their participation in the Olympic Games Rio 2016.”

NFF’s FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon of Eurodata Sport added: “The match is sealed.

We are happy to be able to swing this one and it will serve as good preparation for the

Nigeria Olympic team ahead of Rio 2016.”

Both teams were involved in one of the most memorable matches in the history of the men’s football tournament of the Olympics, back in 1996, when the Dream Team came back from 1-3 down to eliminate Brazil in the semi-finals.

Nigeria beat Argentina 3-2 in the final to claim Africa’s first –ever Olympics football gold.

Oil Games begin in Lagos HE 2016 Nigeria Oil and their abilities.

T Gas Industry Games begins Notwithstanding, chairman of today at the Chevron Recreation

NairaBet Chairman, Otunba Akin Alabi presenting a new bus to Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan penultimate weekend.

Porbeni Continued from back page yourself down and learn some basic terms, there is always going to be trouble.

“The National team is not a football club. You cannot just come and bring anybody and dump them on the Super Eagles,” Porbeni said.

NFF media officer Ademola Olajire, said Oliseh departure was good radiance.

“Oliseh is gone and we have to move forward,” Olajire said in an interview in Abuja with the Nigeria Television Authority. “As far as we are concerned, it is

good riddance to bad rubbish.

He is not the kind of person we though he was.

“He went on YouTube to abuse Nigerians. The Minister

Elephants Continued from back page Enyimba’s form within the past two weeks has not seen any win, a lone goal loss to both Vipers SC and Rivers United may not be a hindrance but playing away from home at the Adokiye Amiesiamaka

pleaded with the federation to allow him to remain in place for our next two matches. As you can see, he did not even wait for those matches.”

stadium may be to the advantage of the visitors.

Champions League debutants, Vipers may well try to play safe in Nigeria as any form of draw will see the Ugandan club to the first round and that may compel Enyimba to seek for an early goal.

Centre, Gbagada with 700 athletes, representing nine companies in the Nigeria oil and gas sector participating.

Highlight of the opening ceremony will be a Table Tennis match between the Principal of the Petroleum Training Institute and the Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria.

The sports to be competed for during the week-long event include Tennis, Table Tennis, Squash, Swimming, Athletics, Golf, 8-Ball Pool, Chess, Scrabble and football.

The 2016 edition is meant to be very competitive as all the participating contingents have promised to defend their various organisations to the best of

the Main Organising Committee, Ambrose Imokhai explained that “the essence of the games is not just about winning but to enhance our physical well-being, mental alertness in line with the industry’s Health, Safety, Environment and Quality.

“The games also serve as a platform for socialisation among staff of participating companies as it breaks barrier of officialdom and bureaucracies to allow for bonding and friendship among the staff of the industry and networking to reposition the industry for competitive edge,” Imokhai said.

The games will end Saturday, March 5 with athletics and football at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Real Continued from back page It was Zinedine Zidane’s first derby as Real coach but he lost out to Diego Simeone who has now lost only one of his last seven visits to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid could move 12 points behind Barcelona today if they beat Sevilla. Atletico Madrid became the first side to win three consecutive league matches at the Santiago Bernabeu yesterday, and Diego Simeone is getting used to the feeling.

Kachikwu

46 — SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

Deji Aliu: Nigeria can still produce sub 10 runners

By Ben Efe

F

ORMER world 100m junior champion and Olympic 4x100m bronze medallist, Deji Aliu is optimistic that Nigeria male sprinters can break the 10 seconds barrier in modern times.

Aliu is one of the few Nigerian sprinters who have gone under 10 seconds. His best time is 9.95 seconds, which he did in 2003.

Seun Ogukunoya did 9.88 seconds at the 1998 African

•Deji Aliu

• MOC sets up track and field club championships in Senegal, while Olusoji Fasuba’s 9.85 seconds, remains an African record since 2006. Since then the best any Nigerian has ever gone is 10.06

by Ogho-Oghene Egwero at last year’s African Games in Congo Brazzaville.

But Aliu, one of the head coaches of the Making of Champions reality show said there are abundant talents in Nigeria that can even do beyond

these times, but the athletes need the right chemistry.

“We are still capable of raising sub 10 runners. In the near future this is going to happen,” said Aliu in Lagos.

“The talents are there, all there is to be done is doing the right thing. It takes a lot of effort and money to produce a champion.

And on the part of the athlete, there has to be discipline and hard work, personally I can still recall how much I gave to achieve what I did.

“This is the kind of discipline we are trying to imbibe in the MOC programme.”

Bambo Akani, the coordinator of the Making of Champions, disclosed that on March 24, Nigeria’s first professional track and field club will be launched in the efforts to raise future world champions.

“We are doing much more than a reality show. We intend to raise champions. That was our main purpose of setting up the Making of Champions. In Jamaica for instance, they only have two athletics club, that are churning out those world champions we see.

“We hope that Nigerians will give us the desired support. This is because if our athletes become international champions, they can attract goodwill and sponsorships into the country,” Akani said.

CAF Champion League: Warri Wolves not intimidated by El Merreikh — Etu

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ARRI Wolves are yet to kick a ball in the CAF Champions League, and their next opponents in the round of 16 are likely to be El Merreikh a tough nut any day in continental soccer.

However, Warri Wolves chairman, Moses Etu stated that the Wolves still looking for their first silverware since creation can overcome the Sundanese obstacle. The tie is billed for March 11.

“We know that El Merreikh are no push overs in the continental club contests. But Warri Wolves are not intimidated by their credentials.

“We are doing well so far in the local league and that is the form we will take to the continent.”

Warri Wolves were due to play Club de Sporting de Praia Cruz in the preliminary round, but the club from Sao Tome and Principe failed to show up in Warri for the first leg. They were walked over and thus forfeiting the two legged ties.

Meanwhile Nigeria’s other representatives, Enymbia of Aba will be at home today to Bunamwaya sports club.

Enyimba lost the first leg 0-1 in Kampala and they are hoping to upturn the result and move on to the round of 16.

CELEBRATION...Green House aka Joseph House students celebrating after emerging overall winners of the Pentecost College Inter-House Sports Competition which held at the school’s premises in Victory Estate, Iba. Lagos last Wednesday.

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The Ghost of Keshi

T all started immediately after the Super Eagles won the Africa Nations Cup in South Africa in 2013, 19 years after the last one in Tunisia in 1994. Coach Stephen Okechukwu Keshi fell out with the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF. The NFF leadership, speaking through one of the Executive Committee members, Felix Anyansi-Agwu told the world that Keshi was carrying on as if the Cup was won by his efforts alone, stressing that without the support of the Board, the success may not have come.

The hatred worsened when gifts started pouring Keshi’s way. The one that troubled the NFF Board led then by Alhaji Aminu Maigari most was when Globacom boss, Dr Mike Adenuga Jnr handed Keshi mouth-watering sums in addition to two posh cars for his feat of winning the Nations Cup, one that made him the first Nigerian Coach to do so.

From then on Keshi was marked for the guillotine but he was spared the axe because of the crisis of succession which engulfed the NFF over the election into its Board. After the election which brought Amaju Pinnick as Maigari’s successor, Keshi’s contract which expired after the 2014 World Cup would not be renewed, allegedly on the instruction of the former henchmen who still called the shots from a distance.

Because Nigeria had qualifying matches to play and not wanting the vacuum created by the failure of the NFF to either renew Keshi’s contract or reject him, then sports minister, Dr. Tammy Danagogo recalled Keshi to handle the qualifying matches with a promise to pay him from the coffers of the National Sports Commission.

But this decision did not go down well with some members of the NFF. And Keshi himself knew this and alleged that some of them were praying for him to fail. He alleged that they were not happy that the Super Eagles pulled an away win against Congo and celebrated when the Eagles drew 2-2 with South Africa in Uyo, a result that ensured that Eagles crashed out of the 2015 Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea.

The NFF needed no further proof to stop Keshi from continuing as the Eagles handler because football fans drew a line between them and the Illah-born gaffer who was not only booed but had hate words posted on the social media against him.

When words got to Dr. Danagogo that the NFF had made up their mind to do away with Keshi, he warned that even though they had the right to hire and fire, they should make sure they get someone who was better than Keshi.

The NFF top shots definitely were in a quagmire as they were handicapped and in a hurry to fill in the vacuum created by the exit of Keshi, hurriedly drafted Sunday Oliseh as the new coach. Because some Nigerians kicked against his choice, Oliseh was dressed in borrowed robes and described as the ‘’Guardiola of Africa”, and someone that has the magic wand to turn around the fortunes of the Eagles.

The leopard, they say, does not change its skin and it didn’t take too long for Oliseh to show his true colours. Despite being pampered by the NFF among all the coaches of the national teams, Oliseh turned around to accuse the federation of hindering him from doing his job well. He also vowed not to work with or report to the Technical Committee.

He took to the social media to attack his ex team-mates, the media and all those who dared to criticise him for failing at the African Nations Championship in Rwanda, calling them insane.

At this stage, the NFF made up their mind to dispense with his services but the Youth and Sports Minister, Barrister Solomon Dalung, waded in and prevailed upon the NFF to stay action on his sack.

Days later, Dalung was to say that the NFF were wrong to want to sack Oliseh based on a Youtube message which he said may have been doctored. A message posted by the coach himself on his website was doctored? That Oliseh didn’t come out to deny the message was enough proof for Dalung to know it couldn’t have been doctored.

A few days after Dalung tried to back Oliseh against the NFF leadership who found it reasonable to discountenance the decision of its technical committee and sought the advise of the minister on Oliseh’s fate instead, Oliseh dealt the NFF, Dalung and the entire country, a blow bellow the belt, dumping the country at the centre of nowhere.

Leaving the Eagles without a coach, few days to the crucial double header between them and the Pharoahs of Egypt.

No coach of the Eagles, not even Brazilian Carlos Alberto Torres, who came but didn’t even line out once with the players at training session before throwing in the towel, has treated the national team nay the country with such levity Oliseh has just done.

Those who saw Keshi as the problem of Nigeria’s football would be having a different thought now. And those who blamed Vincent Enyeama for insisting on being given a chance by Oliseh to express himself, and Emmanuel Emenike’s premature retirement from the national team, now know where the fault lied.

All this however boils down to an NFF who in an attempt to do away with their perceived enemy in Keshi, took a hasty decision in hiring an inexperienced and temperamental coach who has no managerial skills.

This also teaches them not to judge a coach by one failure as they did to Samson Siasia. May be if Siasia had been allowed to continue despite not being able to qualify the Eagles for the 2012 Nations Cup, he would have been able to groom a better team that Nigerians would have been proud of by now.

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, PAGE 47

C M Y K

SUNDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 28, 2016

Elephants set to trample on Vipers T Thomas

WO time African champions, Enyimba Football Club of Aba will hope to overturn their first leg defeat in the CAF Champions League preliminary round against Ugan-

Oliseh overwhelmed by Eagles job — Porbeni

By Ben Efe

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ENOWNED athletics coach Seigha Porbeni said the job of coaching the national team the Super Eagles was a burden too heavy on the shoulders of Coach Sunday Oliseh, hence his decision to quit.

Oliseh announced his resignation on twitter after accusing the Nigeria Football Federation hierarchy of sundry misdeeds, which were inimical to his progress as national coach. These include going behind him to negotiate with another coach and not providing financial support for his quest to qualify Nigeria for the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup. However, Porbeni have reasons to believe Oliseh was never the man for the job in the first place.

“This coaching business is for matured minds. It is not for the faint hearted. I have always believed from the start that he was not going to take us anywhere, but it was out of patriotism we wished him well.

“In coaching you learn everyday. I have been in this business for 42 years and I am still learning. If you are not ready to bring

Continues on page 45

dan club, Vipers SC today at the Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.

The People’s Elephant had the first leg of the match in control but couldn’t convert the chances that came their way as Vipers hit the back of the net in the second half courtesy of Erisa Ssekisambu’s goal. Captain of the Nigerian side, Chinedu Udoji said that his side had their opportunities but none was converted.

“We controlled the match, we created chances but we just couldn’t convert them.

We got so close when I turned in a header into the net but the referee disallowed it,” Udoji said.

Continues on page 45

Shooting Stars extinguish Mountain of Fire

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CRUNCHY: Sunderland captain John O’Shea(l) tussles with West Ham striker Emmanuel Emenike in an attempt to regain possession during an EPL match yesterday. West Ham won 1-0

Real’s title bid in tatters I

T seems that £275mil lion doesn’t buy you much these days – at least not at Real Madrid.

One of the most expensively assembled sides in Europe was whistled by

its own supporters as it tamely gave up the Spanish title with a 1-0 defeat to city neighbours Atletico Madrid.

Deji Aliu: Nigeria can still produce sub 10 runners — Pg 46 TODAY’S MATCHES NPFL Rivers Utd Ikorodu Utd Heartland Kano Pillars Plateau Utd Rangers Int’l

Continues on page 45

CROSS WORD PUZZLE DOWN ACROSS 1. Sample (5) 1. Governor of Sokoto 2. Niger state town (4) State (8) 3. Observe (5) 5. Assistant (4) 4. Lecture (6) 7. Praise (5) 5. Everyone (3) 8. Upright (4) 6. Use (6) 9. Lantern (4) 10. Inquires (4) 11. Tradition (6) 13. Lagos masquerade (3) 12. Carpet (3) 14. Colour (6) 15. Exclamation (2) 15. Resistance unit (3) 16. Pig’s nose (5) 17. Coax (4) 18. Agent (3) 19. Rollicked (6) 20. Glitters (6) 21. Hatchet (3) 24. Forward (5) 22. Satisfied (4) 25. Nigerian state (6) 23. Nigerian state (3) 27. Boring tool (3) 26. Cry of derision (3) 29. Ghanaian fabric (5) 27 . African country (6) 31. Perform (2) 28. Endure (4) 32. Oshiomhole’s state (3) 29. Child (3) 34. U.S. currency (6) 30. Spoke (6) 36. Vow (4) 31. Adorn (5) 38. Musical quality (4) 33. Baking chambers 39. Inclination (5) (5) 40. Eager (4) 35. Asterisk (4) 41. Damages (8) 37. Possessed (3)

HOOTING Stars Sports Club (3SC) yesterday halted Mountain of Fire FC’s momentum in the Nigeria Professional Football league with a 3-0 win at the Lekan Salami Stadium Ibadan.

Wasiu Jimoh’s first half hat-trick sealed the fate of the new comers who have had a string good run in their previous games.

Shooting Stars coach, Kadiri Ikhana said the goal margin would have been a harvest if his frontmen had converted the several chances that came on their way in the encounter.

“We play positive football taking the challenge to the opponents, it happened in the first game against Lobi Stars though it did not yield the desired result on that day.

v v v v v v

Ifeanyi Ubah 4:pm Lobi Stars 4:pm Abia Warriors 4:pm Wikki Tourists 4:pm Warri Wolves 4:pm Niger Tornadoes 4:pm

RESULTS NPFL Shootings Stars

See solution on page 5

Ronaldo

3

MFM

0

Friendly Egypt

2

B/Faso

0

EPL West Ham Leicester City Southampton Stoke City Watford West Brom

1 1 1 2 0 3

Sunderland Norwich City Chelsea Aston Villa Bournemouth Crystal Palace

0 0 2 1 0 2

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