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Bakassi people rally as controversy trails Elias, Wachuku positions •Opinion not based on law •Concession based on war time appeasement •FG not by Senate insistence on Review •Fears as Cameroon sends troops to peninsula

BY HUGO ODIOGOR

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ISPLACED indigenes of Bakassi Peninsula will hold rallies in different parts of the world today to highlight the injustice that has been visited on them by the ceding of their homeland by the Federal Government without their consent.

With less than 10 days for the Jonathan led administration to take a second look at the October 1 2002 ,International Court of Justice judgment that ceded the Peninsula to Cameroon where there is apprehension as the Central African country tightens its grip.

Saturday Vanguard was reliably informed that the indigenous Bakassi population would hold rallies in Lagos, Abuja, Calabar, London, Germany, France, The Hague among others. They said that the foundation for the ceding of Bakassi by the Federal Government was laid by a clause in an advise given to the government by the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Taslim Oluwole Elias, during the Yakubu Gowon’s regime, that Nigeria should allow Cameroon take over the peninsula because of the country’s assistance to it during the NigeriaBiafran civil war, wondering why some indigenous communities would be donated to another country based on such flimsy excuses.

Elias, had in his advise entitled ‘’Nigeria/ Cameroun Boundary Demarcation,” dated September 3, 1970 stated, ’The principle of good faith in international relations demands that Nigeria should not disavow her word of honour,” adding that ‘’every effort should be exerted on our side to ensure that Nigeria does not show ingratitude to a sister country that stood by us during the civil war.

Accordingly, I strongly urge that these recommendations of the Nigerian – Cameroun’s Joint Boundary Commission dated August 14, 1970 should be i m p l e m e n t e d expeditiously…”

The Jonathan adminis-

tration seem not prepared to comply with Article 61 of the ICJ Charter by approaching the court to review the judgment obtained by concealment of vital facts from the world jurists by both Nigeria and Cameroon.

This is even as Cameroon is alleged to be massing troops in the borders just as the movement of indigenes of Bakassi into Nigeria is heavily monitored.

According to sources, Bakassi people are also cut off from streams of information while efforts have been intensified by Cameroon to force thousands of the natives to change their names and language to French and to leave the peninsula in violation of the Green Tree Agreement, GTA. Mr. Ani Esin, a former local government Chairman for Bakassi Local Government told Saturday Vanguard that since the uproar in Nigeria, following the publications by the Saturday Vanguard stable, the Cameroonian government has been emboldened by the reluctance of the Federal government to demand for a revisit of the ICJ rulings to send troops into the peninsula to expel the indigenous population; force them out of their territory and occupy their property.

He said “The people of Bakassi who had hoped that the Jonathan administration will revisit to issue have become dejected as it appears that those who gave away Bakassi would not want to be exposed for the injustice committed against us. This is why the Pirate confraternity has been mobilising the public for a mass rally while we explore the option of forming a government in exile to continue the struggle after October 10, 2012”.

It was learnt that in the Yaounde, Cameroonian authorities are in panic following revelations that ICJ was misled into believing that the moribund 1913 Anglo-German treaty and the unsigned 1975 Maroua declarations were the only legal documents that set the Land

and Maritime boundaries between Nigeria and the C a m e r o u n .

The Legal Opinion of Justice T.O. Elias Meanwhile, the last may not have been heard of the administrative and legal tardiness that were employed to mislead the ICJ to concede Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon.

Specifically, the legal opinion provided by Chief Elias and the Diplomatic Note written

by Mr. Aja Wachuku as the External Affairs Minister have come up for scrutiny.

Some members of Nigerian defence team have continued to cite those documents as evidences that Bakassi Peninsula was part of Cameroon based on the 1913 Anglo German Treaty, which some claimed that Nigeria was obliged to uphold on attainment of independence on October 1,1960.

Prince Bola Ajibola SAN, who wrote a minority judgement at the Hague told Saturday Vanguard the Nigeria’s case was weakened ‘’because of what happened in the 1913 in the Anglo-German Agreement,” pointing out that, ‘’it was since then that we have this uphill task because it was Britain that ceded the whole of that Bakassi area, well described in Article 21 and 22 of that agreement, specifically to Germany.”

However, it has been discovered the agreement dated March 11, 1913 was not signed until Germany was defeated during the First World War, hence it was deprived of the Bakassi Peninsula as Bakassi was ceded to France, which thereafter, gave independence to Cameroun that now got involved in the boundary dispute.

Both Senator Ewah Bassey- Henshaw and Prof. Walter Ofonagoro told Saturday Vanguard that the documents cited by the Nigerian defence team were ‘’mischievously used to mislead those who are not familiar with the issues especially to achieve a predetermined goal.”

Mr Frank Irabor, Secretary, Benin Traditional Council in a chat with President Goodluck Jonathan when he visited the Oba of Benin recently.

Senator Henshaw said that until recently, most Nigerian government officials have regarded the 1913 Anglo-German Treaty as a living document but it was fundamentally flawed by the fact that it was not signed before the outbreak of the First World War after which Germany was stripped of all its colonial territories, making the treaty useless.

It was of no effect because all German territories were transferred to the League of Nations.

Hensahaw further said, “those who have been citing the Aja Wachuku Diplomatic note and Dr. T.O Elias legal opinion have substantially relied on the belief that the Anglo- Nigeria Treaty was a living document, but this is not true.”

Also, Nella Andem Rabana SAN who was part of Nigeria’s team to the Hague said nations do not concede territories on exchange of diplomatic note or on legal opinion that are outside the stipulations of the parliament, which was one of the key institutions on Nigeria’s attainment of independence in 1960.

Bakassi Peninsula was recognised as part of the Nigerian territory in the 1963 Constitution and in the Cairo 1964 OUA summit, it was resolved that all colonial boundaries inherited at independence should be i n v i o l a t e d .

Furthermore, Prof.

Ofonagoro said Nigeria and Cameroon decided to bind themselves with a document that was dead and had no force of law.

He said “It is evident that Dr. Elias placed extraordinary weight on the work of the Nigeria/ Cameroon Joint Commission which met at Yaoundé from August 12 to 14, 1970.

He said, ‘’The major

decisions taken at that after meeting, c o n s i d e r a b l e discussion”, was that the Joint Commission agreed to use the 1913 Anglo-German Treaty” as the basis for demarcating the boundary. It is obvious that this decision was made without seeking guidance from either the Attorney General, or the Honorable Minister of Transport through the office of the Head of State, otherwise, Dr. Elias would not be referring to decisions reached at the Yaoundé meeting of August 12-14, 1970. The vital decision had been taken at that meeting of the Joint Commission, at which the most senior Nigerian official present was the Federal Director of Surveys.

Once that decision had been taken, there was no escaping the implications of Article 20 of the Anglo-German Treaty of March 11, 1913, which stipulated that; “ Should the lower course of the Akwa Yafe so change its mouth as to transfer it to the Rio Del Rey, it is agreed that the area now known as the Bakassi peninsula shall remain German territory.

In the said Legal Opinion, Dr. Elias further drew attention to “the exchange of notes between Nigeria and the United Kingdom on October 1, 1960 which binds Nigeria to honour obligations entered into on our behalf by the United Kingdom. The implication of this statement is that the External Affairs Ministry considered the 1913 Agreement as one of the pre-independence treaties entered into by Britain on Nigeria’s behalf. The diplomatic Note which was cited as evidence that the Bakassi peninsula was based on the above assumption.

Dr. Elias did not, however, make any pronouncement on the legal validity of that treaty. He only referred to decisions already taken by the Yaoundé meeting of the Nigerian-Cameroon border commission to adopt the 1913 Treaty as the basis for their boundary demarcation negotiations.

The commitment had already been made in August 1214, of 1971 and he was of the opinion that Nigeria was bound by it.In fact, the Nigerian legal team at the ICJ had this to say about the legal validity of the Anglo-German Agreement of March 11, 1913: In relation to the Treaty of Versailles, Nigeria points out that Article 289 thereof provided for “the revival of pre-war bilateral treaties concluded by Germany on notification to Germany by the other party.” It contends that since Great Britain had taken no steps under Article 289 to revive the Agreement of March 11, 1913, it was accordingly abrogated. ‘’Former President Shehu Shagari was advised that the treaty was voidable by a Task Force that he appointed in 1981, to study the controversial 1913 Anglo-German Treaty. The committee concluded that the 1913 Agreement was voidable.

This was also the position reached by Professor Bassey Atte in a study of this subject saying that the 1913 Anglo-German Agreement “ which purported to alter the status quo to Nigeria’s disadvantage, is subject to great controversy as to its legality.”

Prof. Ofonanagoro

Continues on page 6

6 — SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29 , 2012

EFCC detains currency trafficker caught with $7m

BY SONI DANIEL, Asistant Editor, Abuja & IFEANYI OKOLI

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has detained a man nabbed with $7 million cash at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos last Thursday.

Abubalkar Tijani Sheriff, 24, suspected to be a bulk currency smuggler, was arrested

by EFCC operatives as he was about to board a flight to the United Arab Emirates with the cash.

A statement from the commission said that Sheriff had earlier declared that he had only $4.5million but had to recant his declaration when the huge cash was found on him upon search by the operatives.

The sum of $7,049,444 (Seven million, Forty Nine Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty Four United States Dollars) was found on him.

He confessed that he was a courier for 20 individuals who hired him to ferry the money to Dubai .

Investigations by the EFCC showed that Sheriff is a regular traveller and one of several couriers of illegal cash suspected to be proceeds of crime.

His claims in respect of his accomplices are still being investigated by the Commission.

Acting Head of EFCC’s Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren explained that travellers leaving the country are statutorily required to declare cash in excess of $10,000. But he said that it was not sufficient to declare excess cash, under the provisions of the Money Laundering Act, as the onus was on

the person making the declaration to explain the source of the excess cash and the reason for the export.

Uwujaren declared, “Experience has shown that bulk cash smuggling, the world over, are usually associated with proceeds of crime as legitimately earned funds are usually processed through the banking system.

“Our experience in the last few years indicates an emerging trend of bulk cash smuggling to Europe, Middle East and North America with the attendant consequence for capital flight. Some Nigerian citizens are routinely arrested at airports in Europe and North

American for currency smuggling though no such arrests have been recorded in the Middle East . But in all cases, the money is lost as they are never repatriated back to the country.

“The Commission warns travellers who for any reason want to move bulk cash out of the country to do so through the banking system.

Otherwise, they must be prepared to declare it and explain the source of the money.

Vanguard gathered that the suspect had been detained at the Commission’s holding facility in Lagos pending his arraignment in court.

Three NECO staff, six others, bag 12 years for examination forgery N

INE persons in cluding three National examinations Council (NECO) staff have been sentenced to 12yrs imprison each for forgery. One of the 10 arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court 11 Minna, Hassan Ayuba who pleaded not guilty to the three court charges was ordered to be reminded in prison custody for further hearing.

The nine others who pleaded guilty to the charges were summarily sentenced. Those sentenced are Kashim Danladi Tauhid, Ahmed Tijjani, Philip Emenike Ubanatu, Abdulsalam Mohammed Babangida, Ahmed Sanni while Nehemiah Andrew, Umaru Aliyu and Christian Moses A.K.A Danjuma Musa are NECO staff.

Prosecutor, Ahmed Danladi who is also the principal state counsel in the

state Ministry of justice had arraigned the culprits on a three count charge of forgery of the Council’s SSCE Certificate, forged over 730 Nos of the Council’s Certificate, over 427

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EATH toll has ris en to 27 from the tanker explosion that occurred in Kudu village Tuesday night.

Besides the dead, eleven people are still on danger list at the Mokwa General Hospital

degrees of injuries while one of the casualties with very serious injury have been transferred to the Teaching Hospital Ilorin, Kwara state for further medical attention.

Director General, Niger state Emergency Management Agency, Malam Mohammed Shaba who gave an update of the incidence while addressing Jour-

Nos of NECO Examination slip print out, Niger state Certificate of indigeneship, 5 Nos statement result of the state College of Education and other documents for the pur-

pose of selling to various agents and buyers ranging from N10,000, N25,000 and above. The third count charge is for counterfeiting an official seal of NECO for the purpose of authenticating the forged documents.

The offences are contrary to sections 364 and 367 of the penal code under section 79. The prosecutor had prayed the court to sanction them accordingly since they have pleaded guilty to the charges.

Bakassi people rally as controversy trails Elias, Wachuku positions Continues from P.5 the opinion of Elias on the matter was limited by the fact that he was not at the Yaoundé Summit of the two Heads of State, on April 4, 1971, and that the famous Ngo/ Coker, was first drawn to a 3-mile limit from the Akwa Yafe River, westwards to the channel of the Cross and Calabar Rivers, placing Bakassi on the Cameroonian side of this new boundary.”

“If Dr. Elias knew about this boundary by Sep-

Death toll now 27 from tanker explosion in after incurring various nalists in Minna yesKudu

BY WOLE MOSADOMI & ENYIM ENYIM, Minna

L-R Guest Speaker and Acting Registrar, Pharmacist Council of Nigeria [PCN] Mrs Gloria Abumere, National Chairman Nigerian Association of Industrial Pharmacists [NAIP] Dr Lolu Ojo and Chairman of the Ocassion Consultant Pharmacist Mr John Adekoje at tha Association of Industrial Pharmacists Workshop in Lagos.

terday said sixteen people died on the spot on Tuesday at about 10p.m when the tanker loaded with fuel skidded off the road and burst into flames while five others gave up the ghost on their way to the hospital for treatment.

According to him, six other dead bodies were discovered in the near-by bush as they were on the run for safety with fire burning them along.

tember 3, 1970, eight months before Yaoundé Summit, where the Ngo/ Coker line was agreed , then it means that at the highest level of the Nigerian Government, the level of the Attorney General, and presumably, his boss, the Head of State, the decision had already been taken at that time, to ignore the provision of Article 21 of the AngloGerman Treaty of March 11, 1913, and draw the boundary to the west of the Akwa Yafe River. ”In practice, the navigable channel of the Akwa Yafe was invariably forced to flow to the Bakassi north shore, and East to the Rio del Rey, and the British stated this fact in Article 20: which stated that, “Should the lower course of the Akwa Yafe so change its mouth as to transfer it to the Rio Del Rey, it is agreed that the area now known as Bakassi peninsula shall still remain German territory. Even by Article 20 of this Treaty, Bakassi is

not ceded to German Cameroon; the article simply says that Bakassi shall still remain German territory. This means that it was already “German territory” before the date of the drafting of Article 20 of that treaty. That being the case, Cameroon still has to produce the documentary basis of Bakassi becoming “German territory” in the first place. There must be some documentary basis of Bakassi becoming German territory between April 14, 1893 and March 13, 1913, since the language of the Treaty says that Bakassi shall still remain German territory, even when by the flow of the boundary, following Akwa Yafe to Rio del Rey, it finds itself on the British side of the boundary. This is most strange to treaty law. ”In 1907, when the British and Germans had agreed that the Boundary should progress inland from the Thalweg of the Akwa Yafe, the Germans had requested for the frontier to be contin-

ued out to sea after reaching the mouth of the Akwa Yafe, all the way to the middle of the channel of the mouth of the old Calabar River.

However, according to minutes recorded by Mr. Strachey of the Foreign Office, Britain refused this request and told the Germans the “line should follow the shore of the Bakassi peninsula along the thalweg of the Akwa Yafe when the actual mouth of the river was reached.

It is therefore clear that as far back as 1907, it was generally known by both powers, that the navigable channel of the Akwa Yafe could never put Bakassi on the Cameroonian side of the border, since that channel must lie to the east of the Calabar and Cross River channels. The heavier flow of these two bigger rivers would always force the Akwa Yafe east to Bakassi shore and the Rio Del Rey. Most often, the channel disappeared altogether, and was extremely difficult to find.

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wo close friends of mine who are senior members of the ruling PDP, got caught in the face-off between Arik Airline and the FAAN last weekend. One, a Senator in the last dispensation, spent the entire day at the airport in an ordeal that started a day earlier when he had to queue up for over an hour to purchase an airline ticket, only to be told some two hours later, that the flight had been cancelled.

He got to the airport the following day as early as 6am, hoping to catch the first flight of any airline(only there weren’t too many airlines flying) So he was in for a long wait. For once, class didn’t matter for someone who has

The rail service is comatose, while floods have taken over the roads

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travelled business class for as long as I can remember. And money also didn’t matter. Given the importance of his appointments in Lagos and his home state, he would gladly have paid 100,000 naira for a seat, any seat. Only none was on offer.

He eventually got to Lagos around 9pm and his first words to me were ‘Muyiwa, I have really suffered today.’ I made the appropriate noises of sympathy after he told me his story. But was I really sorry for him? In my mind, he is part of a system that has brought the country to this sorry pass.

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he other friend, a minister in the Obasanjo government, fared a little worse. He got to the airport with a confirmed ticket and some two hours to spare so he thought he was sitting pretty. He started getting uncomfortable when no announcement was made when it was time for his flight. Instead, what he saw around him were confusion and motions without movement. After about six hours, his flight was announced. Then the scramble started. He C M Y K

refused to join the maddening crowd and with some expatriates, walked briskly, if ministerially, towards the tarmac.

Unfortunately, five paces to his turn, he was told the aircraft was full.

Then pandemonium broke out. How did the aircraft fill up when ‘bonafide’ travellers were on the tarmac?

What happened to confirmed seats?

So the ‘bonafide’ travellers took the law into their hands. Chief executives, top politicians, and s u c c e s s f u l entrepreneurs turned into touts. They lined their boxes in front of the plane, sat on them, and dared the pilot who was fretting and fuming in the cockpit, to taxi

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over them.

This impasse went on for another hour until they were assured that another plane was coming to airlift the backlog.

To cut a long, sad story short, my friend eventually got home at the unholy hour of 2am.

When he told me the story, I seized the opportunity to lay it into him. His party, I reminded him, has been in power since 1999.

Since then, the hands of the clock in the aviation industry has been turned back, just as the hands of the clock in

The latest ‘talk of the town’ wedding THE nearest I got to being invited to the wedding of the Alakijas was when a friend showed me the invitation card—If that is what one will call what was sent out to the Lagos jet set. It contained every thing; where to sit, what to eat and drink, where to serve your driver, how to retrieve your gifts etc Even a sticker for you to pack your car!

Every thing was put in a gilded box that you are advised to leave behind and use as a jewelry box.

The card promised glitz, it promised glamour… and may be more… for those who like that sort of thing.

Some of those who went, described the event variously as ‘nice’, ‘rowdy’, ‘interesting’, ‘rich’ etc.

Although I really didn’t ask too many people, I didn’t hear anybody describe it as ‘classy. In any case, what is really important to both the hosts and the guests, is that ‘it did not disappoint’ Really, you can’t stop the rich from spending their money the way they want. They can decide to buy odd and even private jets if they so wish. Or his and hers of exotic things like rare diamond and automobiles.

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e are in difficult times as a nation. We are getting deeper and deeper into the abyss of inaction and poor rendition of leadership essentials. It is becoming humiliating and shameful to some of us seeing the level Nigeria has plunged into.

The transformation mantra that heralded this administration has since plummeted and the fresh air that was promised has since become a hollow ritual.

The Jonathan administration appears boastfully fixated for lack of clear cut policy direction thus exposing the inherent lapses in the system. It is obvious that there was no discernible policy agenda other than the fact that some people just felt the President should continue the seamless transition from late Yar’ardua unto himself. The quality of representation in government and its debilitating trajectory has been most disturbing. Nigeria is becoming one hell of a country with no ideological and developmental roadmap to unleash the country on the super highway of symbolic and emulative leadership mutation.

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uestions are being asked in very polemical context as to the reason why we have suddenly found ourselves in this journey of self destruct; a journey that has exposed leadership weakness that cannot stay the course; a leadership that is gradually alienating itself from the mass of the people by the kind of anti-people policies that are walking the streets of Nigeria every day. The President may mean well in his heart of hearts, but the candour, charm, charisma and benevolence that should fire his resolve to act in very profound manner is missing. The character of those drooling around him, many of whom are serving the interest of their pockets and not that of any altruistic purpose, makes the entire leadership orientation to be perceived as one of money-grubbing. It is therefore very

Transformation: Bovine catharsis disturbing when you hear government officials render incoherent monologues as a replacement for dialogue with the Nigerian people.

It is my opinion that the J o n a t h a n - l e d administration is one that is manifestly adrift both in conduct and policy agenda. What else for a government that is run on the basis of one committee after another and not through any wellthought out policy agenda? Ministers are called upon to serve in Committees that are drawn up from their Ministries to look at what ought to be their primary responsibility in the first place. As we speak, Nigeria is living two worlds; North and South, and now made worse by the natural disaster of

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Blowing in the wind

several key sectors, has been turned back.

The result is that we have several private jets and no National carrier.

A situation I call private wealth amidst public poverty.

Here is an excerpt of what Richard Branson, the Virgin Airline boss reported said about the airline industry in Nigeria. ‘For eleven years… we fought daily battles against government agents who wanted to make fortune from us, politicians who saw the govt 49% as a meal ticket to seek for all kinds of favour, regulatory bodies that didn’t know what to do and persistently ask for bribes at every point…this joint venture should have become the largest African carrier by now if allowed to grow but the politicians KILLED IT’ End of quote.

How many viable, employment generating projects have been killed by politicians and civil servants all over the country because of personal greed?

Today as we speak, there is no safe, efficient, cost effective way to travel from Lagos to Abuja – our two most important cities. The rail service is comatose, while floods have taken over the roads meant for vehicles. The planes, as, we know, are in private hands.

What we have instead are empty promises in the midst of corruption and confusion. And you ask; How many more times must a people endure and suffer in the midst of plenty because of selfish and inept leadership before it takes its destiny in its hands? The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer…. is blowing in the wind.

has not shown any marked importance about using census figures as an incentive for national planning.

Rather we tend to politicize it in a manner that derides its importance. Our last Census exercise has not yielded any roadmap to contend with our developmental initiatives. I have a strong feeling that now that there are so many furores about subsidy or no subsidy, the need to look elsewhere for easy money to run elections is becoming more and more compelling.

The Census project becomes as it were a gap-filler. Otherwise, a serious government that is desirous of making very profound

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There are no passable roads in most part of the Country

flooding that has kept everyone in abeyance.

When Arik Air couldn’t fly, and Lokoja was swallowed up in flood, it dawned on us that we are living in delicate times.

There are no passable roads in most part of the Country. There are often no alternative when we are faced with crisis situation like the Lokoja logjam that is now at hand. Travelers have been held up for days trying to wriggle out of a situation that appears unabating by the menacing force of angry water let loose from the Cameron mountains. We have lost count of the dead as a result of this unfortunate situation.

In the fullness of this disheartening and frightening scenario, rather than tackle the situation we find ourselves with utmost dispatch, government has concluded plans to deploy a whooping sum of N600billion for population census in the year 2016, in the following order; N200b for 2013, N200billion for 2014, and N200billion for 2015.

This Census project is to me a wasteful exercise.

Our immediate problem is not about our figure or how many we are, but that we do not have infrastructure to meet our daily needs. As useful as census could be in nationbuilding, our previous experience in this area

intervention in national development will not deploy such whooping sum into a project as “contemptuous” as Census when we are begging for infrastructure.

A nation that is still importing fuel cannot possibly be thinking of spending N600billion on Census when that figure can give us six refineries in the country.

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his is why the N a t i o n a l Assembly must stop this adventure in overkill. It must help the ordinary Nigerian to make life more meaningful than this inchoate adventure that is programmed to fail. The National Assembly must demand explanation on why the Executive arm of government prefers census to b u i l d i n g infrastructure; why it is placing emphasis on issues that are far removed from the people. The country is presently being ravaged by floods and d e n u d a t i o n .

Thousands are being rendered homeless by no ordinary design of their own. Thousands are being rendered jobless by this avoidable natural disaster.

8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29 , 2012

Nigeria deploys 140 police officers to Somalia •••Police get new peacekeeping Hall ••• $1. 6million spent on equipment and allowances going on such mission are

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Abuja

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HE Nigerian Police Force has deployed 140 officers to participate in the African Union Peacekeeping operation in Somalia , with all its assets inclusive, Police authorities said in Abuja yesterday.

The deployment came just as the Inspector General of Police announced that in the last three months, the Police Force has spent close to $1.

6million on police peacekeeping operations Vis a Vis procurement of equipment for formed units and payment of allowances for officers going on such operations. And after several years of engaging in international peacekeeping operations, the Nigerian Police Force yesterday inaugurated the first peacekeeping hall fully equipped with teaching and other facilities necessary for ensuring proper preparations before police officers embark on such operations.

Speaking at the inauguration, the IG pointed out “Since I assumed office, I have made sure that the allowances of our officers

paid upfront so that the standard for which we are known, are sustained. You can not send an officer on a foreign mission without a kobo as was the case in the past. You are sending him to give bad image to the country”.

Describing the peacekeeping hall as a world class hall comparable with those of other peacekeeping centers around the world, the IG said it was befitting of a police force whose officers and men have brought honour, pride to the nation to the extent that so many countries are making daily request to have Nigerian police peacekeepers posted to help them.

“On the home front, the IG said, “Yes we are adored abroad because the UN provides what is needed. I want to tell you that at home, if we are given the nitty- gritty, wherewithal to do the job, the capacity and manpower is here to checkmate all forms of criminality”.

Earlier, Director of Peacekeeping at Force headquarters, DCP Aderanti disclosed that the hall was put in place to facilitate training for policemen going on such operations, noting that since his as-

sumption of office few months ago, the department has deployed 2 formed units to UN and AU operations which has never happened before.

“Thanks to the support of the IGP, 140 officers with full complement of equipment, arms and allowances were recently deployed to Somalia to participate in AMISOM and we have started getting commendation for the performance of the peacekeepers”, he said.

Okrika killer gas: 50 seek medical attention

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, Port Harcourt

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BOUT fifty persons from Okrika local government area of Rivers state have been treated at various hospitals within the last three days from poison allegedly caused by gas eruption from an NNPC pipeline in Ibuluya, Dikibo part of the local government.

Youths from the area yesterday, staged a protest against the NNPC for allegedly failing to service most of its pipelines that run through the local government.

Mimiko,Akeredolu lead Ondo opinion poll 8.5 per cent. expected to use the same

BY DAYO JOHNSON, Akure

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WO separate opinion poll results released ahead of the October 20 governorship election in Ondo state have showed the candidates of the Labour Party, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and that of the Peoples Democratic Party Chief Olusola Oke are leading.

An opinion poll conducted by Gallop Polls over the next governorship election in the state showed that Dr Mimiko of the Labour Party (LP) scored 77 per cent, while Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) came second with 9.8 per cent and Olusola Oke of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had C M Y K

Releasing the result of the poll, the Principal Consultant, Anthony Chigbo, on Monday, said that 14, 500 respondents participated in the Short Message Service (sms).

The organisation had opened the entry for the poll on September 10 and closed it on September 15 to allow people participate in the exercise.

He said out of the total respondents, 14, 500 representing 77 per cent preferred Mimiko and 1, 420 believed in Akeredolu, while 1, 230 which represents 8.5 per cent preferred Oke. Chigbo added that the organisation would conduct entrance and exit polls for the election, saying this would be done on Friday October 19, when eligible voters would be

Guests at the burial ceremony of late Hon. Victor Ovie-Whiskey at Agbarho, Ughelli North Area of Delta State.Pix shows Representatives of Bini Council of Chiefs .

format after making up their minds.

A youth leader from Ibuluya Dikibo who spoke on the incident said youths of the area had no choice but to storm the street in protest against the oil giant.

“The situation in my community is dangerous. We can no longer breathe well; a lot of people have been rushed to the hospitals due to several health difficulties as a result of the gas leakage.”

Adding, President of Okrika Youths, Oranye Franklyn said corrosive nature of the pipelines was responsible for the eruption. He also urged the federal government to prevail on NNPC to bury it pipes in the ground, adding that most of them were on the surface.

Chairman of Okrika Local Council, Mr. Tamuno Williams said

he was aware that about sixty villagers had gone to the hospital for medical attention because of the gas leakage. While appealing to the youths to be calm, he said efforts were on to avert a re occurrence of the ugly sit-

uation. Williams also enjoined the federal government to replace most of the pipes in the area, stressing that they had become very obsolete since they were laid about forty years ago.

Gun men attack Edo lawmaker the pool of his blood.

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City

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HE lawmaker repre senting Etsako West 1 of Edo state House of Assembly, Razak Momoh was yesterday shot by suspected assassins along Akenzua road Benin City.The incident which occurred at about 9.30pm, caused pandemonium around the area, after the gun men abandoned the victim in

They shot sporadically and escaped. The lawmaker who drove without his orderly and driver was ordered by the gun men to lie down before he was shot.

It was said that the lawmaker who was visibly shocked when they ordered him, engaged the gunmen in an argument, apparently not happy with his seeming failure to corporate with them, he was shot on the left side of his abdomen.

ts on prolif eration Insecurity: Arm Armyy boss aler alerts proliferation of arms, ammunitions

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Abuja

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HIEF of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika has raised alarm over the proliferation of arms and ammunition among certain misguided people in the society, saying ,“people are able to acquire heavy machine guns and AK 47 rifles. They are just like walking sticks all over the place. It is worrisome”.He made the

disclosure just as he noted that if the on-going war against terrorism and other insecurity challenges should be brought to an end, the Nigeria Army has to change from the traditional ways of doing things to modern system with a view to embrace pro-active approach.

Gen. Ihejirika noted the failure of the Nigerian Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) to meet the contemporary security

challenges in its policies, occasioned by the terrorism being orchestrated by the Boko Haram sect in the country, saying, unless the approach is changed, the menace would remain for a long time.

“TRADOC has been using the same approach for the past 20-25 years to do a deliberate review of Nigerian Army practice but they are slightly traditional, slow and sometime sluggish in their approach to is-

sues. We want a unit that would think out of the box. As you are aware, Nigerian Army, and like every other Army, is highly regimented and believe so much in tradition. This sort of attitude is no longer coping with the way security issues emerge.

“Few years ago, only the army, police and other security services had the monopoly of wireless communication. Today that situation has changed.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 — 9

Undergraduate imprisoned for homosexuality with seven-year old boy

By PETER DURU, Makurdi

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OR allegedly indulging in homosexuality with a seven-year old Isaac Chivirter Shamigah, a 20 year old 300 level Accounting student of Benue State University, Makurdi, Ortyom Dyorugh has been thrown behind bars at the Makurdi Medium Security Prison by a Makurdi Court.

Dyorugh who was arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Makurdi for alleged gross indecency was said to have forced Shamigah to commit the act with him at the Judges Quarters area of Makurdi town where they both lived.

According to the First Information Report, FIR, which was filed by Police Prosecutor, Sergeant

Patrick Sunday, t h e accused took Shamigah to an uncompleted building within the vicinity of Judges Quarters where he forced him into sucking his penis with the threat to kill him if he refused to do his bidding.

The Prosecutor further told the court that the alleged sucking of Dyorugh’s genital resulted in the release of sperm into Shamigah’s mouth on three different occasions after which he reiterated his threat to kill Shamigah if he revealed the unholy act.

The young boy was said to have exhibited strange behaviors after the act which attracted his parents’ attention and inquisition.

After some prompting however, Shamigah opened up to his parents, narrating his ordeal in the hands of the under

Three roast to death in a fatal accident *Police gun down robber

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, PH

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HREE persons were allegedly burnt to death yesterday when a Hilux vehicle they were driving rammed into a stationery petrol tanker around the Air Force barracks and burst into flames.

Details at press time were hazy but Saturday Vanguard gathered that the Hillux belonged to one of the new generation banks at Mile One end of Ikwerre road.

A source within the bank said the driver was recently posted to the Mile One branch of the bank, adding that the three occupants in the vehicle burnt to death.

In a related development, Policemen also foiled attempt by a gang of robbers to rob a new generation bank on

Olusegun Obasanjo road.

One of the robbers was shot dead while the others fled leaving behind one of the vehicles.

Sadly according to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ben Ugwuegbulam who confirmed the incident, one of the Policemen sustained severe gunshot injuries. It could not be confirmed at press time if he had given up the ghost.

“Our men responded to a distress call at Access bank at Ikoku along Olu Obasanjo road, Port Harcourt.

However unknown to them the gang of hoodlums had laid ambush and opened fire on the patrol team upon arrival at the scene.

In the ensuing gun battle one of the hoodlums was shot dead and a Policeman also was fatally wounded.”

graduate and the threat to his life if he opened up to anybody.

After listening to his son, the boy’s father, Rev Clement Shamigah reported the matter to the Criminal Investigation Bureau, CIB of the Benue State Police Command and Dyorugh was subsequently arrested.

When the case came up under Section 285 of the Penal Code, Dyorugh denied the allegation.

Trial Chief Magistrate Mrs. Lilian Tsumba directed that the accused be remanded in prison custody.

L-R: Edo State Sector Commander of FRSC, Keneth Nwaegebe; Representative of Oba of Benin, Chief Obaseki; Glo Business Director, Edo 1, Pastor Samuel Ibrahim and Edo state commissioner for Transport, Mr. Victor Enoghama with the winner of the 2012 edition of FRSC/Oba of Benin Best Drivers’ Award, sponsored by Globacom.

Ocean surge wreaks havoc in Gbekebor *Renders 500 persons homeless, destroys 120 houses

BY EMMA AMAIZE, Warri

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O fewer than 500 persons, including primary school pupils, have been dislocated and 120 houses submerged by ocean rage at Gbekebor community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

Saturday Vanguard was informed that Meindu Primary School, Founkoro Primary School, Gbekebor Grammar School, all in Gbekebor and the community’s market were affected.

Ex-chairman of Gbekebor Community Council, Mr. Alapala Ebitonmo, whose private jetty was destroyed said, “The entire town is completely submerged under water”.

His words: “We do experience widespread inundation as a result of the collapse of the shoreprotection for over three decades, but the coastal flood we currently experienced is unprecedented. The degree of destruction or the havoc wreaked by the inundated water on the community is unusual and pathetic”.

President of Gbekebor

Peace Movement and secretary of Gbekebor Urban Union, Mr. Oyinkro Egberibo and Mr. Tonfa Cyprian respectively stated that surge devastated property worth millions of naira,

while displaced persons had no food to eat and no clothes to wear.

They asserted that the disaster also affected fishing materials and farmlands, “ which invariably impeded the

occupational activities of the residents and consequently, intensified the level of our hardship as well as paralyzed other socio economic activities of the community”.

Federal Poly submerged, thousands flee homes in Anambra

BY VINCENT UJUMADU, Awka

T

HE Atani campus of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko has completely been submerged by the menacing flood that is ravaging five local government areas in the state, necessitating immediate evacuation of the about 3000 students and staff of the institution to safer places, just as most parts of Oba, Ofemili in Awka North local government area of Anambra State had also been flooded.

Rector of Oko Federal Polytechnic, Prof Godwin Onu, has already deployed 10 coaster buses to the school, which had been evacuating the students and their properties, while hundreds of families in the institution’s host community of Atani sacked by the menacing

flood have been moving out of the town. Other parts of Atani town and neighbouring Akili, Osuche, Osomala, Ogbakuba, among others, are seriously under threat of flood.

Apart from the buildings that were submerged, properties of the polytechnic, including generating sets, office furniture and documents were destroyed.

Double awards for Gov Obi on prudence and good governance

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OV. Peter Obi of Anambra State has received multiple awards for his exemplary conduct in government.

The Golden Award on Prudence was awarded to him by the Methodist Church of Nigeria as the most financially prudent governor in Nigeria. The award was presented to him at the Congress Hall of Transcorps Hilton Hotel in the night of Thursday by the Primate of the Methodist Church, Most Rev. Ola Makinde.

The award, according

to Methodist Church, was more of a way of encouraging him to do more for the State and the Country. The Church said it was a thing of celebration that In spite of many achievements in Anambra State by Governor Obi, that he had never borrowed a kobo nor raised a bond as is fashionable these days.

One of the Bishops of Methodist Church said the choice of Obi was after a thorough distillation process.

absence of female circumcision in all of Northern Nigeria has helped the course of fighting maternal mortality in that region of the country.

Mrs. Majak made this conclusion on Thursday

in Abua, Rivers State, against the backdrop of the associated harms experienced by women subjected to the unpopular culture of painful incision on the female organ where it is practised.

Four remanded in prison over political violence in Akure The Police prosecutor, Mr. O. Adeniyan applied Maternal mortality: Northern women safer ASP Isah Atanegbe said for bail to allow the

BY DAYO JOHNSON, that Oluwaseun and accused seek medical without circumcision, says YWCAA Akure

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N Akure Chief Magistrate has ordered that four persons suspected to be members of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to be remanded in prison over last week’s armed attacks in Akure and Owo areas of the state.

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others at large used guns to cause terror in the public and in the process did a grievous harm to Sunday Ojo, Olaleye Ezekiel and Ola Ojo on 20th September , 2012 in Akure an offence punishable under Section 335 Cap 37 of the Criminal Code.

But the defence counsel,

cure to his head injury, but Chief Magistrate Akinsola Akintoye said he will be given satisfactory treatment at the Olokuta Prison health facility which he described as one of the best in Ondo State.

Akintoye therefore adjourned till 10th October, 2012 for ruling on the bail application.

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI, PH

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AT I O N A L President of the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) Mrs. Hwongchun Majak, has said the

10— SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Nigeria at 52:

A city set on a hill that cannot be hidden O

KONTA still remembers that morn ing when a neighbour rushed to the colo nial residence of Dr. Harrison at Ikoyi, Lagos, where he worked to announce to him that his wife Mariana had been delivered of a bouncing baby boy. Okonta was dressed in his well- starched khaki uniform in the colonial house when the cheery news got to him.

He made merry and entertained his friends to celebrate the birth of his son and named him Harrison after the whiteman in w h o s e household he served as a servant.

The birth of his only son coincided with the celebration of Nigeria’s independence on October 1, 1960.

Today, Harrison is 52 years and lives in Lagos. He has no regular job after graduating from the university several years ago. He had tried to sustain himself as a self-employed businessman but his business at Tincan Island suffered from excess custom duties and multiple taxations.

Harrison couldn’t cope with the blows that fate had severally dealt on him. At 52, he has no house he could call his own. He has no regular means of livelihood despite his B.SC in Business Administration and Masters Degrees in two other Disciplines. He has no home and has transversed severally between being an okada rider and a tricycle driver. On many occasions , he has served as a bus conductor and the finesse he acquired through education has given way to a crude, frustrated, middle-aged man.

But Harrison Ogbonna is not the only Nigerian whom fate has dealt with badly. Across the 36 States of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, there are many Harrisons who have been battered by fate but only few were able to make a success story from the school of hard-knocks.

The above story sounds like the typical Nigerian story. From what they taught us in history, the pathway to Nigeria’s 52 years of independence was littered with broken promises. Nigerians are people suffering from battered egos and damaged psyche. Ab initio, our leaders had envisaged prosperity for the country, given the country’s enormous resources but that had been mere dreams.

As a nation very rich in oil resources, we have receded from oil boom to oil doom. Nigeria has become a giant with mosquito legs.

The elders of the country left good legacies. But their successors could not match the strength of the sages.

Sir Ahmadu Bello, former Premier of Northern Nigeria at our independence in 1960 said that the freedom of Nigeria from British rule is not the free-

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or years, we keep questioning ourselves about what went wrong with our country but each year, the questions increase but there are less answers. We are forever preoccupied with how to redesign the Nigerian project after 52 years of self-governance because of the folly and greed of those who took over the affairs of modern Nigeria.

Beginning from 1966, the country recorded eight military regimes. The final military regime left power on May 29, 1999 in between interjections of civilian regimes.

The military government came to power in pretence of restoring sanity in government but today, Nigerians know better.

Celebrating Nigeria at 52 is only to fulfill all righteousness. At least, the country has been able to sustain civilian government without interruption of the military government since 1999. With her avalanche of social economic cum political challenges, the country is still rated as a major key player in the global economy.

The present Nigerian leaders should see this independence celebration as time to reflect on our past so as focus on the political emancipation of the country; restore security and the confidence of the populace.

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By CHIOMA GABRIEL

dom of the jungle, where might is right.

“We are not free to molest others less strong than ourselves or to trample on their rights simply because we are in a position of authority over them.

Independence brings with it heavier and new responsibilities. The eyes of the world are on Nigeria now and there are many friends who hope that we shall be the leading nation in Africa. Let us say with all emphasis at my command that we shall never attain this goal if there is suspicion and mist r u s t among the peoples of Nigeria. Such an attitude cannot benefit anyone and can easily lead to strife as has been the painful experience of other independent nations in Africa and elsewhere.”

It is obvious that Nigerians of today never heeded the wisdom of the sages . In today’s Nigeria, deceit holds sway ! Almost every year, we lament our situation , wondering if achieving nationhood is such an unrealistic and unworkable project.

From all indications, many have come to accept the reality that ours is a society where the morons are the barons; a society where thieves are kings; a society where the monkey works and the baboon chops; a society where might is right and injustice the order of the day.

Today, ours is a kingdom against itself. Things are falling apart and the centre can barely hold.

Anarchy appears to have let loose upon the nation. Insecurity, corruption in high places and other vices are building strongholds. These are felt in every facet of our daily life.

It is obvious that Nigerians of today never heeded the wisdom of the sages . In today’s Nigeria, deceit holds sway!

Almost every year, we lament our situation wondering if achieving nationhood is such an unrealistic and unworkable project.

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SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012—11

Nigeria needs an Igbo President to march forward — Ezeife F

ormer Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife in this noholds barred interview x-rays Nigeria’s socio-economic and political development these past 52 years and posits that the component nationalities and other social forces in the country must fix Nigeria this time around or forget about its future. He spoke to OKEY NDIRIBE AND EMMAN OVUAKPORIE in Abuja.

Considering the fact that a man of 52 is generally believed to be a mature person, can you say Nigeria has matured politically, economically and socially?

zDr Chukwuemeka Ezeife nounced. The result indicated that the population of the North at that time was 14 .5 million. The population of the Eastern Region was 11.5 million and that of the Western Region was eight million.

So, the population of the south at that time was above 19.5 million and higher than that of the north.

Then two young men at that time: Mbazulike Amaechi and RBK Okafor now said that based on the census results, all the southern progressives should join hands together and form the next govern-

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It is unfortunate that every year we have to make this assessment. It appears that every year we are saying the same thing.

However, there is something special about this year. There is a story about the tortoise in Igbo folklore; the tortoise had fallen into a pit latrine. He was there for many days. However, on the very day the tortoise was to be rescued by some people, he began to complain and asked those who had come for the rescue operation to hurry up because the smell of the latrine was too much for him. But he was told to be patient since he had managed to endure the stench inside the pit for so long.

There is a Cape of Good Hope in Nigeria. For the first time in recent history, there is a convergence of views on what needs to be done about Nigeria. There is a consensus on what needs to be done for Nigeria-a country which is nearly always shipwrecked - so that it could become transformed into where things work.

Some eminent politicians held a meeting not too ago in Lagos and their major demand was that a National Conference be held.

Sometime ago, I was invited to PortHarcourt over the debate on Sovereign National Conference. I was able to convince them that we should not talk about a Sovereign National Conference. This is because, once a Sovereign National Conference is convened, it would have the power to sack both the President and the National Assembly. Indeed, such a conference would have the power to do whatever it likes.

However, if we can have a National Conference, where we reach a consensus on certain issues, its decisions would come into effect after the incumbent government has left office.

One of the major problems we have faced in this country in the past is that some people do not believe in agreements. For instance an agreement was reached at the National Political Reforms Conference held in 2005 that an additional state should be created for the Southeast geopolitical zone. About three months ago, the Presidential Committee on Constitutional Reforms also endorsed the same idea with some refinement.

However, a certain Governor from the North was quoted to have said he was opposed to that agreement. The question I want to ask is what is the population of Northern Nigeria?

What is the population of the South?

What is the population of Anambra State?

What is the population of Kano?

We should allow the sleeping dogs to lie in this country. kicking up old dust is not good.

In 1962, there was a census and what was called preliminary result was an-

It appears that every year we are saying the same thing. However, there is something special about this year

the country, you begin to wonder whether they really have a sense of history.

Mr Smith, a British colonial officer who conducted an earlier census in 1951 stated that after the exercise, the North was found to have a smaller population than the South. He confessed before he died that the British authorities at that time did not want that census result to stand and therefore ordered a revision which turned the table.

What we are advocating is that there should be equality of zones; these six zones should then become the federating units of the country. Each of the zones should have some autonomy. Any of the zones could create one million states if they like. There is a consensus on this already.

If this arrangement is finally endorsed and captured in a constitution, there would be no need to argue over state police. There would be a middle ground and this could be called zonal police.

There should also be a revenue generation and sharing formula which recognizes fiscal federalism. Under this arrangement, there would be emphasis on the derivation formula as we have always had. We must emphasize national interest. All those who want Nigeria to still remain united do not desire a very weak central government.

There should be a fairly strong centre; but nothing like what we have now. Again, we could ask ourselves whether we should continue with a bi-cameral legislature or unicameral arrangement with only the Senate in place? We could even consider having part-time Senators.

This is because what we are seeing in Nigeria is abnormal in the extreme; a developing country which spends about 80 percent of its income on recurrent expenditure, rather than capital expenditure. It is like a farmer who consumes more than what he had harvested; nothing would remain for him to plant in the next planting season.

Very recently, the House of Representatives rejected a bill which sought to recognize the geo-political zones. How do you react to this development at the legislature?

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ment. That declaration kicked up a census controversy. The lesson we learnt was from the controversy and its outcome. In the course of the controversy, the population of the North moved up from 14.5 million to 17 million. Then it was moved up again from this to 19 million. It was manipulated again from 19 million to 21 million and finally ended up being hiked to 29 million which was double of the initial figure for the region.

The East remained at 11.5 million while the West remained at eight million but was later raised to 10 million. The increment of the figures for the West arose after the Late Ladoke Akintola , former Premier of Western Region agreed to cooperate with the political party from the North.

This is the foundation of all the subsequent census that has been conducted in this country. So when certain people talk about the population of their own part of

It is beyond the competence of the National Assembly to deal with matters Iike that. The role of the National Assembly should be to repair the cracks on the wall of the House and not that of rebuilding the house. Rebuilding the House is the responsibility of the owners of the house. It is not for the National Assembly which is part of the structural imbalances we want to correct to dictate the way to go.

All the senators and members of House of Representatives emerged from these manipulated constituencies based on doctored election results. Unless some people want this country to disintegrate, we must open our eyes and act fast. We must not use present advantages at all.

Under the present arrangement, the North could kill whatever bill it doesn’t want. We need a National Conference to address Nigeria’s fundamental problems.

Nigeria has been moving along the wrong path; we don’t seem to realize that our country is the largest black nation on earth. We don’t seem to also realize that the black man who was number one in world civilization and development has today become the foot mat of the world.

We do not seem to realize the manifest destiny of our country which is to restore the dignity of the black race.

12—SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

We still have a long way to go —Gomos, Former Plateau State SSG

By Taye Obateru

M

r. Ezekiel Gomos ( OFR) former Secretary to the Plateau State Government is the Executive Director of the Jos Business School. He spoke on Nigeria’s 52nd Independence Anniversary to Saturday Vanguard.

zEzekiel

Gomos

followership who should be prepared to hold the leadership accountable, who should ask questions and demand answers from their leaders.

So for Nigeria to get out of the present conundrum, we urgently need every one to exercise qualities of leadershipintegrity, responsibility, commitment, being values- driven etc in his/her little corner ,ie in our families, in our small offices, and in our big arenas. In short, the task of getting Nigeria out of its present problem is not only the responsibility of people in

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What is your assessment of Nigeria after 52 years of independence?

After 52 years of Independence, Nigeria has not translated its huge human and natural endowments to real socio-economic development. Despite the enormous crude and natural gas resources that the country has been exploiting for nearly half a century, the number of Nigerians living below the poverty level has been rising.

Nearly all the infrastructure in the country, both the ones inherited from including colonial government, and those that were developed by revenue from agricultural / solid minerals, and the grandiose projects that came along with the oil boom have virtually collapsed. Our social infrastructure- particularly education and health are still in very bad shape.

On the whole, the quality of life of the average Nigerian has not really improved since independence as measured by the country’s position on the Global Human Development Index where today Nigeria is ranked 142 out of 169 countries..

But it has not all been negative. I must point out that the country has been able to record some significant progress in certain areas like in sports development, like in individual human achievement and in some areas of physical development.

Why do you think Nigeria has not got it right especially on the economic and social fronts?

A key explanation for Nigeria’s poor performance in the social and economic fronts is that we have been very undisciplined with the management of our resources especially earnings from crude oil.

Profligacy, especially by the Federal and State Governments, coupled with widespread corruption have led to massive wastages of the huge revenue that Nigeria received from 1970 to date. In addition, there is the widespread lack of planning and fiscal prudence in running government business. We see government business as nobody’s business, especially educational, health, public infrastructural facilities Most people agree that poor or selfish leadership has been a major problem limiting the country from achieving her potentials. How can the country get out of this problem?

It is true that Nigeria has not been blessed with the kind of strategic and transformational leadership that could have really driven the country’s socioeconomic development. You will agree with me that long periods of military dictatorships gave rise to mediocre, unserious and at times, out rightly greedy leadership at Federal, State and even Local Government levels.

What Nigeria needs today, more than ever before is a leadership that is visionary, values/ethically- driven and is strong enough to drive positive change in the attitudes of the followership.

We also need to have a responsible

It appears that every year we are saying the same thing. However, there is something special about this year

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position/power, but every citizen has a role to play.

What positive strides would you say the country have made since independence?

Like I said earlier, Nigeria has made some positive strides in certain areas.

Many individual Nigerians have accomplished significant feats in many areas of human endeavour on the global scale.

Whether it is in the arts, where we have giants like Soyinka, and Achebe, or science with giants like Philip Emegwali, or in sports, or business where entrepre-

neurs like Aliko Dangote have been listed as the richest man in Africa, I think Nigeria as country has produced giants in every field.

In the same vein the country has made some progress in other areas. We are beginning to lay the foundations for stabilizing our democracy, though it will take some time before we achieve this. The development of Abuja from scratch, into a very modern city by African standards is another achievement worth celebration, though for the huge amount that has been spent in getting Abuja to where it is, one wonders whether another Abuja wouldn’t have been built.

We have built numerous other facilities like airports, industries, schools/universities’, hospitals, express roads, fly-over bridges etc across the country though our well known penchant for poor maintenance has eroded the value of these facilities.

Can Nigeria catch up with the rest of the world in the years to come?

Yes, it is possible for Nigeria to catch up with the rest of the world. As I said, this can be possible when Nigerians at all levels including at the family level, begin to demonstrate integrity, responsibility, commitment, accountability- when we live by values we preach, when we see our resources as being for the progress of common good, and when we see public office as an opportunity to serve and make a difference in the lives of the people and not as an opportunity to make a difference in the life of the occupant of the public office.

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igeria can catch up when we channel our resources into productive investments and not into consumption only.

Nigeria can begin to catch up when we build and strengthen our fundamental institutions and make them enduring so that no matter the changes in the leadership of such institutions or changes in the political scenario, the country continues to move forward. I am talking of institutions like the Judiciary, Legislature, the Police, the EFCC, the ICPC, the Customs, CBN, NDIC, SEC, etc When institutions are strong and enduring, they help to stabilize democracy.

When institutions are strong, ordinary people ie the followership, can be emboldened to demand answers and accountability from their leaders and elected representatives. A stable and strong democracy can help to propel economic and social progress What is your dream of Nigeria in the next five to ten years?

Because the problems and the level of rot in our system is very deep, I see the next five years as not yet Uhuru. It will take more than five years for any meaningful change and difference to be made in the situation in Nigeria. This is not to say that the situation is hopeless. No. Rather I expect that if we are to make any serious progress, the Transformation Agenda should be refocused in trying to strengthen the key institutions that will provide stability for our democracy and make leaders to focus on improving the situation of the larger populace, pursuing the common good and making the light to shine in their respective corners.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 — 13

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14—SATURDAY Vanguard , SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 here were you in 1960? That is fifty-two years ago, the year of Nigeria’s independence, and what should be considered a memorable year, in any event. It was on the first day in the month of October, and the anniversary is actually in two days’ time, which brings it to the first burner at this time.

Well, you had probably not been born at that time, anyway.

Then let me tell you that it was the best of times. Our hearts were aglow with hope, or expectations, even then, of better days ahead, since we were going to be able to rule ourselves as a nation. It was a long time coming. The clamour for it began much longer than most of the people around could remember. If the sociological meaning of the term, “grassroots” means that part of the citizenry that is not directly affected by official developments, then a vast terrain of Nigeria came under that description. Most of the people, whose minds were suffused with good feelings about the times ahead, had only a vague idea of the connotations of independence. I remember one of my father’s contemporaries usually submerged in Yogi philosophy, declaring a distinctive measure of unease and pointedly distancing himself from all expressions of optimism that swirled around him about independence.

But most of the people had smiles on their faces. The green-white-green motif of •Macaulay the National Flag spilled over from the identification Imoudu, Nigeria’s immortal of our national labour leader No.1, who presentations and came to dared to pull the colonial lion life in every sphere of our by the tail; Anthony Enahoro, who seemed to personal activities. We have been slightly ahead of installed bunting; we waved his time; Osita Agwuna and banners; we painted the our

W

*Whither, Nigeria?

drums, the sides of our mammy-wagons, the frontage of our dwellings – all in green-white-green.

That, for many of us, was being patriotic enough.

However, that day, the first in October, 1960, was the product of sacrifices made by some who truly knew the essence of it. These were the nationalists who learnt about its meaning, who realized its import, and yearned for it with great zeal.

Their passion contributed in no small measure to the enthusiasm with which the populace welcomed selfrule. It had a good ring to it by the way they presented it to the people: it had the sound of freedom; it

Mokuogu Okoye, twin warriors who gave away the golden prospects of their youth; Abdallah, the lone Northern star; Obafemi Awolowo, who came to clear the pathway to freedom; Eyo Ita whose contributions have tended to be overshadowed by the more acclaimed efforts , in the same manner as those of people like H.O.Davies, Jaja Wachukwu, Aminu Kano, Ikenna Izimro, Peter Osugo, Nwanna and others. Many of them have been forgotten.

Several were not even known. And the memory of those who are remembered has not, in the main, been lifted high.

What were the contents of those initial hopes that arose

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Let us pause here to praise famous men who fought gallantly for that day

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generated the air of selfrealization. And so, the people joined the bandwagon to clamour for selfgovernment, though not totally inured into selfawareness. They did not really know where they were going, but were sure they would be there soon.

Let us pause here to praise famous men who fought gallantly for that day. It is a long list and will not be exhausted here. But we can mention Herbert Macaulay, whose residence, “Kirsten Hall”, in Balbina Street in the heart of Lagos, has been wiped out to accommodate a telecommunication centre; Nnamdi Azikiwe, whose own mansion on the outskirts of the former capital, was appropriated from political motives by rivals who were former comrades at the nationalistic front; Michael C M Y K

with the dawn of our independence? Prosperity, for one thing, seems to have moved further away through the years. At the time of independence, a graduate was not only assured of obtaining instant employment, but was also certain to be smothered with additional perks like a motor vehicle, or official accommodation and generous allowances. We discovered oil in our land, it is true, but we have relied so heavily on it that the cry now is for a diversification of the economy. Oil has almost impoverished us, though it has made billionaires of a select few through hook or crook.

Can we boast about the promotion of sound education in the past three decades? We used to have few

Nigerians could afford to do that years ago, even when our currency was at par with the dollar which is now more than a hundred times stronger than the naira. And how many Nigerians had a private jet aircraft in those days? How many Nigerians felt in need of it?

Oh, to be young again, 52 years ago! To be able to dream and breathe the air of progress in the hope that better days are ahead; to be able to talk aloud and feel heeded, and walk alone and unafraid; to be able to enjoy a life that is wholesome and not just endure an existence afflicted by anxieties of “judicial killings” on the street, and the lethal menace of Boko haram in broad daylight. To be able to earn less and own more.

WHITHER Nigeria? Whither NIGERIANS?

•Dr Azikiwe universities – Ibadan, Zaria, Ife – but they were institutions of world repute.

Now we have so many glorified “comprehensive academies” disguised in the academic gowns of fullfledged universities. In the health sector, the country is swamped with poorly managed or openly unlicensed establishments, a situation which recommends the health delivery services of India and South Africa to those who can afford them.

On the other hand, the hospitals that are properly established and run by government suffer irredeemably from a sporadic rash of strikes which is spread throughout the country. As a matter of regrettable fact, both the medical and educational institutions have been prostrated on innumerable occasions by industrial wrangling to the detriment of the quality of service they are supposed to render.

In transportation, one of the two most notable writers once observed that the Nigerian highways are “full of surprises”. Soon after, that remark came true for him in a heart-rending manner. But it even seems worse in the skies to a point that tragedy almost became the norm while safety came as a surprise. Our record in air travel was enviable at independence. We had a national carrier that we found reliable and profitable. Then came the crash. Our aviation situation is now lamentable.

But probably the most irritable aspect of our life as a nation is the way in which we have failed to become a nation worthy of that name.

The various nationalities were much closer thirty years ago than they are now.

We started out with three regions, we now have thirtysix states and yet people are calling for the creation of more states, Hardly half the number of States we have

right now can stand on their own, so what do we need to achieve with twenty more?

What more than more executive establishments, more legislative institutions, more coat-of-arms and more national state anthems and flags—and, of course, more opportunities for squander mania and wholesale pilfering of the national assets at the expense of the commonwealth?

But, again, it provides us with more governments to vilify and a wider front for the denigration of our deficient and decadent “leadership”.

We sidestep the direct disapproval of our leaders and prefer to address it in the abstract. It is so much easier thus to pile all our faults and foibles on the faceless entities who can be grouped under the classification of politicians and condemned wholesale, while we, the socalled common man, can stay safe and immaculate at a distance. But very wisely has it been observed that, ultimately, a people get the leaders—and leadership— they deserve. We cannot honestly aver that we merit a higher standard of leadership than has emerged, or ought to have a better calibre of leaders than we have ourselves spawned over the past half-century. But very few people pause to consider the role of the “followership” in a democracy, which is the form of government we delude ourselves that we practise—our leaders tell us so, so it most be so.

Over the years, more Nigerians have found it much more sensible, much more convenient, to live abroad. We relocate our businesses abroad. We—or rather, they—send their children to school abroad.

We—I mean, they—go for medical treatment abroad.

They even go for honeymoon abroad. That must be progress because not many

Echoes: I am a fifty-year old professional, practising here in Lagos.

It is disheartening to me that there appears to be a virtually comprehensive erosion from our collective memory and thoughts of the historical significance and import of our National Day, 1 st October, l960, and the pivotal role the Nigerian press played in bringing it about. Particularly tragic, to my mind, is that the children and the young adults seem not to know about Dr. Azikiwe any more, not to talk of his multi-faceted in the press, sports, education, labour movement, political and social sciences, politics, culture and tradition, and as a foremost nationalist …

Martin Ezean Okpaleke (0807.378.0695) Zik is only one of a legion.

We really show little regard for our country. The only time we raise our voice as a nation is when our national football team scores a goal.

Look at our flag— what is inspiring about it, particularly to young minds?

Obasanjo made some attempt with the National Pledge but it soon grew insipid in the absence of a symbol to which it could be addressed or linked. We could not hold our last NATIONAL Day Parade in the open air and, before then, the celebrations have been “low-key” almost traditionally.

Our curriculum is innocent of any impact of history as an important subject but, believe it or not, we do have a ministry for all these important functions. As for the regard for “our heroes past”, please don’t make me laugh when I should be shedding tears. I understand that Jonathan also has Azikiwe as one of his names. Maybe if he uses it more often, it would remind us, as well as himself, that there was someone there before him. We are like a river that is getting increasingly forgetful of its source, and therefore all set to drying up.

Time out..

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 —15

We have made giant strides — Okorotie

By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa

when the two hands wash each other they become clean.

The other problem of the country is of course religious and tribal. A great deal of nepotism but by far the most serious problem is religious intolerance. If you go to the Middle East that is the home of Islam, Churches and Mosques are opposite each other and are peaceful. Why is our own different? We are too intolerant and that is a big problem which we must look at. It is the Church and the Mosque that must do self examination. The government must encourage them so that they can narrow the gap.

However a lot has been done to resolve this issue just that the results are not too evident.

That is why sometime I support Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor statement that the Boko Haram is not a religious matter, it is political because the leaders are saying something different from them. The leaders are saying that their responsibility is that of tolerance that they don’t want to kill, Islam is not this, Islam is not that but these people are hiding under Islam and they have a request that we don’t even understand that western education is a sin and yet they are using products produced by western education to fight. That religiousintolerance must stop.

C

hief Thompson Okorotie is one of the founding fathers of Bayelsa State and secretary of the Bayelsa Elders Forum. He spoke on the gains and challenges confronting the country as well as its prospects. The Ekeremor born politician, who was also a major player in the Second Republic and former Chief Whip of the old Rivers State House of Assembly also bared his mind on the administration of Governor Seriake Dickson.

What other problems do you think have confronted the nation since independence?

The leadership problem is fundamental, I believe that this country must face it and so I will politely say have not finished treatment on the leadership issue. There is also the followership problem. Nigerians are becoming increasingly impatient and that orientation is wrong and it must be correct-

zChief Thompson Okorotie

ed. That is resulting in their attempt to put the problems of previous administrations on one person, on Goodluck Jonathan which is not fair.

This country has been there and people have been leading until he arrived. The first scientist to be President of this country and in some areas he has been quite professional about this leadership. The courage that he

,

Nigeria will be 52 come October 1st what would you say are the gains of the last five decades?

I believe that this country has made giant strides. There has been a lot of development. Whether some people like it or not, I say so because if you take one sector, education, this country when it became independent it had only one university, today you will be talking about not less than forty universities. And that is also an index for growth. In 1960, when we became independent, our population was small, today you know what our population is now and yet in that educational sector, there is still room for development but it also marks a great departure from what it was on independence in 1960.

I remember vividly, that was the year I went to Lagos from home, there was euphoria the Empire Day was going, the Union Jack was coming down, the green white green flag was going up and there was so much excitement. You can see so much hope in the air. For some people, those hopes are yet to be achieved but for optimist like me, a lot of the hopes have been achieved.

Sometimes as individual when they say you have too many problems, when the problems end I say that is when you are dead.

So, as long you are alive so it is with a nation. As long as you are alive you are bound to have problems. There have been giant strides in education, in the economy, in science and technology. There are several things that have happened to this country that were not there, the explosion in the telecommunication.

However, you must also say the leadership problem has been a major setback for this country because from beginning of independence, we probably had a respite during the parliamentary period; Zik, Tafawa Balewa, Ahmadu Bello, Chief Awolowo and all that, we had very honest and focused leadership.

But they were also a problem to us because the three big tribes now took action that rapidly became evident as oppression to the other numerous tribes. We are told that we are at least 250 tribes in Nigeria so these three tribes because they were at the helm of affairs at independence amass things to themselves. Appointments, political and economic, civil service appointments, distribution of amenities, infrastructural development, they translated into appropriating funds that went to areas of these ethnic tribes that itself caused problem because there was bottled up anger and displeasure in the other tribes and they were much more in number and in geographical expression than the three. And so that is part of the problem we have today.

There was a year when government was looking for the best scientist from the United Nations to enable us set up our atomic energy branch and the United Nations wrote back and said what are you talking about, one of the best is a Nigerian and is based in Italy, an Akwa Ibomite

,

showed during fuel subsidy alone no other president not even the military leaders attempted it. We had to beg him, its enough now, the man was adamant. He did not care whose ox was being gored, he didn’t bother at all because all he was after was the interest of the country. But then democracy is something that even if the majority is wrong and the minority is right as long as it is democracy, at some point you must bow to the so call will of the people. To that extent, Nigerians must be patient with their leaders because they can push them to make mistakes and they have done it several times over. So, the leadership is not just the leader. No leader operates in a vacuum. The leaders that are succeeding in other countries are having the support of their followers; the citizens have responsibilities which I am urging government to bring out.

The citizens’ responsibilities are also in the constitution. The citizens may not be aware; they should be told what the citizens’ responsibilities are. They keep on seeing the problems of the leader what about your own problems. They say in our parlance that

Lopsided federalism Also there is issue of the structure of the federation. The federation is lopsided in terms of a normal federal structure. Up till now, there is a measure of militarization.

There are some practices for example; in a true presidential system local government administration is not under federal govt. We say we have three tiers of government, why would federal government allocate funds directly to local government and yet it is not even in a position to supervise their work?

Local government administration has collapsed. In 1976 when the system was introduced, it was meant to be the closest government to the rural people that would solve their problems so that you will now solve the problem of rural-urban migration because the basic amenities are not therelight, water, housing; they are not there so they are all running to the urban centre to pursue the good life.

Meanwhile the urban centre was not planned to accommodate the sudden influx, so, their facilities are breaking down. I think that local government should be left for the states to create the number of councils they can cater for that way we will see greater progress at the local government level because a government that is close to them will be working with them in partnership.

Now you have to find very careful ways of working with the local government because they will soon tell you they are a tier of their own and yet the 1999 constitution, in section 7, states very clearly that the state house of assembly has a responsibility for creating and establishing a local government system. In other words, the establishment of local govt, the creation of it is the responsibility of the state house of assembly but the constitution contradicted it by going to the end of the schedule and now listed the number of local governments in each of the states. In other words, the work that was given to the state house of assembly on one hand was limited by the other hand because you cannot create local governments outside the number that has been placed on that schedule in the constitution except you amend it. And that is the amendment I am calling for so that the states can be left to create the local government areas that they are in a position to fund.

Continues on page 44

16—SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Nigeria is unbreakable

— Zubairu

Mohammed Umar

Zubairu Mohammed Umar

H

is passion for the unity and development of Nigeria stood obvious. Well versed in the historical and political evolutions of Nigeria and their attended impacts on the country’s journey to nationhood, he sat glued in his Mazadu Chambers in Gombe, venue of the appointment, tenaciously fielding questions from the Reporter. And so, for almost an hour, Zubairu Mohammed Umar, told Saturday Vanguard’s JOHN BULUS that Nigeria is an Act of God and therefore unbreakable. Excerpts: It is Nigeria’s 52nd Independence anniversary as well two years away to centenary since the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914 that made Nigeria. How has Nigeria fared in its journey to nationhood?

Well, we thank the Almighty God for making Nigeria what it is. And we thank Him for Nigeria being what it is now because, Nigeria has moved from stone Age, I would say, to analog age and to digital age. Nigeria has moved on despite the challenges and the negative comments people may be inclined to make about Nigeria not progressing. I would say, quite honestly, that Nigeria has progressed. We are not where we want to be, but certainly, we are making progress. From 1914 when the North and South were amalgamated, we have seen a lot of things happening. Of course, one is not up to hundred years as to say one was around in 1914 but from what one has been able to read or hear from elders, one can easily say that Nigeria is a good story so far. We have developed very well. We have achieved so much and we have laid sufficient foundation for future generation to make Nigeria better than what it is today because, even for those of us who are just on their way to be 50, one would say that the last 52 years, from Independence to now, I think, if you look at all the indices of development, Nigeria has achieved quite tremendously. What we had in 1960 is just nothing compared to what we have now. Go to any sector of life, you would discover that we have moved very, very far and high, the number of Universities we have now, the number of Colleges of Education we have now, how many Polytechnics you have now, how many cities that have now sprung up to be what they are, and they can stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the best cities in the world. And if you look at the Health sector, we have teaching hospitals, specialist hospitals, clinics and all these kinds of primary, secondary and tertiary Health care facilities, they are just there that one can see and you can’t just

compare to what we had in the 60s and 70s. Take the physical infrastructures like roads, you can see that. You may say we are not satisfied but certainly we are far, far away from where we started. The number of Kilometers covered by tarred roads in Nigeria, I believe is more than fifty times compared to what it was in the 60s. And of course, the airports. In the 60s, how many airports did we have that were of international repute? May be Kano and Lagos. But now, how many airports do we have that have international flights and how many airports do you have that service domestic requirements. You can see that we have gone very far. And in terms of general welfare, I think Nigerians are better off. You may say poverty is high but compared to the population of the 60s

,

By John Bulus

There was a year when government was looking for the best scientist from the United Nations to enable us set up our atomic energy branch and the United Nations wrote back and said what are you talking about, one of the best is a Nigerian and is based in Italy, an Akwa Ibomite

,

and of now, and the way people are living, I think the standard of living has improved tremendously. You would say that some people, a substantial number are living below the poverty line of less than one dollar per day, yes agreed, but you discover that we look healthier. We look better dressed, more cheerful despite the poverty than how it was in the 60s. So, things are just improving.

Let me take you on Agriculture.

There were days and times Agriculture used to be the main stay of the economy. It does appear that a nation that was doing well in that sector in the 60s seems to be lagging now in that sector ?

Yes, I agree with you because, you see, how many were we in the 60s, may be 53 million? Okay, we might be producing to export when we were, say less than 53 million. Now, how many are we? We are over 153 million. And land does not expand. It is the same land that our forefathers were using that is still now

available. May be Nigeria has not conquered Cameroon, Niger or Benin republics to have a bigger land now that you can expand, no, it is the same Nigeria, the same land. And then, people are still farming. We look at things from the point of view of what will come into the economy of the central government, the finances of the central government. But you see, the poor man of the 60s who used to go to his farm, cultivate the land and feed his family for the year is the same thing that is happening now. Majority of our people still go to their farm lands. They cultivate the land and feed themselves. May be, we were expecting that by now, we should have been thinking that instead of the farmer cultivating to feed himself, he cultivate to export. But then, have we been giving them the encouragement?

Agreed that there might be some areas in agriculture that need further improvement but you see, don’t look at it from the angle of mechanized farming for the elites, maybe to go and have a large farmland, bring harvesters and then, exporting. But look at it from the point of view of may be 50 or 60 percent of Nigerians who are agrarians, who just go to their land, cultivate the land and feed their families. So, you see the kind of poverty we are looking at in Nigeria is mostly in the urban area. When somebody has left his village to come to the urban area thinking that he will get a better life, but he comes and discovers that life is not better and he will not be able to go back to his own village because he has become used to the urban area. So, it is this man that is now compounding our poverty problems. Go to the villages now and see, they don’t even give a damn about government. They don’t care because they have things they have been relying on for years and they have been surviving. Well and good if we can afford to take all these benefits to them but they don’t even care, they don’t even complain because some of them think they you are exposing them to all these kinds of things you cannot afford to give them. So, what is the essence of whetting their appetite when you cannot satisfy it? You cannot satisfy their hunger and then you have whetted their appetite. You have shown them electricity which you cannot give them sufficiently. You have shown them pipe borne water which you cannot supply to them. You have shown them the modern medicine and you cannot supply it. So, he would rather prefer getting his water from his own well, getting his medicine through how his parent had thought him how to treat himself to the modern trends of exposing them to all these kinds of new things which you cannot sustain. What is the essence of trying to give somebody something today and you cannot sustain it tomorrow? Most of our people are in their villages. Most of them are comfortable with life. But we want to put ourselves into their own position.

Do you think that we should continue depending on oil, running a mono economy or diversify to help the economy?

To whose benefits? Diversify the economy?

Now, where is the oil? You see some people making billions of dollars, Naira from oil. Is it going to the common man?

The common man does not even know you have oil in Nigeria. He doesn’t give a damn. The moment he has gone to his farm, cultivate his land and bring his food…look, he does not even know what you call corruption. In fact, I get pissed off when they say Nigeria is a very corrupt country. Is it because some elites are corrupt? That does not mean Nigeria is a corrupt country because the elites are not the representatives of Nigerians. How many elites do we have? Ten million

Continues on page 41

SATURDAY Vanguard SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 —17

18—SATURDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

I want to spice up our sex life but...

Aunty Julie, My boyfriend and I have been dating off and on for two years. We have been having sex for about a year now. The problem is I want to spice up our sex life, but I don’t have any imagination. He says he’s willing to try anything but he

won’t give ideas. We’ve done it in different positions but I can’t think of anything fun to try. Please help, give me some suggestions.

Fatima, Ibadan HelloFatima, Tapping into your imagina-

tion can be a little tricky, especially if you and your partner are just beginning to talk openly about your desires. It’s possible the missing ingredient is having the confidence to express yourselves freely and experiment with your sexuality without feeling embarrassed.It may be useful to talk about and explore each other ’s thoughts and fantasies.

You can get the discussion going in a number of ways.

For example, you can choose and watch some adult sexuality education videos together or rent some erotic movies. Talk about what you see in the movies, and how you feel. What turns each of you on and off? What is appealing to you in fantasy, but might be unappealing to you in real life? Or, how about some books to spur your imag-

She broke up with me Aunty Julie, I don’t know what I did wrong. My girlfriend of one and a half years broke up with me out of the blue. We never fought or argued. I asked her why, she said “I don’t know.”

I asked her what did I do wrong and she said “nothing.”

She was my first ever girlfriend and I was planning to ask her to marry me. I don’t understand what I did wrong. There has to be a reason. Why won’t she tell me?

Amos, Lagos Dear Amos, Breaking up is hard to do, especially when you are the one left wondering what went wrong. This must be a tough time for you, especially considering that you were planning on proposing. It can appear challenging to start over when you thought you had your life all squared away. But start over you must! Have faith and

believe in yourself — it will become easier with time.

What really matters is that you realize you did nothing wrong and that you couldn’t have prevented the break up.

In order to heal, it may help to have a sense of closure. Why it ended needs to be clear to you; otherwise, you may have doubts about the relationship and yourself for a long time. Do you feel comfortable letting your ex-girlfriend know that an explanation, or one reason, for breaking up with you will help you to go on with your life?

Even if it has nothing to do with you, you deserve to know at least part of the reason why.

It is possible that she may not even know why she broke up with you.

Have you considered the possibility that your ex-girlfriend may not be willing to speak to you? Perhaps she needs some personal space and time to reflect on her needs and desires.

While unpleasant to think about, it is always good to have a back-up plan in case she won’t give you an answer.

Your family and friends may help you to reaffirm your selfconfidence and move forward in life and new fulfilling relationships.

Although you need to grieve for this loss, make sure that it doesn’t consume you. You may want to participate in activities that you enjoy to keep your mind off your lost love or perhaps introduce you to new and exciting people. Perhaps you can talk with friends and family about how you feel.

For many, knowing that people in your life love, support, and care about you can be comforting.

Know that you will be okay on your own, and that someday, you may meet that special someone who will feel the same way as you do about sharing your lives together.

inations? Many books are available that offer ideas for spicing up one’s sex life.

There are also some beautiful sensual books you might want to look at. Read them together or read them aloud to each other and see what is inspiring, appealing, or exciting to each of you.

Another avenue to explore is your (day or night) dreams.

Have you had sex dreams about your partner? About others? About specific acts? The point is not to necessarily act

on every dream or desire you’ve ever felt, but to start sharing your fantasies with your partner so that you can build intimacy and excitement into your sex life. Who knows, maybe the intimate nature of this conversation will be a new turn-on for both of you!

Once you’re able to recognize your own fantasies, and talk about them with your partner, your sex life could reach new heights. Enjoy getting there!

She left me without any reason Hi Julie, My girlfriend just broke up with me after one year of relationship. She didn’t give me any reason. She says she has no time to give a reason. Recently, I called her every half hour, but she didn’t want to pick up the phone. She told me that if I keep calling her or I am around her or her place, or trying to follow her, then she would call the police . My question is: is it against the law if I am trying to get in touch with her by being at the same place as she is? Is it against the law if I wait for her in front of her door?

Francis, Abuja Dear Francis, It seems clear that your exgirlfriend doesn’t want to see you, talk to you, or have anything to do with you right now.

She has been definite and clear about her wishes. While it may be unfortunate that she does not want to talk with you, discuss reasons for ending the relationship, you really need to back off, stay away, and give her some space.

By calling her every half

hour, you are harassing her.

Yes, this is against the law and it is more than an annoyance everywhere. Waiting in front of your ex-girlfriend’s door, or frequently being in the same area she is, is classified as stalking, and is illegal .

In another clime, it would be up to your ex-girlfriend to notify the police and get an order of protection that would not allow you to have contact

with her, be on her property, or come within a certain distance of her. The order would be served to you, and once you have seen it, if you violate the terms, you could be arrested. What you are describing is serious. For the time being, and possibly forever, you’ll need to leave your ex-girlfriend alone.

Whatever her reasons for breaking up with you, it is clear that she is not willing to discuss them with you right now. Don’t try to figure your girlfriend out; instead why not spend your time nursing your hurt and trying to move on with your life.

C O C K - T A L E S A beard?

A married man was visiting his “girlfriend” when she requested that he shaved his beard.

“Oh James, I like your beard, but I would really love to see your handsome face.” James replied, “My wife loves this beard, I couldn’t possibly do it, she would kill me!!” “Oh please?” the girlfriend asked again, in a sexy little voice...

“Oh really, I can’t,” he replies...”My wife loves this beard!!” The girlfriend asked once more, and he sighs and finally gives in. That night James crawls into bed with his wife while she was sleeping.

The wife is awakened somewhat, feels his face and replies “Oh Michael, you shouldn’t be here, my husband will be home soon!”

Taper off A wife comes home unexpectedly one day and finds her husband in bed with a lady midget.

Upset and furious over his actions, the woman screams, “You promised me two weeks ago that you would never cheat on me again!”

Trying his best to calm her down, the husband turns to his wife and says, “Take it easy Dear, can’t you see I’m trying to taper off?”

Costly divorce A middle-aged guy is out to dinner with his C M Y K

wife to celebrate her fortieth birthday.

He says, “So what would you like, Julie? A Jaguar?

A sable coat? A diamond necklace?” She says, “Bernie, I want a divorce.” “My goodness,” he says, “I wasn’t planning on spending that much.”

Twins Joe & John Twin brothers were named Joe and John Jones. The single brother was the proud owner of a dilapidated boat. It happened that John’s wife died the same day that Joe’s boat sank.

A few days later, a kindly old lady met Joe on the street and mistaking him for John, said “Oh Mr.Jones, I am sorry to hear about your great loss. You must feel terrible.”

Then Joe spoke up saying “ well, I’m not the least bit sorry, she was a rotten old thing from the beginning. Her bottom was all shriveled up and she smelt like a dead fish and even the first time I got into her she made water faster than anything I had ever seen.

She has a bad crack in the back and a pretty big hole in the front. The hole got bigger every time I used her and she leaked like anything.

But this is what finished her. Four guys from the other side of town looking for a good time, asked if I would rent her to them.

I warned them that she wasn’t so hot, but they said they would take a crack at her anyway. The result was the crazy fools all tried to get into her at one time and it was too much for her. She cracked down the middle.” The old lady dropped to the ground in a dead faint.

Macho man Typical macho man married typical good-looking lady and after the wedding, laid down the following rules: “I’ll be home when I want, if I want and at what time I want and I don’t expect any hassle from you. I expect a great dinner to be on the table unless I tell you otherwise. I’ll go hunting, fishing, boozing and card-playing when I want with my old buddies and don’t you give me a hard time about it. Those are my rules. Any comments?” His new bride said, “No, that’s fine with me. Just understand that there’ll be sex here at seven o’clock every night, whether you’re here or not.”

Still celebrating!

The couple was dining out when the wife noticed a familiar face at the bar. “Elliot,” she said, pointing, “do you see that man downing bourbon at the bar?”

The husband looked over and nodded.

“Well,” the woman continued, “he’s been drinking like that for 10 years, ever since I jilted him!”

The husband returned to his meal. “Nonsense,” he said, “even that’s not worth so much celebrating!”

SATURDAY

Vanguard SEPTEMBER 29, 2012—19

It is sad that we were married for so long without my husband trusting me enough

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Must ‘illegitimate’ children be hidden!

W

hen Bukky’s husband died suddenly of a heart attack in his early 60s, she was the inconsolable.

They’d been inseparable over the decades and the obituary she put in the papers would draw tears from a sadist’s eyes. She cut a pitiable figure as her husband laid in state in the beautiful expensive casket she had insisted be bought.

As sympathizers filed past the corpse,a little boy of about ten stood rooted to the spot, gazing with the morbid fascination chitdren have for the dead. The widow was now curious. “Whose child is that?” .

She wanted to know thinking he might be a relative’s child. Nobody offered an answer in spite of the fact she could be heard loud and dear. That ·really made her suspicious. She then asked one of her daughters to find out who the little boy was. The daughter shrugged and told her mother they would discuss the matter later. That she knew who the boy was.

S

he quickly forgot her grief and comported herself.

Were people laughing at her show of deep bereavement, knowing of the little boy’s presence and probably her mothers? Or do they fee’ sorry for her? Talk about the wife being the last to know! But did that make her departed husband any less the wonderful husband and father she remembered him to be?

“That’s hardly the point, is it?” She said heatedly a few days after the funeral. “He succeeded in deceiving me over the years. Things like

this happen all of the time for; heaven’s sake. Everyone has their skeletons rattling in the cupboard and I would have preferred my late husband to tell me about the existence of a child rather than find out in this cruel way. I mean you can imagine how desperate the

boy’s mother would have been for lliin’apay his last respe,hgct to his father.

“She’d carefully dressed him up in his best suit and the boy had obviously been schooled not to utter a word.

He just stared. I will never forget that scene as long as I live. It is sad that we were married for so long without my husband trusting me enough to tell me of the existence of a wife with whom he had a child who was as precious to him as my children.” Wouldn’t it have saved a lot of people unnecessary heartaches if Buki’s husband had come clean about his other child before he died? And poor Buki’s daughter was so afraid

to tell her mum about her half-brother for fear of what? Some years back, I was with a relation when she had this male visitor who looked a bit apologetic when he was ushered in.

He’d obviously discussed money matters with her as

her half-brother was born. “My dad never acknowledge him publicly for fear mum would leave him,” she said. “As a matter of fact, it was the lad who came to introduce himself to me when begot admission into a polytechnic and his mother couldn’t afford the fees. He was

she presented him with a fat envelope. His gratitude was touching, refusing the offered refreshments, he bolted out of the door.

“That was my half-brother” Wemi, my relative told me, “but my mum knows nothing about him,and I will be the last person to tell her:’

a spitting image of my dad too and I promised to see him through his higher education.

Since then, he’d always been there for me whenever I want anything done —unlike my fun siblings.

“When I asked dad about him, he looked a bit frightened. He pleaded I shouldn’t tell my mum but when I told him that I’d already agreed to seethe poor lad through school, he was so pathetically grateful that I felt sorry for him. Why was he hiding the child? What about the poor boy’s mother? I later learnt she hadn’t married wel1 and her three other children weren’t better off than my halfbrother. A little financial help from dad from time to time

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pparently, Wemi’s mum is the type who has a tight control over her husband. He’d promised her when they got married that he would never take a second wife. But did that mean he would never have children by other women?

Wemi was just 15 when

would have made a lot of difference. The thing is dad bad been in trouble with the law once and it was mum’s family that bailed him out.

But that doesn’t mean he has to be grateful to her for the rest of his life.”

Wemi’s dad finally kicked the bucket early this year and the truth was out when the obituary came out with the man’s name as the third child. He’s done well at school and has a very good businesses selling cell phones and SIM cards to various outlets all over the place.”Mum pretended to be shocked at first,” Wemi said.

“But I had this feeling she knew all along about this man (you can hardly can him a boy now!). He formally met mum before the funeral but came the day of the funeral reception, his table was impressive. It was with pride that I poached choice wine and food from his wife who showed me more respect than my siblings and their partners!

I was proud of the difference I made in his life.

“I wish dad were alive to see how well turned out his secret son had been. He knew he was doing well, but he would never guess it was well enough to almost outshine his other ‘legitimate’ children.

Nobody gives a damn these days how you have your child or with whom as long as that child is not delinquent!”

Thankfully, as far as the law goes now, there’s no ‘illegitimate’ child as long as such child is acknowledged by its dad. This will surely bring some sanity to inheritance law and the right of the ‘other’ child.

Could the cure for that impotence be as simple as this?

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who referred me to a clinic dealing wnh psychosexual problems. After a few questions, the therapist at the clinic told me: ‘I think your testosterone level may be low. That would be an explanation for your lack of energy and poor sex drive. ‘ “Blood tests were then taken. The results, which came a month later, confirmed I had a hormone

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ome 15 years into their marriage, Sina discovered he’d lost all interest in love-making.

“At first I thought it wouldbe temporary”, he confessed, “but when my wife threatened to leave after years of being sexually frustrated, I decided to do something about it. So the next time I travelled, I complained to my doctor

The results, which came a month later, confirmed I had a hormone imbalance

imbalance. A normal testosterone level is around 20. Mine was nine.

“I was relieved when he assured me my problem was treatable. I was then

,

given a hormone gel to rub between my shoulders. It’s absorbed through the skin and within two weeks of smearing it in, I was like a floppy toy with new batteries

- I came to life with renewed zip and vigour.

“I was virtually unstoppable - and I’m still going strong after two yearsf” Which buttress the point I’ve always made that no one should be afraid to seek medical help no matter how trivial they think their ailment is.

20—SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29 29, 2012 abina broke up with a man who battered and de-humanised her for three years. In the process, she lost a pregnacy and had her beau locked by the police who later advised her to call it quits with him. It took Sabina over a year to recover from that relationship and that was when she met a new guy in her place of work. They dated for seven months and the guy started cheating on her with another girl in the same office. Sabina felt so embarrassed and couldn’t bear the humiliation. She decided to invest her time in her career and forget about relationships and her commitment to duty earned her several promotions. She was alone and successful until a lady who also worked in the same office invited her to a birthday party and she accepted the invitation. Her female colleague hooked her up with her male cousin who just returned from Canada and they ended up spending the night together at Sabina's place. One thing led to another and they had sex.

Within few weeks, Sabina noticed she missed her period but the guy she spent the night with was gone. She confided in her female collegue through whom she met the guy but learnt he is happily married and had gone back to join his family getting what you need and in Canada.

Sabina ended up as a single desire from the people you parent and although the father choose to date? Does there of her child eventually got to always seem to be something know about the child he fatherd missing? If you answered yes during his brief visit to Nigeria, to one or all of those he didn’t give a damn and ever questions, you could very since, Sabina decided to stay off well be addicted to disappointing and bad relationships for good.

Do you often find that you relationships, setting yourself involve yourself in relationships up for failure without even that disappoint you? Are you not knowing it. There are ways

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Are you an addict to bad relationships? you can determine whether you are addicted or not, and ways you can break the addiction and start getting what you have always wanted from a relationship.

It is important to talk about the dangers of staying in a bad relationship. Since bad relationships lack what one or both partners’ need, stress becomes a regular part of your

life, as well a gradual lowering of your selfesteem, which will make you unable to focus on your career and personal life with the concentration and care needed, in order for you to be happy. The constant stress will produce chemical changes in your body that drain your energy and make you more eligible for physical illnesses. Physical abuse in a relationship is obvious to cause a lot of physical harm, along with great psychological damage, but in spite of these facts, many people still choose to proceed with such relationships, finding themselves trapped and incapable of leaving.

They find themselves depressed, on a search for some relief and unfortunately becoming depressed and possibly turning to drugs and alcohol.

So are you addicted and how do you know? Ignoring the truth would be one. If you truly know that the relationship you are in is making you unhappy but make no effort to exit from it, then you are in denial and are holding yourself hostage in a situation you do not have to be in. Making excuses for your partner’s disappointing and bad behaviour will keep you trapped and is another huge symptom of bad relationship addiction, especially if the excuses you produce do not back up the facts and are unrealistic. If you do finally build up the courage to confront your partner to leave him or her but are overcome with fear and therefore back off from the confrontation, you are a

high and sure victim of addiction because no matter what you attempt, you find yourself always giving in and holding on to what you know is bad for you. Suffering from both physical and mental discomfort once broken up, unless you get back together, is yet another symptom of addiction and should not be denied or ignored.

One common reason for bad relationship addiction is the feeling and belief that if you end the relationship, you will never find anyone else who could possibly be interested in you or love you. You grow so attached to your partner that you forgot your life before him or her, making you feel fearful of being on your own and taking care of yourself. Fear of criticism is another reason many people remain in bad relationships. They are afraid of what people will say, believing that ending a relationship means that they are a failure and being alone is unacceptable and terrifying.

Other reasons may be financial support that you are receiving from a partner, making you feel that you should tolerate bad behaviour from your lover, since they are supporting you.

Having a child together can also blind you or cause you to deny a bad relationship, making you feel guilty for leaving your child’s mother or father. On a deeper level, you could be addicted to disappointing and bad relationships due to your upbringing or experiences as a child yourself. Perhaps you were not nurtured or loved enough and you now think it is normal to be neglected from love, care and understanding.

Why did she break up with me?

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’m a 30 year-old man. I don’t know what I did wrong. My girlfriend of one and a half years broke up with me out of the blues. We never fought or argued. I asked her why and she said “I don’t know.”

I asked her what did I do wrong and she said “nothing.” She was my first ever girlfriend and I was planning to ask her to marry me. I don’t understand what I did wrong. There has to be a reason. Why won’t she tell me?

Segun, Akure Ans: Breaking up is hard to do, especially

when you are the one left wondering what went wrong. This must be a tough time for you, especially considering that you were planning on proposing. It can appear challenging to start over when you thought you had your life all squared away. But start over you must! Have faith and believe in yourself , it will become easier with time.

What really matters is that you realize you did nothing wrong and that you couldn’t have prevented the break up. In order to heal, it may help to have a sense of closure. Why it ended needs to be clear to you; otherwise, you may have doubts about the relationship and yourself for a long time. Do you feel comfortable letting

your ex-girlfriend know that an explanation, or one reason, for breaking up with you will help you to go on with your life? Even if it has nothing to do with you, you deserve to know at least part of the reason why.

It is possible that she may not even know why she broke up with you?

Have you considered the possibility that your ex-girlfriend may not be willing to speak to you? Perhaps she needs some personal space and time to reflect on her needs and desires.

While unpleasant to think about, it is always good to have a back-up plan in case she won’t give you an answer.

Your family and friends may help you to reaffirm your self-confidence and move forward in life and new fulfilling relationships.

Although you need to grieve for this loss, make sure that it doesn’t consume you. You may want to participate in activities that you enjoy to keep your mind off your lost love or perhaps introduce you to new and exciting people. Perhaps you can talk with friends and family about how you feel. For many knowing that people in your life love, support, and care about you can be comforting.

*Destiny, 32, handsome, graduate and gainfully needs an educated, employed lady of 2 5employed, desires a lovely giirl of 18-31 for a 43 for marriage on 08076355362 serious relationship that will lead to marriage on •Ayomide, 50, an engineer , based in that will lead to marriage on 07067504523 08089353066 Lagos, wants a lady aged 35-45 from the •Ayinde, male, 44, Christian, educated, employed , Yoruba, *Idemu, 49, widower, with two children, needs a South West for christian born again lady of 37 years and marriage on above who is gainfully employed or into Do you have reactions to our stories or have you any experience you want 08154677743 business and must be resident in Delta to share with our readers? Please e-mail,anyagafu2@gmail.com •Taofik Ajibola, state on 07034362180 31, lives and works •Race, 34, fair, single, from Imo State , Do you want to be linked? in Lagos, wants a Neither Chioma Gabriel nor Saturday Vanguard has any relationship with anybody wanting to be based in Lagos, desires a working class lady of 23-26 years linked. We have no agents anywhere and charge no fees. We have no personal information of people for a serious woman on 08162782661 who have been linked or want to be linked and therefore, are not answerable for disappointments or •Efosa, 30, from Edo, needs a reliable relationship on embarrassments some people may encounter in the process. lady of 23-26 for a serious relationship 08052355875 C M Y K

SATURDAY

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012—21

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his does not however ring true at the moment; the chances of us as a nation surviving the odds this time around is greatly reduced. Our unity is threatened, and in question with the dreaded sect unleashing mayhem, having done away with countless lives and property; kidnappers, armed robbers and rapists are having a field day, and the punishments meted out are not commensurate with the crimes committed. Despite the natural

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info@katehenshaw.com

Reminiscing at 52 resources we are blessed with, we are yet to adorn the apparel befitting of our status. We dress in rags while our gold lies buried beneathourfeet.

I have come to the conclusion that there is so much money in this country, and daily it is frittered away.

The rich get richer and the poor die.

Everyday, one reads about our so

implicated in the Haliburton case who has faced prosecution in his country while his counterparts here in Nigeria roam free living the life; a former governor of a northern state who jumped bail in the Uk as reported by the BBC but is a sitting senator in this present administration or the Farouk Lawan and Femi Otedola bribery

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nother independence day is here. Nigeria is 52 years old. So far,can we say truthfully that we are happy where we are? I think not.

October 1, 2012, will just be another holiday for most people who are at a loss at the way forward. It will be full of broadcasts, congratulatory messages in the newspapers( the purpose of which, leaves me speechless), more promises for a brighter tomorrow, literally, seeing that PHCN has been unbundled by the bids won for five power plants.

Will there come a day we will no longer hear the head-pounding sounds of generators in our nation? I dare not hold my breath.

How many of us still remember the song that was released when we turned 25years old as a nation? It goes this way” Nigeria is 25, the odds we did survive, arise salute the nation, come join the celebration,a people united can never fall, the sun will shine and the rain will fall, on our land, vast and mighty, richly blessed by the Almighty...”.

We are slowly descending down a tunnel at the end of which there is no light

called present or past public officials who are facing various counts of corruption charges but the monies are never recovered from them and put to good use.

Indeed, we do pay lip service to the much touted fight against corruption.

Take for instance, the foreigner

debacle. Has the money been recovered? Has anyone been prosecuted? What about this much touted video evidence that apparently brought Lawan down from his committee? Anyone seen it?

Always the questions are numerous and the answers we seek, few and far-

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s long as we have officials, leaders in various tiers of government who they or their wards can travel out of this country to seek treatment or education, ours will NEVER be developed. Charity begins at home,and if we don’t take ourselves seriously and turn this nation around for good, no one will. Hopefully it will not take another 52 years, We Pray O L o r d .

The Headstand

he headstand, one of the most potent postures, is often referred to as the “King of the Asanas” because of its manifold mental and physical benefits. Many rightly see it as a panacea for all human ailments. If you have only a short time for practice, and want to maximize the benefits, do the Headstand.

In this inverted position, at least 90 per cent of the body

weight should rest on the elbow. Hardly any pressure should be taken by the head or , neck.

Technique: To perform the head-stand, sirshasana in sanskirt, get on your knees, interlacing the fingers, place the hands on the floor in front of you. Lean forward and place the head on the floor and supporting its back with the interlaced fingers. With the help of the feet raise the hips up in the air. Now, raise the feet and bend the knees until stillness is obtained standing ( on the head). Straighten the legs rather slowly until the whole body is in a straight vertical line.

Benefits: Gives the heart a well deserved rest, as gravity helps to return venous blood to the heart.

Regular practice helps to Yoga Classes @ 32 Adetokumbo Ademola, Victoria Island Lagos. 9.00am — 10.00am on Satufdays

C M Y K

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fetched. .

We are slowly descending down a tunnel at the end of which there is no light. Our morals are out the door, our sense of responsibility as citizens of this nation is nothing to write home about.We drive with reckless abandon, we have no maintenance culture,we do not obey laws because even the law makers have compromised their positions of authority; our humanity and sense of pride is in question. Who is to blame?

Who do I point the accusing finger at— you reading and me, the writer?

Everyone who has sat back and done nothing when this rot slowly crept on us,everyone who has looked the other way while injustice was done, everyone who has looked out for his or her own personal gain rather than the greater good of all, everyone who has maintained a lukewarm attitude to the steady deterioration of our hospitals, schools, roads, security and social welfare.

strengthen the respiratory system and the circulation, keeping them flexible and slowing down the rate of breathing and the heartbeat when at rest.’’

The body is generally enhanced by the deep breathing and the brain, spine, and entire nervous receive a rich supply of nutrients. This refreshes and rejuvenates the entire body.

22—SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 have a surprise for you, gentlemen: your wife probably doesn’t know how important intimacy is to you.

Now sure, she knows that it’s important. She knows that you (very likely) want more of it than she does. She knows that you sometimes take an attitude when she is less than forthcoming. She also knows that she can use intimacy as a weapon, denying what she feels is a physical desire of yours.

But she probably doesn’t Like women, men want affecknow that it is an emotional tion from their mate. Affection need.

This topic is so crucial to is equally important to memmen that it needs the most ex- bers of both genders. But your posure possible. Guys, wom- husband or significant other might not be a cuddler. If he en just don’t understand!

But you should know that doesn’t seem interested in women are so mysterious. snuggling up on the chair to There are so many things watch movies with you, it is about women that you just because his need for affection don’t “get” that it might be simply isn’t met in the same shocking to you that women way that yours is: His need for don’t understand you much affection is met through... You better than you understand guessed it! Sex. them! But it is very, very true What he hears that each gender sees the world very differently, and if when you say you we’re going to be able to truly have a headache communicate, we’re going to “I have a headache” has beneed to “get on the same come a common joke. Women page.”

Sex isn’t all about physical pleasure for a man.

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Why sex is important to men are exhausted at the end of a day of taking care of household chores and children and don’t feel that they can fit sex into their night.

They might be angry with something that their significant other did during the day (or week, or month) and feel that denying him sex is appropriate revenge for his insensitivity to their needs. Or they might genuinely have a headache.

But when you tell your husband that you don’t want to have sex... Or if you make up an excuse not to have intimacy with him, he hears your rejection, and he might become

resentful. He hears you say that you don’t want him, that he isn’t good enough, not big enough, not fit enough. Men are insecure creatures.

It’s not a weapon, girls!

Sex is a genuine, emotional need for your husband or significant other. Please, please do not use this gift as a way to manipulate him or to punish him for some perceived flaw.

The key is to forgive him and to give him the respect that he needs as a man. Claiming to have a headache or to be too exhausted to meet his needs is humiliating to him and makes him feel like less of a

It isn’t physical, ladies!

Sure, men like intimacy.

Most men love sex, even. It is a physical pleasure that is incomparable, really. But the physical element of intimacy is a desire, not a need to be met. Men can live their entire lives without the physical pleasure of intimacy.

What is more important to your husband or significant other is the emotional need that intimacy meets.

I understand you, ladies!

You don’t necessarily think that men are emotional creatures! They don’t usually cry like women do, and they don’t talk it out. They don’t discuss their emotions . But that doesn’t mean that they are not equally emotional creatures.

man. It undermines his selfesteem and can make him feel incredibly unappreciated.

Appreciation is very important to a man!

Your husband probably feels that sex is invigorating and energizing. After a long day at work, he probably wants to relax with you: and this is his way of relaxing.

The modern woman is asking herself (and me) “what does it do for me?” I get you, and I get your point. We tend to be a very self-motivated society. Let’s address that issue!What does “Giving in” Get Me, the Woman?

First things first, you shouldn’t be thinking about sex as “giving in” to his desires. When you married your husband, you promised to love him until death. We are meant to sacrifice for our spouse and for our children. Sometimes, sex might be a sacrifice. Some nights, you might just feel too tired to engage in sexual activity. And it’s okay to say no.

Once in a very great while.

But meeting your husband’s emotional need for sex can reap great rewards for you, as well! When you give of yourself to your man, you open a part of him that you might not have seen previously. You help him to feel refreshed and appreciated. You make him feel desired and desirable. You fulfill him in a way that we as women cannot begin to imagine.

Things start to happen. He becomes more apt to ask you how your day has been, or to offer to cook dinner. He becomes more inclined to romance you a bit more (in your way, rather than his, which is unsurprisingly probably sexual). You might stop having to ask four or five times for him to take out the trash (he might do it on the first request now!).

Great things happen when you begin to meet your husband’s needs. Bearing in mind that your husband has an emotional need for sex, this area of your relationship should not be neglected.

Ask the Sexpert

I can’t orgasm, is it all in my head?

I am a man in her middle 20s. I orgasm fairly easily during masturbation and oral sex, but I’ve never been able to climax during penetration. Is this a physical thing or a mental thing?

Temi, Lagos Ans: First, realize that you’re not alone. A lot of men who can orgasm in other ways have difficulty reaching orgasm during penetrative sex.

For a woman, she needs the right type of stimulation of her clitoral region to reach full orgasm. It can also be a mental thing, though, where a man or a woman simply finds it hard to “let go” during full penetrative sex.

And, of course, it can be a combination of both.

Think through these possibilities and how they apply to you. Perhaps your partner gives you exactly the right friction and pressure you need C M Y K

during oral sex to make you climax, and when you masturbate, you also know how to bring yourself to orgasm. Take this knowledge into penetrative sex. It may be that you need to slightly alter a position, or try completely new positions.

Or it may mean you want to introduce your or his hand to your clitoral region while you’re having penetrative sex.

With this added manual stimulation, you may reach climax. Just be sure to let your partner know you want to sexperiment!

How can I get my husband to be wilder in bed?

I have been married for over five years but I am not enjoying intimacy with my husband. He is a pastor in a Pentecostal church and he is too conservative in his everyday life and in bed. How can I get him to let loose for hotter intimacy?

I really miss good sex and I don’t want to cheat on my husband. What do I do?

Mary, Lagos Ans: Usually, we think men are the ones who are always trying to encourage their women to be a bit more adventurous. But just as often, it’s women who want to cut loose and are worried about upsetting their husband.

The best place to start? Ask yourself why you think he’s conservative and shy in bed. Is it simply low sexual confidence? Or maybe a lack of sexual experience before meeting you? Is it something more complex, like he got burned in a past relationship and that makes him feel he can’t let go fully? Sometimes, understanding why a person is shy and conservative in bed helps to change things for the better.

The next tip is to always heap loads of praise on a shy partner when he even starts something new or a little differ-

ent. The more praise he gets, the more he’ll think to himself, Ooh, this feels good! I’m being told how amazing I am!

So if he begins to touch you in a new place or slightly alter his position, tell him how good it feels! Next, you can invest in a sex guide and tell him you’d love him to highlight something he might want to try.

Am I allergic to sperm?

Whenever I give my husband oral sex and there is semen on his manhood, the back of my mouth feels like it is going numb and my throat feels like it is closing up on me. Could I possibly be allergic to him?

Anonymous Ans: Do you use any lubricants that might get on his manhood, perhaps during foreplay? That could be the cause of an allergic reaction. Or it could be something as simple as performance anxiety: We can get panic-type symptoms when

we’re not sure about what we’re doing.

Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29,,2012—23

By Anozie Egole 07088551416 egole.anozie@yahoo.com

Wizkid, manager part ways T

he young Nigerian artiste, Wizkid has closed down five years contract with, Osagie Osarenkhoe. The incident, happened in June but was shielded from the media so as not to be

blown out of proportion.

Osagie works with M.et.al management outfit. She has been the person handling business matters relating to Wizkid. Reason for their break-up is still not known, but we gathered

that it might bother around clash of interest between Wizkid and Osagie. Moreover, we also gathered that Osagie still has good working relationship with Skales and other EME artistes.

Wizkid

Osarenkhoe

Zaaki Azzay cools off in Paris amidst marriage woes

Aki on vacation with wife in America

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ollywood actor, C h i n e d u I k e d i e z e popularly known as Aki is at the moment holidaying away with his beautiful wife,Nneoma in the United States.

The actor travelled to ‘God’s own country’ with his wife in order to relax and spend ample time with his better half. We learn t that the lovebirds are due to return to the country very soon. Aki is one of the popular actors

Dr Czar unveils entertainment firm ... goes into boutique businesss

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deshina Sampson, a.k.a Dr Czar, CEO of Ceazeron entertainment industry recently unveiled his entertainment outfit to enable him expand more on his music.

The firm which is made up of six people has decided to take another bold step by venturing into boutique in order to make a difference.

Speaking to newsmen recently, he said that the Ceazaren entertainment is into music, rapping entertainment and they

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aaki Azzay ’s marital problems has been made a public issue for some weeks now when his wife , Hadiza alleged

that Zaaki domestically assaulted her. She was reported to have sought help in an NGO named Project Alert, which

in Nollywood. His marriage in 2011 generated speculations that his friend, Pawpaw was also under pressure to walk down the aisle just like he (Aki) did.

fights against such issues.

A source close to the singer said that Zaaki was in Paris for a show he was invited to and is back in Nigeria, but not in Lagos at the moment.

Another source divulged to us in confidence that the Benue State-born musician also travelled to France in order to cool off from the marriage saga.

Zaaki Azzay

AY’s Crib, coming out on DVD

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will soon go into television. The Ondo born hip-hop artiste, who is also, a final year student of Igbinedion University said that though music runs in his veins, he started music officially in the year 2004 when he released his first album.

He also said he has the intention of expanding and fighting piracy with the help of the technologies on ground, like the internet among other things.

AY

opular standu p

c o m e d i a n , Ayo M a k u n , a . k . a AY during the week screened his new sitcom, AY’s Crib to a selected journalists at Silverbird Cinemas, Vi c t o r i a I s l a n d , Lagos.

The new TV comic series is a 30-minute parody of urban realities and contemporary issues projected through the personal

experiences of the comedian himself.

Speaking at the event, AY urged Nigerians to watch out and see the wonderful talents that featured in the sitcom.

According to him “ We a r e w o r k i n g towards producing the second episode which will be coming out around November.”

The sitcom which is created, codirected and

p r o d u c e d b y AY himself featured five cast including Mercy Johnson. “ Crib is a situational comedy aimed at passing some information to the public and this first episode is all about the removal of fuel subsidy. Each season comes up with 13 episodes. He said that the cast were selected based on audition and that the crib will soon be in CDs and DVDs .

24— SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Dakore Egbuson-Akande reappears in Journey to Self

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EAUTIFUL actress, Dakore Egbuson Akande, who took a break from acting after her wedding to Olumide, son of billionaire businessman, Harry Akande last year, has made a stunning comeback to her first love-acting.

Dakore was part of the cast of a new gender inspired movie, “Journey to Self ”, produced by actress Ashionye Michelle Raccah. She acted alongside Nse Ikpe Etim, Catherine Edoho, Kalu Ikeagwu, Femi Jacobs and others.

Though she has not featured in movies in recent times, Dakore played the role of Alex in the movie which also featured Carol King, with cameo appearances by Kalu Ikeagwu, Femi Brainard, Femi Jacobs and Chris Attoh.

At a press preview of the movie, which held at Eko hotel, Victoria Island, during the week, Dakore was unavoidably absent. But the producer informed that the actress travelled out of the country, adding that while the shooting of the movie lasted she gave a good account of herself.

Directed by Tope Oshin-Ogun, “Journey to Self ”, due to hit the big screen next month is an intense story of friendship, sacrifice, empowerment and self-respect. The movie explores some of the social issues confronting women on daily basis.

Ashionye, describing the flick as ‘an intense, dialogue-based movie where the viewer is sure to embark on the same

emotional journey as the characters”, said as a proponent of women’s rights and empowerment in the past, she decided to produce this movie as a way of giving the womenfolk a voice. “It was natural therefore, as I set my mind to writing scripts, that one of the first I wrote would deal with some of the issues women face in their relationships both with men and their fellow women.

Alley Kat Media looks forward to partnering with Fressia Entertainment in future.” he added.

The storyline of the movie is as emotional as it is thrilling. Four childhood friends, Regina, Nse, Rume and Alex, receive news that another long time friend of theirs, Uche, has died.”

Uche was the magnet that pulled her friends together and over the years had become their shoulder to lean on, so much so that she never felt she could tell them about her own problems.

As part of her last request, the ladies travel to Uche’s home in Abuja for her funeral.

The four ladies, on arriving at Uche’s house, find out that she has left a series of letters in which she speaks to them N from the grave. The letters provoke her friends to open up on emotional baggage, as secrets and fears are revealed, leading to a journey of self discovery.

For Regina, Nse, Rume and Alex, the weekend they spend in Uche’s house becomes an emotional roller coaster as individual characters are tested.

•Angela

AfricaMagic unveils viewers’ Choice awards

•Stephanie, Geneveive & Biola Alabi at unveiling event in Lagos

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ast weekend, MultiChoice Africa record ed another milestone when its popular channel, AfricaMagic instituted an award called AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards.

The exciting announcement was made during a special episode of the AfricaMagic magazine show Jara, which is screened to DStv audiences in 47 countries across the continent.

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Created to celebrate African film and television talent, both in front of and behind cameras, the Awards will feature several special categories in which viewers will decide the winners directly, alongside several professionally judged categories.

In total, 28 awards in 26 categories will be awarded ranging from acting and directing

to script-writing and cinematography. Other fields which will be honored include editing, make-up, sound, lighting and costuming among others.

In addition, the awards will feature two categories designed to become annual talking points – the Industry Merit Award and the TrailBlazer of the Year Award.

Awards will be handed out at two separate events to be held in March 2013 in Lagos – the first event will be dedicated to standout technical accomplishments while the main event will be a glittering, glamourous gala night. Both events will be screened to DStv audiences across the continent with the gala being screened live.

In order to ensure that the awards are transparent, fair and credible, AfricaMagic has recruited leading and respected industry veteran Femi Odugbemi to take on the role of executive judge and has confirmed that all the awards will be verified by an independent auditing company to be appointed shortly.

Commenting on the Awards, M-Net Africa Managing Director Biola Alabi is confident that this is an opportunity to build a pan-African event that is both relevant to industry professionals and vastly entertaining to fans.

“It has been part of our plans to create a specific event that honors, celebrates and recognizes those people who are giving so much of their talent and creativity to ensuring the popularity and evolution of African film and TV. And to do this in partnership with MultiChoice, illustrates the level to which both companies value this industry and are willing to invest in its future.”

“Following the successful launch earlier this year of an expanded line-up of AfricaMagic channels, we are now totally focused on these Awards. We are aiming to create a platform that showcases and supports the film and television community, while simultaneously entertainingand engaging viewers.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012—25

FIGHT TO FINISH

Emeka Ike disrupts AGN election again *arrests Emma Ogugua Benefits of Nigeria’s

membership of FIAPF to Nollywood (3)

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OLLYWOOD actor, Emeka Ike who has vowed to sanitise the collapsed Actors Guild of Ni geria (AGN) on Thursday waded the big stick again as he disrupted the Guild's election held in Lagos.

It would be recalled that Emeka Ike was also at the centre of the crisis that ruined the election of the guild in Benin, some five months ago.

The actor stormed the venue where the election was being held to arrest the vice-chairman of the BOT of the Guild, Mr. Emma Ogugua with some policemen. “Emma was whisked away to Zone 2 headquarters of the police force where he met with the AIG in charge of the zone. He was accompanied by Steve Eboh, who is contesting in the election as President.

Speaking with HVP over the telephone, Emeka Ike said: 'I stormed the venue to arrest Emma Agugua because he was conducting an illegal election. I have a case in court against the leadership of the Guild, until the matter is determined, nobody has the right to conduct any election under the law.” “Emma, according to our source, later came back to the secretariat some minutes past 5pm. It was not clear whether the election continued or not.

However, HVP gathered that at the Lagos venue of the election, which went on simultaneously in all the state chapters across the federation, top Nollywood stars like Omotola Ekeinde Jalade, Genevieve Nnaji, Rita Dominic, Jim Iyke, and others were missing.

Emeka Rollas, Steve Eboh and Feberisima Ibinabo are contesting for the position of President.

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ere is the concluding part of my essay on the benefits of Nigeria’s membership of the International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations (FIAPF) through the platform of the very dynamic Association of Nollywood Core Producers (ANCOP). Enjoy it.

•Emeka Ike

…A stable commercial and regulatory environment should ensure the production, financing and distribution of films: Legislation must ensure the most favorable environment to guarantee meeting consumers’ demand for creative content, both in the offline and online world. Indeed the commercial viability of film distribution services online fully depends on the consumers’ demand and on building effective commercial mechanisms that allow the

Karen Ogho takes a chance at acting B

•karen Ogho

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ig Brother Africa co-winner, Karen Igho’s love for the tube has never been a hidden affair, she surprised many when she first hit limelight in the Sola Fajobi produced reality show, Next Movie Star.

Her acting prowess was handy in the Big Brother Africa house where she outshone 24 other contestants to win the highly coveted USD 200, 000.

Now the 2011 BBA amplified winner wants to take her acting career to the next level as she plans to take the movie industry by storm.

Already having two movies in her kitty, ‘Blackberry Babes 2” and “Heavy Beauty”, which have helped prove her acting prowess, Karen Igho is presently working on a movie that will further help establish her mark in the industry. The movie, which might hit the stand in the first quarter of next year has notable actors as casts and respected crew members on set.

However, Karen does not have hand in just a pie, the vivacious entertainer is also a proud supporter of charity works.

Her range of charity works involve her helping children living with Cancer, Breast Cancer prevention initiatives, HIV intervention and Orphanage projects. Karen is also an ambassador for Peace as she was heavily involved in the "Jos want Peace campaign.

Presently working on her clothing line, Karen is a soughtafter compere who shuttles her time between Lagos, Ghana, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

producer to recoup the investment in the film as well as continue to produce films.

Not only that, Governments and the organized private sector should work with local film communities in educating the public and creating a climate in which the role of a producer, the investment necessary to create a film, and the importance of producers’ economic and cultural contributions are clear.

A promoter of international business-driven solutions: By joining FIAPF, Nigerian producers will have an ongoing interaction with important industry bodies set up at the international level for the benefit of the whole film sector, e.g.: (a). AGICOA and ISAN: FIAPF is a founding partner of the Global Producers’ Royalties Agency (AGICOA) and of the International Standard Audiovisual Number Agency (ISAN-IA); FIAPF is a member of the governing bodies of both organizations. (b). FIAPF accredits and regulates international film festivals to ensure that the strictest standards of quality and reliability apply, for the benefit of the film producing community and the film industry at large.

A unique think-thank for producers and opportunities of networking: FIAPF Members meet in General Assembly twice a year – during Berlinale (Germany) and Cannes (France) Film Festivals, offering many opportunities to set up bilateral relations between members. Separate regional meetings are also organized. FIAPF also proposes to its members to be part of Sectorial Working Groups serving as strategic platforms for the film producers’ community. Pivotal issues are discussed there including rights’ management in the digital environment, co-productions and financing, distribution, Labour and working conditions, etc.

26 — Vanguard, SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Grammy award winner, George Benson meets Lagbaja on Lagos stage S

mooth 98.1FM hosts its 3rd Love Music Love Life Luxury Concert on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at the Expo center Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island Lagos, with the legendary George Benson as the headline act and Lagbaja supporting.

George Benson is a Jazz Master and ten time Grammywinning legend. He will be performing greatest hits such as “Give Me the Night”, “Breezin”, “Love X Love” and “Off Broadway ”. Whilst Lagbaja will get you dancing on your feet with songs like “Konko Below”, “Gra Gra”, “Vernacular” and “Prayer For The Youths” George Benson’s career spans five decades and more than 30 recordings as a leader.

Benson first came to prominence playing soul jazz with the likes of Jack McDuff.

Benson then launched a successful solo career, alternating between jazz, pop, R&B singing, and scat singing. By the mid to late 1970s, Benson began to put his vocal on tracks such as “This Masquerade” and “On Broadway”, which both won him Grammy Awards. With his triple-platinum album, ‘Breezin’ topped the Billboard 200 in 1976.

Benson’s breakthrough pop album “Give Me The Night” made it into the pop and R&B top ten with the song “Give Me the Night” (produced by Quincy Jones and written by former Heatwave keyboardist Rod Temperton) having previously been almost unknown to the younger audience.

Benson accumulated three other platinum LPs and two gold albums. He also recorded the original version of “Greatest Love of All” for the 1977 Muhammad Ali bio-pic, The Greatest, which was later recorded as a cover by Whitney Houston. In 2009, Benson finished recording a new album titled “Songs and Stories”, with Marcus Miller, producer John Burk, and session musicians David Paich and Steve Lukather.

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is newest album Guitar

Man is a 12-song collection that includes a mix of jazz and pop standards – some in a combo setting and some solo, but all of them tied together seamlessly by Benson’s soulful and exploratory signature sound. A solid team made up of veterans and newcomers alike – pianist Joe Sample, C M Y K

George Benson

Lagbaja

keyboardist and musical director David Garfield, bassist Ben Williams and drummer Harvey Mason, featured on this album. Benson has used his jazz roots as the foundation for an engaging mix of pop, R&B and other shades that add up to a style that appeals to a broad mainstream audience.

Lágbájá, who’s name in Yoruba means somebody, nobody, anybody or everybody uses his mask as an icon of man’s facelessness. The mask is meant to depicts the anonymity of the so called “common man” and symbolize the faceless and voiceless in society, particularly in Africa.

Once you see Lágbájá’s mask

you are reminded of your own facelessness.

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is first album titled Lágbájá was released to National acclaim in 1993.

Over the years and more albums later, his music continues to fascinate with its unique focus on a core of traditional African drums with traditional

Yoruba drums being the most prominent. Lagbaja’s music is a product of various influences ranging from traditional Yoruba music to Jazz. Many of his songs dwell on serious social issues, while others simply entertain. Some are danceinducing while others pass serious messages in humorous ways. Lágbájá’s groovy fusion has been referred to as afrojazz, afrobeat, higherlife and afropop until now. As he himself has now christened his music AFRICANO. Lágbájá is fast emerging in the forefront of contemporary African music, rich in the traditions of the continent while cosmopolitan in attitude. Taking his music beyond the shores of Nigeria by performing in various festivals and venues around the world.

Smooth 98.1FM came on to the airwaves in 2009, launching its Annual Love Music Love Life Luxury Concert series in 2010 with performances by renowned artists, Angie Stone, Gerald Albright and Richard Bona featuring Mike Stern complimented by Tiwa Savage, BEZ and Pure & Simple. In 2011 we featured Asa, Pamela “the Saxtress” Williams and Jimmy Dludlu.

This year, audiences will gather once again to enjoy a once in a lifetime performance from the 10 time Grammy Award winning jazz guitarist George Benson, as he and his acclaimed band grace the stage at the Eko Hotel and Suites for the first time ever in Nigeria. And needless to say, we are excited to welcome him to our wonderful country and introduce him to the everincreasing Smooth 98.1FM audience.

Tr ybe Records Act, K9 set to release debut single “Kokoma”

BY OPEOLUWANI OGUNJIMI

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ne of Nigeria’s leading record la bels, Trybe Records has announced that it will be releasing the debut single of one of the fresh acts on the label known as K9.

K9 was discovered in the 2011Trybe Records hosted music talent search tagged ‘Top talent’. The winners, Sojay and K9 were both signed to the record label and have since featured on eLDee’s album, Undeniable. They have both made cameo appearances in eLDee’s music videos for the songs Higher and Today Today. They have also had the privilege of a very rigorous talent development boot camp since they were signed up.

The CEO of Trybe Records, Lanre

Dabiri popularly known as eLDee during a recent interview said “we are not interested in developing artistes that are half-baked, we are here to create superstars, and that is why we are yet to release any music from our new artistes.” But now, the music mogul, eLDee believes it is time to unleash K9 unto the music scene.

K9’s first official single will be released in October and promises to be a smash hit. A taste of K9 will however be released on September 20, 2012, where he shows off his musical prowess on a freestyle track titled “kokoma”. The freestyle will be available for free download on the internet and on all mobile devices.

K9

Vanguard, SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 — 27

J Martins’ birthday gift to fans BENJAMIN NJOKU

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opular songwriter and highlife musician, Justice Martins, who is well known as J-Martins will definitely be the toast of many Nigerians today as he unveils his new single,”Kpomo”on a day he is also marking his birthday anniversary.

The award-winning singer, featured many African stars in his new songs.

Speaking to Showtime, ahead of today’s party, which holds at a hangout in GRA, Lagos, the trail blazing producer said he decided to ‘bless’ his fans with a surprise on his birthday.” Also, he wants to use the event to thank God for all He has done for him in the past seven years he debuted as a musician.

According to him, “spending seven years as a performing artistes is something that is worth celebrating. It is not when I have spent between ten and fifteen years that I will roll out the drums to celebrate my achievements. Seven years is a number of perfection and I thought that since my birthday is around the corner, it is ideal for me to release my new sin-

J-Martins

gle to mark my birthday.”

“Also, I decided to release my new single as a way of appreciating my fans who have stayed with me all these years.”

Describing as “tough, hectic and discouraging”the road she has travelled so far as a musician, J Martins said the title of his new song is in line with the philosophy of his music. “You may want to ask why the title Kpomo? If you have been following my music right from when I released my first album, you would notice that in all my songs, I tried to use words that deal with ‘real life’ issues such as ‘which kind life be this’ , ‘Juba Juba’, ‘Oyoyo’, a song I drew the inspiration from legendary Majek Fashek, “Eva’and others.”

“The reason I chose the word ‘Kpomo’ is because it’s not only catchy, but also, it reflects the lyrics of what I have been doing over the years. The musician said the single was conceived in the US while he was on tour.

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Martins who came into limelight with his hit single, ‘Good or Bad’ which featured P-Square and Timaya,

said following the fact that his music has gone beyond the shores of the country, he has a commitment to give his outside fans something that will be acceptable to them.

For J Martins, his journey into the world of music can be likened to writing a book. In his words, “I cannot say I have come of age. Rather, I will liken my journey to a book. After seven years on stage, I have had the introduction, and I’m about to start writing the book.”

Being an easy-going, who hates to sing his glory in the pages of newspapers, J Martins said, each year he celebrates his birthday anniversary, he usually visit homes of the physically challenged children to show love to them.

Meanwhile, there are indications that the new single will hit other African countries the moment it is released into the market.

J-Martins became an international artiste after he dragged Fally Ipupa into his hit singel ‘Jupa’ remix. He didn’t stop there as he went further to feature a singer from Angola, Cabo Snoop in one of his songs, which became a hit across Africa.

27yr tr o, Lexy Mella dr ops second album 7yrss af aftt er er,, highlif highlifee maes maestr tro, drops

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ne of the surviving highlife music legends from the south-east, Alexander Mella a.k.a Lexy Mella who was known for his infusion of ‘ western style into

bongo music’ in the 80s, has revealed plans to make a comeback into the nation’s music scene after more than two decades of disappearing from the scene.

Johannesbur Johannesburgg brings ent er enter erttainment ttoo Lagos I

BY IYABO AINA

t is bound to be four days of music, art, wine-tasting, fashion and film exposition as two leading African cities, Lagos and Johannesburg engage in a funfare that will strengthen the cultural relationship of Nigeria and South Africa.

The event, billed to hold between October 3 and 6, 2012, at Federal Palace Hotel and the Freedom Park, both on the Lagos island, will see the renowned jazz musicians from the rainbow city sharing the stage with some of Nigeria’s best jazz artistes including US - based Agboola Sadare, Brilint Gain, Imole Afrika and Dapo Dina.

Expected to headline a collection of South African artistes at the new entertainment and lifestyle platform better known as ‘A Tale of ‘ Two African Cities is the Soweto String Quartet.

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This initiative by Inspiro Productions and the South African High Commission in Nigeria is designed to connect both countries in the culture, tourism, lifestyle, business and music realm. It will explore music, art, jazz, fashion, literature, food and wine by creating platforms for exchange which will open up insights into both cultures, their heart beats and dynamism.

Briefing the press ahead of the commencement of the event, the South Africa’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo said, given the negative perceptions about the relationship between Nigeria and South Africa, the embassy decided to throw its weight behind the cultural exchange as way of strengthening the frontiers of relations between the two countries.

The veteran highlife musician says he’s been writing and researching on his music, and will now bless fans with a new body of work, as he prepares to release his latest album some time in November, this year.

The highlife singer, whose protégés included Johnny Eze of blessed memory, Celestine Obiako, Edeiri Nwaeze, Sir Warrior and other departed highlife maestros of Igbo extraction, once dominated the music scene with his brand of classical highlife music. He is making no bones about rekindling the enviable but lost tunes enjoyed by highlife music lovers during the heydays of the 60s and 70s.

Speaking in a chat with WG last week, Lexy Mella said, he disappeared from the music scene for over 27 years to rebrand his music, and perhaps, return with something that will be acceptable to all and sundry.

According to him, “ when I released my first album in 1985, my fans said my music sounded too western. As a result, they named me after Curtis Blow. But now, I want to give them the impression that I can play African music. This time, I want to play something that I will identify with. That’s why it took me so long a time to release another album. Also, I have been writing and re-

searching on my new work.”

Lexy Mella, who was inspired into music by his late father, Wilfred Mella was the first Nigerian musician to experiment on rap music.

His first album, “ Bena” released in 1985, and produced by Nkono Telex, a Cameroonian born music producer ruled the airwaves in the 80s. Following his desire to be different, in addition to having his music cut across

boundaries, Lexy Mella played contemporary bongo music with an unequal passion.

He said, his second album, which will be released later in the year, contains six tracks including “Uzo Mama”, “ Ajolanju” and “Shabala”.

There will also be a rehearsed of the famous track “Bena.” “I want to use the album to relaunch myself into the music scene in Nigeria.”

Lexy Mella

30 — Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

You can't believe it but these players haven't scored yet in the EPL this year T

he English Premier League might only be five weeks old, but already, players are making their presence known in the league with wonderful goals and fan-

tastic finishes.

So far, 77 players have scored goals this year. Some are expected, whilst others a little more unexpected.

It is assumed that the likes

Olivier Giroud, Arsenal

Fabio Borini, Liverpool

Career goals: 78 goals Goals in 2011/12: 26 goals fter making a big move to Arsenal over the summer transfer window, French international Olivier Giroud was expected to bring with him the plethora of goals that he netted throughout his time at Montpellier in Ligue 1 last year.

Yet, as is well known by now, Giroud hasn’t found the back of the net for the Gunners in the Premier League so far this year. He recently scored in their 6-1 victory over Coventry in the Capital One Cup; could that be the spark to ignite Giroud’s goal scoring this year?

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Career goals: 40 goals Goals in 2011/12: 12 goals he Italian international was one of Brendan Rodgers’ big signings over the summer transfer window, and was brought to Liverpool to complement and assist Luis Suarez in the Reds’ attack— and score goals himself.

That second part hasn’t quite yet happened for the 21year-old, who has played significant minutes in all five of Liverpool’s matches so far this year.

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•Oliver Gorpid,

Clint Dempsey, Tottenham Hotspur Career goals: 108 goals Goals in 2011/12: 29 goals espite only making one starting appearance and one appearance off the bench so far this year, few would have predicted that Clint Dempsey would be held scoreless through the first five games of the Premier League season.

Dempsey was arguably the breakout star of the Premier League at Fulham last year, and with better attacking talent around him at his new club, Tottenham Hotspur, surely it won’t be long before the American finds the back of the net for Andre Villas-Boas?

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Antonio Valencia, Manchester United Career goals: 25 goals Goals in 2011/12: 6 goals ntonio Valencia didn’t score a great deal of goals for Manchester United last season, but he was named their best player of the year and did pick up 14 assists during the season, as well as the Goal of the Year for the club against Blackburn Rovers.

And with plenty of starting opportunities and the attacking talent that the Red Devils have on hand, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that Valencia could have scored so far this year.

Only thing is, he hasn’t.

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of Robin van Persie, Carlos Tevez and Demba Ba will find the back of the net time and time again this year, but several big names are yet to get the goal scoring underway

in the English Premier League this season.

Read on to find players you can't believe haven't scored a Premier League goal so far this year.

Mario Balotelli, Manchester City

Career goals: 61 goals Goals in 2011/12: 21 goals he enigmatic Italian Mario Balotelli was provided with an excellent opportunity to showcase his attacking talent when Sergio Aguero went down with injury earlier in the year.

Not only did Super Mario struggle to find the back of the net, he struggled to offer any real attacking presence, and didn’t look close to the form that he displayed for Italy at the recent European Championships.

With Tevez and Aguero both healthy and firing, it could be some time before Balotelli grabs himself a goal in the Premier League this year.

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•Mario Balotelli

GOLF NEWS

Myth About About Langer’s Putt putt at ’91 Ryder Ryder Cup Cup debunked debunked 21 years later

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t’s one of the most famous putts in golf. Bernhard Langer stands over a six-footer on the 18th hole of Kiawah’s Ocean Course at the 1991 Ryder Cup in his Sunday singles match against Hale Irwin. The Cup is in Langer’s hand: if he sinks it, he wins the match and Europe keeps the Cup. Miss, and the Cup goes to the United States.Making the putt even more difficult was that Langer had a child at home with a possibly terminal illness. Or did he?

Langer missed the putt, of course, and the United States won the famous “War by the Shore,” but the story of Langer’s daughter being ill at the 1991 Ryder Cup continued to be told in country club grill rooms and practice ranges for years afterward. However, Michael Bamberger has discovered that the story is completely false.

•Bernhard Langer

Steve Eubanks: Interesting hints on Day 1 of practice English players out together as

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EDINAH, Ill. — Shades of 2008 could be seen everywhere at Medinah on Tuesday as both teams ventured out for their opening practice rounds.

The Europeans did exactly what you would expect: sending the

well as the Northern Irishmen and the Continentals. The pairing of Paul Lawrie and Sergio Garcia was the only surprise, but it made sense.

Lawrie’s low-key personality is the perfect offset to Sergio’s heart-on-his-sleeve passion.

•Steve Eubanks

Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 — 31

Off The Pitch •Kevin Strootman

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t’s not often that fans have the chance to directly affect the future of their club, but that’s exactly what is about to happen in the

Pacific Northwest of the United States.

Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders are set for a big vote in the coming weeks, and it’s one that will determine the fate of a major club official.

Seattle’s experiment in democracy is the big teaser in the World Football Gossip Roundup, but there are also updates on Kevin Strootman, Oscar Cardozo, Roberto Mancini and Jack Wilshere.

Kevin Strootman ready to leave PSV?

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evin Strootman wants to leave PSV Eindhoven during the January transfer window, according to the player ’s agent .

Strootman, 22, is a rising Dutch international midfielder with 11 caps. He joined PSV from Utrecht in 2011.

Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan are thought to be interested in signing Strootman, whose agent said: “Strootman has had a good time in Eindhoven, but he decided that he wants to prove himself in a better league. If an agreement is able to be reached with a potentially interested club, PSV will allow Kevin to leave in January.”

TENNIS NEWS

Juan Martín Del Potro: Why he may unite Federer, Nadal and Djokovic’s fans

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•Juan Martín Del Potro C M Y K

hese days, men’s tennis is divided. It is a division that, surprisingly, is not directly caused by the players. The competitors still stand together on issues that pertain to their best interests.

The rift is in reference to fans. Tennis fans have become separated into fan bases like they rarely have in the past.

For the past six to seven years, dominant fan bases have been built for the two most dominant players of the past decade: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

The two players are outstanding rivals on the tennis courts yet good friends off the courts.

When it comes to each athlete’s fans, it is the complete opposite: Forums and tennis websites all over the Internet have become longstanding debates and battles between the two fan bases.

This fan rivalry has quite possibly increased interest in the sport just as much as the oncourt rivalry and legendary matches between the two have. Nowadays, when talking about tennis, one will see people claiming support for either player as if they were professional sports teams instead of individual athletes.

The tennis world has also seen the rise of Novak Djokovic as arguably the most dominant player in the game in the last two years.

With his rise in prominence, he has acquired his own strong and vocal fan base.

The three followings have boasted their favourite players’ triumphs and mocked each of their opponents upon defeat. Tennis fans are clearly divided into three sects and cannot seem to truly agree on much, except for one single player: Juan Martín Del Potro.

Oscar Cardozo on verge of new Benfica contract

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araguayan for ward Oscar Cardozo is ready to sign a new contract with Benfica, according to reports in Portugal.

The contract would include a 60 million buyout clause.Chelsea and Everton had been linked with the 29-year-old Cardozo, who joined Benfica in 2007 from Newell’s Old Boys.Cardozo has won 42 caps with Paraguay, scoring nine goals.

•Oscar Cardozo

Agent: Arsenal not chasing Iceland striker

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rsenal have not inquired about Icelandic striker Aron Johannsson, according to the player ’s agent.The Gunners had been linked with Johannsson, a 21-year-old forward who scored a fourminute hat trick last month in the Danish Superliga.

Johannsson has scored 10 league goals for AGF Aarhus in 10 matches this season.The player’s agent said: We have heard nothing from Arsenal and at the

moment we are concentrating on extending the deal with AGF. We are in regular contact with AGF and if they deliver an interesting enough proposal, then we would be interested in extending the deal.

Johannsson has represented Iceland nine times at the Under-21 level.

In other Arsenal news, midfielder Jack Wilshere is expected to play for the club's U-21 team at West Brom on Monday.

•Maicon

Maicon: Roberto Mancini has passion

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anchester City defender Maicon has likened manager Roberto Mancini’s passion to that of Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson .

Maicon, 31, joined City at the transfer deadline but previously played under the Italian at Inter Milan. He said: All winning coaches are the

same—if Ferguson has the hairdryer, Roberto has the same passion. All winning managers are the same and they show this passion to the players because they really want to win. Roberto is no different. He’s a winning manager like the other ones so he has the same passion.

32—VANGUARD, SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Enlisting in the army ruined my dream of becoming a doctor — Col. Kingsley Umoh Kingship Umoh is a Colonel in the Nigerian Army. He works with the Directorate of Army Public Relations, Bonny Camp. He was enlisted in the Army in 1988, after he finished from the Nigerian Defence Academy. Umoh passed out in 1993, as a member of the Fourth Regular Course.

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terest in studying Medicine as it had been overwhelmed by the success I recorded in the NDA examination. My understanding was that only the ‘best of the best’ got admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy. That was how I ended up in the NDA as an Army Officer.

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rowing up I hail from Akwa-Ibom State.

Growing up for me was fun. From 1970s through the 80s formed the bulk of my childhood years. I had a comfortable childhood though my parents were not too rich. I would say I grew up in a middle class family. I don’t know how many children in the early 70s, who were privileged to attend private schools. I was among the very few children in those days who attended private schools in Lagos. Incidentally, my parents relocated to Calabar the same year I was admitted into the Federal Government College, Ijaniki. I stayed back to complete my secondary school education.

Between destiny and dream o far so good, I have rise n in the Army to become a full Colonel. There is no reason I should regret the path I have followed in life. Fate usually has a different plan for everybody. And for me, while I was dreaming of becoming either a doctor or a pilot, fate has already destined me to become an Army Officer.

The military has given me a lot of exposure and one of the best things that have happened to me in life is the fact that I ended up as an Army Officer. What you call military service is something that a lot of people do not understand.

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Col Kingsley Umoh

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BY BENJAMIN NJOKU How I was enlisted in the army I consider the story of my journey into the Nigerian army as a very interesting one.

I never at any point in my life thought I would become an Army Officer. I grew up with the usual childhood fantasies.

As a child, I wanted to become a pilot. But along the line, my dream shifted and I wanted to become a medical doctor. I pursued the dream for several years without any success.

This is because I was having a lot of issues with my JAMB examination results. As a result, I later ended up at the University of Calabar where I started pursuing a single Honour degree in Biological Sciences.

Unfortunately, after my firsttwo years sojourn on campus, I became discouraged with the whole situation and threatened to withdraw from the university. But my dad insisted that since I had started my degree programme, I must endeavour to complete it. Surprisingly, given my predicament, my dad dashed the dream of producing a medical doctor in his family.

However, still discouraged with the situation I found myself, I started abandoning my lectures, and concentrated more on preparing for my next JAMB examinations.

Apart from JAMB exams, I also went for every other examination that came my way.

And that was how I got involved in the Nigerian Defence Academy Examination.

Out of sheer determination and hard work, I passed all my examinations in that particular year. Fortunately, NDA result was the first to be released and my name was on the merit list.

After attending the NDA interview, I realised I also passed my JAMB exams to study Medicine at the University of Port Harcourt. But at this point, I have lost my in-

For me, the military is all about determination, focus, sacrifice and discipline

,

And I advocate the need for every Nigerian to be given the opportunity to do some kind of military training for at least a year. That way, they will have a better understanding of what the military service stands for. Apart from the NYSC scheme which exposes the corps members to some kind of military training,

young Nigerians from all walks of life should learn to be exposed to the military orientation. If that happens, then, we would have more disciplined and resourceful Nigerians than ever.

For me, the military is all about determination, sacrifice,focus and discipline.

I have no regret becoming an Army Officer. If there is any lesson I have learnt from the military, it is that of learning to carry ‘oneself ’ as he or she

journeys through life.

My parents’ reaction to my decision My parents were not comfortable with my decision to enlist in the army. But again it explains why I said earlier that the military life is something that has been misunderstood by a lot of people.

If we’d have a better understanding of what the military service is all about, it’s something that every family would want to identify their wards with.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012—33

I don’t believe there’s any office women cannot handle — Ekweani Ifeadigo, Ifeomachukwu Ekweani, is a lady pastor from Enugu state . She uses her ministry to impact on people around her and the society at large.

In this interaction with Saturday Vanguard , she reveals how she got her calling earlier in life to preach faith and the kingdom of Christ and through her, many lives have changed for the better.

She believes that if women are given equal opportunities like men in leadership, they would perform well like their contemporaries in other parts of the world where women are allowed to lead and achieve a lot. She said Nigeria’s problem is corruption which has eaten deep into our system.

How do you combine your ministry and family management as a pastor?

I have extended families and I have a lot of people close to me and God has been providing their needs through my ministry. I don’t see them as a burden even though I don’t have a child of my own because I’m single. I have trained a lot of people to the university level and I know they are all my children and I tell you, some of them cannot forget because we have an awesome relationship. I treat them as mine.

Do you think if women are given the privilege to rule Nigeria, things will change for better?

I really do not know but in other countries where women are leaders, they

are not doing badly. They have wised up to their contemporaries. So women can equally make it here. If you take a look at the positions they have managed in this country, you can now say if they can perform better.

Although the position of president is not an easy thing, but all the same, if the mantle falls on a woman, there may be a change. One thing with Nigeria is that the issue of corruption has eaten up the system with the same people always getting into positions of power. Even when they agree to step down, they make sure they position their relations or loyalists. So, you discover that it’s the same chain and the same process.

,

H

ow did you become a pastor?

I had a calling when I was very young, at the age of six, but my parents did not understand the nature of this calling and so didn’t pursue it. But I knew I had a calling while I was growing up. However, in 1994, while I was in the university, I heard it clearly in a trance that I have to go and begin to preach faith and the Kingdom of Christ. After that experience, I went to Benin to meet the late Papa Idahosa to explain to him my encounter with God. As a father in the Lord, he guided me to understand the vision and how to handle it.

Pastor Ifeadigo: Women can perform better in any position

I don’t believe that there is any office in this world a woman cannot handle

support and encouragement of their spouses, but they must know and understand their God given duty and have it as their prerogative. It is first and foremost their job and they must see their homes as their first priority. Even if they become president, it does not mean they will keep flaunting their families while they hold public offices. It is at that juncture that they show discretion and still have the best of both worlds.

,

It’s not about the gender, it’s about a total cleanup of the system.

Integrity is a virtue. Any sex can have it and wisdom is the principal thing. Poverty has taken a toll in the brain of an average Nigerian. So, 90% of the country either rich or poor talk from that side of the brain.

As a woman of God and a counselor, what is your position on women who sacrifice their homes at the expense of their career?

Multi-tasking has always been a woman’s thing. God made it possible and therefore, a woman should keep the home and still work.

Career wise, it’s possible. They only need

A

s a lady pastor that understands womanhood to some extent, who is a virtuous woman and how should it reflect our homes and society?

I cannot get into it now because it has different perspectives. A virtuous woman from the scriptural point of view is about the church or the body of Christ but from the general standpoint, a woman should keep her home and be the who she is meant to be. No one woman can be the virtuous woman.

How can you describe womanhood?

Well, womanhood is beautiful. The qualities of women should never be underestimated. They build societies, and train children.

They are the main crux of the society. They are the essential and the juicy part, they move things and they remove the puzzle from the work and remove the burden from the labour. Womanhood is the embellishment of the society.

Some Church denominations don’t welcome a woman being an overseer, what is your take on this?

I don’t believe that there is any office in this world a woman cannot handle. The bottom-line should be the qualification and the experience. If a woman has the prowess to get things moving, in fact there shouldn’t be any hold up at all. I am not preaching liberation but let the cap be worn on who it fits, be it a woman or man.

What is your advice to women generally and how they become achievers to impact not only their homes but the society so that they can be recognised?

To become an achiever, it’s not what anyone can go to school for or sit for an exam before you become an achiever. It is in the mind. We must change our orientation and have our minds pick up the the right attitude to life, understand the world and find your position. A woman should get a firm grip of herself, and then begin to affect her area from the position she finds it. No matter how little you think it is, keep moving on. The most important thing is that you have found your position and you are stable and not shaking. Even though you may

face trials any time, you are stable and standing and before you know it, you are really affecting lives and you have become an achiever.

34—SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Bobbi Brown and boyfriend involved in mysterious single car accident

BY IYABO AINA

O

ne week after tweeting a photo of himself driving while holding a gun, Nick Gordon, boyfriend of Bobbi Kristina Brown, has crashed his car under very mysterious circumstances. According to reports , the 22-year-old was arguing with Whitney Houston’s daughter when he somehow lost control of his black 2012 Camaro. Although the airbags were deployed, the front bumper was torn off, and the front right tire fell off, Gordon did not call police or 911 for help.

In fact, law enforcement in Alpharetta, Georgia, was only made aware of the single-car crash when a unit was called by a neighbor to check out a disturbance at the couple’s apartment. According to sources, neither Gordon nor 19-year-old Brown answered the door, but police did notice the banged-up car parked

outside with its hazard lights flashing.

Police are investigating the strange incident, although Gordon is telling his side of the story on Twitter.

On We d n e s d a y, he clarified that he was the only passenger in the Camaro at the time of the crash, adding that he was still “a little sore.” Two hours later, he continued, “If I’m sore and I said nobody is in the car obviously I was in there.”

Madonna and Obama

Madonna explains her calling Obama a black Muslim think he is. And what if he were? The point I was making

M

adonna answers people’s questions as to why she called President Barack Obama “a black Muslim” when giving him an endorsement at her concert in Washington D.C. The Material Girl explains her statement by saying , “I was being ironic on stage.” ”Yes I know Obama is not a Muslim - though I know that plenty of people in this country

is that a good man is a good man no matter who he prays to.

I don’t care what religion Obama is - nor should anyone else in America.”

Madge seemed to confuse her fans when she called Mr. President “a black Muslim in the White House” while voicing her support for him. “It means there is hope in this country,” she explained. “And Obama is fighting for gay rights, okay? So support the man, goddamnit!”

Bobbi Brown and and Nick Gordon

Usher and Hudson to sing at Grammy salute to Whitney Houston

A

special concert to celebrate the life and legacy of whitney Houston is being arranged by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Usher and Jennifer Hudson are the first acts lined up to perform live at the upcoming gig.

The tribute concert “We Will Always Love You: A GRAMMY Salute to Whitney Houston”

will take place on October 11 at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. It will air as part of a one-hour special on CBS in November. More performers will be announced soon.

Whitney was remembered by fellow artists at the live telecast of the 54th Annual Grammy Awards on February 12 earlier this year. In a special segment, J-Hud belted out a moving rendition of Whitney’s iconic

song “I Will Always Love You” originally recorded by Dolly Parton.

LL Cool J also prayed for the late singer at the beginning of the show, Bruno Mars dedicated his “Runaway Baby” performance to her, Alicia Keys declared her love for the late singer before singing a tribute to Etta James, and Rihanna gave her a shout-out when singing “We Found Love”.

Snoop Dogg defends smoking marijuana with son ... ‘I wanna show him the proper way because he looks up to me’

T

Usher and Jennifer Hudson

he family that smokes marijuana together, stays together? Snoop Dogg now known as Snoop Lion is defending the controversial photo his 18-yearold son Corde tweeted on September 13 of himself lighting his father’s bong. In a new interview with the Hollywood reporter, the rapper says, “My kids can do whatever the hell they want.

For me to say otherwise would

be hypocritical. A lot of mother fuckers don’t have a relationship with their kids, and that’s when they get on drugs and have suicidal thoughts and drive drunk. Me and my son is mellow. I’m his father, so I wanna show him the proper way because he looks up to me. What better way to get it than from the master?”

No Pix

Snoop Dogg and son

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012—35

EBUN SESSOU

Nigerians should eat quality food rather than quantity—Obialor C

himezie Obialor is the Business Development Mananger Alltech Nutrients Limited. He is our guest on this edition of Celebrity Tummy Talk as he bears his mind on why Nigerians should eat quality food. Excerpt

your attitude towards food?

As a kid, I considered the quantity of food I took rather than the quality. As I began to learn about balanced diet in elementary school, the consciousness of eating right grew.

How would you describe a good food?

A good food is one which when ingested or taken in, performs the desired physiological functions after digestion and absorption.

Such physiological functions include growth, repair of worn out tissues and ultimately the release of adequate amount of energy. It should contain the macro and micro nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats and oil, vitamins and minerals, fibre and very importantly water; and in the right proportion as would be needed by the body system.

As an adult, how do you choose your food in-take on a daily basis?

As an adult, I now consider the quality of the food I eat rather than the quantity. In choosing what I eat, the following questions are considered; Would it provide the following nutrients; protein, carbohydrate, fats and oil, vitamins minerals and some fibre and in the right amounts. I try not to eat too much of each of those.

Growing up, can you tell us

What is your favourite food? And how do you prepare it?

My favourite food is yam and vegetable sauce. It is

prepared as follows; peel off the back and boil in salted water until done or soft to taste. The vegetable sauce ingredients include sliced pumpkin leaves, sliced fresh okra, ground cray fish, ground fresh, red pepper, dry fish, red oil, salt, seasoning and water.

Boil half litre of water, add the dry fish,then pepper, crayfish, seasoning and salt to taste. Steam for about 5 minutes, add the vegetable mix and then some red oil. Allow to steam at low temperature for about one minute. It

is ready to be served with a glass of water and soya milk.

What kind of drinks do you prefer?

I prefer water. Water is needed in the body and it can not be taken in excess. The more water you take, the healthier you may be.

I also enjoy protein rich drinks like soya milk and yoghurt.

What kind of exercise do you engage?

Treadmill jogging.

How does exercise affect your lifestyle?

Exercise helps me to stay fit.

Independence Day

TIT BIT

Tears of joy as the Green family wins Maltina Dance All 6

A

fter a stiff and grueling competition replete with heightened tension and emotions, the Green family won the N6 million and a brand new Toyota Avensis car at the grand finale of Maltina Dance All 6 (MDA) held at the Expo Centre of Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

The MDA is sponsored by Maltina, a premium malt brand from the stable of Nigerian Breweries plc.

In their dance to fortune, the Greens held the large crowd that witnessed the show spell-

bound and in the end they earned a standing ovation that took some time to abate. They were presented with their cheque and the key to their car by Mrs. Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State who was the special guest of honour.

The Green family alongside the Efiokwu, Boyle, Zibe and Eghove families that qualified for the grand finale gave their last performance to thrill the audience and boost their votes. The

*Chimezie

end of the performance saw the Green family emerge winner after garnering the largest votes from Nigerians, while Efiokwu and Eghovie families as the first and second runners took home N1 million and N500, 000 respectively.

The Green family was ecstatic to be crowned the number one dance family in Nigeria. 19 year old Ibiba Green, the family representative, could not hide her tears of joy as she gave thanks to God for making it possible for her family to be crowned winners.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Nicolaas Verlvede, Managing Director, Nigeria Breweries Plc

said, “It was a fantastic event. All five families really did an outstanding job. They gave great performances and great entertainment”.

On what to expect next year from Maltina Dance All, he disclosed that season 7 would be even more captivating.

Janell Burgess, an American and one of the Judges, said “I am so proud of all the families that performed tonight. They embodied what we really cherish here in Maltina which is family unity. One thing so special about Nigeria is that its peoples really value and appreciate family. Here in Maltina, we promote family unity and dance as an art.

Juice to keep fit Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is a very good liquid to be taken especially during this independence day. It controls the body ’s heat and gives great health benefits. It also helps to remove the toxins from the body and strengthen the body to bear the harsh heat radiations of sun. Try to take lemon juice twice or thrice a day.

Cool Smoothies

Make Chill Smoothies that are free of calories. It makes the skin healthy and well hydrated. Smoothies can be made of different fruits like Banana, Strawberry and Mango etc.

Water melon juice

Watermelon juice is excellent

for you because it contains a lot of water content in it which balances the water level in the body.

Glasses of water

Drinking water is a key factor to keep your skin clean and beautiful. An individual should drink at least. It protects the body and skin from the bad effects.

36 — Vanguard, SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Angela Olu

Wine tasting gala show takes off P

enultimate Saturday, the 2 edition of The Ni gerian Wine Gala held at the Best Western Hotel in Victoria Island. The wine tasting event was put together by Chidi Gabriel, an events manager. I took him aside after the show.

W

HAT’S THIS PASSION ABOUT WINE? My passion for wine didn’t come from drinking wines; it actually came from my passion for packaging events, the thought of putting together this kind of event drove the passion for wines.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED? As a seasoned events manager you are always asked during planning stage what kinds of choice wine are available and by the time you give a list you find the client choosing, maybe three types out a whole lot, and when you ask why they tell you they don’t know the others. So I took it as a challenge to find a way to package a wine tasting event that will serve as a platform for wine knowledge in the country.

ARE YOU A WINE IMPORTER? No no, not at all. We are just trying to bridge the gap between the importers, distributors and consumers.

WHAT IS THE WINE TASTING SHOW ALL ABOUT Wine tasting is being celebrated episodically in Nigeria as a medium of tasting the

different wines in the country.

Since the tremendous increase in wine consumption in Nigeria, it has become imperative to organize a befitting wine gala (wine tasting), to help in facilitating choice. That is what the NIGERIAN WINE GALA is about.

C M Y K

A

WHERE DID YOU GET THE INSPIRATION FROM Being part of planning and managing events where on the dinner tables, what you find is max two brands of wine is disheartening, so came the inspiration to put an event together that will help in facilitating choice when it come to winery. And then not just putting together, but making it worth the while for stake holders in the business.

DO YOU THINK THE WINE TASTING EXHIBITION OR SHOW WOULD MEET GLOBALLY ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS? Globally acceptable standards would be an understatement considering how

Nigerian fashion show held its paris edition recently.

Below are pix of some Ankara designs featured.

Sally Intiego

Weave-cr azy eave-crazy azy:: No shampoo here please!

Sally Intiego

much we have put into the planning of this event. We have as part of our invitees the high commissioners and ambassadors of wine producing countries like Spain, Italy, South Africa, Australia just to mention a few and partnering with the USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service, United States Consulate, just do the conclusion your self.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE WINE DRINKING HABIT OF NIGERIANS? We’ve got terrible wine drinking habits. First, if we are not drinking because we saw one so called VIP drinking a brand of wine.

We are drinking because they say wine is good for the heart, yet we are looking for cheapest one on the counter to buy.

You see there is so much to drinking wine we don’t know and care to know, but again the idea is to create that platform where people will have the opportunity to hear sommeliers, connoisseurs etc talk about wines.

t angel’s studio HAIR CLINIC, we do not shampoo weave-on. I took the decision for many reasons. Firstly, no matter how much you rinse out the shampoo from the weave-on, you can never get everything out. In a country where most salons are challenged with running water, it is difficult to accept that sufficient water will be made available to rinse thoroughly.

At hairdressing school, we were taught to rinse hair for 5 continuous minutes to be sure to get rid of all traces of chemicals/product. Now, I reckon that I would need at least the same time to be sure that the weave is clean. Moreover without water flowing from taps, it is difficult for the stylist to target the base of the weave; the woven area is where I find product trapped in. When you take out the weave-on, you find a lot of fluff while undoing the plaits.

Above all, shampooing dislodges the weave; the threads used to attach the weave be-

come stretched by water and all that scrubbing/moving the weave around, weakens it. I have found that the weave is never the same once it has been shampooed. I find that most women remove their weave within 8 days after shampoo because they say it is just not the same again; it lost its grip and ‘fall’.

This is why I advocate the cleaning of the lines of the scalp using cotton wool balls soaked with witch hazel solution or mentholated spirit to get rid of smells and itching.

Make sure you allow the scalp to dry after cleansing with these solutions; pile the hair on top of your head and use a hand dryer, directing the heat towards the base of the weave.

If you feel really desperate for a wash, take out your weaveon shampoo/treat your hair before fixing the weave back.

Yes, you can re-fix immediately ONLY if you are not applying any form of chemical to your hair.

QUESTION & ANSWER:

Cream for longer hair

Dear Angela, Please tell me the cream I can use to give me longer hair. I am a student living in Cross River state.

Ans: You can not find a single cream that will perform the magic of giving you longer hair. There is no miracle in a bottle; the miracle of longer hair will only happen when you combine all the advice you read here every Sunday.

In spite of repeating that no single cream can ‘grow’ your hair, I find that women still are searching for one.

Let’s think about this logically now: if there were such a product, would its owner not be celebrated worldwide, with recognition coming from even the Guinness book of Records? If there were such a miracle product, why would it be a secret, when its owners would probably be the richest manufacturers in the world? Do you think we are alone in this ubiquitous search for more hair on our heads?

Please, do not waste your time; I know you want a product name but it does not exist. Longer hair will only be possible if you stick with the good rules of hairdressing: conditioning, caution, more conditioning and lots of common sense.

Thanks for reading and writing in. angelaajetunmobi@gmail.com

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012—37

Zaina-new artiste signed under Darey Art-Alade’s Soul Music

Hair and Makeup Looks Men Hate N not-surprising-at-all news, men have pretty strong opinions when it comes to women’s hair and makeup.

So when we surveyed 100 men to find out which hair and makeup styles they liked the least, we definitely got an earful. The slight hitch: Guys don’t always agree on the looks they love and hate. Some guys love long hair on women, others prefer short. Some go nuts for the “no makeup” look, while others think a red lip is the ultimate in sexy.

There were a few common trends though. Almost all guys hate “mom” hair and loathe when women cake on the foundation. There were a few other nearly universal dislikes.

So comes the important question: If you currently wear a look on this list, would you change it? Our answer: maybe.

Let’s be honest, the average guy doesn’t know a whole lot about women’s hair and makeup trends — and may even struggle to make himself look semi-presentable most days. But that said, it is worth considering why a lot of these looks ended up on this list. For the most part, guys love a normal, natural you. So if you’ve been used to wearing mascara in an attempt to get his attention, you may want to lay off the Great Lash just a little and see what happens. But if your smoky eye is all for you?

Then rock on.

A pixie cut Here’s how men ranked this look on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 5 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 5 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “Short hair = mom.

What a waste.”

The good: “Short hair can be sexy too! It looks low maintenance and ready for anything — a night out or a day in.”

Dark red lips Here’s how men ranked this look on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 5 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 5 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “Honestly, I just don’t want to be wiping off lipstick from my lips. Doesn’t taste that g r e a t . ” The good: “Old fashioned and classic.”

C M Y K

Wearing a baseball hat Here’s how guys ranked her hair on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 4 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 5 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “Boring,” “lazy,” and “looks plain.”

The good: “I feel like she would be easy to talk to and she is low m a i n t e n a n c e . ” The just plain weird: “Tomboy.

Or she just woke up.”

Bangs Here’s how guys ranked her hair on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 4 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 5 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “A little intimidating/ unapproachable.” And, “trying to hide something and a bit

hair on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 4 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 4 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “It’s too tight and not romantic at all.” And, “uncreative,” “ reserved.”

The good: “Casual, no frills, a little tomboyish (nothing wrong with that).”

The just plain weird: “A valiant attempt at hiding bed hair.”

Red lips ere’s how guys ranked this look on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 4 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 4 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “Pretty much kills my desire to ask her out, taking that lipstick off entirely would make her shoot up from a 4 to an 8 in

H

,

I

Guys don’t always agree on the looks they love and hate. Some guys love long hair on women, others prefer short.

Some go nuts for the “no makeup” look, while others think a red lip is the ultimate in sexy

pretentious.” The good: “Businesslike, things to do, f o c u s e d . ” The just plain weird: “[It says] ‘I have acne on my forehead.’”

And, “maybe she’s got ugly eyebrows so she’s covering t h e m . ” A bun

H

ere’s how guys ranked her hair on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 4 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 4 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “What was she thinking? The housewife on the way to the supermarket look.”

The good: “Fun, spontaneous, sexy.”

The just plain weird: “She looks like one of Shatner ’s throwaways on ‘Star Trek.’”

A ponytail Here’s how guys ranked her

both categories.”

The good: “It’s very simple. It shows that she took the time to look nice, but didn’t want the makeup to overshadow her f a c e . ” The just plain weird: “She seems to be wearing a lot of makeup, as if she is wearing a disguise.”

Wild curls ere’s how guys ranked her hair on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 4 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 4 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “Reminds me too much of the ’80s.”

The good: “Curly hair = sexy.”

The just plain weird: “I associate this with King Charles I and Diana Ross. I don’t want to make out with them.”

An edgy shag Here’s how guys ranked her hair on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 4 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 4 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “Dirty, oily, weirdly cut. Why would I want to be near that hair?”

The good: “Sexy, edgy. She likes to get down.”

The just plain weird: “Kinda seems like you’re not allowed to smile with this cut on.” And, “she looks psycho. I want to sleep with her, then run.”

A super dark and smoky eye Here’s how guys ranked this look on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 4 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 3 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “How do I ask someone out if I can’t even find the eyeballs in the sea of ink beneath her eyebrows?”

The good (kind of): “This one is pretty nice, but I’m sure she’d try to kill you after you sleep with her.” The just plain weird: “Heroin Chic went out

,

H

with the ’90s — darling.”

Bed head Here’s how guys ranked her hair on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 3 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 4 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “Looks a little ‘unkempt’ or slept on, ‘fried’ from coloring maybe.”

The good: “It’s nice and straight, looks really soft too.”

The just plain weird: “Hey lady, here’s five bucks, go buy a brush, will ya?”

A silvery, smoky eye Here’s how guys ranked this look on a scale of 1 to 10 Sexiness: 3 Likeliness of Asking Her Out: 3 Here’s what they had to say: The bad: “If your makeup job makes a gorgeous woman look like this, that’s very bad.”

The good: “She’s fun and experimental, and doesn’t take herself too seriously.”

The just plain weird: “If you want to look like a crack head ... you are doing a great job.”

38—SATURDAY, Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29 2012

Paul Ananaba dedicates SAN honour to God

P

aul Ananaba, foremost solicitor, has crossed several landmarks in his life and each feat has been met with special thanksgiving to God. So, when his recent elevation to the ranks of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) became a thing of the past, the religious elder and his family thanked God again and lit up the Seventh- Day Adventist Church headquarters in Maryland, Lagos for a thanksgiving service which was well attended by friends and top members of the church.

Photos by Diran Oshe

TTourism ourism driv e drive

S

outh Africa last month launched the ‘Tourism Month’ at the Coca Cola Dome in Johannesburg, and Nigeria’s Tourism Minister was special guest at the event, which was covered by selected journalists of the Nigerian media. Here are some shots of the trip to South Africa. Photos by Kunle Adekoya

L- R: Prof. James A. F. Makinde, VC, Babcock University , Pastor ( Dr)Oyeleke Owolabi, President, NNWU, Elder Paul Ananaba ( SAN), the celebrant, Hon. Minister of Labour & Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu and Pastor ( Dr) Udoh Bassey, President, ENUM

L-R: Prof. James Makinde, VC, Babcock University, Mrs Amara Ananaba, Pastor( Dr) Dave Nyekwere, Elder Paul Ananaba ( SAN) and Pastor ( Dr) Oyeleke Owolabi

L-R:Minister of Tourism & Culture, High Chief Edem Duke, Nigeria's High Commissioner to South Africa, Amb. Sonni Samuel Yusuf, and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Mrs Ibukun Odusote

L- R:Mrs Yetunde Owolabi, Prof (Mrs ) Yetunde O. Makinde and Mrs Enobong Udo

L-R: Chico of Classic FM, Adekoya, Tope Ogbeni-Awe, and behind, Wali (The Masai) of NTA.

L- R:Oba Munirudeen Olatunji Yusuf, the Awushe of Onigbongbo Land, Arc. Dike Emmanuel, and Mrs Yetunde Owolabi

Workshop

A two-day workshop on ‘Youth Entrepreneurship Sustainability’ organised by Youth Trade held at the Youth Centre, Obasanjo Hall, Top Oke Mosan Abeokuta - Photo By Wumi Akinola

R-L: Mrs. Aderoju Odunsi; Consultant, Youth Trade, Anny Oyekunle, ED., Kudirat Initiative for Democracy and Vishal Patel, USA Youth Trade C M Y K

L- R: Elder Paul Ananaba ( SAN), the celebrant and his mum, Mrs Rose Ananaba

Graduation

THE graduation ceremony of DASOB Aluminium Products Company took place at the company's office during the week in Lagos . Photo By Biodun Ogunleye

R-L:Mr Sunkanmi Ogabi, MD/CEO, DASOB, presenting a certificate to Mr Olushola Adegunte (c) while his father, Mr Gabriel Adegunte left looks on

Phumi and Hloni, both of SA Tourism

L-R:Adekunle Adekoya and Jewell Dafinone of The Guardian aboard a yacht, The Sherilyn in Cape Town.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 — 39

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I am an instrument of prophesy — Alile

POSTLE Hayford Ikponmwonsa Alile, 72 , hails from the Ogbedoyo family which gave birth to Alile and the Obasekis in Benin Kingdom. He is the Spiritual Leader of St. Joseph’s Chosen Church of God (International), the Church he has been overseeing for 21 years. Before his apostleship, he served in many capacities in Nigeria including Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN as well as international communities.

He is our ICON in this edition of Past Perfect. He takes us round his life as well as his passion to serve God. Enjoy

* Alile

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•Apostle Hayford Ikponmwonsa Alile owned by foreigners.

At that time, Obasanjo’s regime made it easy for us to have indigenous companies owned by Nigerians. A law, known as the Nigerian Enterprises Promotion Decree was established and the Nigerian Enterprises were divided into three categories. The first category provided for Nigerians to own 100 percent equity. Category B allowed 60 percent of the equity of the capital to be controlled by Nigerians while the foreigners held on to 40 percent and category C allowed 40 percent to be sold to Nigerians while foreigners controlled 60 percent.

So, our duty was to excite Nigerians to acquire some of these companies. And the tools we were using were training and workshop for Nigerians enterprenuers and some of the brochures were printed in Yoruba, English, Hausa and Igbo. The programme was spread across the country. We also set up an Association of Management Consultants as well as Institute of Individual Consultants which became my responsibility. All these efforts were to compete with the foreign investors.

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e were given as signments to recruit and train young graduates for a year so as to become change agents. The centre ran for three years but unfortunately, Nigerian bureaucracy destroyed it. I also trained some Nigerian Bankers but the Manchester Business School hijacked the programme in order to train other Africans. If only we had continued that programme, Nigeria would

have been a better country.

I was called to the Lagos Stock Exchange as a change agent by Late Chief Samuel Asabia. He interviewed me and after five minutes, he said, “You are the man we have been looking for”. And that was how I became Executive Director of the then Lagos Stock Exchange in 1978.

It became an interesting firm for Nigerians and the name was changed to Nigerian

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My background in Rutgers Graduate School of Management contributed to my success story. Our success story was annouced to the Federal Government of America. And we got what was called Presidential Mention Award.

After a while, I was invited to work as consultant at Centre for Management Development which was established to do a similar work to what I did at New Jersey.

The work was between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the UNDP. It was an interesting endeavour. The task was a tough one because I had to train some so-called captians on the job. My duty was to train people to be independent and not depending on the expatriate companies. So, it was a tough assignment and just about that time, the issue of indigenization of Nigerian businesses came up and about 90 percent of successful businesses in Nigeria were

rities Clearing System, CSCS, which caused a rapid change.

We were also determined to minimize corruption and make the market as transparent as possible. n addition to the CSCS, there was Data Management Centre, DMC, which means data can be digitalised, stored and retrievable at anytime. That centre is the biggest in West Africa. It was used to gather data from any part of Africa. And in case of fire incident, there is something called back-ups both in Nigeria and outside the country.

I was in the NSE for 24 years. I left the Stock Exchange in 1999 and one of the things that appealed to me was to be a servant of God. My parents were attending a church called St. Joseph Cho-

The most painful experience of my life was when my father couldn’t pay my school fees and I was unable to graduate with my mates

Stock Exchange. Many companies were listed on that platform but they were owned by foreigners. So, it became imperative to have what is second tier market. The listing requirement for the companies to be on that platform was not stringent compared to what was obtainable on the NSE. And so, about 34 Nigerian small companies were listed on the second tier securities market where they have access to equity fund for expansion and modernisation. Eight of those companies became very successful and graduated to the first tier market.

Another challenge was that the NSE was not digitalised and so, it was very difficult to operate. As well, lack of finances disrupted the system.

But we were determined not to allow Nigerian bureaucracy kill our dreams. We had what was called Automated Trading System which was used to fast-track trade. We also set up the Central Secu-

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sen Church of God. I started my education at Ahmaydiya school where I was taught some Arabic doctrines after which I crossed to Holy Cross Primary in Benin City and there, I hooked on to the Catholic faith.

Out of 34 students, I was the second to the smallest in the school. But, I was given responsibilities and there was no a time that I got second position in the class throughout my stay in school except the time I had yellow fever and I took the third position.

After our final examination, I was retained to teach at the school. When the results were released, I was the fifth in the nation. In those days, best first ten students were given State Scholarship and I was enlisted.

As a young man, the first challenge I had was when my mother took ill for 10 years.

She was bedridden for two years and so, the children

were bathing her on the bed.

We ran out of money for medical services. My father didn’t have money to pay my school fees. I sat for Common Entrance twice and I passed but there was no money to go to school. My mother then advised my father to allow me go to school. So, he borrowed money and used his three years salaries as collateral.

Later, I went to Loyola College. The most painful experience of my life was when my father couldn’t pay my school fees and I was unable to graduate with my mates. Everything I became in life was prophesied to me in the church in 1956 and the prophesy came 21 years after. And so, I am an instrument of God. My father sold his Rubber and Cocoa Plantation to native doctors but there was nothing positive. But a man of God who was also the founder of St. Joseph Chosen Church in Sapele prayed for my mother and she was healed. That miracle converted my parents to the church.

And my mother became a prophetess.

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e were in Benin City but the pastor was somewhere in Sapele. He told us how God revealed to a vision of a dying woman in Benin City. He mentioned her name as Hannah and that was my mother’s name.

The pastor rode on a bicycle on a distance of 41 kilometres.

He prayed and about 6pm, my mother was healed.

After my undergraduate studies, I became an elder in the church. But I was ordained as an Apostle in 1991.

The church came in existence in 1947. Today, it has about 160 branches including seven in Italy, two in the United States, one in South Africa, Liberia and two in France. It consists of family of Christians who believe in divine healing.

My eight children were gave birth to in the church maternity without any medication. And I have been living for 54 years without using any medication. My parents were very poor but they survived.

I met my wife first at the University of Ibadan. But, when it was time for us to get married, the prophesy came and everything went as it was foretold. My mother also prophesied the number of children I was going to have.

She said, the first five children would be girls and the sixth child would be a boy and other two more. And it came to pass.

It was after we had the eighth child that I remembered the prophesy.

40—SA TURD AY 40—SATURD TURDA

Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Email: youthfulvibes@gmail.com

Live your best, it is just one life.

Victor Okoro (a.k.a. sir vic)

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ictor Okoro is one of h e many young people born without a silver spoon in Amukoko (Lagos), a ghetto as perceived by many in Lagos.

Growing up for him was expectedly unpleasant, but he learnt to see the gold buried in this slum.

Today, Victor has been able to establish a fast growing Human Development and capacity building organization. His network has impacted over 4,000 young people.

He organizes talk shows every Sunday, motivating young people to become resourceful. In this interview, Sir Vic takes Youthful Vibes on a journey into his childhood and how he has been able to overcome some insurmountable challenges. Excerpts: t

My humble background

helping them in the exam hall, and until I finished my secondary school education, I never wore a clothe or shoes of my own as I would always borrow from the next graduating students.

I again managed to obtain my OND from my little earnings as a primary school teacher, after which I would go to Festac town for private coaching, and later in the evening return to teach science courses in a tutorial center. There were several times I was sent out of the lecture room for non-payment of tuition fees; I even missed several tests because I couldn’t, afford handouts or any textbook, but I managed to graduate with 2.75 a lower division in computer science.

I live with my parents and siblings in a small one room rented apartment, at 24, Imam Street, Amukoko Lagos, a compound with over 50 tenants, but I have to make do with only two toilets and two bathrooms, bathing and

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Vctor Okoro

I am a vibrant youth advocate, a life coach and a consultant. By the grace of God, I am the founder of Africa Minds International, a fast growing Human Development Organisation, and I still serve as the Principal consultant of AirBorne Consulting. I was born June 18, 1982 into the family of Mr. Joshua and Doris Okoro. I am the first of three children.My primary school education was at Revival Group Nursery and Primary School, but I later moved to Ire-Akari Primary school to write my common entrance examination into secondary school, after which I proceeded to Iganmu Junior secondary school, and later finished my senior secondary school education at Government College Eric Moore, Surulere Lagos. Thereafter, I obtained an OND in Computer Science from Lagos City Polythenic.

Growing up for me like other children born in his locality was not so pleasant.

My father was an applicant all through my junior secondary school days, while my mum was a petty trader. I never bought a textbook in my secondary school days, however, I managed to pass my exams by simply borrowing textbooks from children whose parents could afford buying textbooks with a compensational price of

I couldn’t, afford handouts or any textbook, but I managed to graduate with 2.75 a lower division in computer science

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using the toilet is always a monumental challenge as one would face long queues on a daily basis, having something to eat sometimes could be a bit challenging too.

But despite all these challenges, my passion to reach out to young people in my community, motivating and inspiring them to achieve the best for themselves against all odds indeed is a demanding and exciting passion. What matters to me is that we are transforming lives.

What inspired my volunteer work A popular saying goes thus, that in the land of the blind a one eyed man is the king, I think I am privilege to be quite intelligent; I taught all science courses except for Geography, so often times young people will gather at my place just to receive lectures or to listen to me give them moral counsel. I was never tired of talking to them so I decided to create a larger platform where I can talk to young people for free, no matter their religion, background, and ethnicity. All I needed was a platform without boundaries. So, on January 8, 2006, we held our first meeting with eight persons in attendance in a primary school. A year later we moved to the hall we use presently, that can accommodate about 1,000 persons, and over time this platform has reached and touched the lives of over 4,500 persons via our different annual programmes bothering on Love, Sex, Relationship, Youth Development and Patriotism.

Each of this program plays host to a minimum of 350 persons in attendance, while Naija project plays host to over a 1, 000 participants.

Motivation for vision Two things have really inspired me to continue with this vision, the testimonies or feedbacks, I have got from people whose lives have been touched and the fact that we are making progress, despite the fact that I lead a crop of every young people majorly those in secondary school, who do not have income to support the project, no room for offerings, tithing and no aids from cooperate organizations.

One day, sometime in November, 2010 on a Friday, I

was so discouraged by the fact that we had no fund to push our next project, I had resolved in my mind that by the coming Sunday when we would be having our meeting I would announce that we will be shutting down the organization, suddenly that afternoon I heard someone running after him, trying to beckon, I stopped and turned around, he bowed and held my hands and said “Sir I want to thank you for changing my live, I was a drop out, I drop out of school in JSS2, I attended your meeting and after two months I went back to school and started from JSS3 am now in SSS2, Sir as I speak I have attempted GCE and have made four papers and it is remaining just one paper to complete my five papers before I proceed to the university. I was so inspired and I said to myself if I must continue to touch one more drop out then I have to hang on, and until now I am still holding on.

Another reason, is the progress we have recorded, today we do not only have a meeting hall where we gather on Sundays, we also have an office space where we carry out some of our operations and meet on a daily basis.

And lastly, I have a very important philosophy in life, which is curled in a song “only remembered by what we have done” I want to leave behind me after my passing away, a positive legacy.

Rhetoric of our time can change the thinking of young people I believe oratory is the key, the world was formed by words according to my religious n belief. What we all know and believe today were as a result of words, they taught us in class using words and these words have formed many into Lawyers, Computer scientist, etc.

We have to continue speaking those words, in campuses, in schools, in religious gathering, in the street, we have taken the stake high and translate those words into languages that will be understood by our target audience, Pidgin English, Yoruba, Igbo etc.

YOUNG NIGERIANS MAKING THE DIFFERENCE Financial Secretary with the Nigerian U n i v e r s i t y Accounting Students Association. He is the convener of the program “During and After School, What Next?” and “Road to IT and Financial Intelligence.” He currently completedoutsourcing work (Accounts) for a New York-based property management firm.

OLA YINKA OLAYINKA TAIW O AIWO AJEGUNLE

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layinka Taiwo, is a 400 level student of Accounting at the Lagos State University. He is a graduate of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria’s Ajegunle.org project and Daystar Leadership Academy.

He currently interns with PIN as an Administrator. Yinka was an intern with DHL International in 2008 after completing his Ajegunle.org program, and he is a member of the

C M Y K

planning committee of Jungle Fever, an annual program in Ajegunle. He is also the Vice President of Uncommon Man Network. Yinka has served as Assistant

He believes in going to the grave empty as he believes it means passing on all that you know to other people while you are still alive and sharing with them even some mistakes you made.

Onyi Uchegbulam Abuja

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nyi is a highly dynamic and passionate individual with a rich personality.

Her passion is to develop people, especially while they are still young, in the areas of their inherent talents, skills and abilities, align their image to suit who they are and guide them to make successful careers in these areas.

Onyi is a Personality Consultant; she discovers and manages talents, career counsels and consults in beauty and style management.

Her professional career experience is in Human Resources Management.

She has been involved in various aspects of HRM.

She served as a Consultant with Leading Edge Consultancy Services Limited where she lead various Executive Search and Selection assignments for clients and was involved in other Human Resources projects such as organizational reviews, manpower audits, training and development, performance reviews and management, among others. She is a Behavioural Assessor, a skill much needed to make an excellent selection judgement/career fit.

A graduate of Microbiology from Abia State University, Uturu, Onyi also holds a Diploma in Human Resources Management and Cosmetology from Alison Online School & Opral Benson School of C o s m e t o l o g y, L a g o s , respectively. She is a student member of the chartered Institute of Pe r s o n n e l Management of Nigeria.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012—41

Continues from page 16

Nigeria is unbreakable — Zubairu

Mohammed Umar

They live together or would you say they have to go and form their own different countries? No. it is not possible.

So, those who are saying that Nigeria should disintegrate, into what? Into all these pieces?

Okay, from River Benue, you say all the North go and become one or everybody go to someone whom they have cultural affinity with, do you think there will be one love? Can the north be one? They won’t be.

Go to the south west now and say those people are Yorubas, they have their own difference even in Yoruba land. You discover different clan, culture, classes and everybody wants to be giving his own.

Let’s tie this to the prediction by the,

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elites? Out of 160 million Nigerians? How can you go and insult my father, my uncle and my brother who are in the villages, who do not even know the meaning of corruption, who are not corrupt, who do not receive any bribe? They are not exposed to that and you just bring all of them and say Nigeria is a corrupt country? Just because the elites are corrupt does not make Nigeria corrupt. So, if you diversify the economy, of course on whose benefits? It is the same elites that will now corner every thing. The same elites that are now depriving us of fuel in the cities so that they will continue importing, the same elites that are frustrating our refineries to function, the same elites that are frustrating NEPA(PHCN) or whatever you call it from giving us light because they import generators. They are the same people. So, if you diversify the economy, they are the same people that are going to corner everything. Please, it will not change anything as far as I am concerned.

Many people are of the view that Nigeria as an entity came by accident having been amalgamated by Lord Lugard in 1914, as, they argue, as the wish of the already existing societies. To this end, they said that the status quo should be maintained to bring out peace in the country. What is your take on this?

Nigeria did not come by accident. Nigerians are either Christians or Muslims and everybody believes in Divine intervention.

So, it is ordained. It is not by accident. It is an act of God that we should come together. If God hadn’t wished us to come together, we wouldn’t have been together.

So, it is not by accident. God does not make mistakes and an act of God can never be an accident. It is destined by God to make us one country. So, how we run that country is another thing but God creates you, puts you in an environment and gives you the free will to now manage.

So, have we managed the environment well?

Have we managed this God’s creation the way we should have managed it? That is the question. Let’s say yes, we have not managed it the way we should have managed it. Nigeria is a different nation.

There is no country in this world of one hundred million people that is homogeneous. None. I can’t think of any that we have the same tribe, the same culture, the same religion, the same racial inclination, no. No country like that. Every country you see is an amalgamation of small nations.

Come to Gombe now, Gombe state can be a country. The thing is we have Fulani, we have Tangale, we have Bolawa, we have so many religions. So many religions. Some are Christians. Some are Muslims. Some are Animists. So, can we say now that Gombe is an amalgamation by accident? It is just for administrative convenience.

Now, go the south, even in Yoruba land, they have their own differences. If you go to Igbo land, they have different tribes, clans, culture, backgrounds from the same Igbo. So, are you now telling me that if you go to Igbo land and this is a country, there will not be problems because they are only Igbos? No. Go to the south-south, we have the Ijaws, the Ibibios etc. All these people came together. So, now all these cultural groups should go in one line, then we will have more than 1000 countries than we have in Nigeria now. No culture alone can form one country. I am from Gombe but I am different from Sokoto man even though we share the same religion. I am also different from Kano man even though we share religion. I am different from Borno man even if we share different religion. So, the Tangale man who is a Christian, can you say he is the same Zuru man who is also a Christian? No. But religion has brought them together.

Nigeria did not come by accident. Nigerians are either Christians or Muslims and everybody believes in Divine intervention.

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Central Intelligence Agency, CIA that the country will disintegrate in 2015 and by 1914, it will be a centenary for Nigeria. Do you envisage that happening?

No. I don’t see that happening. The CIA did not create Nigeria. So, they will not cause Nigeria to disintegrate. We have gone through so many crises that, in fact, some of us believe there will not be Nigeria, yet Nigeria survived as a country.

You see, if you think we are going to disintegrate, everybody will now sit down and think. If we disintegrate, what do I stand to benefit than what I am benefiting now? What do I stand to lose more than I am losing now because it is not a market place decision to say we are going to disintegrate? Some people who have the brains should have to sit down and think.

How can I say I want now to break up Nigeria? Where will the Yoruba man go?

Okay, let’s say the Yoruba should go back to Yoruba land, they have their own differences. Some people who were elected into Lagos state House of Assembly, some people are even protesting that these

people are from Ogun State. They should go back. Go to the south east, they have their own problems. Okay, give them their own country now. Where are you going to site their capital? Is it in Enugu? Okay, I think there is problem between Abia Governor and Imo over Civil service. Go to the south-south, the Ijaws and the Ibibios sometimes do not see eye to eye. So, how do you think we are going to disintegrate?

Who will sit down and say, now, divide Nigeria?

How? On what table? Who will take up arms and say we are going to divide Nigeria? How are we going to divide Nigeria? This is a fantasy of some people who will sit down at the comfort of their office and say Nigeria will break up. It will never break up because there is nothing to push Nigeria to break. And then, there is this danger in even thinking about that.

Use your brains. If an Igbo man should say I want my own country, then all the Igbo people that are in Abuja, Kano, Lagos where will they go? Will the north say okay, we are the country; every Igbo should go back to his land? The Igbo man, the Yoruba man who have invested his money every where, the Fulani who has taken his cattle to the south, will you tell him to leave them and go where? I think, these are malicious, wishful thinkings of some people and it is not going to materialize.

Let me say that you have read, heard or even witnessed the Nigeria Civil War between 1967 and 1970. And at the moment, there are youths wishing that Nigeria should go into that kind of situation again. If you are to advise them, what kind of words of admonition would you give?

I will ask them to ask their elders. Nigeria has gone through the war. Nigerians knew how they suffered. So, if the youths are now saying they want to take up arms, go and ask people like Chukwumerije or Ojukwu of blessed memory, all the elders of Igboland, ask them, would you advise that we should go back to war?

They will say no. Come to the north. Ask the elders; do they want war? They will tell you no. Go to the south-south, tell them we want to go to war so that we can get our country, would they advise you to go to war because that will be a futile effort. It does not have to, even if you have everything, you are not likely to defeat everybody to form your own country. So, my advice is if you want to take up arms, ask those who have once taken up arms.

Ask those against whom arms have been taken. You can now be clear that you are going to take up arms. If you want to disintegrate, who are you going to fight?

That is the question.

It has often been said that political leadership is the problem of Nigeria. In fact, Professor Chinua Achebe once said that there is nothing wrong with Nigeria’s water, air, sea and of course, the environment but the leadership. How may

Continues on page 42

42—SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Nigeria is unbreakable

Continues from page 41

That takes us the making a comparison between the first and second republics politicians and the present day politicians.

How would you compare them?

They are the same. The ones in the 60s and the ones today are the same. Because, look at the politicians in Nigeria, when there was a coup against Tafawa Belewa, there were allegations against the political class. That was the reason for the coup. Allegations against them were the reasons for the coup. Now, we are saying, at that time, they were complaining against them, rightfully or wrongfully, they were complaining against them and that led to the military coup. People were not satisfied or it was assumed, that was why the soldiers came in. And when they came in, we thought they will be our messiahs because who ever goes to an office, at the time he is in the office is being looked upon as a rogue, as a thief, like somebody who does not have patriotism, like somebody who is just their to feather his nest.

Everybody that has gone to the office from

— Zubairu

Mohammed Umar

1960 to date is being accused of one thing or the other. Until when he leaves office, they will begin to say he was better that his predecessor. Now, for Shagari, there was a coup against him because of corruption, ineptitude, inflation and every thing.

But has corruption stopped? And now, some of the Ministers of Shagari may be taken as good politicians. There is one form of allegation for every leader that goes into office. Now, Gowon is a hero.

Everywhere he goes he is seen as a gentleman but there was a time there was a coup against him, may be it was because of corruption and now they are heroes. So, you discover that it is the same thing all over, from the 60 to now, whoever that goes into the office, he will be insulted. He will be abused. There will be allegations against him of being corrupt, nepotic and lazy, unpatriotic. Go to the archives, newspapers of the 70s, you will find

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you react to this?

I wouldn’t heap all the blames on the door steps of leadership. I think it is 50- 50.

The leadership is wrong, the followership is wrong too because right from the days of Tafawa Balewa to this day, I don’t think of a leader that came into office with the intention of destroying Nigeria.

Everybody came with the intention of leaving Nigeria better than the way he found it. Everybody came with the vision, the zeal and the desire to change things.

Look at all the leaders; whoever came into the office, he came with a mission to make Nigeria better. Every one of them whether it was through coup or through election, every candidate or person that went into office went with a clear mind that he wants to make Nigeria better that he found it. But he discovers that the previous leadership has made some mistakes and corrects those mistakes. That is why you are in office. But have they achieved? No. they have not because, we, the followership don’t allow them to. We don’t encourage them and when they are wrong, instead of telling them what they are doing is wrong, we become sycophantic and say that what they are doing is right, even better than the previous one. That is the problem. So, the leadership has a problem, but even the 50-50, honestly, I am being generous because I believe that the followership has made more mistakes because we do not stand up when we see our leaders going wrong. The moment we put somebody in office with all the good intentions he has when he went into office, then the followership now starts showing him that he of this origin, of this religion or that political party, then he starts thinking in that direction. If we can now say, Ok, you are the leader of all. Behave like a leader of all. If our leaders can behave that way, Nigeria would have been a better society.

So, it is the followership that is now making the leadership be what it is. The corruption, abuse of office, nepotism, it is because we are encouraging and allowing them to do that and we turn to our eyes away when they are doing that because if I accuse President Jonathan of doing wrong, the next thing is somebody going to abuse my region or reason. If I praise Jonathan for what he is doing now, somebody will think I am being settled. No body will look at any objective commendation or objective criticism in a very, very objective manner.

We attach sentiments to whatever we do for or against government. And we don’t say good about our leaders. We don’t pray for them to be good. We always condemn them. We always look for their faults. We always show them they are bad, they can never be good. That is our problem.

If I praise Jonathan for what he is doing now, somebody will think I am being settled.

No body will look at any objective commendation or objective criticism in a very, very objective manner

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condemnations against the politicians.

You will find condemnations against the office holders of the 70s. Go to the 80s, you will find condemnation of the office holders of the 80s. Every society, every community has at a time a leadership they will cry against.

You observed earlier that we have more Universities now. Let me remind you that these Universities churn out graduates every year and yet no jobs for them. How would you rate employment?

The mistake, I think, is right from independence. It has so happened that government, regional, central, native and may be local authorities are the largest employer of labour. So, every graduate, every primary school certificate holder, even secondary school, when he finishes and he is not going further to reach his level of education, he looks upon either the local authority, the state or federal government for employment. There is a limit to which federal, state or local government can employ. They can’t employ everybody in

fact, even now; the Civil Service is just over-bloated. So, the problem is not government not employing, no, the most important thing is to bring out an enabling environment so that private businesses will succeed, thereby employing more people. And I think as all these we are saying boil down to sufficient energy. If you have electricity that will now provide the environment for businesses, small and large, I think, more and more will be employed. But relying on government for employment, I think that is where we are missing our point. So, let government continue to provide the enabling environment, so that Nigerians will now sit up and establish their own medium or large scale businesses. With that people can be employed. All these graduates can be absorb into many sectors of the economy.

But the thing is, there is insecurity, there is no electricity to power all these businesses. That is why we don’t have room for employment.

Everybody is now relying on government for employment and government cannot employ. I mean when the Telecommunication was liberalized, you discovered how many people that were directly or indirectly employed. Look at how many people that have been employed by service providers. They are employing directly or indirectly just because the enabling environment has been created for the telecommunication industry to thrive. If government will continue laying the necessary infrastructure, having a level playing ground, Nigerians will be willing to establish businesses that will now employ more and more people.

There are agitations for the creation of State Police and even more States in the country. Some say these are necessary components of a Federal Democracy. Do you think they are feasible at the moment?

Whether it is feasible in one thing and whether is desirable is another thing. Yes, I think so many arguments, for and against have gone on. The one I like most was when somebody was saying instead of creating more dictators, sort of , like having 36 persons holding the reins of police and unleashing them on Nigerians, it is better to allow only one person, meaning, it is good to have only the president now or central government controlling the police. Even if it is going to be abused, it will be abused by only one person. But if you say that every state should, it means that 36 people are going to abuse you. Now, my argument for state police is that ,well, it will be better controlled and better managed if we have Chief executives that will discharge their duties according to the oath of their office. If they can use the police for the purposes the police are made, no body will have any quarrel with that. I will personally not have any quarrel with that. But the danger is where the instrumentality of the state police will be abused by the Government.

That is where the danger lies.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012—43

Nigeria does not reward virtue nor punish evil vil—David Attah

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

C

hief David Attah is a renown Journalist, a former Chief Press Secretary to late Gen. Sanni Abacha and former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar. He turned 67 few days ago after spending several weeks in an Abuja hospital for an undisclosed ailment.In this interview, he bares his mind on several nagging national issues.

Excerpt:

David Attah electorates are not exacting appreciative pressure. We just keep our leaders and representatives on their toes so much so that they have no qualms about their stewardship. And I bet you those who try to be different will not return next time around. That is the name of the game.

And the operative political value is zerosome game. Winner takes all. There is no

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In our 52 years of independence, Nigeria has been besieged by many challenges; Boko Haram, flooding, insecurity and the rest of them. What do you think is the way out of these mind shaking issues?

Your question is very penetrating and it deals with the whole gamut of our societal problems. We are like a nation under siege. And when social policies fail like it has failed in Nigeria, we turn to God in prayers to salvage the situation for us. Or else, how do you explain the extent of calamities? The road is not safe; the air is not safe; the sea is not safe. Waters are leaving their natural course; the margin of safety has become dangerously small. We need to repent. If you look all around us, God is certainly angry. It could have been more but he doesn’t rush to punish; to show anger, but let’s attempt some inward personal assessment. Each time we take a step, we put the wrong foot forward. There is no way you will sow the seed of failure and expect success. It’s foolhardiness isn’t it? God has blessed us in every kind of way; human resources, mineral resources, arable land, but we have grossly impoverished ourselves through mismanagement, under-utilization, greed, corruption. That is not what will exult a nation. Open the pages of our newspapers everyday and you see the number of billions being embezzled with reckless abandon. Nobody is ever apprehended or punished. Nigeria is the only country that I know where virtue is not rewarded nor evil punished.

This kind of situation has not engendered in the citizenry a sense of belonging to the Nigerian nation. And that is why we are today enmeshed in so many anti-social behaviours. When you have a government whose social policies are socially satisfying, you are bound to have a responsible and law abiding citizens. But the contrary is the case, you are bound to have the kind of situation we all find ourselves in.

Today, there is need for attitudinal transformation. What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?

Public officers should bear in mind that they hold whatever offices they do in trust for the people. Let them fall back to the dictates of their conscience. Is it fair to all concerned? Will their actions imbue better friendship and goodwill? Will their actions and policies be beneficial to all concerned?

Leaders have to do this without being told.

Self-evaluation which comes naturally with moral leadership. This is not the Nigeria that I used to be very proud of.

Things have gone gagas. We seem to have no sense of shame, no sense of outrage, no sense of shock. And the new generation of leaders will not fall down like rain.

Let them evolve; let it evolve from the system. Very soon we will be electing leaders to the national assembly and the various states assembly. I believe the

Today, there is need for attitudinal transformation.

What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?

Public officers should bear in mind that they hold whatever offices they do in trust for the people

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way you will have democracy in that kind of situation. Essentially, whatever brand of democracy you have, it is about the peaceful co-existence of different ideas.

Majority will have its way while the minority will have its say. And the opposition is always waiting in the wings to take a bite anytime the person in power falls out of favour. Democracy is about people; a call to service; service above self. It’s not about personal aggrandizement. If my boss, Dangote makes his billions, it’s understandable, he has invested and he is in business to make money. But when public officers make their billions, they

have stolen and that is the truth. Me, I thank God I’ve served and I’ve served. I served two military heads of state consecutively. I am humbled by this experience and that era is gone. I am glad the era of military rule is gone and if it were on you cannot have the same servant serve two of them consecutively. What does it mean?

My responsibility was to my job and nothing else. I served beyond routine requirements. And I deployed the collective expertise of my colleagues, relations, everybody.

Think of what you give to your country and not exclusively what your country will give to you. Your country shouldn’t be treated like a cake that is made for consumption. It’s about development; it’s about the happiness of the generality of the people. We should not be tired of praying. Now that I do nothing but read papers, some of the columns and articles are very illuminating. Sometimes I begin to wonder whether policy makers find time to read them. Otherwise, they contain ideas that are capable of removing us from the wimpiest mud that we are today entangled. I was a reporter like you; became a personnel manager; became general manager; went to the House of Representative; became a commissioner here; then served as the spokesman for Nigeria. But if you have no money, nobody thinks about you. That is why I am surprised that you found something in me.

The moment you are out of government you fall into disuse; nobody uses your experience. You are committed to the graveyard of history at the time that your maturity and wealth of experience should be brought to play for the benefit of the society just like those before you.

Considering the challenges we are facing presently under President Goodluck Jonathan, do you think it is appropriate for him to run for another term in 2015?

Power intoxicates and absolute power intoxicates absolutely. I think the philosopher who said it was Edmund Burk. He made this observation several centuries ago but they are more relevant today than when this statement was made. Put two and two together and say what you get in the attitude of human being who haven tasted power wants to cling to it even if citizen David Attah says it’s not proper. He won’t listen to me.

Most people are mad in office and to destroy them is calamity itself. From our experience, it is never late to quit. There has not been a smooth transfer of power in this country but regrettably, the ordinary man and woman is the victim of this callousness; of this power-drunkenness. I wonder how much time they have to do some planning and reflection. As soon as one election is over they begin to gun for the next round. Haba mallam. You haven’t finished one election and yet you are closing shop for another. It’s only in Nigeria that this can happen. I want to see positive change in the way people react to their responsibility. There is need to deemphasize self and give more premium to others. That is what leadership is all about. Think of our former leaders from the Nigerian experience; Chief Awolowo, the Sardauna of Sokoto, Aminu Kano, Tony

Continues on page 44

44—SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Nigeria does not reward vir tue nor punish evil vil—David Attah Continued from page 43 Enahoro, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Michael Okpara, you name them. This was not the foundation they laid. The way we are roaring today is diametrically opposed to the vision of our founding fathers. May God Almighty throw up virtuous leaders because it is even said that when the righteous is in the saddle the people rejoice. And this is a voice in the wilderness but we will never be tired.

I

Having served under the military regime and now we in democratic period, how will you assess democracy vis as vis military rule?

It is a very interesting question but any attempt to compare the military rule with democratic rule is an exercise in futility because they are essentially different in nature and character. One is dictatorship.

Even me, a civilian working under the military, there is a natural tendency for every civilian to prefer the civilian government no matter how the military government has been benevolent. They may try to build roads, bridges and so on because they don’t have anybody restraining their authority and influence. Decision making under the military rule is faster. The civilian is held by checks and balances.

So, you can’t afford to draw parallel between the military rule and the democratic rule.

They are not comparable. As I said, they are different in nature and character and by their uniqueness, they produce different results. The Nigerian situation is what

David Attah I am looking at. Go to Ghana, the civilian regime has done very well there. Go to South Africa, go to other parts of Africa.

And that is why we are crying that we have got what it takes to have good governance and efficient delivery system.

Mother nature has blessed us abundantly.

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f you are to advise President Jonathan about 2015 what will that advice be?

My advice means nothing; I can only analyse the situation. If he is doing well he knows; the people will oblige him; people will warm up to him. And if you are not doing well, why do you want to continue? You have very ably analyzed some of our major calamities. Are they ameliorating or getting more complicated?

Are they getting worse or better? Progressively I believe things are getting worse.

That is why I said that people should look inward and appeal to the dictates of their Christian conscience. You don’t need somebody to tell you how badly you are doing before you know.

A civilian working under the military, there is a natural tendency for every civilian to prefer the civilian government no matter how the military government had been benevolent

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So, however benevolent a military regime is, it is still an aberration; not only in Nigeria but all over the world. And that is why in America, as mighty as the Army is, it still subordinate itself to civilian authority. Ditto France, ditto Russia, ditto Germa-

ny. It is because of the genuineness of our situation that we have all these social and political experiments. And now the condition for take over is more than before but which military is going to come there now?

The world system; the UN will not allow it.

Forget what is happening in the banana states; Equatorial Guinea, South Sudan and the rest of them. They are going through the processes that we underwent before stabilizing to this stage.

The last time we met with you, you said Boko haram is a riddle (cuts in) right from the beginning, our reaction to Boko Haram was very feverish. Even at the time I was not feeling fine, I wrote an article on it. What is it? If you don’t define your situation, we won’t know what policy to adopt to confront the problem. Precise definition of what it is; who are the people involved? What do they want? Are they a terrorist group, a religious group or a group of anarchists? And I warned at that time that unless something happens, the terrible phenomenon will infiltrate our security system before you know it. And that has happened. Our reaction time is very slow. We take too many things for granted in this country we have double standards in this country. We have so many sacred cows that cannot be touched in this country.

So, by our official actions and neglect we encourage the development of things like that. It is just now with the support of some international community that we are beginning to deal decisively with them.

Initially, the official response to it (Boko Haram) was very feverish. Then you begin to wonder why they were afraid of the group. See how many casualties that have fallen. And you want to look at their effrontery and bravado; they attack armed people, they attack barracks. You must be sure of your arsenal before you attempt to do a thing like that. These are things which you study carefully in the process of defining what kind of situation you are up against before you embark on action programme. So, as I said, it’s a difficult time for all of us; the government, the citizens; you can’t go to your place of worship feeling confident that you will be back or you will do so in safety. You are traveling on the road; you don’t know what is ahead of you. Let’s all join hands, put on our thinking caps and come up with something. Boko Haram is a strange phenomenon which defies all understanding. You cannot even rationalize their actions. A group of people will arrogate to themselves the license to kill without provocation.

We have made giant strides — Okorotie Continued from page 13 Prospects This country has great prospects; it even has the potentials of becoming a world power because the indications are there.

You go to the United States some of the outstanding performers in the sciences are Nigerians. There was a year I travelled to the United States and we were taken to the space centre in Atlanta and we went round the place and someone said that place you can’t get through it, they showed us a glass, the engine room proper and they said there is a Nigerian there. You know that some of the best scientists in the world are Nigerians.

There was a year when government was looking for the best scientist from the United Nations to enable us set up our atomic energy branch and the United Nations wrote back and said what are you talking about, one of the best is a Nigerian and is

based in Italy, an Akwa Ibomite.

They brought him in but Nigeria was moving files when the man was looking for laboratories. After six months he said sorry I can’t take it again he went back. So the issue is really managing it. As for our potentials they are great because population is even an asset like they say when you are more the merrier and when you have an intelligent group of people like Nigerians, they are great brains, there is no where they go they don’t excel.

Population is an advantage, so this country should never talk about division because it cannot be a proper option. Division cannot help us it is being together that it will do better. After all, the most populous country, China with almost 1.5 billion people is the strongest economy today in the world. What about India, it is the second most populous country in the world; you see how well it is doing. India products are all over the world,

their industries are doing well and so it is a matter of our looking inwards. Let us add value to the raw materials we have. We have been sending out our natural resources raw outside for other countries to develop their economies, they produce them, they turn them into products and bring back for us to buy at higher cost. Nationhood for Nigeria would be a robust one. The leadership should continue to mobilise the resource we have for result that will help the country.

How would you assess the leadership of Goodluck Jonathan…

(Cuts in) Perhaps the area I didn’t mention is that one of the factors of instability is frequent incursion of the military, the incursion was said that it also made the civilians to become more corrupt. Because when the army came in apart from the fact that they normally ran a narrow government, they also stole money and go away.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 — 45

46—SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Don’t expect patriotism from misgoverned citizenry —David-West zAgitation for ethnic autonomy minus for nationhood

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FORMER Minister of Petroleum, Professor Tam David-West, in this interview professes his love for Nigeria, but regrets that the failure of the past and present crop of leaders, to give the citizenry a glorious future, is taking the country to the brink of destruction.

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

Professor Tam David-West Do you mean the wave of ethnic realignment and agitations for ethnic autonomy is a minus for Nigeria at 52?

Nigeria has 374 ethnic groups. I will refer you at Prof Otite’s book on Nigeria’s ethnic groups. He did a scholarly research and came up that Nigeria has 374 ethnic

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The verdict across the nation on every October 1, is that there is nothing on ground to justify the half a century as a sovereign country. Does that imply that Nigeria is not really on track in its journey to nationhood?

Nigeria is not yet a nation and the facts are there for all to see. A nation does not have to be homogeneous for it to be a nation. A nation must have a common destiny as a people. But Nigeria has so many destinies. The basic truth is that there are vital aspects of nationhood that the nation has failed to achieve. They are just too concerned about ethnic autonomy and that does not speak well of journey to nationhood. So far the nation has done very badly. I once used Daily Times as a mirror in the survey we did. And I use Daily Times of October 1, 1960 as an example of my position that the nation has not done well. After that independence edition, every other edition on Nigeria talked about the nation’s aimless journey to nationhood. We are a great people, it is sad that leadership has messed us up since independence. We have not achieved anything, security has collapsed, educational system is bad, our Naira is like toilet paper and corruption has become part of our culture. Dose that speak well of a journey of 52 years? After October 1 of every year, it has always been melancholy and melancholy. No! We deserve a better deal Are you saying that even with Nigeria’s thirteen years of uninterrupted democracy, that the journey to nationhood is still bereft of vision?

We have no democracy in Nigeria.

Democracy brings freedom and good life for the citizens. But today insecurity reigns supreme, corruption has become part of the nation’s life and the educational sector has collapsed. Do we call that the dividends of democratic rule? Democracy does not make the people to weep the way Nigerians are groaning. Our democracy is fraudulent. Nigeria is a very fraudulent state, our system is fraudulent, our fraudulent is also fraudulent. You can imagine what is happening now about state coat of arms in the name of federalism. I want to state categorically, that states do not have coat of arms. Coat of arms is for the nation, while emblems are for the states.

But the reverse is what has been going on across the country. The symbols and logos are for individual states, while the coat of arm is solely for the nation. There is a huge distinction. For instance, universities have their logos for identification. When you go to the United Nations,UN, it is the flag of Nigeria that is there and not state flag. Same also applies to national anthem. So we should stop embarrassing ourselves with the talk about state coat of arms. The component states should be educated on this. Now they are talking about ethnic autonomy, how can a former Vice President of this nation be talking about ethnic autonomy? That is rubbish.

We have no democracy in Nigeria. Democracy brings freedom and good life for the citizens. But today insecurity reigns supreme, corruption has become part of the nation’s life and the educational sector has collapsed

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groups. This autonomy means self government. And does it mean that if the nation would succumb to the calls for ethnic autonomy, Nigeria would now have over 374 self governing groups?

That is rubbish. So, you can see that a lot of people does not know how Nigeria can become a nation, because calls for ethnic autonomy does not in any meaningful way help in the journey to nationhood. In America that is a nation, when the US national anthem is being played, people standstill in respect to their country. But you dont get that in Nigeria, where people have no regard for anything Nigerian.

Nigeria can be a very powerful nation, through responsible leadership. But in the

absence of that, the country would remain like a shepherdess sheep.

Nigeria is two years short of the centenary (100 years) of its existence as a nation, and every October 1, statesmen like you express disgust about the unhealthy direction which the country is heading to, can we know the things you would want to be put in place, in order to avoid this yearly anger over the nation’s journey to nationhood?

Centenary is supposed to be a milestone in the life of any nation. Centenary is not just a date, it calls for celebration but we can not have hundred years of sorrow and be celebrating it. But it should not be so for Nigeria because the country has failed itself and its citizens. There is a great quote which says: ‘’Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country’’. But I am saying that we should ask what our country can do for us. If my country can not give me free education, would you want me to be patriotic to my country? If my country can give me the needed platform to realize my God-given potentials, then you can be talking about patriotism and nationhood.

But when the people are not safe and secure how do you talk about patriotism.

And patriotism is a contract and not by obligation. When you can not perform your own side of the contract, by guaranteeing my security, you should not expect patriotism.

Do you see Nigeria celebrating its centenary in view of the current insecurity threatening its corporate existence and do also see the country surviving the next hundred years?

America predicted that the country might break up in 2015. In that year there will be elections and if that election is not conducted to reflect the wishes of Nigeria, that might question the the entity called Nigeria. I believe in Nigeria and I am committed to Nigeria but the way we are going, I don’t see the country surviving as one entity in the next fifty years. The future is very bleak and the sooner the leaders know that, the better. The present crop of leaders should create a glorious future for Nigeria.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 — 47

Jos Crash: Police families, accident victims get N36.63m

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Abuja

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Gov. Peter Obi (left), receiving the Golden Prudence Award from the Primate of Methodist Church, His Eminence, Most Rev. Ola Makinde at Transcorps Hilton Hotel on Thursday

AMILIES of the illfated Police helicopter crash in Jos that killed erstwhile DIG in charge of Operations at Force Headquarters, DIG John Haruna and three others were yesterday paid death benefits amounting to N36, 633, 500 by the Nigeria Police force.

Beneficiaries of the payment also included the owners of houses that were destroyed when the helicopter crashed into their buildings in Jos. Those that benefitted are family of DIG Haruna John-N9. 9million, ACP Garba Yelwa-N3.3million, CSP Pwol Hananiah-N3.

Ovie-Whiskey, Igbrude laid to rest in Delta

BY FESTUS AHON, Ughelli

T

HE remains of the former Chairman of the defunct Federal Electoral Commission, FEDECO, Hon. Justice Vic-

tor Ovie-Whiskey has been laid to rest at his Ohore-Uvwie, Uvwie local government area, Delta State.

He was interred at about 2.45 pm amidst

tears and encomium.

The internment was preceded by a funeral mass at St. Gregory Catholic Church, Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the

State.

Speaking during the funeral mass that attracted dignitaries from all walks of life, the Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan described the late jurist as a legal icon and a true Nigerian who was dedicated to the service of his fatherland.

Uduaghan who spoke through his Deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama (SAN) stated that the late Justice Ovie-Whiskey served Nigeria selflessly, adding that his life style was a challenge to this generation and generations yet unborn.

Earlier in a homily at the mass which was attended by the Archbishop of the Benin Province of the Catholic Church, Most Revd Augustine Akubueze, the Bishop of Patani Diocese, Most Rev. Joseph Egaraga, among others, the Parish Priest, Revd. Fr. Barnabas Esegine said the deceased was “a patriotic Nigerian who did not only serve the nation but served his community selflessly.”

In a related development, the remains of former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Young Daniel Igbrude were laid to rest yesterday at his Owheologbo compound in Isoko North local government area of Delta State.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan who led other top government functionaries to the burial ceremony said the late Igbrude was not strange in the State political family, adding that he was among the first 10 commissioners former Governor James Ibori appointed in 1999.

2million and SGT Sanathan Shirunam-N9.

9million. Those whose buildings were damaged are Mr. Adams Ngar-N1.

1million, Dauda SundayN419. 300. 00, Victor Adeh-N292. 400. 00, and Mr. Mali Waziri N1.5million.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Inspector General of police, Mohammed Abubakar lamented the demise of the ‘gallant’ officers saying “moments like this are very sad for me as IG and the entire Nigerian Police Force because these are officers who have dedicated their lives to the service of the nation and humanity”.

Describing the presen-

tation ceremony as an indication of his administration’s belief that ‘we must be there for our own’, the IG said, “it is to show our appreciation for the commitment of the officers while alive. The other thing we can do is that we will continue to pray for them”.

To the families of the late officers he said, “What is given is not a price for the souls of the officers lost but a meager token to help cushion the hardship being faced by them”.

He added that the promises made by the Nigeria Police to the families to train some children of the deceased officers through education and others will be fulfilled.

NIMC D-G defends self over ex-staff protests

BY EMMA UJAH, Abuja Bureau Chief HE Director General T of the National Identity Management Com-

mission, NIMC, Mr. Chris Onyemenam, has reacted to a series of protests embarked upon by former staff of the organization who were sacked by the management, saying that their entitlements were fully paid, contrary to claims by the protesters.

He told journalists in Abuja, that the exercise was a redundancy arising from the new reform programme of the NIMC which he disclosed inherited over 10, 000 workers from the defunct Directorate of National Civic Registra-

tion, DNCR, which was then under the Ministry of Interior.

“Those who are behind the misrepresentations are most uncharitable and a distraction”, Mr. Onyemenam said, adding, “the management made sure that the redundancy had a human face”.

He said further, “the reports have portrayed the NIMC as insentitive, executing its reform initiative without regard for due process and sacked 4, 029 people without paying them their entitlements. The management has done what can possibly be done to ensure a smooth exit, including payment of outstanding promotion arrears and the issue of stagnation was adequately addressed”.

Mimiko commissions Igbotako General Hospital •Raises hope for expansion

O

NDO State Gover nor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko again reiterated his administration’s commitment towards providing quality healthcare to the people of the State.

Dr Mimiko stated this on Thursday during the official commissioning of an ultra modern Igbotako General Hospital Complex in Okitipupa Local Government Area built by his administration.

The Governor had on assumption of office in 2009 upgraded the health facility from a Comprehensive Health Centre to the status of

General Hospital and ordered for the construction of a befitting complex to enable it perform optimally.

According to Dr Mimiko, who was conducted round the various departments of the facility including male and female wards, administrative and surgical sections among others, expressed delight and promised to expand the facility.

He assured that the facility would complement the activities of the State Specialists Hospital Okitipupa in the provision of quality healthcare to the people of the area.

48 —Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEMTEMBER 29, 2012

xxxxx Lagos Robbery Exclusive!

Inside story of how Neighbourhood watch assisted Police to crack kingpins

•Uche being led by a detective from SARS after arrest

By ALBERT AKPOR DONALD ARJI & ADA ONWUNALI

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NARGUABLY, the foun dation of the Lagos State Police Command experienced a major tremor for the first time on the hot afternoon of Sunday, September 9, 2012 when a gang of notorious armed robbers took the state by storm.

The bandits were not just armed with sophisticated weapons, they were equally clad in police uniforms, had police walkie-talkies with them while their get-away SUV vehicle was fitted with circuit camera. With these, they mesmerized the police; intercepted radio messages and watched events as they unfolded behind them in their vehicle.Before their operation that ill-fated Sunday which witnessed the killing of three Police men and about four hapless persons, the dare devil armed robbers went round the state as if they were policemen on patrol. But when they finally settled for their target which were Bureaux De Change in Oke-koto, Agege and Gbagada, the entire state became a theater of war. The robbers released gun shots indiscriminately to ward off perceived enemies and this sent jitters into the spines of a combined team of Special anti-robbery squad.

Curiously, the InspectorGeneral of Polcie,IGP MD Abubakar was in Lagos to commission automobiles donated to the Police Command by the state government and association of local government councils in the state. The police boss who was embar-

rassed by the ugly incident gave the Commissioner of Police Umar Manko a two-week ultimatum within which to unearth perpetrators of the heinous crime. Acting on his boss’s directive, CP Manko summoned his men to a crucial security meeting and consequently a matching order to his officers to get cracking.

And in less than two weeks after the carnage, the police went underground, snooping...and did not only crack the brains behind the dastardly act, they also uncovered mobile armouries of the bandits. The armouries were fashioned in such a way that no unaided eye could have detected it except through a tip-off. The floors of the two buses were cut open by the bandits and a false floor was constructed in the respective buses and securely sealed with sophisticated arms and ammunition.

Before any operation, the mobile armouries would have had bags of beans and corns loaded in the buses to cover the welded false floors and driven to a strategic location of the target area. With the bags of cereals in the buses, they outwitted security agents in all the states they operated.

Meanwhile, before the September 9, 2012 raid in Lagos,the bandits had operated in different banks in Kogi, Edo, Delta, Kwara and Ogun states,and raked in substantial amount of money.

Crime Guard scooped that after the Lagos carnage, three members of the gang including Uche had raided the home

Uche as the only tenant, the gate was under lock and key but his generator was running; fueling speculation that Uche was in, perhaps fast asleep. Both the Londoner and his unnamed agent resolved to spend the night together in the latter’s house.

Narrating how his client was dispossessed of all that he brought into the country

by Uche and his gang members, the unnamed agent said, “I did not know that Uche and my sister-in-law were going out in the first place neither did I suspect that he was a member of an armed robbery gang.

My client and I were always discussing issues on phone about his house which I was helping him to build and of course, in the presence of my sister-in-law. I did not know that whatever we said she would replay it to Uche her boyfriend. So when the building was finished and my client was to come over to inspect it for the first time, my sister-in-law was also privy to the conversation. Even the day he arrived the country, I was shocked that my sisterin-law was with Uche who happens to be

• The compound where Uche lived with the two buses used as armouries. Pix : Donald Arji of an unnamed UK-based Nigerian business man somewhere in Imude community, Otto-Awori Local Government area, a Lagos suburb. Incidentally, the unnamed UK-based Nigerian business man happens to be the landlord to Uche who is one of the armed robbery kingpins.

It was gathered that a sisterin-law (names withheld) to an unnamed agent who built the house for the London resident was Uche’s girl friend,and she unsuspectingly told him that the Londoner was coming into the country for the first time to inspect his house built for him by her brother-in-law and that he (the Londoner) would definitely come with large sums of money. Unknown to the girl, her boyfriend and confidant is a notorious armed robber and even the buses that were parked in the compound had in them weapons of mass destruction. When the Londoner arrived his house which had

the only tenant in the whole building.

I think it was in a bid to get details of my client’s movement that he invited my sister-in-law to his house. While in Uche’s house my sister-inlaw got a call from my wife that she should start coming back home that I and my client were very close to the house and that I will not be happy with her when I come back to discover that she was with Uche.

During that conversation between my wife and her sister, Uche was listening with keen interest without her knowledge. He even tried to force certain information out of her but that resulted into an argument which made my sister-in-law to leave his house in anger. As if I had a premonition of what was to happen, while coming from the airport, I was very mindful of the route I took to ensure that we were not trailed by anyone. So, in-

stead of taking Oshodi which was nearer, I took Iyana Ipaja to come to the house.”

Continuing, the unnamed agent said, “Later in the evening at about 11:30 pm when we arrived at my client’s house, the main entrance was locked; we knocked and knocked to no avail. We noticed that Uche’s generator was running and so it was believed that he was inside, perhaps, fast asleep. After the fruitless knock, we decided to go over to my place and pass the night together. We went to bed at about 1.30am . But all I could remember was that I was jolted from sleep at about 3:00am by gun- wielding masked men ordering me to cooperate with them or get killed.

They assured that they may not hurt me nor any member of my family provided I cooperated. Both my legs and hands were tied. They collected all the money which my client brought, about Euros 4,500, three phones made up of iphone 3, i- phone 4, his two brand new laptops worth Euros 1000 each which he bought for me because he didn’t pay me for the job done, I just requested for a laptop.

They also took my wife’s two hundred thousand Naira for her business, her one hundred and twenty-six thousand Naira worth of recharge cards. So in all, what was stolen from us was worth almost N3m.”

Narrating how Uche became a tenant in that house, the unnamed agent said, “Uche became a tenant in that house about two months ago, that is, a month after its completion.

When he came to rent his apartment, he claimed that he was a spare parts seller and I did not doubt him because he showed his complimentary cards and that was what we filled in on the agreement sheet. I never knew that I was dealing with a notorious armed robber.”

Continuing, he said, “After the robbery, accusing fingers were pointing at me and, of course, that was expected. So I decided first and foremost, to report the case to the neighborhood watch in our area before going to the police The head of the vigilante asked me some salient questions which almost swept me off balance,and it paid off at the long run. First, what Alhaji Isiaka, the neighborhood watcher asked me was, who and who were aware that my client was coming to Nigeria, Continues on page 50

Vanguard, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012—49

Inside story of how Neighbourhood watch assisted Police to crack kingpins Continued from page 49

and I remember not to have told anyone else except my wife and her sister who was always around during telephone conversation between me and my client. Surprisingly, the man said he would start from there. It is the result of that, that we are now seeing”

Crime Guard spoke with the neighborhood watcher and he has this to say: “When I was con-

• Arms and ammunition buried in false floor of one of the buses

tacted about the robbery of the previous night, the first question I asked

was; who did he tell about the coming of his

client and he said nobody except his wife and sister-in-law.

Then I asked that he should bring his sisterin-law first for interrogation. It was during my interaction with her that I discovered that she was dating one Uche who was aware of the landlord’s visit to Nigeria. That was how I alerted the Officer-in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad,SARS, who came in and arrested Uche and the girl. It was at

SARS that Uche confessed to the crime and several other crimes.”

Crime Guard also scooped that it was during intense interrogation that Uche later confessed that the two Volkswagen buses parked in the compound were their mobile armories.

In the mean time, it was revealed that Uche had bought a German Shepard puppy dog worth N100,000.00 from an unnamed neighbour to his gang member, Chinonso

and as luck would have it, he brought the animal to Uche on a day the team of SARS were on a search of his apartment.

And when asked who Chinonso was, Uche did not waste time to tell the policemen that he was one of them. And that was how Chinonso was equally rounded up.

The Policemen were later shocked to their marrows after they forced open the floors of the buses to discover that the they were after all, mobile armouries.

50 — SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29 , 2012

Rage of flood across Nigeria From West to East, South to the North, many communities, towns and villages were submerged by rampaging flood , killing several people and rendering thousands of people homeless. These pictures show rage of flood across Nigeria.

Makurdi, Benue State.

Anambra State, Southe-east, Nigeria.

Ibadan, South-West of Nigeria.

Niger State of Nigeria.

Nigerian, Swedish businessmen urge FG to encourage product e xhibition exhibition

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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HE Nigerian-Swedish Chamber of Commerce, yesterday, called on the federal government to encourage product exhibition, in order to tackle the importation of goods into the country.

Speaking at the opening of a three-day product exhibition held in Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, President of the Chamber, Chief Olayinka Ogunmekan noted that some of the things being imported from abroad can be manufactured in the country.

“It is just to highlight that we have things that our members can sell. It is one of the reasons they are members of the Chamber.

And we don’t have to wait for the big exhibitions that will over shadow our members’ products”, he said.

Also, Deputy President of the Chamber, Chief Mark Obu described the product exhibition as a preliminary, noting that it is

to sensitize their members in order for them to see what they can do before the Chamber would begin to woo foreign businessmen on the business opportunities available in Nigeria.

“We limited the number of companies invited because of the space involved. This is the very first time we are doing it.

It has not been done by any Chamber in Nigeria.

So we want to showcase what we could do as a Chamber” he said.

The three-day product exhibition which was officially declared open by the Publisher and Chairman, Vanguard Media Limited, Mr. Sam Amuka, gave opportunities to various companies who showcased their products at the venue.

Sales Manager of Vono Products Plc, Adebayo Adewale, told Saturday Vanguard that the company is concerned with creating the living room, bedroom and institutions.

He disclosed that “of recent, Vono has started doing kitchen cabinet which is an addition to their products. Before now, Vono has been known to be a company that deals majorly on foam. But of recent, we have been able to diversify into some other products, which is the furniture part of it.”

Also, the Marketing Coordinator of R.T. Briscoe, (Nigeria) Plc, Felix Adesoye said one of the products displayed during the product exhibition came from Sweden and the company is part of the exhibition to showcase the many products in their portfolio.

“We are part of the exhibition organized by the Nigerian-Swedish Chamber of Commerce. In R.T. Briscoe, we have a lot of products in our portfolio.

One of those products came from Sweden. And that is Atlas Copco Air compressors and BT Material handling products.

To showcase the fact that R.T. Briscoe is beyond automobile, that is why we participated in the exhibition to show our forklifts,

generators and other products. We have JCB Generators, Toyota Forklifts, Atlas Copco Air compressors that are used in industries and hospitals.”

One of the Sales Representatives of M/S Europlus Nig Ltd, Adetomo Abolanle pointed out that there are other products on the way that the com-

pany would soon introduce to the market, adding that the company which is maker of crunchy corn begins operations only six months ago.

Anti-Islam film-maker jailed

BY EMEKA MAMAH, with agency report

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HE filmmaker Nakou la Basseley Nakoula, who was reportedly behind the Islamophobic video Innocence of Muslims, that sparked anti-US protests the world over has been arrested and jailed for violating the terms of his probation. About 13 people including the US Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stephens were killed during the protests

by Muslims across the world.

Federal Judge Suzanne Segal yesterday ruled that the California man, should be jailed after a federal prosecutor said he had eight probation violations, including lying to his probation officers and

using aliases.

“The court has a lack of trust in the defendant,” Judge Segal said, ordering Nakoula to be handcuffed and shackled in court.

He “has every incentive to disappear,” Assistant US Attorney Robert Dugdale added, noting that the filmmaker has a “lengthy pattern of deception.”

Nakoula, was arrested earlier in the day and brought before a Los Angeles court over the probation violation. The US District Court hearing was closed to both the media and the public.

He was arrested after federal probation officials determined he violated the terms of his supervised release, and filed a request to revoke it, said

Thom Mrozek of the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.

Probation officers who suspected that he violated violated the terms of his parole by uploading a 14-minute trailer of the film to YouTube had opened an investigation into Nakoula’s status, resulting in the arrest.

Nakoula had also been taken into custody for questioning by his probation officer earlier in the month.

In 2010, Nakoula, known under at least a dozen aliases including Sam Bacile, was found guilty of opening bank accounts using stolen identities and Social Security numbers, and was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012—51

MFBs sue for tax rebate, as LAPO pays N1 .2 billion N1.2

How to become a livestock entrepreneur F

inding success as a livestock entrepreneur can be a challenging but an interesting venture. The Managing Consultant/CEO, Jovana Farms Prince Arinze Onebunne, discovered early that excelling in the basic tenets of animal care helps one to advance in the industry. Hard work and willingness to adopt new ideas have assisted in transforming his business.

For him, animal husbandry is the sure foundation of profitable and sustainable agriculture and that was why he abandoned other businesses for livestock farming. He said nobody encouraged him before he went into it. He observed that his childhood background in hunting helped him a lot and that was the reason he is able to rear animals today and waiting patiently for a short time and today he is reaping the gains.

According to him, “My desire is to convert many Nigerians and applicants

to micro livestock entrepreneurs to make their contribution in the livestock market and by extension to the economy increase employment generation in the country”, he said.

Promoting backyard animal rearing as a tool of alleviating poverty and malnutrition, Onebunne believes, urban and ruralbased backyard mini livestock production could be a rich resource for developing agric-entrepreneurship in the country.

To tackle unemployment and poverty, the Jovana Farms boss, said, he encourages people to go into mini livestock businesses which they can start with as little amount as N35,000 to N50,000.

He listed such businesses to include rearing of snails, rabbits, guinea pig, porcupine, bee, grasscutters among others. In all, he advised Nigerians to belong to the micro livestock businesses class, saying with time they can grow their businesses beyond being a

Despite the incessant agitation for liquidity to meet the demands of depositors, the informal sector, microfinance banks still pay outrageous sum as tax. At a maiden Annual General Meeting in Lagos, it was revealed that Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) Microfinance

Bank paid N1.2 billion tax to government in 18 months period. Also, Unical Microfinance Bank Ltd., Calabar, pays tax to the tune of N7 million per annum to government. This is just two out of 800 microfinance banks operating in the country that also pay tax to government.

If the huge amount of money spent on taxation by these micro institutions can be invested in these banks for sustainable micro financing, it can go a long way in their operations.

As part of the objectives for establishing microfinance banks as contained in the Central Bank of Nigeria’s framework states: “Provision of diversified, affordable and dependable financial services to the economically active poor, which otherwise would have been excluded in a timely and competitive manner to enable them undertake and develop long term, sustainable

“grasscutter farming is the way out of poverty for Nigeria’s teeming unemployed masses, because with only N50,000, one can begin the grasscutter farming and within a year, you are sure to grow your farm with 56 more grasscutters.”

“Starting a grasscutter farm is not a difficult task because all you need is to purchase a family and a family consists of one male and four females because the grasscutter is polygamous in nature,” he explained.

According to him, a family of grasscutter is sold for N45,000 but they mature after eight months and can begin littering after these months, each female grasscutter can litter up to 10 babies per birth. He said if one wants to make money rearing fish, snail, antelope and grasscutter, one must learn how the

market operates. The major determining forces in the market are the weight, height and quality of the animals.

“We want governments at all levels to key into the benefit of this business and encourage local farmers to go into this productive and income generating venture to better their lives in addition to other forms of farming that are being practiced.

Jovana farms organizes nationwide sensitization training seminars on the practical ways of making it through small scale farming. Attend our nationwide seminars nearest to you know more opportunities in grasscutter farming.

Visit www.jovanafarm.com for more details. Choose also the nearest venue from the advert box in this page.

entrepreneurial activities.” Operators now wonder how this objective be achieved when microfinance banks are paying huge amount on taxation.

Speaking further on other challenges affecting micro finance operations in the country, Chairman, LAPO microfinance Bank, Dr Osarenren Emokpae, said, the present high tax cost to the company would have enhanced operations in terms of impacting on more prospective users of funds in the low strata of the society.

He added that other challenges affecting the sector is attributable to expensive operational style adopted by some operators.

Managing Director, LAPO, Godwin Ehigiamusoe, urged Federal Government to consider microfinance banks in terms of tax payment so as to reach a number of low income people.

According to him, “Microfinance banks that are supposed to support poor people are objecting to the same tax regime of oil and gas companies. If you look at our financials, we paid a tax of N1.2 billion cash for 18 months to FG, because of what tax people call tax commencement or tax registration.

“Our appeal is that because of the peculiar nature of microfinance they should be given some consideration or rebate in terms of tax.

He also disclosed that between June 2010, when LAPO obtained a license to operate as a microfinance bank, at the end of 2011, it advanced a total of N43.3 billion loans through its 269 business outlets across the country. Its gross earnings stood at N8.2b while profit before tax (PBT) was N2.1 billion.

It was said that the bank is planning to reduce its current monthly structured interest rate from 2.5 per cent to 2.3 percent.

Onebunne:

source of family meat and supplement income into large-scale operation that can provide life time income. What he teaches is profitable livestock business. The issue for him, is to watch out for better business opportunities, and grasscutter farming is a really good one, if one knows how to raise and manage it.

Onebunne said that his grasscutter business despite little challenges earns enough money to take care of his family; employ additional hands and offer professional services to other farmers that are interested in venturing into the grasscutter business. Now I supply high quality breeds of any of these animals to farmers both within and outside Nigeria with technical and professional advice,” he said.

According to him,

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Globacom’s Head of Value Added Services, Samson Isa (right), presenting a cheque of N6 million to Emeka Igwe, a lucky winner in the Glo “text4millions” promo at a special ceremony held at Globacom’s corporate headquarters in Lagos recently. With them are Head of Regulatory Affairs and Compliance, Yinka Olafimihan (left) and Head, Corporate Sales, Kamal Shonibare.

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PAGE 52, SATURDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Pro-boxing:

Ajose needs divine intervention, says Adebiyi

BY EDDIE AKALONU

B

RIGADIER— General Gregory Adebiyi (rtd), the man who recruited Olympian Olusegun Ajose into the Nigeria Army sports team, then as director of Physical and Health Education has advised the boxer to come back home and seek spiritual rebirth by focusing on his his family background if he must make hay in the professional ranks.

He spoke in Lagos in the aftermath of Ajose’s recent loss to Lucas Matthysse of Argentina in a WBC interim light welterweight title fight in the United States, September 8.

“That he lost goes beyond what the eye can see and I think Ajose must return home to seek answers by focusing on family background.

He needs divine intervention in order to make progress because that loss is replete with some non- technical undertones which only himself would have to take measures to correct for his future in the ring,” the retired General said.

Adebiyi, a former national table tennis

champion said, “ he is a good boxer no doubt. He has potentials to become a world champion because he has always shown promises from the early days and it emerged he was the only one among the boxers recruited into the force who won gold medal at the 7th All Africa Games

called him inside the board-room to talk things over.”

Continuing, he said, “our opponents are not resting on their oars but would exploit loopholes made public about our team by us. So, there lies the need to exercise restraint in comments and criticisms and allow the

in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1999. It is also my belief that he has a long career ahead of

him in the ring. Like I said, he needs to return to his family roots to seek answers and that’s how,

in my view, he could right the wrongs hindering his progress as a professional boxer.”

Bogus list: Don’t bow to pressure, Esu advises Keshi

BY SOLOMON NWOKE

F

ORMER Crown FC of Oshogbo coach, Godfrey Esu has raised a credibility question on Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi’s avowed quest to build a new and formidable national team following the long list of players he invited to camp for the October 13 th second leg of the 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Lone Star of Liberia in Calabar.

Coach Esu sees the long list of players invited as a waste of tax payers money since not all the players would be useful to the team, apart from the confusion it would create in the camp.

He said, “at a time we are praising him that he has gotten the nucleus of the new national team from the local-based players, he went and

Gen Adebiyi urges constructive criticisms of Keshi, Eagles continued from B/Page

Ajose (r) landing a punch on opponent during a contest.

coach good space to work on the team for the game in Calabar next month because our sole aim should be how to beat Liberia and win the ticket for the competition.

Other than that, all the hue and cry over Keshi, the Eagles and result are uncalled for because it’s about a year or so he was handed the team so why not give him space to work.”

invited 15 foreign-based players aside the 23 locals. Is he now telling us that his experiment is not working. Inviting as many as 15 foreign-based players which will make him at the end of the day use only three local-based means that his experiment is not working”.

The former 3SC FC of Ibadan coach reasoned that the invitation of 38

players for a second leg match means that Keshi was under pressure from the powers from the football house and urged Keshi to learn from his predecessor, coach Samson Siasia’s experience and stand his grounds whenever he takes a decision that would not be detrimental to his job.

“I think there’s pressure on him to invite such

number of players. The way I look at him, I think there is pressure on him because in the first leg, he did not invite that large number. Most of the players he invited now are not playing for their clubs, so why bring them now? I wish him well and at the same time advise him not to succumb to pressure from above. He should stand his grounds.”

Novelty: Nwosu leads ex-Eagles against Team Akpabio

A

S part of of activities to mark this year ’s 3 rd Akpabioism Lecture, 16 ex-Eagles led by Henry Nwosu (MON) have signed to partake in the novelty match billed to take place at Uyo Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on November 24.

Revealing this to newsmen in Lagos during the week, Pastor

James Bassey, Chancellor of Akpab-ioism Centre for Leadership Develo-pment, said the Akpabioism Lecture is an annual event meant for the promotion and entrenchment of the outstanding leadership qualities of Gov. Godswill Akpabio in the nation’s firmament.

According to Pastor Bassey, while the governor himself will

Don’t nurse too much hope continued from B/Page because they (Eagles) are not as formidable as before to also know that their team are not better, charging the Liberia Football Association, LFA to focus more developing the youth teams.

Meanwhile President

of the LFA, Mr. Musa Bility was optimistic the Lone Star could pull a favourable result against Nigeria because the team who begin training in Ghana tomorrow for the crucial tie have been motivated and are doing a lot to ensure victory is assured.

captain Team-Akpabio, seasoned footballer and former captain of the Green Eagles, Henry Nwosu, will lead the exEagles in the novelty match. He disclosed that Team Akpabio will feature the State’s deputy governor, some governors, the secretary to the state while Etim Esin, Friday Ekpo, Peter Rufai, Victor Ikpeba and Taribo West, among others, will feature for the ex-Eagles.

Speaking on the reason the novelty football match is part of this year ’s Akpabioism National Lecture, the businessman and pastor remarked that, “Akpabioism in totality is all about good leadership geared towards all round development of the youths.

C-River sends 19 players to Reach Out tennis tourney

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Calabar

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INETEEN table tennis players from Cross River State are participating in the ongoing Reach Out Nigeria Rhapsody of Realities Table Tennis Championship which come to an end in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State today.

One of them and the defending champion of the competition, Janet Friday has promised to retain the title just as the prize money has been increased from N100, 000 to N500, 000 Speaking to Saturday Vanguard Sports before jetting out to Uyo for the competition which commenced on Monday, Friday said she has trained so hard and therefore hopeful of victory despite the participation of five other African countries in the competition sponsored by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy Church According to her, since Cross River dominated the first three editions, the team was determined to continue with the tradition especially with the increase in the prize money, adding that her team mates like the African champion, Offiong Edem, Cecilia Otu and Itoro Akpan will pose a big challenge to other competitors.

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SATURDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012

Gen. Adebiyi urges constructive criticisms of Keshi, Eagles

By EDDIE AKALONU

F

ORMER chairman of Nigeria Football Association, NFA technical committee, Brigadier-General Gregory

•Stephen Keshi

Today’s matches USA Gambia Canada Colombia

v v v v

N/Korea France Azerbaijan Nigeria

1.pm 1. pm 4.pm 4.pm

GOLDEN PARALYMPIANS.... Nigeria’s golden Paralympians continued to receive recognition with the latest coming from Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company(SNEPCo) which hosted them to a reception in Lagos yesterday. SNEPCo MD, Mr. Chike Onyejekwe, (foruth from left) poses with them.

Photo by Sylva Eleanya.

Adebiyi has called on football lovers, ex players as well as stake-holders to exercise caution in their comments, suggestions and/or criticisms of Stephen Keshi and the Eagles on the on-going African Cup of Nations.

The former NFA Board member said that even though most of the comments made may look good, they are actually

distractions to the coach and the team, adding, “some that I have read actually are issues the personalities involved should have spoken to Keshi as his friend or associate without making them public. There are some unpalatable comments coming from the NFF people, who in my opinion, could have

continues on page 55

FIFA U-17: Flamingoes vow to shoot down Colombia F

LAMINGOES of Nigeria are set to rout Colombia in their last group A match at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan today.

While the coaching crew are planning a tactical

warfare, the players promised to shoot down their opponents with goals.

The Head Coach of Flamingoes Peter Dedevbo said in Baku: “We want to repeat our game plan against Azerbaijan for

Colombia on Saturday (today), we want to come out attacking and attacking.

“We need a straight win in that match. Whatever the number of goals we score, it doesn’t matter, we want the three maximum

points in that match.

“We have watched our opponents’ play, we are not bothered about their spying on us, we know their weak points. “ We are stronger, we’ll have upper hand in the

Don’t nurse too much hope —Wleh Bedell A

HEAD of the October 13 Nations Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles and the Lone Star of Liberia,, a Liberian football analyst, Wleh Bedell not to nurse too much hope of their team pulling any surprise against their host in Calabar. The analyst who also goes by the name Jean Jacques, according to liberiansoccer.com, said he was hinging his advice on the fact that the Lone Star have poor away records since the exit of their pillar and former world footballer of the year, George Weah.

Accordng to him, the Liberian senior national team have, since the exit of Weah after the

Africa Nations Cup in Mali in 2002, played 19 competitive matches, lost 18 of them and drawing just one while scoring only eight goals and conceding a whopping 51. He stressed that while he was not suggesting that the Lone Star ’s away task in Calabar against the Eagles was not possible, achievable or attainable, it seemed impossible as he also advised them not to be carried away by their home win against Ghana in a recent friendly match in Monrovia.

The analyst said that victory in friendly matches would only leap frog the team or country over others while qualification for

competitions could only be guaranteed by victories in competitive matches. He told his

compatriots who felt that the Lone Star could upset the Eagles in Calabar continues on page 55

CROSS WORD PUZZLE Across 1 State in Nigeria – (7) 5 Hausa Word for “Friend”? – (5) 8 Iraqi Currency Unit – (3) 9 Former NNPC Managing Director, Mr. Gaius – (7) 10 Stadium – (5) 11 Plateau State Capital – (3) 12 National Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacist (ACPN), William – (7) 16 Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim – (5) 17 Italian “Serie A” Premiership Clubside – (4) 19 Kogi State Capital – (6) 22 MD, Unity Bank Plc, Mr. Fola – (6) 25 State in Nigeria Known as “The Gateway State”? – (4) 27 Organ of Speech – (5) 28 DR Congo Prime Minister, Antoine – (7) 32 CBN’s Director of Currency Operations, Mohammed – (3) 33 Desert’s Fertile Spot – (5) 34 Kenyan Capital City – (7) 36 Vegetable – (5) 37 minister of Special Duties, Prof.

Taoheed – (7)

Down 1 Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello – (5) 2 Former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun – (5) 3 L.G.A in Lagos State – (5) 4 L.G.A in Oyo State – (6) 5 Syrian National President, Bashir – (7) 6 General Overseer, Winners Chapel International Church, Bishop David – (7) 7 L.G.A in Oyo State – (7) 13 Number – (3) 14 State in Nigeria Known as “The Eastern Heartland”? – (3) 15 Boast – (4) 18 L.G.A in Katsina State – (4) 19 African River – (7) 20 Cote D’Ivoire “Elephants” Player, Blaise – (7) 21 Minister of State for Information, Omobola – (7) 23 Organ of Sight – (3) 26 Country in Africa – (6) 29 DR. Congo’s Former Name – (5) 30 Former PDP National Chairman, Okwesilieze – (5) 31 Legendary Queen of Zaria – (5)

match and that will pay off when we meet.”

He added that, “We know the tough teams in this tournament but we are not afraid of them. We want to take a match at a time because victory comes from God. “Our attackers and midfielders are young and agile. If one player does not score a goal another will score. There is cohesion in the team, they are not selfish.”

On her part, Flamingoes’ captain Victoria Aid1

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elomon said: “We have committed our match against Colombia into God’s hands.

“We are preparing well for the match because our aim is to get to the finals of the competition and winning the competition will be great in my history as captain of the team.”

Chinwendu Ihezuo, the highest goal scorer in the competition, said the Flamingoes would remove pride and put their best into the game against Colombia.

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